SHACK LIVING

Nov. 21, 2025 - Shack Living

In the middle of a beautiful country setting, quite near some hills, is primitive living at a new level!  We drove down some pretty remote roads and then walked across muddy paths through rice fields to get there.  We got to join the missionaries on a service project at some members' home, Betsae and his two young children, Sisna, Veasna, and makyeh (grandma - with a delightful smile and missing all her front teeth. And she is about my age!)  Younger Mom was at work.  

It is a shack as basic as it comes.  It was full of hoarded odds and ends and mostly garbage, and our job was to bag it up and help sort it.  It was humbling to see how they live, yet they are very content and happy in their world.  The shack is just for a couple of beds, and the kitchen is a lean-to outdoor structure.  Bathroom is somewhere out back. They happily greeted us and had us sit around a little table that had two legs and was supported by a foot stool underneath.  It covered a little mud hole.  They made sure I had the best chair, which was one with a back, albeit missing all the inside spindles. 

The little 4-year-old girl, Panaa, was a delight!  She is full of life, with her freedom to just explore. Her pixie haircut sets off her happy smile!  The baby (7 months?) was fat and cute, cute, cute!  I couldn't get over the baby cradle - an old milk crate with stained foam pieces for support and leather straps to hang it from the tin roof.  There was an old baby bottle hanging down with pebbles in it to make a rattle toy.  While we were there, she got a bath in a metal tin, with pitchers of lukewarm (cold) water poured over her.  And no matter how poor, disposable diapers are still a commodity!  The baby and the 4 year old both were extra delighted with my "this little piggy" rendition of playing with them! 

One of the most tender moments was seeing how proud they are of Sisna.  He served a mission a number of years ago, and within minutes, in the midst of all the random piles, they produced a little photo of him as a missionary, along with his missonary tag. He deals with some kind of mental health issues, but he brightened right up when his mission was being talked about.  I think he just served for a short time, but it was an impact on the whole family.  And he is endowed and wanted to know how he could renew his temple recommend again.  Isn't it something that the gospel is so far reaching.  

On the way out, Betsae was very interested in showing us trees nearby that produce nuts and fruit they like and also pointing out edible plants around the fields.  School children were riding on bikes down the dirt road.  The school is about a mile away and had just ended.  Beautiful smiles and happy greetings shared.  A little piece of the world shared today!

                 

 

                

Nov. 20, 2025 - Ricky

We were able to go with the Elders in Kamboul on a visit with Ricky, an American Khmei.  He is such a fascinating person!  He grew up in Washington and speaks perfect English.  We had a great visit and a lesson on prophets and the mission of Jesus Christ.  He is so interesting.  He went to the U.S. at age 3 and grew up there.  On his second trip back to Cambodia, he got banned from entering back into the U.S. because of some crime time.  He got deported back to Cambodia and cannot return to America.  He has a strong Christian background, a lot based on spiritual strivings after a near-death experience and a vision, of sorts.  We loved the chance to speak English and really be able to express the thoughts of our hearts!!

Nov. 17, 2025 - National Park

An exciting P-day with the elders as we traveled to Kirorom National Park!  This is the first national park established in Cambodia.  The trip was highly anticipated, especially since this was the first time for any missionary to go there!  We hiked up to some lovely water falls.  It felt so refreshing to be surround by such beautiful nature.  It was just over an hour to get there, so very doable for our Kampong Speu group. It was a lovely drive and hike. We felt so grateful for the safety in the adventure, as well as the fun.  I believe more p-days to this location can now take place! 

                    

Other Highlights of the Week, Nov. 16-22

-Second Sacrament Meeting in Kampong Speu!  25 people!!  Beautiful spirit.  A couple more families, 3 visiting from Kambol (Patla, Kanya, and Thida), a little family that traveled 70 km to be here, and two "om's" (including an 80-year-old teaching friend sister!)

(Picture with Thida, who was just baptized in Kamboul about a month ago!  We looked like twins with our white skirts and blue tops.)

-Zone Conference!  Always a big build up and such a bright energy!  Lovely focus on developing Christlike attributes.  Afterwards, we took Elders to Intercare for vaccinations.  We also helped El. Weiss get his bike where it needed to be for repair work.  Lots of long driving through traffic at the wrong time of day.  Ahhhh.  Finally home.          

-Time with El. Little and El. Rabe visiting Pheakday's family.  We get different groups each time, so this week it was Po-an and her sister and other daughter.  Not sure where the group is headed!  Sokaneen was also able to be there and brought us treats!  jShe is thirsty to learn!!  Great lesson on first part of the plan of salvation. 

Sokaneen

- A group of students from the local college came to our building to be introduced to where we have church and to learn about the English Connect classes.  Very lovely young ladies, ages 18-19.  Last year, El. and Sis. Fong went to their school to teach them Mandarin.  I feel like we gave them a warm welcome!