AWARD CEREMONY

Dateline:
Kessararam Primary School, Sat, July 30, 2011
Deanna Shimko

I arrived 7 am according to my invitation. I was led across the open courtyard to the front of the ceremony area (no auditorium here) and seated in one of the 8 wood chairs on the platform. I was the first "honored guest" to arrive taking seriously the printed starting time. I noted the second row of plastic chairs flanking the forward wood chairs. (Last year I sat in one of those second row plastic chairs... promotion!?!)

The students, their families and teachers were in the process of organizing the assembly. My heart pounded as I sat facing the gathering of the students who will receive awards today, the teachers and the students' families and photographers. My invitation came without instructions or orientation, and I knew by my seating location that I would be asked to do something.

About 7:45 am the ceremony began, attendees were greeted, the honored guests were introduced, and the Director of the school, Van Marath, spoke for 45 minutes delivering a complete report to the parents and local authorities about school budget, facility repairs and improvements, student demographics including number and gender of students completing the year successfully and those who didn't as well as those who dropped out of school.

Then Village Chief spoke, then the Commune Chief, and a student who thanked the teachers for their good teaching and care of the students.

Then the student awards: the top five students in each classroom in each grade would be called by name to come forward and receive an achievement certificate. In turn, the honored guests would present to a group of 5. A photographer was present taking a picture of the event as well as each student at the award moment, and the student and his/her family would receive a photograph. Some parents took pictures, too, and some parents stood with their student for the photograph.

We watched while dark clouds gathered and hoped we could complete the ceremony without the threatening rain. Everyone is not under shelter, and there is no place to go but into the classrooms.

There is no public transportation to school for students. Many poor families cannot afford bicycles for their children to go to school. Each year the Director of Kessararam Primary School tries to find a donor(s) to contribute 5 bicycles that are presented to the 5 students at the Awards Ceremony. Donors can come from surprising places!

This year a young man from Washington State, USA who is in Siem Reap now for 1 year and working at Shanta Mani Hotel and Spa, organized his co-workers to raise money to donate the 5 bicycles. One by one the 5 bicycles are presented and pictures taken!

At the end, many congratulations and pictures all around. Front row are the top student from each grade. Second row are primary donors; 3rd from right is Van Marath, Director of the school, 2nd from right is assistant to the director.

The efforts of the students and their families for good grades and regular attendance and the contributions of the donors had been recognized very well this morning.

Our Cambodia mission is a primary donor of Kessararam Primary School since 2008 through our clean water well; health, sanitation and first aid and information technology and vocational skills initiatives. I am honored to attend the Awards Ceremony to represent USA people who make this Cambodia mission possible.

UNDER THE MANGO TREES

Dateline:
Khnar Thmei Village, Friday, July 22, 2011
Deanna Shimko

A villager doing laundry and showering

at the well on the property of Khnar Thmei United Methodist Church in Khnar Thmei Village.

This is the first well of our Cambodia mission. It was built in spring of 2002 and located on the property of the Khnar Thmei United Methodist Church where nearby village families have easy access.

The well is surrounded by and shaded by mango trees. The shade makes using the well at any time of day comfortable.

Our Cambodia mission has built more than 60 clean water wells in 24 villages, 6 primary schools and 2 orphanages. Included with the well is personal hygiene and community sanitation education and training.

CONNECT TO THE INTERNET

Dateline:
Kessararam Primary School, Siem Reap Town, Mon, July 18, 2011
Deanna Shimko

Kessararam Primary School, located in one of the villages that make up the Siem Reap Town metro area, is now connected to the internet. That's good! No one at Kessararam Primary School knows how to use the internet or has an email address! Let's change that! The teachers want to know!

Sam P holds a long class Monday afternoon explaining about the internet, web sites, conducting searches, email addresses, creating and sending a message, opening inbox and managing messages. Mony Hun assists Sam with interpretation into Khmer language.

Each teacher gets her/his own email address and practices locating her/his inbox and creating and sending a message.

Author's note: This is Sam's third year teaching computer skills to the teachers at Kessararam Primary School and providing computer equipment and supplies. In 2008, our Cambodia mission provided an Afridev hand pump and well to this school of 1507 students.

