I DON'T WANT THE WHEELS TO DISAPPEAR INTO THE PLANE

Dateline:
Siem Reap Town, Tuesday, July 19 2011, 10:13 a.m.
Pat E Lyon

I want the wheels to linger on the tarmack so that I can be in Cambodia just a little longer.  As the wheels retreat and we lift off, I lean toward the window for one last look at my second country.  The sun has set.  I can just see the water.  I see the straight palms against the horizon.  And I know, I just know I will be back.  Even though I've spent half a used car, I need to go back.  I have oten wondered why.  And I still do not know.  I am like a puzzle of two pieces.  One piece is in the United States where I have the most promising seven grandsons you could ever imagine.  A garden jungle of weeds, a loving family, a skinny cat, and a cute man are waiting for me.  But right now, I did not want to leave.  I was just getting started.  I needed more time to be with the village women.  We have not yet found a market.  We have only hope...that what we are doing will lead to something.  Something we cannot yet see.

Their hearts are so good.  They cooperate so wonderfully.  Surely God will bless such good intentions.

These women help each other learn.  Their craft is so different from ours and that is what makes their purses so appealing.

These women are close to my heart.  We speak without words.  Three are pregnant.  I want to see their babies!

I leave them in the competent hands of Deanna, Mr. Sok, Mony and God.

On the plane I am reading a book called "Soul Survivors...Stories of Women and Children in Cambodia,"by Bhavia C. Wagner.  I have often wondered how Cambodians could survive and forgive so much.  Then tonight I read these words:  "In each breath, we inhale hope, life and lovingkindness, and we exhale sorrow and pain." (-Mu Sochua, founder of Khemara, a Cambodian women's development organization.)  What lessons these dear sisters have to teach us.

I leave now to see if I will fly to Tokyo or what other adventures await in this Thai night.

SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES

Dateline:
Siem Reap Town, Sunday, July 10 2011, 9:56 a.m.
Pat E Lyon

There was a surprise for us in worship today.  A bus load of Ohio Conference people arrived with Deacon Dee and young people en route to a Youth Rally at Battambang.  In Cambodia, white foreigners are referred to in slang as "barang." All the Khmer men sat together and played musical instruments on the west side of the church.  Except one guy with the Ohio people was from Mexico and he didn't have a drum or a thro or rattles or a guitar.  Mony and I sat together and the Khmer women sat together with the children.

Mony whistled the Khmer hymns.  It was beautiful.

The pastor gave a rousing sermon with six points.  After the great cloud of Ohioans witnessed about their mission, Mony and I went up.  I said, "My group is very small.  But it gets bigger this week when Sam and Deanna will come." Everyone clapped.  I told them that long ago, Deanna and I came to teach small children about Jesus and about English.  But small children grew up.  What to do?  So now we try to get scholarships from people in USA for University and Paul De Brule School of Culinary Arts.  I asked all the students to come forward.  They stood in a line.  Tall and sophisticated.  Each one told their name and major.  There were so many youth I could not see to the other end.  (And two had exams?)  I worried for a moment, "Will we get enough money to put all the little kids I just saw in Sunday School through school?

I also told about wells, toilets, pigs and pig pens, seeds and seedlings, etc.  I said, "If Jesus asks you to help, don't wait for a committee to vote on it.  Just help." No wonder I was in trouble all the time!

After worship, Joseph Chan spoke to me about his plan, outlined neatly and enclosed in plastic.  He had not changed in the eleven years since I first met him.  I asked him twice if the land belonged to him or the United Methodist Church.  He pointed and talked faster.  So I still do not know.  But he has a dream of many things.

Then quickly, he bounded for his 4x4 and everyone jumped on the bus and they rode off in a cloud...of dust!

Dee was the staff person for justice in the Ohio Conference and they have a partnership with Cambodia.  Hey, Wisconsin Methodists, we need to put some money and staff on justice!

MISSION

Dateline:
Siem Reap Town, Thursday, July 14 2011, 10:52 p.m.
Pat E Lyon

The beginning of rainy season has drastically affected our schedule, so I have not told you all the stories that are occurring every moment.  When Deanna came, I started being able to sleep again.  I seriously considered changing my plane ticket because there are so many more things I wanted to accomlish and so many things I needed to show the village women.

I took a great risk in coming to Cambodia because my mother is in very fragile health.  I obtained the frequent flyer tickets last early December - a miracle in itself!  Also my daughter is great with child.  So I decided to start for home next Tuesday.

