First sewing class begins this morning. I am very excited and a little apprehensive. Your prayers are appreciated.
Please try to watch the Demi Moore special on human trafficking on CNN. The feature is about Nepal, but the problem is big here in Cambodia also. Please encourage others to stop joking about or glamorizing prostitution.
I cannot imagine how my daughter would manage to go to the market here. First, you must dodge buses, cars, moto bikes and dogs. You step under a kind of tarp and suddenly, it is dark. As your eyes adjust to the light, your senses are absoluely assaulted. There is a wave of odor that is like nothing else. I remembered it as soon as I entered. The smell of hot humans, babies who needed to go to the bathroom (but could not), fish, fish paste, something being grilled, fruits and vegetables. After you accustom yourself to the smells, be prepared for the sights! Chickens with splayed legs and exposed entrails reach toward me as if to clutch at my arm in desperation. Fish stare blankly into space with flies crawling over thei shiny bodies. Wilted long beans and herbs tied tightly into bundles lay in a basket. Red meat lays exposed on a board with dried pieces hanging above. Stacks of cane sugar wrapped in leaves tempt me. There are large bouquets of flowers. A post is pierced with small sticks holding bracelets made from fragrant white jasmine. To move about, you must turn sideways and try to be small so that others may pass. At your feet there are women squatting, working with what they have brought to sell. And just to your right, a young woman is working at a sewing machine, turning fine silk into a ballgown for a wedding. Ahead is a narrow shop where you can get your hair cut or your nails done. There is very little movement of air.
I am tempted to faint, but avoid it. It is wet under my sandals with all the things I have already mentioned and more.
I move ahead, trying to memorize where to find the material shop and the button shop, and a good place to buy shampoo.
This is the old market. It is one of my favorite places. And I like it a thousand times more than Wal Mart. By the way, at the air conditioned Angkor Market, you can buy frozen strawberries for $13.50 US a kilo. I think maybe the small pineapple and watermelon at the old market is better.
Dateline: Siem Reap Town - June 22, 2011, 10:19 pm Pat E Lyon
Well, it wasn't as romantic as I had imagined. Mr. Mony called Mr. Sok twice about how to find his house. Even though he has driven to Bos Kralanh Village for years, the crops are different and the roads are bad so we had to find a new route. Mony tried a left turn and went down a cow path that was only wide enough for one cow at a time. It dead ended in a rice paddy of unknown depth. Oh, wait, I guess it was a water buffalo path, not a cow path. In the distance, we see Mrs. Sok motioning to us to go back. Now Mony knows. Our road is one block over but not much better than the cow path. I close my eyes. It feels like we are about to runover a duck.
The greeting is much like I had described. Mr. and Mrs. Sok both know I am offering my sympathy on the loss of their beautiful son to electric shock. Once inside, Sok tells Mony that the women are in the rice fields and cannot come to class yet. They begin to assemble the new sewing machine Mony has brought from Battambang Province. Their point of reference is the other machine, which is a Janome in a Singer stand with a formica top.
But then the women do come to class. I remember their faces. They are probably older than they look. One tells about her headaches and I can see in her eyes that she does not feel well. Two are wearing turtle necks under a jacket. They have long pants and long sleeves. How does this work? It's siesta time. I showed them the purses we would make. They think it is very interesting. Then a women rises and disappears into a side room. She brings back a box, a treasure box. It is FILLED with beautiful flowers that they have made from last year's class. Diana Saw bought some and got them pins and clips to attach. I show how they can put a flower on the purse. Their flowers are exquisite. Much better than I could have made.
Quietly they agree to start class next Monday from 11:00 am to noon. Mony adds: "That way, no family violence." I could not laugh. We do a needs assessment. Two irons, two boards, new whiteboard and markers.
The Soks graciously invite us to stay for lunch. From out of nowhere, Mrs. Sok emerges with amok - fish soup with vegetables. There was a plate for bones and a bowl of rice. It was wonderful to commune with them, but I felt a distinct sadness in the air. Little conversation.
About 6:00 pm, Mr. Kosal brought spaghetti marinara to my room. It was delicious. I took ties apart and continued making its for purses. I fell asleep surrounded by ties. I awoke at 3:15 am. Yesterday it was 11:30 pm. I get up and continue with the ties. Soon I will blend into this time zone. It's good I am doing this now and not disturbing Deanna. But she has never minded.
I try to analyze why I am so happy. And I do not know. I just am!