FIELD TRIP TO PUOK SILK FARM

Dateline:
National Silk Center, Puok District, Mon, July 18, 2011
Deanna Shimko

Early morning Mony drove out to Bos Kralanh Village to give the sewing class women a ride to Siem Reap Town by 9 a.m. - a few came by motorbike to our meeting point at Artisans d'Angkor, stone and wood carving workshops for Khmer traditional arts. From there we would be traveling by free shuttle bus to Puok Silk Center about 12 miles west of Siem Reap Town on National Hwy 6.

Last summer and this year, we have been teaching sewing skills for particular items for the ladies to make to sell in the market. Pat thought that a field trip would illustrate to the ladies the information we had already been discussing about producing for the market: e.g. quality, patterns, colors, styles, sizes, presentation and display. This was an adventure - to plan and to pull off. Would the ladies be able to come...from their homes and daily chores of preparing meals and caring for children!? It would surely be an unusual experience for them! Twelve of us altogether - Sam, Pat, and I, and 8 ladies plus Mr Sok, their mentor and organizer of cooperative women's activities in Bos Kralanh Village - climbed onto the bus for our free ride and tour of the Puok Silk Center

The tour was a beginning to end process of silk making from different kinds of mulberry trees to various stages of larvae feeding on the mulberry leaves. We were elated...the ladies were interested, absorbed, wanted to touch and asking questions!!

...spinning thread from the cocoons....

...dyed silk thread on spools....

....and weaving on a manual loom.




We topped the morning off with a Khmer food lunch at Chanreash 10 Makara Restaurant in Siem Reap Town. Total cost for the lunch for 12 people - just $25!!!

I had my favorite soup - boiled fish with sliced tender bamboo shoots in coconut milk with steamed rice.

The field trip was a great experience and a great success! We learned a lot and had a great time together doing it!!

THE FEAST

Dateline:
Siem Reap Town, New Riverside Siem Reap Hotel, Tues, July 19, 2011
Deanna Shimko

The day of Pat's departure (and Sam would depart the next day), our hotel chef Kosal Nou (who completed the 1-year Cooking Course at Paul Dubrule School of Culinary Arts in Siem Reap Town) invited us to a farewell lunch. Kosal's learning at Paul Dubrule School included French, Italian, Khmer and American cuisine. He has learned well about quality of ingredients, care in the preparation and cooking, and presentation, and his ability and interest extend well beyond the listed menu, or as Kosal likes to say"..."off the menu."

First, he presented stuffed poached fish

followed by pasta with chicken in cream sauce

and topped off with dessert of mixed fruit in sauce served in a dragon fruit boat!

And Sam enjoying the fabulous dessert!

HOLY GROUND

Dateline:
Khnar Thmei Village/United Methodist Church, Sun, July 17,2011, 8:30 a.m.
Deanna Shimko

It's Sunday morning, and I'm on my way to worship service at Khnar Thmei Village United Methodist Church. It's my first Sunday in my two months stay, and I am exhiliarated at the prospect of this familiar experience.

I always sit in the front wooden pew. In my 12 years I have never seen the Khmer sit in the front pew. I have a clear view to the door to the church. Every year, every Sunday this view and its symbolism absorbs me. "Take off your shoes for the ground you are standing on is holy."

Musical accompaniment to congregational singing is guitar, maracas, tambourine, drum and thro. Here Mr. Sok, an expert in traditional Khmer music and instruments, plays the thro, a 3-stringed wooden instrument played with a bow.

The youth of the church are the worship leaders along with Pastor Sokha. Here Sopheap Sath is reading one of the morning's scriptures.

Pastor Sem Sokha preaching on the morning's scriptures.

This is Sam's and Pat's final Sunday as they depart in a couple days. They take a few minutes during announcements time to say their farewells. Mony Hun interpretes their English into Khmer language.

When service ends an hour and a half later, folks linger and take lots of time for fellowship. Ahhh, I'm back on Cambodia time!!

BEAUTY IN PHNOM PENH

Dateline:
Phnom Penh, Sat, July 16, 2011
Deanna Shimko

Here the distinct and unmistakable architecture and traditional colors of Cambodia in the royal palace that is located on Sisowath Quay that parallels Tonle Sap River just north of its confluence with the Bassac and Mekong Rivers.

One of the many beautiful monuments at the center of roundabouts in Phnom Penh. Roundabouts are common in Cambodian cities and towns and usually have a statute of a traditional figure or image at the center.