At the start of this week’s blog post we want to express our heartfelt thanks for all the messages of love and support which have come through following the passing away of baby Isaac. We have shared these with Phanna, Pisey, and the church family and we would ask you to continue remembering them in your prayers. Phanna and Pisey display incredible strength and have drawn closer to each other and to God; and we know the prayers of God’s people are helping them face each new day. On Sunday during the church service David spoke about Isaac’s life and then asked Phanna and Pisey to come forward. The church family gathered round and prayed for them with Chamnap closing in prayer. It was an emotional time for all but we wanted Phanna and Pisey to know that we are all here for them, and are walking the journey alongside them, loving and supporting them, as families do.
The start of this week was the annual P’chum Ben holiday where most people leave the city and visit their families in the provinces. This is one of the biggest religious festivals in Cambodia and is a time where many Khmer go to the temples and pay their respects to their deceased relatives. The monks chant continuously, without sleeping, in prelude to the gates of hell opening and the ghosts of the dead are presumed to be especially active and food offerings are made to benefit them. It is a dark, oppressive time and is very difficult for Christians who want to spend time with their families but don’t want to feel pressured to make and give food to the spirits to appease them. Prior to the holiday we spent time in the weekly prayer meeting and church service praying for safety for those travelling, as there also are more accidents at this time, and prayed for courage for those whose families might put pressure on them.
Four of the girls from Be Free, like us, were staying in the city so I promised them a cookery lesson making their choice of dish – lasagna. The girls love cooking and each of them enjoyed the jobs they were given until the lasagna was layered and put in the oven to cook. The table was set, candles were lit and we waited until it was ready. As the aroma of the lasagna cooking reached the living room the girls got very excited about dinner. It was then time for the girls to sit at the table and be served. They thoroughly enjoyed the lasagna and salad and want to make it again for all the staff that missed out. Three of the girls had their children with them as well and they were so well behaved as they ate their dinner. Not only do the girls enjoy cooking but they also love clearing up and a system was organised for doing the washing up. They cleared the table and we put the leftovers in containers for them to take home. After relaxing for a while after dinner the girls expressed their thanks and made their way home. We enjoyed spending the day with them outside of the work environment. Before the cookery lesson all 6 adults and 3 children crammed into a tuk tuk and we took them to the new mall where the children were able to play for an hour or so in a soft play adventure area. Refreshments were needed after this and they all enjoyed their ice cream cone before we made our way home. It was so nice to be able to take the girls and the children out for a few hours and make their holiday a little bit special.
Because of the four day holiday this week all the Be Free staff are working today to stay on top of creating the Christmas orders that we are delighted to have received. David did an amazing job working out the timeframe and production; skills which he learnt from his previous job of running a dessert company. The girls thrive when there are deadlines to meet and are so happy that people like what they create. Two new trainees started in Be Free last week and are settling in really well. They have joined at our busiest time preparing for Christmas and all the staff and trainees are delighted to have two extra pairs of hands. Please pray for S and SK that they feel part of the team straightaway and know how loved and valued they are.