WE ARE BACK!!!! And jet-lagged. I write this entry as a BRIEF reflection over the past few weeks comparing it to my experience over the past 6 (somewhat) years. WoW is the biggest thing that comes to mind. WOW!! Every year I am amazed at the experience I am so very blessed to receive. I watch the hearts of people (in both countries) and my own, change. How can I say? How can I do…
So here are some of my notes on Cambodia:
One of the biggest impacts in my own heart is the impact my husband has had in Cambodia. I am always amazed at what people say when I arrive… things like, Oh Suzan…Chas’ wife or You remember Chas’ wife? For those who don’t know, we were both there with our boys for 2 years and I have been back for 4 times with Chas and the boys only once….I am still known by many as Chas’ wife. I love that. It makes me think deeply of my real role in life and my purpose.
The second impact is the hearts of these young women!!! I am always amazed, but today I am soaking in the memories of such great times we have spent this year. So, for those who read the blog year after year, there is no comparison, just some memories of my heart. I am grateful to all of you who have sacrificed time with these women so they could experience something out of the ordinary. I have been forever impacted by their hearts. Chelsea has a smile and presence that can light a room…..I am amazed at her ability to use her gift of beauty to truly affect those around her. There is no sense of pride or righteousness in her, just love….that she has shared so sincerely. And then there is Emily…..who is quiet and reserved, but oh so deep and the way she sees God in all situations is comforting. I love to see her smile and the laugh she has is infectious. Phanie…or Stepahnie brings such a grace and “can do” attitude to the group, able to lead without hesitation and oh so deep. There is Victory (which is truly the way Cambodians will remember her) who has an incredible way of being and taking life in with that smile…and Kim whose smile and infectious laugh at all things lights up a room…her ability to lead is evident and her sense of planning is keen…..I do think she might lead a team to some foreign land if not Cambodia.

Continue reading →

Today we leave Nashville for our 6th trip to Cambodia! We are so grateful to each of you who sacrifice time with loved ones so we can go make a difference in the lives of poor and needy in Cambodia. This year there are 5 nursing students going along with Sharon, Keary and I.
Our first stop is Hanoi Vietnam where we will visit Halong Bay and other cultural sites. We will use this time to bond as a group and recover from the long flights and 12 hour time difference. We get there on Saturday around 11AM. We should be able to email/post a blog entry while there. Not sure about phone calls.
We head into Phnom Penh on Tuesday the 18th around 8AM and will be there until the weekend. For the two weekends we are there, we will be visiting a village on one and going to Siem Reap for the other. The plans are not yet finalized for which weekend we will be doing which.

Continue reading →

I sit in Seoul Korea on our way back home and finally have the time to write my blog entry. We are all doing well and are looking forward to being reunited with our families and friends.
In Cambodia there is a saying “Same, same, but different”. The Khmer word for different is psame psame, but the “p” is rather silent. When we say “samething”, most Khmer people hear same same which means different. When we here them say psame psame, we think they are saying “samething”. So when you see all of us wearing our “same, same, but different” t-shirts, you will be able to laugh. Cambodia after 5 years is the same same, but different. The streets are getting a facelift and buildings are going up, but the people are still the same on the streets. Children continue to be homeless and poor without appropriate healthcare, hygeine or nutrition. My blog about our village trip that we took on Saturday.
Several people donated money for us to do some good while here and good we did. Several of us made a trip to the Orrusey Market which was quite the experience. Thankfully we took 3 of our Cambodian friends with us to help with translation. We bought school supplies (807 writing books, pencils, rulers, sharpener, eraser and bags), shoes, large book bags for honor students, toothbrushes, tooth paste and more for 269 children in a village in Kandal province about 1 hour or so outside of Phnom Penh city. Additionally, we brought rice, soy and fish sauce for the poorest of families that was to be determined by the school director. We packed our supplies and our lunch and loaded the bus with 17 of us plus several of our Cambodian friends from church and the hospital.

