Days Three and Four of Siem Reap English Camp

I didn’t have the time or the energy to post yesterday, so I will combine two posts into one today, starting with yesterday, Saturday, July 30. First things first: we as a team had been following prayer requests from another CCC team on a mission trip in Sisseton, South Dakota. Several members of their team had contracted what appears to be a nasty, fast moving virus. One was even hospitalized. We knew that we needed to take some time as a team to pray for them, so that is how we began our day at the church.

Laura and her translator

Steve, Ben,  and Logan during Steve's devotion

Yesterday morning, the CCC team was in the spotlight. Laura gave her testimony in front of the big group, and Steve led a devotional. Both were excellent (in my humble opinion). Steve’s devotional  involved some audience participation. He talked about Noah and the flood, using Ben and Logan as props (and giving them polka dot raincoats to wear). Then he had the rest of us make rain sounds by patting the floor faster and faster. He added the thunder. Rain is a good topic in Cambodia, as it is very familiar to everyone. The rest of the events, including freshie shows and games, helped us all get excited about the day to come.

The morning was spent teaching our students.  We at CCC can be proud of our young people. They have stepped right up and taken on leadership roles from the beginning. The students love them, and I can see the growth in our youth as well. It is an amazing sight.  Not that our adults are slackers! We all have felt blessed by God in many ways during this camp, from His healing touch when we are not feeling the best, to smiles we get from the campers, to the amazing enthusiasm of Phearum when he leads worship choruses, to the relationships we are developing with the other teachers on in English Camp.

Beautiful music

Just before lunch, we had the privilege of listening to Phearum and a camper play some traditional Khmer music for all to hear. I loved the stringed instrument Phearum was playing, but I don't know yet what it is called. After lunch was our field trip to the market. Just like in Phnom Pehn, we had to stick with our team of students to race around the market, looking for deals on the list of items we were given. We were given $20 to purchase a mosquito net, a school uniform, 5 kilos of rice, a backpack, a hammock, a string of 10, single-use shampoo packets, and a durian. The team which accomplished the feat in the least time and with the most money left over would be the winner. All the teams are very competitive, and when you put five teams of about 24 people each in a Cambodian market, we tend to upset the flow of traffic. It was entertaining when two teams would meet in the narrow aisles. Whatever time we had left after we finished doing our required shopping could be spent doing recreational shopping, which is always fun. We headed back to the church at about 3:45 in the afternoon. One more competition awaited  us.

I do not believe Abby cared for the durian.

After reporting the winners of the shopping competition, Bill Lobbezoo invited three members of each team to the front of the sanctuary, two teachers and one student. CCC was well-represented, with Abby L., Abby H., Marlin, and Ben all competing for their teams. The contest was to see which team could polish off their durian most quickly. Students who liked durian went up, as did teachers who thought they were up to the task. I still haven’t had any, so I can’t speak from personal experience as to the taste, but it does look and smell disgusting. Our team members had varying opinions on the taste, but let’s just say none of them will be ordering it in the restaurant.

After supper, we had one more excursion. Ron had rejoined us by this time. A bus came to pick up all the teachers, and Bill treated us to a single scoop of ice cream at The Blue Pumpkin. It was so good. I miss dairy products. Afterward, we had some time at the night market to do a bit of shopping. Many great deals were bartered in the span of about an hour and a half. It was a pleasant ending to another enjoyable day.

Traditional Khmer instruments

Children's choir

Youth Teachers' Choir

Married Teachers' Choir

Sunday morning dawned, and as it did we had an earlier schedule than we originally thought. Church really began at 9:00, not 11:00. We all met at the Freedom Restaurant at 7:30 to visit a bit and connect as a team. Steve was headed out for the day with Logan and Ron to do some filming with a church that CCC may be helping purchase land for a new building. The rest of us caught a shuttle to the church to get there about half an hour before the service. Church was amazing. It was different from the Phnom Penh church Marti and I had attended for the past two Sundays, and yet there were some similarities. The service began with a couple of congregational hymns in Khmer. The third hymn was “How Great Thou Art.” It was so beautiful to hear a chorus of voices singing this old, familiar hymn in an unfamiliar language.  After the hymn was finished, introductions were made of all the visitors to the church (English Camp kids and teachers). Psalm 85 was read, and then another Khmer song was sung. After a prayer, two youth came up and led us all in three of the songs we have been singing every day at camp.  The church was wild with excitement. Then it was time for us all to greet each other (jum-reap soo-a). Then the little kids came up to sing (and be adorable). Next, we had an interpretive dance from three young people. Then came the offering, with “I Surrender All” playing in the background. After that, an older lady came up to give her testimony, and then the message was delivered by one of the teachers from camp. After the message, the youth choir and the adult choir came up to sing songs for us. The morning wasn’t quite done yet, as our Khmer camp leader, Phearum, suggested that all the foreigners should come up and sing! We ended up singing in two groups, Khmer-style, with the unmarried folks going first and the married ones going second. Our young crew sang “Amazing Grace” while the older (more mature) ones sang “Shout to the Lord.” We had only a verbal and musical benediction before the service was done. I took advantage of this opportunity to catch some pictures of much of the crew, all dressed up, after church.

Kim and Abby L.

Ray, Ben, Andrea and Becky

Liz and Laura (Liz in her skirt and top from the market)

Marlin and Abby H.

Three active grandmas: Maxine,Marti, and Sandy

Work time at English Camp

I have been asked to try to describe what English Camp actually is. I think it is a little different for every group and every teacher. We had wise counsel early on that it might be called “relationship camp” rather than “English camp.” The idea is that people who speak English as their native language come and teach children and young adults a few things about English vocabulary, structure, and usage. We do have a workbook to use as a starting point. But how camp unfolds each day is in the hands of God.  Asking questions and having conversations in English is really the best way for the young people to learn. And it also helps them to form bonds with their teachers. Every day we play games together in our small groups, go over our workbooks, and ask questions. Today, I asked my group if they could each tell me their story. I wanted to know if they believed in Jesus, if so for how long, and if any of their family members also believed in Jesus. They explained their stories in English. Several were the only believers in their families. Several were not yet believers, but were having fun at camp. A couple said their whole family was believers. As I also told them my story, we bonded in a little different way. And they heard more spoken English (which was also interpreted for them by a class member who actually teaches English in Cambodia). English camp seems to refuse to be defined in exact terms, but it is a place where God is very active.

Our last day of class began after lunch. We had a couple of challenges this morning. One was for the teachers to learn a song in Khmer and English from our campers. The other was to create/choreograph a short program for a “Freshie Show Down, Throw Down” competition. Each team spent a significant portion of the morning learning their routines, and it showed. When we got back together at the end of the day, the teams all had great performances. Marti got up there and did a very fun dance with her group. Ben and Ray each participated with their groups, as did Abby H.  Abby L., Laura, and Andrea all performed in their group’s number as well (and were the winners). All who participated got a serious work out. Wow, those were some wild dances! We ate supper together and were then invited to stay for a showing of a movie about Jesus, in Khmer. Many kids and teachers stayed and watched the film together.

Tomorrow we will be headed to Angkor Wat for an all day field trip. Let’s see what God has in store for us!

Praises:

1.       Most are feeling mostly well right now.

2.       Worship this morning was wonderful and refueled us beautifully.

3.       We are thankful for all the relationships we are building.

Prayer Requests:

1.       We pray for all the campers who have touched our hearts and our lives. We pray for the harvest yet to come among the unbelievers.

2.       We ask for prayers for continued health for our group.

3.       We ask for God’s blessings on all the time we have left here, that we may savor each moment and keep our eyes open for all that God has to show us.