It's that time again! Sam Pritchett, Pat Lyon and I are preparing for the 2011 Cambodia mission. Sam departs Austin, Texas, on Saturday, July 9, and you can follow Sam on his blog, see link at right on this blogspot. I will depart Chicago on Sunday, July 10, and will continue to post on this blog. Pat departed Chicago on Sunday, June 19, and has landed safely in Siem Reap Town Monday evening about 9 pm Wisconsin time.
Thanks to many of you and other generous people who make the Cambodia mission. All of your generous money donations benefit the vulnerable Cambodian people: clean water wells, toilets, domestic hygiene and sanitation education and training, vegetable seeds and fruit tree seedlings, piglets and pig pens, educational scholarships to post secondary education for poor youth, first aid supplies and training, personal hygiene supplies and training, computer equipment and training for youth, sewing equipment and supplies and training for village women. Costs for travel to Cambodia, immunizations, lodging in Cambodia, visas, interpreters, motorbike and car drivers in Cambodia and whatever else is necessary are paid for by mission members themselves and with money they raise in other ways. Please keep the Cambodia mission and the mission members in your prayers. Pat does not yet have a blog, so I'm posting her emails here. Enjoy!! Deanna
Pat at the Wheel and Out of Control June 22, 2011 9:31 pm
We have known the tailor now for about 6 years. We found her through Christine and Jnnifer Boehm. She has moved for the third time, but we have been able to track her down. She lives across from place where kill pigs, cows, chickens, etc. Now she has a married son who live with her in addition to her very competent single daughter Rothny who works two jobs as an accountant. Her home is two inches away from that of another family. She has created her own jungle at the entrance of the house with flowers and plants that we buy for house plants. On the other side of that there is a frog pond.
This year, one of my goals is to develop competency in sewing with treadle sewing machine. Hers is somewhat foreboding. It is a Janome, industrial strength type, mounted on a cast iron Singer frame. In the past, she has not wanted to serve in a teaching capacity because she is self taught and very modest. She does not know how much I wonder how she can sew without the help of Vogue, Simplicity, MCall's, etc. But now she and Rothny are very excited that I want to learn. Why, I do not know. About five dogs of varying sizes and amounts of fur move aside. There is a tiny newborn kitten in front of me. A pretty little girl about two years old clings to her grandmother because I am large, pale, and wear glasses. Mony needs a cigarette, but he's watching.
I must turn the large wheel at my right and get my feet going at the same time. There is no plastic here, like with my little Nancy's Notions "Babby Lock". (What a wuss name for a machine.) I turn wih all my might and they start shouting at me. They are probably saying "go, go go!" The tailor pulls me from the chair to show me. She spreads her bare feet a certain way. I try to imitate. I sew a little bit crooked and it makes gathers. The machine becomes un-threaded. Rothny tries to thread it from behind and upside down.
I am ready to give up but they persist. Once again the tailor shows me with her feet and I finally get it. Right-left, right-left, etc. Wow! Exercise and sew at the same time. Left hand must guide and pull fabric. Four body parts all doing something different at the same time. Good thing I'm not chewing gum!
I am measured for a dress and shirt. I point, show pictures, nod yes or no. I shoo Mr. Mony from the room to get measured. This is a probem. We agree to come again for another lesson. Adieu, adieu!
The next night I return at 5:00 pm because cooler. But sewing machine broken. She shows us where a new part is needed. I tell them I am glad it was not me! Pat L
AUGUST 16 - Pastor Sem Sokha called everyone into the sanctuary at 8:30 a.m. to begin morning worship service.
Worship service leaders are all youth except for message/sermon, announcements, and benediction. These are led by Pastor Sokha.
Our Bible text for this service was I Corinthians 12...many gifts, one Spirit. I followed the Psalm and I Corinthians readings in the English translation of the Bible. Pastor Sokha preached on this theme. I can understand some...when I am not sure, I lean over and ask Mony "what?" Pastor begins behind the pulpit then moves away from it to make some important points. Because unfaithfulness between spouses is so common, Pastor Sokha often weaves this point into his message. In this case, he takes some time to talk about how important it is for each spouse to use his and her gifts for each other, too, to make a strong marriage and have a good relationship with each other. Announcements included:
1. Pastor Sokha, his wife, son, daughter and Mr. Sok plan to visit women prisoners and will take milk, juice, cookies and personal hygiene items they bought for presents for the women prisoners. It has taken some time to get permission from the Kingdom of Cambodia Penal Ministry to have contact with the prisoners.
