Final Words for Cambodia

(Pre-Bangkok)

Back in Poipet, we packed up our things, said our goodbyes, and sped off (very slowly) in our little tuk-tuk to take us to the Thai border.


Outreach was coming to an end. I was scared to come back to Australia because I didn’t know how I would cope in a successful western nation. I know myself all too well and knew there was the temptation of becoming judgmental or critical, just not knowing how to make sense of these two worlds I’ve experienced. Guess I just gotta take each day as it comes, and trust God for revelation while I process the last three months.



Moments to Remember
with love from Cambodia:

* putting lotion on the hands of a 28 year old mum (looks like she’s 15), who’s wearing a pyjama set, has a gold tooth, and is simultaneously breastfeeding her baby.

* after a monsoon rain, walking barefoot home through the sludgy roads, dodging animal dung.

* getting caught in a downpour, and being invited in to a family’s warm hut with bamboo floors. Then getting offered to take their horse back to our house.

* cutting my hair one impulsive night in the stagnant, humid bathroom. I now have bangs.

* sitting on a wood bed with an HIV patient, helping her drink from a coconut.

* throwing reeds across a lush bank with the village kids.

* praying for an HIV+ woman and her 20-day old newborn baby.

* eating boiled, salted snails and watermelon with the pastor’s family after teaching English.

* getting splattered with mud while digging the trench.

* drinking lots and lots of water, and lots and lots more.

* dancing for 3 hours solid with the kids behind our house.

* helping to fly a kite on a tropical dirt road.

Cultures Contrasted

It's just a 4 hour drive away, but the differences between
Poipet, Cambodia and Bangkok, Thailand
were enough to put me into culture shock.... again.
I walked around in a daze for 3 days in this major world city Bangkok,
trying to quickly adjust to fast trains, big Asian malls, and hot pink taxis.


Let's explore...


THE ROADS:

Poipet










Bangkok

THE STREET LIFE:

Poipet










Bangkok

TRANSPORT:

Poipet








Bangkok

THE LOOK:

Poipet













Bangkok

Portraits of Poipet

Cambodians are beautiful.

a few snapshots along the way...

Siem Reap

June 7th 2009




Siem Reap is the touristy, more developed town surrounding the only tourist attraction in Cambodia: Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat is the historic, famous temple that is now ancient ruins. It is the three- pointed building that is on Cambodia’s flag!
And yes, I did get the t-shirt.

We stayed in a beautiful guesthouse: dark wood staircases, white marble floors, and orange silk accents. Mom, you’d appreciate it. It’s a great and surprising change from dusty Poipet.

We stayed in Siem Reap for 2 days; we enjoyed the change of scenery, the air conditioning, the temple, and the lively night market.



I had such a fun time doing photography at the ruins.

But it’s kinda weird because it’s this big palace-temple, and even though it’s more historic than religious, they still do shrines to Buddha, etc. They dress a stone Buddha up in orange, offer him food and shiny things.
There are still monks wrapped up in their saffron robes, going about their monkly duties, lighting incense and overseeing offerings and such.

The whole place leaves you with a very empty feeling, kind of like the decaying stone around you.
However, I liked how nothing is really blocked off, you can walk and sit everywhere. (except the balustrades).
But yeah, idol worship is pretty sickening.


“But their idols are silver and gold,
made by the hands of men.
They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but they cannot see;
they have ears but cannot hear,
noses, but they cannot smell;
they have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but they cannot walk;
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.

Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”
-Psalm 115: 4-8

here are some pics from the day...

The Texas twins. The sweetest sisters you'll ever meet.

Us three.

Siem Reap was fun.