Cambodia's most wanted

Meet Kamein, one of our many friendly neighbourhood kids.

I heard the gate open the other day, during our morning devotions time. I looked to see Kamein and his little brother slip into our yard and scoot across to our outside dining table. Milliseconds later and his little feet were flying out of the yard, a look of glee on his face and a little jackfruit tucked under his arm like a rugby ball. Close behind him was his comrade in crime.

I caught up with the little guy later in the day and asked for the fruit back, please. We explained that coming in to our yard and stealing was an inferior idea. Kamein was a pro. He looked me dead in the eye and said 'no I never'.

He convinced Bonna who was on translation duty for this bit of neighbourly education. I gently pressed again - that indeed he had and that my eyes had watched his every move. Kamein was a study in human nature. He held the innocent poise. Then his brain deciphered the content of my response. His eyes briefly flickered as he registered 'busted'.

But the 'busted' look was ever so brief. Without missing a beat he turned and pointed his finger at little brother, who happened to wander up to the gate at that moment. Genesis chapter 3 is alive and well in our neighbourhood!

Kamein - innocence behind bars

Great hair day

The village hairdresser is returning!

After three years of being bedridden with terrible buttock sores and a rotten foot, then six months in Phnom Penh (half the time with us; half in hospital), Srourn is returning home. Donnie's offsider, Sothea, is on the road with him as I write.

Srourn heading out with Sothea. That is as much left leg as he has now. Standing to the left is Sreymom, our new carer. I'll get to that good story sometime ...

For Srourn, this is a very, very big day. His life is filled with living hope. He speaks with joy about returning to work as a hairdresser and the excitement of knowing that he has a good future. I look at this great guy and I'm just so glad that we get to share in the joy of this all. Susie and I are happy campers!

From monk to village evangelist

Meet Chang, one of Cambodia's hidden treasures. He's just headed back home after a week with us to get mobile again. His pushbike is waiting and he was keen as to get back on it and evangelise villages in his district again.

Chang used to be a monk. He spent three years in 'Monk School' and then did the real McCoy for a year. As such, he understands Buddhist thought and practice extremely well and has a very effective ministry out in the villages. He has been a Christian for just three years and works as an evangelist now.

Part of his story has to do with being sick and unable to walk for years. Then he came to Jesus; his pastor prayed for his legs and off he went! He packs a small Bible and a bunch of photos in his shirt pocket, using the pics of his sick days to testify that Jesus is his healer. His joy is absolutely striking.

I took him the 20 minutes thru' to CSI clinic together with another chap on Monday (yes, two passengers on the bike is standard for me now!). Chang sang gently non-stop all that time. He returned beaming. His swollen, painful knee (a result of a moto driving into him) was looking much better - the doc popped the knee-cap back in.

Worried sick

Insomnia is recognised as a very real problem among Cambodians. A very high percentage of people do not sleep well because they are constantly anxious. Any news that promises peace of heart is good news in this nation.

Souen came to us nearly two weeks ago with chest and stomach pains. Sue had the word 'anxiety' impressed on her the first day that she saw him. She asked him what it was that first caused him to become so anxious. This lovely, gentle-hearted man began to cry. No-one had ever asked him that question before.

Two years ago his daughter married. As a dad, he fronted the wedding costs. People give money when they attend a wedding in Cambodia. As is often the case in the villages here, many of the invited guests had no money, so they did not come. Souen was left with a shortfall of US$250. He was in a deep hole. A later snakebite set him back another $200 in medical costs. He was now in a very, very deep hole.

Souen fretted so much that he began to have panic attacks, leaving him unable to function at work. The pains began ... leading him to our door. Souen does not need medicine - he needs hope and peace.

Beautiful hand-woven silk from Souen's wife

Souen's wife and his daughter weave silk in their home village. The traditional woman's silk dress is very beautiful and worn to special occasions, especially weddings. A length of silk for one dress (1 metre x 1.8 metre) takes 15 to 20 days to weave and costs around US$40.

In the spirit of seeking to give 'hand ups; not hand outs' we are able to buy four lots of silk from Souen. Two lots should be on the loom as I speak (or write, as the case is ...). Maybe in the future we can do more so that this most lovely man is released from the burden of debt in an edifying way. Souen has headed back to his village now with a medical all-clear - and greater understanding about how to take steps out of the worry that cripples life.

And ladies, if you have a wedding coming up soon, may we suggest ....

Bye bye babe

Baby Alisa together with her mum Navy left us yesterday. Alisa continues to do just great. She has put on weight, tries to pull herself up and readily responds with a smile or baby noise to our voices. Now, Navy has moved on to her boyfriend's place who, we have learned, is indeed also blind but not paralysed.

Alisa in Sopheap's arms earlier this week (above) and goodbye hugs from Bonna as the little family are about to leave (below).

We are committed to on-going care and contact for the next six months tho'. Our daughter Melody is a supreme baby-lover. On her own initiative she has found some friends who are giving money for baby milk formula to Alisa. We will deliver the formula (not the money!) weekly and keep a good eye on things.

Talking about ongoing contact, we saw Dar (the guy with the horror pressure sores plus all the other challenges) yesterday. He has a lovely smile and is doing well. Phanna was also there at the time - he went up to the hospital three times over the week to pray with him and read the Word to him. Sopheap also visited on Thursday.

Our mission is now to fatten him so that he can start skin-graft treatment. We've left him with a tin of 'Ensure' (a powdered drink that is a nutritional meal in a glass) and food. He's in a hospital room with perhaps 14 other patients. Many of them are amputees. It is incredible, the amount of suffering still in this nation.

Hopping back 'home'

Srourn came back to us yesterday, after three months in hospital. He's looking really well and we're thrilled to see him again. He is likewise thrilled to be back, hanging out for the last week to be able to come back 'home'. He's a bit shorter on one leg but he appears pretty well settled with the amputation situation (mid way between knee and foot) and chats away about getting a new piece of machinery fitted in the near future.

Srourn (on the right) with Navy (Alisa's mum) and Dtouch. Dtouch also is a returnee from the same hospital as Srourn was in. He's had a skin-graft that is still needing a bit of healing to take properly.

We continue to have folk coming and going. This morning a patient left so we were in a position to say that we had two spare beds. Four people walked in this afternoon. OK - so a bit of juggling and pulling out a wheelie bed ... and everyone should have a mattress tonight.

Our other six folk at dinner this evening - four patients and two family members. They are a good natured bunch!

Sad times and glad times

Wonderful things are quietly taking place among our patients. At the same time we have been greatly saddened. Yorn, a lovely guy who was with us three weeks ago felt better and went home - very much against our advice. He died last weekend, most likely from septaecemia and very likely completely needlessly. By the time a family member said 'help' he was unconscious and beyond critical - then he suddenly died.

The flip side is a sudden surge of reports coming back that thrill our hearts. Remember Long? - the little guy with a terrible skin disease and legs the size of a thumb. Donnie saw him last weekend. There is no sign of any skin disease - and Long is walking now.

Long back in October 2008

These last two days Sak has been back with us. I used to (silently) call her 'Sad Sak' as she was thin, very weak, anxious and had been diagnosed with heart problems. She was back with us for a specialist check-up in Phnom Penh - and looking so well and healthy. The doc said 'no heart problem at all' yesterday. She's headed home today with a smile a metre wide.

Sak with Sopheap - also in October last year

Rin, our comatose lady who had been shut down for two years and on the verge of starvation, is now cooking, feeding herself and cruising off to neighbours in her wheelchair. Her mind is still not in as good a shape as her body tho' - but there is amazing progress to this point nonetheless.

Marty McKone praying for Rin - August 08.