Contrast of darkness & Light in Cambodia

Internet wasn't working last night, so tonight I am writing for two days.  Yesterday we visited Angkor Wat which is a large complex of ancient temples and cities.  This helped us to understand a little more about the religion of many people here.  I am including a picture that sums up our thoughts on this day.  Here you see a tree's roots clutching the temple rocks. These are everywhere.  It reminds me of how the Evil one takes people into his clutches, destroying lives, and not letting go.  This is what I saw with people bowing down before stone statues.  Satan has them in his clutches for sure. We even saw an elderly couple with a flashlight searching in a dark part of the temple looking for a water well that supposedly contains holy water that will heal them.  They dipped a bucket into the dark well and pulled out the water placing their hope in that. Very sad.

 

Today was a much brighter day!  The day we have been waiting for.  The day we get to go to Grace Place and see the kids.  Vannak surprised us when we arrived at the hotel with about 25 of the kids there to greet us.  That was so awesome to have them there hugging us already.  After spending some time with them, they returned for lunch and we checked into our hotel.

 

After lunch, we met Pheakdey and headed out to visit some children that GROW is looking to bring into a new GROW home in Cambodia.  We had to walk quite a way due to the rain making the roads bad then down a bike path to meet the three children.  They are living with their aunt and uncle and their two kids on $3 a day.  The children do not have enough to eat and are in desperate need of being cared for.

 

We then traveled to Grace Place. Wow what fun we had.  Nathan played guitar while Zac drummed out a beat on the chair and Val sang, we played snakes and ladders which we brought (a big hit), we ate dinner with them, and danced.  Zac spent about an hour with Nga imitating everything she said in Khmer.  Most of the kids gathered around and laughed at the scene. It then went to mimicking motions and soon broke out into dance. Volleyball, soccer and lots and lots of hugs rounds out the list of things we did with the kids.  We were exhausted when we left tonight.

 

Hope all is going well at home.  We miss everyone, but couldn't't be happier than to be at Grace Place.

 

Mealtime at Grace Place Battambang

 

Sharing with our kids at Grace Place Battambang

 

 

Our Kids!

 

 

Zac trying to repeat Khmer words to everyone's laughter

 

Surprised by Vannak & kids at TEO Hotel

 

Orphan Children to Rescue

 

 

Road to Village

 

Angkor Wat