Rat attack set back

Whilst back in NZ Peter the Parker gave me a new super-beaut rat snapper. This little ingenious machine drops a lamb-docking rubber ring around the head of any snooping ratty that steps the wrong way. In tandem with super-cat, the Healing Home's rat free days were nigh.

Our girls had a good yard cleanout today. They found the rat-snappers secret hiding place - and threw it in the rubbish. By the time I got a whiff of this unfolding disaster, one of the locals had already been thru' our rubbish bags and lifted the trigger mechanism portion. May the rubber ring land upon his nose, I say.

Reduced to attacking the nits - Dtouch crunching a few nasties with Long's mum

No matter, my tale of sadness pales away in comparison to Frank (of Hagar) reminiscing about life in PNG. 'You had to be very careful of the instructions you gave those blokes' he says - and then tells the story of his organisation getting a new super-beaut ute. First job - clean the yard. 'Now, pick all the piles of rubbish up and put them on the ute' he instructed. 'When all the rubbish is on the truck, then take it to the dump and burn it all'. His instructions were followed to the letter ....

Little Long

Long joined our Healing Home family on Friday night, together with his mum Chumpheang. I wanted you to see his face before you see his legs. I'm finding it so important to look into the eyes of these lovely people, rather than focussing on their distressing physical condition. Long's legs are certainly distressing.

Long is a great little guy, uncomplaining and hugging on his mum constantly. I understand that he is nine years old. Please pray for this lovely little fella.

Also with us is a family of four - mum Ngeit, dad Van and two of their seven children, Dtouch and Samnang. Ngeit has bad arthritis. Van, a hugely likeable guy, is blind in one eye and has a detached cornea (or is it the retina??) in the other. He is getting lined up for a eye op here in Phnom Penh.

Aren't kids a great way to start people - Dtouch and Samnang

Together with Rin and Srourn, that makes five patients and three family members. No, make that six patients - Donnie has just phoned in. The nineth bed is taken. With two carers sleeping in the home as well, that leaves us just with one top bunk spare. Here's hoping that grandma Ree does not decide to return in the next day or so ...

Security upgrade

It was heartening upon returning to the Healing Home to see that we have mud no longer on the road outside. The little lane has had another 6 metres or so of concrete roughly poured on it which takes it right past our front gate.

Our gate has two sections; a person-sized gate within the gate, through which people and motorbikes come and go, and then the gate proper that is mounted on roller wheels and a steel track so that it can slide open for vehicles. Today I found out that the gate was not going to slide anywhere in a hurry. It had been nicely cemented into the roadway ...

They call me 'Chippy' - starting the work of reclaiming a working gate

Sueless days

I'm back! Air Asia has done it's thing like clockwork and I'm writing from Phnom Penh once again. Susie is staying on in NZ for longer, spending great time with her great mum. It is a good decision and we are glad that we have chosen this way. Sue will get here when she gets here - which reminds me of a fun sign outside a restaurant we went to in New Plymouth: "All you can eat for as much as it costs".

Sue and her mum at the rest home

The trip back was made much more enjoyable by overnighting in Brisbane with Jason and Julia Hamilton-Smith, and going out to dinner with them and ....

Dave and Melody drove down through a crunching hail-storm to be at the dinner - and Kara just happened to be in Brisbane with her job that evening. It was such a fun evening. Next (very early) morning Julia took me all the way through to Gold Coast airport. 'Only for you, Kim' she reckons. Thanks a zillion, Julia!

I've not got to the Healing Home yet. It was tea time when I pulled in - one of the best tuk-tuk rides I've experienced. The vehicle was so wasted that it came with a built-in foot and butt massage. I quickly realised why this nice fella was so keen to take my offered price when others turned away.

So, tomorrow will be re-orientation day. I just hope that everyone likes Nurse Kim ...

Love is in the air down under

There is a duel warm glow happening with us - a week in the clean air and warmth of Aussie's Sunshine Coast, and the marriage of Melody to David. It has been a big week down under. First there was a great couple of days catching up with friends in Toowoomba. Then we changed location to the coast, where we rented a house that took 10 people in preparation for The Wedding. Melody had four kiwi girlfriends come and stay for the week leading up to Saturday, plus Christian and Becs, Kara, Sue and I = 10. Do the maths - 80% girls making 100% of the noise ...

It is great belonging to duel family too. To all the Kiwis who came on over to celebrate with us - thank you again. For our Toowoomba friends who rejoiced with us too - it was wonderful having you alongside. Susie and I felt incredibly surrounded by so many friends who have walked with us in life for 20, 25, 30 years and longer. And of course all the family family who came on over - all very, very excellent

Two of the best looking guys around, trying hard not to steal the limelight from the bride ...

Melody and David had a great day. Here we go - Kara's computer has managed to load these pics . If you are around Coffs Harbour I'm sure they would not mind if you dropped in for a few days ...

We are now in NZ. Much of today was spent with Sue's mum. She is an awesome lady who is courageously coming to terms with eternal life that is drawing closer. We have been looking forward to Melody's wedding for months. Sue's mum has something far more amazing; far more wonderful to look forward to.

Killing fatted chook

KFC have hit town this year. Their apparently hormone-enhanced big birds are a real hit with the rising middle class locals. Store number 2 opened at an address near us, so what better way to have our final lunch gathering before getting on our big bird tomorrow to wing it down under.

Sypho (a great, kind-hearted new volunteer) Dtouch, Chantol, Bonna and Sopheap tucking into American Fowl. That's Phanna's fingers doing the walking bottom left.

Donnie (who lives upstairs with his wife Sophea) takes charge for the five weeks that we are away in Aussie and NZ. Melody and Dave get married in 9 more sleeps - how soon is that! Then we are over to NZ for family time, especially with Sue's mum. We were talking on skype with Mum Boyle again this morning. She is sounding like a miracle mum - thank you Lord!

We've got folk in our house in our absence too. Les and Virginia are Aussies (well, he is, she is Filipino, now a Queenslander) spending 5 months or so in Cambodia with the organisation Destiny Rescue. They moved in yesterday - great for them and great for us to have the place lived in.

PS Rat report: Us - 2 (as in 2 flat rats) Rats - 1 (as in one missing rat trap - vanished, walked, vapourised ...)

Rats

We've been encouraging the staff to report stuff that goes wrong when it happens. This is better than discovering the floaties two days later or whatever ...

When I arrived this morning, Bonna usshered me into the kitchen. I was greeted by a washing machine hose that had partially turned into confetti. Our deductive processes led us to smell a rat. It appears that the overflow hose that the installer had 'plumbed' into the outside garden had a rat crawl up inside it - and then eat its way through the said hose to gain kitchen access. Never a dull moment!

Repairs to rat chomping in process. The area is now baited with some pretty serious rat traps brought to us by Chris Lee. Note the finesse of the installers hole in the wall - another fix-it job to get to!

Meanwhile, the girls are on a mission - to make Rin laugh. They are hilarious as they clown around outside, hooting with laughter at whatever they are on about. And yes ... Rin has laughed more than once. She is also sitting up much more upright now. Sue reckons that she was so malnourished when she arrived that she simply did not have the strength to sit up. Her legs that were all curled up are also straightening and stretching. Sue is aiming at getting her using the walker next week.

Laughter outside - because a happy heart is its own medicine. I don't think that we have introduced Pech either - she is on the swing in the background with her lovely 12-year old girl, Sreynet. Pech has HIV.

Cleaning out the fish-pond - more laughter and hi-jinx