2. Pray for 4 youth from Khnar Thmei UMC who are going Mon-Wed, Aug 17-19, to training at UMC in Sisiphon Town, Banteay Meanchey Province adjacent to Siem Reap Province. Last year when they went to similar youth event for 3 days at UMC in Sisiphon Town, all their money and jewelry were stolen...later found out it was by the village chief (you can understand this as the mayor of Sisiphon Town). 3. Pray for Rev. Pirhum, a friend, colleague and good study/mission partner of Pastor Sokha, who is going to teach in Koh Kong (province in southwest Cambodia on the coast and far away from Siem Reap).
AUGUST 7 - I observed a new pattern in Siem Reap Town. Teams of police constituting check points located throughout Siem Reap Town...main streets and side streets. One morning, I glanced out my 3rd floor guest house window to see our drivers and hotel personnel standing at the street gesturing southward and talking. I looked around and could see a check point less than a block south of the guest house. I got out my camera and started taking pictures...through the glass.
Later I went downstairs...the check point still there...and folks were happy to tell me everything about this new enforcement of traffic law. Cambodia has a new law that all motorbike drivers must wear a helmet. Police are pulling over motorbikes when they don't see or to check if the driver is wearing a helmet, correct rear view mirrors are fixed and the import tax is paid/license plate. When a vehicle is brought into Cambodia, the buyer/owner must pay an import tax...only upon proof of payment can the buyer/owner register the vehicle and get a license plate. Cambodia is cracking down on enforcement of this now.
And for cars, buses and trucks, too. For the import tax and license plate and for wearing seat belts. Although usually police would not pull over a vehicle that had tourists in it. I think because they wisely thought that this kind of delay would be a nuisance for tourists and not be good for tourist business.
To overcome corruption and get good enforcement, police from Phnom Penh are stationed in Siem Reap Town to do enforcement...because they do not have family here and do not know the people, so they have nothing to lose when they enforce the traffic laws.
Several of the tuk tuk/motorbike drivers had appointments in the next several hours to pick up tourists. They did not want to get onto the public road with the police nearby because they did not pay the import tax, did not register the vehicle and did not have license plate.
Mony did not renew his car registration for 2009. I sent him over to the Department of Motor Vehicles to do this. He also did not have his car registered for business use--another fee. Instead his brother-in-law gave him the decal which Mony affixed to his right front windshield.
On the way to afternoon class at Khnar Thmei Village, we got pulled over. Mony could not show the policeman the receipt for purchase of the business use decal, and made excuse that he forgot to put the receipt in his car with other car papers but had it at home. After some negotiations, Mony paid 10500 riel ($2.50US) and the policeman let us go on.
Next day I sent Mony to the Department of Motor Vehicles again to buy his 2009 business use permit...get decal and receipt...put in car. So far after all this...Mony's car is legal now...we don't get stopped.
AUGUST 2 - At Sunday morning worship during announcements time, I presented items which were given for Khnar Thmei Church.
To Mr. Sok, I presented Avira anti-virus on a flashdrive, Photoshop on a CD, and a surge protector for the computer our program provided 4 years ago which is at his house in Bos Kralanh Village for the use of our students in the village. Sam Pritchett had evaluated the computer in July and he bought these items for it.
To Pastor Sokha, I presented 2 large bags of first aid (bandaids, gauze pads, adhesive tape, scissors, rubbing alcohol, triple antibacterial ointment, cotton balls, tweezers, disposable latex gloves, Q-Tips, etc.) and personal hygiene items (bar soaps, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, mouthwash, body lotion, shampoo, hair conditioner). These precious items were donated primarily by the good folks of Brodhead United Methodist Church. Pastor Sokha distributed personal hygiene items to the folks immediately and will use the first aid supplies to replenish the church's supply which is available to anyone in Khnar Thmei Village who needs something.
To Chantrya, president of Khnar Thmei United Methodist Women, I presented thread and cotton fabric. Two years ago, Suzanne Woggon and Pat Lyon, began sewing training for the Khnar Thmei women. They and their friends have bought 2 treadle/electric sewing machines, provided cloth book for young child training, making a simple purse training, field trip to Siem Reap Town to look at cloth products being marketed, planning for making clothes for family members, uniforms for school children and items to sell. On and on we provide sewing supplies and training for the Khnar Thmei women.
Pat and Suzanne and their friends donated a large box of thread. Memorial United Methodist Women, Greenfield, provided 3 complete sets of all colors of thread plus 2 large boxes of cotton fabric of all colors and patterns. This gave Chantrya a good opportunity to talk about the sewing project. Then she called all the women forward to sing "Thank you, thank you, Teacher, from our hearts" in Khmer and English!