Continue reading →

There is a saying among some of the expats I have worked with in Cambodia…it is TICB (this is Cambodia Baby). Today, I had to say that alot. Stephanie and I headed out to the Ouressey (sp?) market with our new Cambodian friend, Yoen. He is helping us to get to the village tomorrow. We had bikes to buy, helmets to size up and many other supplies to take to the village. This particular market is mainly used by the local Khmer people. Stephanie got an eyefull and a nose full. The sites and smells are very different from the trip to the market in America as there are tons of dried fish, fermented fish paste, shrimps (dried), cockroaches, grub worms and numerous other interesting edibles hanging around almost everywhere you turn. It is always an experience bargaining and buying in the market. At times, it can be draining as you wonder if you are getting a fair deal.
My mind, body and heart were reminded of the difficulties we face in trying to provide help in a country that is still corrupt and has been raised on foreign aid. We were able to go to church again last evening. My family has joined us here and my husband was able to lead a song and the prayer. Ceszar Lopez did the lesson so it was in English. The electricity went out again and remained out during most of the lesson, but that did not slow him down. The bat flew through, but we did not see the rat, but of course, it was dark. So, we had church by candle light. The lesson was very impactful and focused on relationships and what destroys them. Selfishness tears down relationships and selflessness builds them strong. We are all praying for a selfless heart. For me personally, it gets harder as I become tired after almost three weeks. I was very grateful to have scriptures and the lesson to remind me of Jesus’ character. I am also constantly thinking of the scriptures that focus on healing and the power we have through Christ. All things are possible through Christ….Just ask for anything in my name and you shall have it…..
Today at the hospital was a different experience for us all. Anson had a full day helping patients. She has done such a wonderful job and has impressed all of us and others around her. The rest of us monitored the nursing check offs. We were split up for lunch and the students ended up in a Khmer restruant with wait staff who understand little English which was an adventurous experience for them. Sharon and I were joined by the nursing leadership and we were reminded of the deep friendships and family we have developed over the years. We both certainly felt well loved and appreciated. It has been amazing to see such change in some of the nursing staff.
I must take a moment to just lift up this group of students. I have been so impressed with their hearts and eagerness to work at anything we have put before them. The attitudes have remained positive, helpful and encouraging. This has certainly been a life changing experience for all of us. I never cease to be changed in some way when I come to my second home.
Tomorrow’s trip should be full of new and exciting adventures. Remember we may not be able to post again until Sunday or Monday. We will be sure to take lots of pictures. Please continue to pray for our hearts, minds, bodies…that we may always have the compassion of Christ, the love of Christ, the wisdom of Christ and the strength of Christ. We have so many donated items and will be providing so much because of the generosity of many. I want to thank you all. You have been amazing in your support with money, comments and prayers. We love you and will see you soon.

Wow…..what a trip so far! Today has been so full, I feel like we have had 2 or 3 days in one. So many things to share about that I will put them under subheadings. The morning began early at 0530 with the whole group going out to exercise. We witnessed a beautiful sunrise and then joined a group of Cambodians exercising in the form of dancing along the river front. The tall women from America were a big hit and we did the macarena (sp?) and some Khmer dancing. It was a great start for the day.
OUR PRAYERS: We have been praying together for our work in the hospital and village trying to focus on God’s ability to heal through us as well as healing that comes through the love of Christ. Our prayers have been specific that God give us the wisdom, compassion and love we need to make a difference in the places we go.
THE MOBILE CLINIC: HOPE has started a mobile clinic that consists of a truck with supplies, a doctor, nurse and other helpers. It travels around the city providing free medical care to the poor and needy, children and adults alike. We were asked if we wanted to join and of course we did. None of us including myself had any idea of what to expect. It was totally and completely amazing. We went to the area of Stung Mean Chay which is the city dump. It is the area the children come from in the orphanage we have visited in the past years. We walked in and were greeted by small children from the local school running to hug us. Later, the Khmer physician who runs the mobile clinic set up an area for me to see patients! He asked me if I would like to see them myself or together with him. I was a little nervous at first, but realized that God was providing me an opportunity to learn about the types of illnesses we would see next week in the village. We decided my Khmer language skills were not good enough to see patients without translation, so we settled on seeing them together. The group played with the kids and then helped triage the patients into the clinic. It has built the faith of each one of us to see how readily God is providing us with the wisdom we need to treat the children in the village. I learned so much about the medication available and types of illnesses we will see; most of which are due to such poor nutrition. Anson was able to use her PT skills and I realized today how valuable that will be in the village as many women came with sciatic pain or other overuse type ailments. During our discussion tonight of our “highs”and “lows”of our day, the mobile clinic and how God is providing was at the top of each list.
THE HOSPITAL: After the clinic was over and we had a wonderful lunch at a favorite restaurant, we went back to spend a few hours at the hospital. As the group was all off doing their “thing”, I headed to talk to the pharmacist about helping us to order some medications to take to the village. The idea was to purchase some de-worming medications, antihistamines (it is allergy season here), antibiotics and a few others. Well, God showed his love for the poor once again and HOPE is donating most all of the medication! They are providing enough medicaiton to treat 500 children for worms, antibitiotics, tylenol, pre-natal vitamins and more. So, far the only purchase of medications we will need to make will be for flagyl. Another prayer we have had is to provide us with a Khmer nurse to go with us to the village. I will admit, I was a little skeptical because I understand the issues with staffing at HOPE and we would be asking someone to volunteer their time as well. God is amazing and it was so easy. I did not even ask for a nurse to go, I was offered one! So, one of my dear Khmer friends who is a nurse educator at HOPE and a Christian will be coming with us to help in the village!
THE CHURCH: We attended church on Sunday and again tonight. The trip to church was miserably long due to rush hour traffic that is total chaos, but we finally made it and were happy to see everyone. After you read this next part, close your eyes an imagine this: Sitting in plastic chairs outside with fans blowing on you. The preacher is speaking in Khmer and there is a translator talking over the sound of the fans. Mosquitoes are biting at your ankles. The heat is still considerable even with the fans. Electricity goes out two to three times during service. A bat flies over the group a few times and then the large rat runs up the side and across the front behind the preacher. We think the rat is a cat, but realize it is not.
The church is actually doing great! There have been many teens baptized over the past year. The church that was planted from Phnom Penh in Siem Reap has grown from 7 to 24! There is much joy and excitement among the disciples and we have felt their love. They have come to pick us up for church in the van each time and then drive us all the way back to our hotel. I mentioned the village trip to Sovann and Sopheap (leaders of the church) and from the very first Sopheap wanted to come help translate. Prayerfully, she will be able to join us. I can see us in the village provided physical and spiritual help the the poor in health and spirit. Our God is a mighty and loving God who will do great things here.
THANKS: To each of you who has made this trip possible through allowing your daughters to come, donating money and supplies, supporting us with encouragement and prayers. We feel your prayers and rejoice in them. We are receiving Mannah from heaven and I pray that we remember the gifts God is lavishing on us now when we come to a time of suffering and need. We love you all!

