Bonnevies: Toowoomba Times

Long time no blog - which can mean that we have nothing happening in our world or that frenetic is our every day - or both. And both of the above is about it over the last few weeks.

We've had a happy invasion from Toowoomba - firstly Jason and Julia who also towed David Geoghegan out for his first Cambodia experience; then closely followed by Toowoomba Christian College teachers Chrissy and Claire together with three Year-12 students (Malita, Ben and Colin ). Unhappily my pics of the TCC team fell off my phone - very sad. They had three full days with us; David G had eight days and Jason and Julia - well they know now that 'three weeks is a minimum' to be here. They leave when the Healing Home is re-painted and the garden fully flourishing, which has a deadline of happening by 2pm Thursday!

David catching up with Dr Mary at the CSI Clinic. Dave used to work with her in the emergency ward of Toowoomba hospital, so he was most keen to connect with this outstanding lady. We have many patients attend this clinic and I'm always very happy when they draw the Dr Mary straw.

P'Chum Ben, the annual ghost festival, has also been over this time. Apart from feeding the ghosts and hitting multiple Wats to keep the good luck flowing for another year, this is a time when the nation slows right up and people head home to the province.

Keeping the ancestors happy - what gave me a giggle about this particular altar (in the local paint shop - we're painting the outside of the Healing Home at the mo) was the serious stack of fake $100 bills just to the right of the incense. It is very sad tho' how fear permeates every aspect of this culture - hence the endless offerings. Another giggle - when Dave picked up a handful of lollies on a plate at a local restaurant and was about to scoff one. Julia tactfully pointed out that this plate of lollies are on an altar, Dave .....

We closed the Healing Home for a bit over a week so that all our staff can have a good holiday and be with their family. Big floods cover much of the area north of Phnom Penh, so when I phoned Sreymom to check on how her homeward journey was progressing, she answered the phone whilst in a boat! Moto had been left with an 'uncle' en-route and she was floating into her flooded village - like tens of thousands of others.

Sue and I took JnJ out to White Elephant, like a motel with a SWIMMING POOL 7km out of town. Three days of r'n'r and knocking over most of a serious biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer was just great.