Last night my aunt got a message to me through a friend's email.  Two of my mother's sisters and Uncle Bob went to see my mother.  She always brightens when Uncle Bob visits.  My aunt told Mom that Patty would come to see her as soon as she got home.  My mother has been cognitively disabled by mini strokes.  But my aunt heard her respond, "mission".

We are leaving for Phnom Penh to meet more NGO's so I write this in haste.

THE BIRTHDAY CAR

Dateline:
Siem Reap Town - Sat July 9 2011, 9:22 a.m.
Pat E Lyon

In the picture you will see a little girl in a new pink plastic car.  Life here reminds me of living at Asbury Acres.  At the end of the 70's we lived at Asbury Acres United Methodist Camp.  It was a 500 acre camp with beautiful pine trees, a good fishing/swimming lake, and 2 small lakes.  Mike Weigand Sr. was the manager and since women could not manage in the 70's, I was the camp cook.  (No kidding.)  My son and daughter, Mike and Emily were loved by the entire staff.  Tony Fuller's brother, Terry was there, and Paul Armstrong, in addition to some other PK's.  There is a staff of about 20 here, and they all take turns watching the managers' children.  There is also an Auntie who has most of the responsibility.  Isn't this car the greatest?

24 HOURS TO GO

Dateline: Waterford WI, 7:10 a.m.
Deanna Shimko

In the week before I depart, I organize marshalling the things I'm going to take with me to Cambodia in terms of concentric circles in a geographical area with my home as the center, so the closer the departure date, the closer to home I can be.  Yesterday was my last foray to Wauwatosa to pick up a gift of flannel from a friend, stopping at Big Bend to get travelling cash, then to a friend's nearby home for my last pick up of flannel.  Now I have everything at home that I need to take with me: first aid supplies, personal hygiene supplies in travel sizes (bar soap, shampoo, body lotion, toothbrushes and toothpaste, etc), 5 metal rules and flannel for sewing classes, a bottle of 120 500 mg acetamenophin (requested via email from Cambodia 2 days ago) for our Khmer friends who suffer frequent headaches from poor quality food and stress of daily living.  Today's job is to get packed - this is where I'll find out whether my lists worked well and I've really got everything I need to take with me.  In my living room area I've opened out 2 suitcases, a backpack (my carryon), and a traveling purse (small shoulder bag to carry travel docs enroute and while in Cambodia).  Around the backpack I've piled those things that will go into it including my camera and reading material.  Around the purse are traveling docs, wallet, pen, and small pkg of tissues.  And first aid supplies, personal hygiene items, sewing supplies, phone charger, some "On the Go" and rice cakes which travel well and make great treats in Cambodia, and my clothes.  My task today is to maximize size and weight limits and get everything into the suitcases and backpack!

This last days before departure to Cambodia I have mixed feelings.  I'll be leaving many good friends and family for 2 months and after 10 months of being away I'm going back to Cambodia to friends and village people who are anxious for me to be there!  With me I take the precious supplies you have collected.  Thank you so much for faithfully throughout the year collecting these supplies for the Khmer families.  The money that you've given to the Cambodia wells mission has been deposited into the project's bank account and first payment was wire transferred to Cambodia in spring when building began and supplies needed to be bought and workers paid.  There will be a final payment due about September when the work is nearly finished.  Your precious money gifts become wells, hygiene and sanitation education and training, clean water handling and malaria education and training, toilets, piglets and pig pens, educ scholarships, vegetable seeds and fruit tree seedlings - a budget of about $17,000 each year.  Thank you for your generous and precious gifts to make this mission possible.  If you'd like to support the Cambodia mission with a money gift, please make your check payable to "Cambodia Commun Dev Proj" and mail it to Carol Lohr, Treasurer, Cambodia Commun Dev Proj, 8504 Caldwell Road, Mukwonago, WI 53149.  We, (Pat, Sam and I) pay our own costs to travel to and be in Cambodia including airfare, visas, immunizations, interpreters/drivers, lodging, food, etc, with our own money and by raising money in other ways.  Together we can do this life saving and life changing mission.  We are ordinary people doing extraordinary things!!

