Kim's baby

We are thrilled to announce ... nope, just kidding. Tuktuk Kim is the Kim I mean. For the very many who have now made the trek to Cambodia to be with us, Tuktuk Kim is a key part of essential life survival here.

Kim was at the Healing Home the other day to get Daa to hospital and I asked him 'how is your wife, how is your baby?' 'Baby no good' was the answer. This is the first that I had heard that wee 9-month-old Sawan has real problems; heart issues and maybe more. He readily agreed to bring his wife and Sawan to the Healing Home.

Bonna going thru' the simple admittance paperwork with Win this afternoon. Already there is grace on Sawan - she is breathing easier and sleeping instead of squirming and crying.

There are a few new developments quietly getting launched this week. Firstly, Witmien, the delightful children's pastor at New Life Fellowship brought us a sick man this week, who is the parent of one of the children in a slum outreach. This led to us talking to Witmien about bringing greater strength to our Friday kids club. He joined us today for the one hour of happy chaos and promises to return next week with a view to getting some of his team involved to build the effectiveness and the scope of this program.

Also joining us this week is Bunthorn, a great young guy who really developed a strong relationship with Marty and Robyn during their stint teaching English here last year. The plan is that Bunthorn become the Healing Home teacher - to both our patients (very many of whom do not read or write) and to neighbourhood kids. Today Bonna talked with the parents of some kids who come to club but who are too poor to attend school. They are very keen to have their children in a free class. We start next week!

The Cat's Whiskers - 2

Whether by nature or by prayer I do not know, but upon return to the Healing Home I was greeting by Fiesty cat with almost a fully restored set of whiskers. Those stumpy trimmed ones will be a memory to giggle over for many years to come!

Evidence of growth - silly puss never moved for Chumnuo's trim-job and never seemed to know what she was missing

Also in need of some growth was Susie's little pot-plant garden on our little deck off the bedroom. There had been a few deaths in the potted family in our absence - despite us returning to two days of rain in the heart of the dry season. The temperature was 21 degrees when we landed too - about 10 degrees less than normal. 'Global warming' works in mysterious ways ...

Arriving home looking like a wheelie garden - Sue has already jumped off the back of the bike with her couple of bushes.

Here's my girl sorting our bit of potted greenery

Back where we belong

'Where is our home'? was a question I asked Sue a couple of days ago as we were sitting on yet another plane heading back to Cambodia. We are pretty certain that 'here in Phnom Penh' is our answer but after living out of both Aussie and NZ these last five weeks, a spot of disorientation does set in.

That's my whole-hearted first-born giving Josh a peck on the cheek following their excellent, moving vows. Sarah and Nick Fields, Kara's pastors, took the service and were just so warm and God-honouring.

Being in NZ for Kara's wedding to Joshua would have been the highlight - and being introduced to the wonderful world of Joshua's Assyrian dancing family line the icing on the highlight. That is three weddings in 22 months; all done and now we are happy to wait with long-patience for a new Bonnevie (Collins / Isaac) generation to step into our world!

Here are our precious ones - handling themselves with style in the midst of a genuine Wellington northerly gale that greeted the wedding day!

Part of the adventure of being absent is in the returning and seeing just how much our staff have grown. Sopheap was given the leadership to decision-making and overseeing the Home for the three weeks it was open during our time away. The girls have done really, really well. Patients have been arriving, good choices made and excellent care given. Sopheap mentioned in passing that one patient now follows Jesus too!