Mission Siem Reap - Day 2

Breakfast time was scheduled at 7am. so we had to wake up at 6.30. by 6.30, the sky is already starting to light up. i got up first, used washed up and went out to the meeting area for breakfast. gathered around in a sleepy atmosphere. once breakfast is ready, we helped ourself at own timing (not waiting for the rest to come). breakfast was just bread (baguette) with spreads, and milo from both packets and powder.

at 8am, we started the devotions session, using just the material found in the missions booklet. also did a bit of worship (2 songs) and then a round of sharing, which takes the main bulk of the devotions time. (topic: start, stop, continue.) as the scribe, i had to take down points shared.
9.30, we briefed through the programs for the day (which only been planned the night before)

By 10.30 we left the guest house for the orphanage. Tee led the way, travelling along the main road of the urban area where lush hotels and old, cheaply built shop houses stand side by side. roads were poorly maintained, with cracks and holes, very dusty and polluted too.

going past the urban area and onto a dirt road, the poverty was becoming more evident as people set up shaggy roadside stalls selling petrol or other misc goods. vehicles travelling along the dirt roads would stir up a cloud of dust all around. the road was uneven with bumps and craters which turned into puddles following rain, and junk strewn around. this is especially on the side of the road, where pits/trenches are there intendedly to prevent flooding, but instead turned into filthy cesspools with black water, rubbish all thrown inside, weeds growing in it and a few wild chickens scouring the rubbish for food.

there were many kinds of weird smells everywhere.

when we reached the orhpanage, the kids were gathered in the hall, with tiled floor and kiddy paintings of biblical stuff all over the walls. the older kids had all gone to school, leaving only the really young ones not more than 10 yrs old there. they all clumped together at a corner first, and we had to take a while to warm up to them. communication was a major barrier. one of the best things that helped us open up to each other was the cameras. we took pictures of the kids or with the kids and showed it to them, much to their amusement. soon the kids became all enthu about taking pictures and even took the camera to snap randomly. some of us then started playing games with the kids.

at 11.30 we started the program with songs (God loves you, Jesus loves me, There is none like you), the kids knew 'Jesus loves me' and sang it loud in english with actions.

for games we played samson, lion and delilah. they didnt know, and it was very hard to explain to them. had to go through Seyla the translator, where some points probably got distorted. it got everyone confused and unsure, such that during the game, the Samson group catched and Delilah ran.
we only played 2 rounds before the kids had to go off for their lunch time and maybe school.

we proceeded to Angkor Famous restaurant for lunch, ordered local dishes to be shared among the table, with rice. we reached back at millenium at 2pm, and had an hour break. followed by a breifing and discussion for the afternoon orphanage session, and then left for the orphanage again when we were ready.

the afternoon session had more kids and slightly older, cause they came back from school. because we didnt have time to get any more lyrics written out on mahjong paper, we just had to reuse the songs we did earlier. but this time, we took some time to explain the lyrics to the kids, and Seyla translated for us.

the games played were duck duck goose. it was easy to explain this time, easy to understand and gameplay is simple. after just a little demo, the kids got into action. they got the hang of it soon after, ran around really energetically and really enjoyed it.
then we played the 'moving along chairs' game (dunno whats the name). this one was hard to explain and Seyla got confused, cause cant break down the instructions. once again we demoed for them a few rounds. then the kids tried. and soon they got the hang of it.

therefore we learn that demonstration is the best way to teach the kids, and then let them try it out. we may not even need to say a single word.

