Excitement at the House of Peace Sept 2018
Greetings
from Phnom Penh (the city of the
perpetual traffic jam),
There was some excitement at HOP this Saturday
morning at 7 a.m. My assistant, Miss Seephon, slipped on some spilled noodles
and smashed her patella to bits. Brian did a bit of first aid and we called an
ambulance to get her. No way she could
get into a car, tuk-tuk, or a motorcycle with that knee. It was almost 10 hours
before she was operated on and she was spooked after seeing two people die in
the operating room. Brian got home at 3 pm, and I spent the night at the
hospital. Brian had to mind HOP, which he does not usually do, and it was in a
state of sheer pandemonium and chaos when he returned. He called me and soon
put his foot down restored order. After sleeping on a mat on an open breezeway
with many others who were relatives of patients, I came home to HOP at 7 am.
Ms. Seephon will be back in a few days and recuperate on the first floor of HOP
because she won’t have to climb stairs. We are thankful for the members of the
Olympic church (Yos Molly, Srey Neang,
Vanthy and Rebecca) who visited today, and brought an offering to offset
the expenses of the accident.
My Citizenship
Again, thank God that I finally got my
citizenship and my passport. What a great time we had staying with Judy
Runions, and seeing Rainier and the Olympic Peninsula in WA State. I also made
some pocket money doing tree work my slave driver of a husband.
HOP Students News:
Our Mr. Vichet
graduated from the Katy Korpi Salon
and was hired there, and Ms. Srey Leak began to train with the Salon this
August.
Pastor Robert Oh helped provide scholarships our son John, Ms. Hokkie and alumnus Ms.
Srey Oun to study at ACTS (Academy
of Career and Technology). In addition
to Ms. Sokhoin who hs been with us for 6 months now, two new students are joining us: Mr. Smet (13), and Ms. Srey Ka
(15) and these three will also study at ACTS. Ms. Yorean (11) will be attending Westline School, Ms. Malis (15) and Ms. Yari (16) will be in public school. My former assistant Ms. Chhorven, who went to Denmark last year, just left to attend YWAM’s DTS for this year in Battambang City. Although we will miss her, we have many
former COP young adults who join us for worship on Sundays, outings and
celebrations.
HOP still has room for more students this
year and we expect some more to come. We have the room because just before
moving we were given a stay of execution – we can stay another year. We will save the money generous donors sent
for moving expenses for next September. Thank you for that.
HOP Alumni
Former HOP young
adults, Ms. Srey Oun and Mr. Kakada are studying in the ONYX
Program with DOVE this year. Kakada far
right in blue, Srey Oun sitting far right.
HOP Activities for September
Left: Former COP Young Adults join us for Ms.
Chhorven’s Farewell Celebration.
…….and goodbye to Mr.Kosal,
Ms. Chanta and Ms. Siovmai who will soon be integrated with extended families
or their migrant working parents.
Lower
Left: Ms. Yari, Ms. Sokhoin, and
Johnnathan are joining with DOVE and PEACE BRIDGES to camp and plant trees in
the Pray Lang Jungle in Northern Cambodia
Loving
Our Partnerships
Our
activities with our students, alumni, our partnership with DOVE (leadership
Development), Peace Bridges Organization, Kati Korpi Salon, Bob and Jenny Oh,
and ACT keeps our former and present people in a long term community that
learns leadership, life skills, hard skills, and helps to form healthy
perspectives on faith, justice and the environment. We are grateful to our many partners.
Lower Left: HOP Saturday Outing to ‘flooded’ Sa’ang, home of Miss Seephon to swim in muddy waters
HOP Assistant Director Lead an Outing in Sa'ang
Struggling to get the Pepper Farm Going
Brian here: Bophal has been trying
extremely hard to make the Pepper Farm work but it is difficult with no
financial help. Once in a while we get a needed and appreciated donation but
they are few and far between. Potential donors typically ask, “What are you
doing to be self-sustainable?” We
have a plan and land, but those doing the asking rarely help with the
capital. So what can we do?
Thanks for reading
this far. HOP is a good place to be these days. We hope you can see that.
Please help with a donation for the sake of the discipleship of Cambodian teens at risk: http://www.missiondispatch.org/giving/index.html
Thank you all, Bophal and Brian
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