A Beautiful Sunday

The day was long and arduous, the sun seemed unwilling to set and our hearts kept running with the gamut of emotions we felt throughout the precious hours we spent with our orphan children on Sunday.

Church was supposed to start at 8:00 but they were gracious to accommodate the weary travelers and started at 8:20. The pavilion (constructed with money raised by "Team Hope" Cleveland marathon participants) was packed with children and some adults. The children were dressed in colorful clothes, mainly t-shirts with each of the 5 orphan home sporting a different color. There was an air of enthusiasm that filled the room and the noise was elevated when our children saw our van approaching. They ran to us and surrounded us with hugs and beautiful smiles. They took us by the hand to church and we sat at different places in the auditorium with them.

Vannak, our GP:BT director, was emceeing. He was so full of enthusiasm and even though he spoke mostly in Kmai, he interjected enough words in English, especially when introducing one of the groups of children, and he made all of us feel welcome. The band was composed of a couple of older boys who have much talent but no sense as to when music what is too loud when it comes to music. Let no one complain of loud music at their churches. We heard the mother of all loud sound on a Sunday service yesterday. The speakers were possessed by the spirit of earsplitting himself. Oh well, we were told that they like it loud because it makes it more "official." No matter, we enjoyed the service a great deal.

One by one the children stepped to the platform and performed beautiful music they had worked hard to choreograph. Their beautiful smiles were even brighter and broader as they sang praises to Jesus. I may have said this before, but in our unbiased opinon our kids did the best. :). All the children, however, did exceptionally well. It was a service to live in our memories for a long time.

I introduced our team and each person shared a little bit about who they were and what they did. Faa shared about "her" children and later on people were asking Jill how come she already had five children since she looked so young! When I started to preach I told them the story of the land where there are 3 orphan homes now. Pastor Dave Atkins, Savorn Ou, Say Nu (one of the other orphan home directors) and I stood a top an empty piece of land and dedicated that land to the Lord. Back then, there was nothing there, not even a road, no electricity. Only two old ponds that weren't very inviting. But there was a vision and and a God that was good enough to make it grow. Pastor Dave had a vision for multiple homes in one location and God answered beyond our wildest imagination. God's love for these children will make Him move the mountanis.

Our church's involvement with this is nothing short of miraculous. Our giving to "Touching Tomorrow" helped, individual sponsors came forth and "Team Hope" gave us a big boost with start up costs and the building of the pavillion. Today we have 40 children at GP:BT. We would like to build another one but where will the miracle come from this time?

Well, after visiting a couple of believing families in villages on the outskirts of Battambang, we had some lunch and returned to GP:BT to enjoy the children in the last few hours we had with them.

When we got there a special guest was waiting for Kevin, RAD and Ivanildo. No, not Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt, though we ate at the restaurant they sometimes go to when they are in Battambang, met the man who was involved with the boy from Cambodia they eventually adopted, and some of us even went to the main office of their foundation in town and took some pictures there... No, the guest was a barber. Yes, a barber! The night before someone had come up with a crazy idea (guess who it was?) for us to get a hair cut exactly like the one our kids have. So, when we arrived back at the place, this young man with a manual pair of clippers, some sharp Vietnamese barber knife (or whatever they are called) and happy scissors was already for us. Kevin and I decided I was going to go first, but the more I kept looking at the incredibly short crew cut our kids sport, the more I had serious doubts about the whole thing, so I went to the bathroom (I really did need to go!) and RAD went first. When I came back the barber was already clipping away, the kids were there laughing, pointing, wondering what that was all about. I went second and Kevin went third. RAD and I both agree that the hair cut makes all of us look younger, especially Kevin. One young man asked today whether Austin was RAD's younger brother, as he looked at the picture of RAD's family. I would say it must be the hair cut... The kids thought it was pretty cool we were trying to look like them. Jill took a ton of pictures and I will try to post a few of them here.

Later today the team is going to Toul Sleng, the Kmer Rouge Holocaust Museum, some killing fields outside the city and the dump site where so many families still live. Later in the day we will put on a party, replete with gifts and snacks to all 130 children and 7 (disabled) adults who live in a State run orphanage. The contrast with AH orphanages will be so apparent and the need to press on rescuing children in the context of a healthy and God-honoring environment so much more evident.

I will try to post some pictures to go along with this post on a different post, that is, if I can keep my eyes from shutting permanently for tonight!

I appreciate your prayers!

Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade
itrindade@wooostergrace.org