I reserved a small portion of the cotton fabric and thread donated by Memorial United Methodist Women and I gave them to the sewing teacher at Kessararam Primary School in Siem Reap Town. Children in grades three through six, boys and girls, have sewing class as part of their curriculum where they learn to stitch perfectly by hand.
AUGUST 3 - English class resumed at Khnar Thmei Church today. The students asked if I could teach about job application letters. In my class are high school students and our two sponsored university students ready to begin second year on August 11. Our two sponsored students: Sangleen Kheav front row second from left and Tap Soda back row second from right.
I happily agreed thinking this was a very practical request. At this distance from my usual base of resources in Wisconsin, the internet is a great resource. I bring very few specific printed resources these days for teaching classes as there are some available in print in Siem Reap Town in the older and especially newer bookshops plus the internet is a vast resource on any topic...text and pictures.
While English class goes on inside Khnar Thmei Church, take a peek at the scene outside!
AUGUST 1 - Preah Vihear Temple is a Khmer temple situated atop a cliff named Pey Tadi in the Dangkrek Mountains.
On June 15, 1962, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that the temple and surrounding land lay in Cambodia territory and that any antiquities such as sculptures that Thailand had removed from the temple must be returned. On July 7, 2008, the temple was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Preah Vihear Temple has the most spectacular setting of all the Khmer temples built in the 6-centuries-long Khmer empire. It is a key edifice of the empire's spiritual life. It is unusually constructed along a long north-south axis rather than the conventional rectangular plan with orientation toward the east.
Construction of the temple began in the early 9th century. It was added to from to time as evidenced by the variety of styles. But most of the temple was constructed during the reigns of Khmer kings Suryavarman I (1002-1050) and Suryavarman II (1113-1150).
Shortly after 1904 when the French colonials took an interest in IndoChine and in their attempt to demarcate the borders of their IndoChine territories, the French discovered Preah Vihear Temple and drew their map with the Cambodian border north of the temple.
The temple runs 2600 feet along a north-south axis consisting of a causeway and stone staircases leading up the hill towards the sanctuary which sits at the southern end of the complex 390 feet higher than the northern end. it is 1720 feet above the Cambodian plain and 2050 feet above sea level.
One of the masterpieces of Preah Vihear Temple is the large bas relief panel in stone depicting The Churning of the Ocean of Milk (pictured below), the Hindu creation myth and one of the most famous episodes in the Puranas. This same bas relief is also found at Angkor Wat.
Train the Trainer for Solar
-
Today is my last full day in Siem Reap. I have two more solar kits left
and trying to get them installed somewhere would be an exceptionally
challenging d...
AUGUST 16 - Pastor Sem Sokha called everyone into the sanctuary at 8:30 a.m. to begin morning worship service.
of Pastor Sokha,
Cambodia, the buyer/owner must pay an import tax...only upon proof of payment can the buyer/owner register the vehicle and get a license plate. Cambodia is cracking down on enforcement of this now. 
sident of Khnar Thmei United Methodist Women, I presented thread and cotton fabric. Two years ago, Suzanne Woggon and Pat Lyon, began sewing training for the Khnar Thmei women. They and their friends have bought 2 treadle/electric sewing machines, provided cloth book for young child training, making a simple purse training, field trip to Siem Reap Town to look at cloth products being marketed, planning for making clothes for family members, uniforms for school children and items to sell. On and on we provide sewing supplies and training for the Khnar Thmei women. 
vided 3 complete sets of all colors of thread plus 2 large boxes of cotton fabric of all colors and patterns. This gave Chantrya a good opportunity to talk about the sewing project. Then she called all the women forward to sing "Thank you, thank you, Teacher, from our hearts" in Khmer and English!
On June 15, 1962, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that the temple and surrounding land lay in Cambodia territory and that any antiquities such as sculptures that Thailand had removed from the temple must be returned. On July 7, 2008, the temple was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Shortly after 1904 when the French colonials took an interest in IndoChine and in their attempt to demarcate the borders of their IndoChine territories, the French discovered Preah Vihear Temple and drew their map with the Cambodian border north of the temple.
The temple runs 2600 feet along a north-south axis consisting of a causeway and stone staircases leading up the hill towards the sanctuary which sits at the southern end of the complex 390 feet higher than the northern end. it is 1720 feet above the Cambodian plain and 2050 feet above sea level.
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