Well, we are getting ready to head out to Cambodia early Monday morning. We will first stop in Thailand to visit Chaing Mai which is one of Thailand most cultural villages. We will stay there two days and hike the water falls, visit the night bizzare, see a butterfly garden and possibly ride an elephant. We are so excited about this trip for many reasons. We will see old friends, do some hard work, learn about a new culture, withstand the heat and meet new friends.
One of the most exciting parts about this year is our village trip. We have connected with Kari Grady Grossman, author of “Bones That Float” (www.bonesthatfloat.com) which is one of our required readings for the trip. We will be visiting the village that she has been working with to provide some nutritional teaching, nutritional evaluations, provide a medical clinic for 500 children,and meet with village leaders to help plan for a long term goal of having a medical clinic. The village is about 120 KM from Phnom Penh but it takes 4-5 hours due to road conditions.
We will get a first hand experience of what it is like to live in a village. The village is a typical Cambodian village in the country where rice is the main staple. There is no electricity (lights can be run for short periods off a generator
or car battery)or running water. We will sleep on bamboo beds in the school and get a taste of what it is like for the majority of Cambodians. This trip occurs the last weekend before we head back, so be sure to read our blogs and send lots of prayers our way. The rest of our time will be spent at the Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE (www.sihosp.org).
We will be ready to come home to our families and friends when this is over, but we are sure to leave a part of our
hearts in Cambodia.

Wow….every day since last week has been so very full. I have not stopped from early morning to late night, so I am late posting my entry. Last Friday we were up early, boarded the bus to Siem Reap. The countryside is so beautiful during the rainy season which begun early this year. However, last week did not have much rain and was very, very hot. We arrived in Siem Reap in good time and went to the temples after a quick trip to the market. Shop, shop, shop. You know that does stimulate the economy, help the poor and brings great gifts home to those we love and miss dearly. We were able to go into the Temples at 5 PM on our one day pass. The group head on tuk tuks into the jungle. We arrived at Bekheng (sp?) mountain which is a favorite spot to watch the sunset. In the years here, my family and I never saw a good sunset because the clouds were always there.
There are also elephants at the bottom of the “mountain” that you can catch a ride on to the top and back down if you are lucky enough to get there in time. We were lucky, blessed or both because we arrived and took off running to the elephants and all of us that were there were able to ride up the mountain! It was great fun.

Continue reading →

My husband is the Master Blogger having kept an online journal the two years we were living in Cambodia. I sure wish he was here to write these entries as he is very good with written word. So, I dedicate this entry to the “Blog Master” and only hope I can convey the same vulnerability, emotion and compassion he is able through these entries. Hopefully, I have learned from you, dear Chas.
FRIDAY
Up in the early morning for my 0530 run along the river to Wat Phnom and back by the palace. Shannon and Kelley have opted out of this morning run, so I wear my new MP3 player. As I listen to “Casting Crowns” and “Jars of Clay”, the words pierce my heart and I begin to cry. If we are the body, why aren’t our hands reaching……I look at the poverty and the little chilcren alone on the street. Some sleeping, others playing. The smells of Cambodia warfting up into my senses…not all pleasant. I see my favorite old couple squating close together sharing a bit of…..

Continue reading →