A day of miracles

DATELINE: August 4 2013
Patricia E Lyon

Mony, the project manager, had worked with Tony at Khnar Thmei Church to get the work day started before we arrived. The old fence around the well was already disassembled. Old rotted boards were neatly stacked away from the well area. College students (girls) were digging holes for new posts. Little children were running and fetching as requested. Pastor had the hammer and looked like crucifixion nails. Mony and pastor measured; they used fish lines measuring tape and old transfusion tubes that you buy at a lumber place. I have been looking for them for purse handles. Who knew?

Su Ahn on the non-glamour task of dradging the drainage ditch from the well's concrete drainage channel out to the greater yard. I swept the children’s building and noted it was time for new whiteboards. One was ripped off down to the wood peeling, and the other had seen its better days.

Deanna and I prepared a list of things still needed. She quietly asked Mony if she could take his car into town. He looked at her, astonished, and said “No!” Thank God.

By the time we finished the list, little kids had finished what we wanted to do anyway! So Deanna and I began digging around the well with very interesting tools. We pulled the roots, trying to stay out of the way of the post people. A spindly mango tree began to tip over. The pastor, in a sports hat and Lancome shirt hollered, “Take it out! Take it out!” People began to pull and the entire tree was dragged off. Su Ahn raked up grass, weeds and roots. We put them in the new garbage baskets from the noodle/basket village on the way to Banteay Srei Temple and the Aki Ra Landmine Museum.

We were all wearing neon orange work gloves. We sweat into them and had to hold our arms up from time to time to let the sweat run out. From time to time we commented on the wonderful team work of the Khmer. I wore jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, and at the last moment, used an Off towelette on my hair. Do not try this at home.

About noon, Prem came in the white Toyota to take me to Bos Kralanh Village for sewing project. Deanna continued with the church work day which was a huge success.