THE CLICK PURSE

Dateline:
Siem Reap Town - Fri July 8 2011, 4:35 am
Pat E Lyon

Today was the second day of the most difficult purse: the click purse.  It clicks open and shut becuase part of a metal tape measure is hidden in a cuff at the top of the purse.  The idea for this came from an advanced quilter who showed it to my Aunt Marti in Elkhorn.  I am not sure I am doing it right, but the Khmer women love it.  It takes more fabric than the average tie purse becuase of the "cuff" and a large bow on one side.  It also required stiff interfacing.  They all want handles.  But the handles are drapery cords or upholstery trim.  At Jo Ann's $1.26 a yard.  It takes about 1 meter for a handle.  I found a few bargains, but when the handles are gone, they are gone.  So we will have more of the clutch purses.  After click purse, we will have the fourth purse made from a large man's tie.  This will be a little easier to make because there is less fear of running out of supplies for this tie, and they can play with the design.  They have learned to make inverted pleats, side pleats, and gather at the purse top.  One woman made pin tucks.  She has a machine at home and so came very prepared today.

The women would like to sell the purses, but they have told Mony they are happy to come to class to learn the skill of sewing.

And my dear, dear sewing class?  Today one sewing machine was broken.  So they had to wait or find other jobs to do to wait for a machine.  And the very versatile Mony was able to repair the machine.

Sam arrives Sunday night.  Deanna arrives Monday night.  Deanna's bed is nearly cleaned off of ties and linings.  The other side of my bed is lined with "kits" ready for sewing.  Mony went out to look for containers so that we can organize Mr. Sok's inventory of thread, fabric, interfacing, needles, flowers and makings for flowers, jewelry for purses and general chaos.  The Sok family has truly been the most generous of hosts.

Today, cat caught a lizard and left it right under the whiteboard for me.

ANOTHER CREATURE

Dateline:

Siem Reap Town - Sun July 3 2011, 10:21 pm

Pat E Lyon

Another creature is a rat just outside the dining room door. I have seen him three times. He looks like a giant bratwurst with a short tail. Or a weiner balloon. I observe that the Khmer have a less panic-stricken approach to things like this than I do. For now I am trying to undemonize him by thinking up a bratwurst sort of name. Any ideas? And I compartmentalize. And I avoid that exit when possible. And no, I have not yet had a Kodak moment with him so don't look for a jpeg.

MONY ONE METER FROM ANGELINA JOLIE (NO KIDDING)

Dateline:

Siem Reap Town - Sat July 2 2011, 12:05 a.m.

Pat E Lyon

Mony received a last minute notice from an old friend. Did he want to be driver for the party traveling with Angelina Jolie? Are you kidding?

Evidently the beauty movie star icon was in Cambodia to make an ad for expensive luggage. Only the fancy cars carried her family and nannies, etc. But Mony got to drive her make-up artist. He was very close to her. He showed me with his arms. She is very beautiful and very thin. When she comes to Cambodia they close down the entire hotel except for the guests already there.

Actually, he was more impressed with her personal body guard, who had more muscles than he had ever seen. And the body guard shook his hand. How much was he paid? $5.00 US

There is a drink named the "Tomb Raider" at the Red Piano restaurant in honor of her presence here for the filming. In the movie, Angkor Wat statues come to life. By the way, the "Red Piano" which has no piano is no longer painted tomato soup undiluted orange, but now hot pink neon. And they have added a water trough with a rail around it. I am not sure what the purpose is, except coolness. Mony tried to explain over a chocolate Sundae, but I did not get it.

THERE'S A MOUSE IN MY UNDERLINING

Dateline:

Siem Reap Town - Tue July 5 2011, 8:56 a.m.

Pat E Lyon

Mony and I arrived early for sewing class. It was to have been from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon. But really, it is from 10:15 am to 1:00 pm and the women are still sewing when we leave. I began by writing on the whiteboard. We were going to have a meeting at 12:45 to discuss design. I noticed Mr. Sok's cat was very interested in a plastic bag of purse tab underlinings that I had left next to the wall the night before. Mrs. Sok said, "SHHHHH" and tried to scoot the cat away. I naively assumed there must be a cricket in the bag, or that it was a really playful cat. Mony also tried. "SHHHH!" It must be Khmer to "scat". Suddenly the cat found what it wanted. It left the bag with a fat "mou." ("mouse" with Khmer pronounciation) The cat proceeded to chase the mouse all around the house. Mony chaased it into a corner behind the sewing machines. Just then another student came in. She exclaimed about the mouse and cat. I shrieked and cliimbed onto a sewing chair. I was barefoot and wearing baggy crop pants.

The woman strided up to the mouse and cat and took the mouse in her bare hands and carried it outside. She handed it over to a small boy and walked back into the house and began to sew (without washing her hands).

I wondered to myself..."Is this rodent week or what?"

And all the way back in the buried recesses of my mind I thought quietly to myself "EEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

I do not know the fate of the "mou". The cat seemed rather disappointed.