Next, it was english teaching session. Kaimin was arrowed to teach, and he had to do it quite impromptu-ly. we had 2 small whiteboards; for one Kristen drew out an animal or fruit, and KM wrote out the word. the kids shouted out the answer whenever they knew, and getting participation was quite easy. but it was rather messy and were unsure about how much the kids actually learnt after the session.

then it was the drawing session, where the kids were given paper and colouring material, and asked to draw out the animal or fruit we asked for. most of the young ones were lost and didnt know what to do, just did nothing, waited for us to teach them or some copied from the older ones who could draw. most of the drawing ended up being done by us. but it was a powerful conencting tool where we could mingle and interact with them closely.
Skaly, a 14 year old boy who looked much younger, was one of the best artists among all of them, and he gave me his art piece.

the program for the day supposed ended after this, but we stayed to play with the kids for some time more. we played in our own small groups, while some kids played among themselves like 2 small boys wrestling.
the kids were really hyperactive this time. Kaimin got crowded around by kids who clung to him and gave him their drawings. Michelle got tau-pokked by a bunch of hyper kids.

upon leaving the orphanage, it was time for us to hunt for a good dinner spot. we walked around in circles surveying the reastaurants in the area, and settled for a nice higher class restaurant on the 2nd storey. price was not much higher than other lousier ambience places.

returned to the guest house at 8. had debrief and discussion in kristen's room, and the rest of the time was free. save for those involved in planning the next day program. lasted till almost midnight.

Mission Siem Reap - day 1

flight time was scheduled at 2.35. meeting time was set at 12.30. but we were kiasu and went early. left the house by 11.30.

at the airport, we met the Phuket team just before they checked in and set off. got to talk a while, give them our blessings and send them off.

soon the rest of the team came. after checking in our luggage, went for a quick lunch within 15 mins and had to rush off without finishing our food (sth i hate) and then waited at the gate for another 10mins =.='

we boarded the plane by 2.15 and by 2.35 it was clear to take off.
Away we go to Siem Reap...

arrived there at 3.45 local time (1 hour earlier than SG) the airport there looks like some beach resort. then we packed all our luggage onto the back of a van which brought us to the Millenium guest house - the place we stayed for the mission trip.

arrived there at about 5pm. the place was very dusty, but still we had to remove footwear inside. we decided on our rooming, and were assigned our rooms. girls on 2nd floor, guys on ground floor. [Dora makes a big fuss cause she was made to room with her dad]

the rooms were not so good, but not bad. had a fan and aircon, hot water, proper beds and blankets. but all very simple. my room had a very bad view - just outside the window is a stranger's shack with tools hanging from the walls. the window was kept closed for the whole trip.
when i first used the toilet, by first impressions, it failed. i turned on the tap, and as the water flowed down the sink, suddenly 2 cockroaches came running out of it! one stayed in the sink and the other leaped out onto the floor.

everywhere, every place in Siem reap, you can see spirit houses. along the street, outside houses and shops. even in the millenium guest house, there were at least 2 spirit houses and 2 altars. such is the idolatry of Siem Reap.

6pm, left the guest house for dinner. at this restaurant with fairly good ambience. we tried many local foods like Khmer soup and curry, Lab, Lok lak. good value for money.
along the way, can see alot of nice posh hotels and restaurants, along with old cheaply built shops and houses just side by side. foreigners are found in the posh areas, and the locals in the rest.
we did some grocery shopping at a minimart on the way - buy water and breakfast for tmr.

8pm, gathered at the meeting area of the guest house for a talk by Fhonkie, to share more about his experiences in Siem Reap, the situation here, stories. We were warned of the high level of spiritual warfare here, affecting our emotions and also spiritual attacks on past missionaries. got us scared and praying. [but there was none for the whole trip]
it was also during this meeting that we finally got our draft of places we can go to for ministry, and our time table. i think we are the only group that didnt know before hand.

when we returned to our rooms and proceeded to wash up for the day, at 9.10, there was suddenly a blackout throughout the guest house! just at this time, ppl were bathing halfway in every room, and started making alot of noise. as for me, i was just about to take off my clothes in the toilet when it happened. nice timing. it was pitch dark in the toilet and a small bit of light in the room. power was restored after about 5mins.

we went to sleep early; no social activities this night.