Lucky

“Lucky” is a frequently used word in Cambodia.  When something good happens, even when it’s by a person’s own merit, like getting a promotion because they are a good employee, they say they are lucky.  The main grocery store chain in Cambodia is named “Lucky Supermarket,” and a popular fast food restaurant is “Lucky Burger.”  Lucky is even a common boys’ name.  There’s not a regularly used expression in Khmer for “Have a Nice Day!”  However, sometimes people will say “Good Luck!” or “Have a Lucky Day!” as they are saying goodbye to one another.

--Katy

More Extravagance

A few months back, I wrote how having all my extended family around made me feel extravagant in Cambodia.  Something else that makes me feel extravagant here is my spiritual family.  I grew up with Christian parents in a good church, so I have numerous spiritual mentors to learn from.  In the U.S., people can explain how they have had Christian believers in their families for multiple generations.  And even for those first generation believers in the U.S., they still have so many people they can turn to for help in growing in their faith.

The church in Cambodia is still small.  Having a spiritual mentor here is a special and rare gift.  Having multiple spiritual mentors is practically unheard of.  I am grateful for the people in my life who have discipled me and guided me toward Christ and pray that I can be an encouragement to the believers that I know here. 

Please pray for the church in Cambodia, that believers would be strengthened daily in their faith and that the church would grow.

 

--Katy

"Jansrat"

This year for Christmas, Alan gave me a “Jansrat,” something I have wanted since moving to Cambodia.  A Jansrat is essentially a lunchbox.  You can put different food in each layer and easily transport it around while riding on a moto or bicycle.

 

--Katy J

The Rice Field

My language school offered the students a cultural experience to harvest rice, and I couldn't pass it up. 

In Cambodia, rice is a household staple and is consumed at every meal as the main course along with vegetables and meat as side dishes. Rice is important to Cambodians. In fact, in Khmer, there are three different words for rice: the rice growing in the field has a word, the rice that is not cooked has a word, and then there is a word for cooked rice. 

There was a group of about 7 students and 5 teachers that went on this “field” trip to one of the teacher’s homes, just a few hours from Phnom Penh. You don't have to go too far outside the city to start to see rice fields everywhere. 

In Cambodia there isn't a lot of machinery to help with the planting and harvesting of rice. A vast majority of the work is done by hand, one plant at a time. Harvesting rice is very labor intensive. It took just minutes for my back to start hurting as I was hunched over cutting the rice stalks with a handheld sickle. Oh, I was also standing barefoot in a few inches of water. At first I tried to wear my shoes but it only took a minute to realize that I needed to be barefoot as I almost lost my shoe in the mud.

After the rice is cut, it is bound into bundles and laid out in the sun to dry. Once the bundles are completely dry it's time to beat the rice off the stalks. We removed the rice by whacking the bundles on a table that has slits in it so that the rice grains could fall through the slits. Then we laid out the rice grains on mats to dry. Once the rice grains are dry they are taken to the mill where the outside shell is removed and the grain is polished. If the shell is removed then you have brown rice, but if you polish the grain it becomes white rice.

 

I had a great time learning about growing and harvesting rice. It helped me understand more about the Khmer culture. Cambodians have been growing rice for hundreds of years and for the most part the farming has not changed. I have a greater appreciation for rice and a sore back from this experience.

-Alan

Christmas Curry

                                                   

 

Christmastime in Cambodia means time for curry!  Curry is a special dish served at holidays in Cambodia, so Christians here also eat it for Christmas. Curry is typically eaten with baguettes, not rice, thanks to significant French influence in Cambodia.  The ingredients for curry are listed below.  Don’t be scared off by the ingredients: Cambodian Curry is the most delicious curry I’ve ever had! Yum!

·         Meat (chicken or beef)

·         Potatoes

·         Long beans

·         Eggplant

·         Grilled chili peppers

·         Lemongrass

·         Coconut milk

·         Lemon leaves

·         Brown sugar paste

·         Chicken bouillon

·         Onion

·         Garlic

·         Peanuts

·         Fish Sauce

·         Shrimp Paste

·         Some other Cambodian vegetables that I don’t know how to translate to English J

-Katy

 

Extravagance

I moved to Cambodia with the assumption that I would be confronted by how many material possessions I have.  My expectation was met.  Each day I am made aware of how much I have compared to most people in the world.  Even though we live much more simply here than we did in the U.S., we still operate out of abundance. 

An expectation that I did not have is that my extended family would make me feel extravagant.  If I show a Cambodian some pictures of my extended family, I feel sometimes like I am showing off.  Here’s my grandma—she’s 99.  Here’s Alan’s grandpa—yes he looks like he could be Alan’s father.  Here’s my mother—yes, she’s aged so gracefully.  That’s right; I did grow up knowing all my aunts and uncles.  When asking a Cambodian about his or her family tree, there are always gaps.  The Khmer Rouge killed so many people and sent many people to take refuge in far parts of the world.  The people left behind carry the weight of survival in their faces and bodies, often making them look much older than they truly are.  Every Cambodian has a story.  Every Cambodian, regardless of age, has gaps in his or her family line.  I know that when it comes to material possessions, I can change my ways.  I can decide to live more simply and give more generously.  However, I know that I cannot change my family circumstances.  I can be grateful for this extravagance that I’ve been given and be thankful for the blessing. 

And I am so thankful.

-Katy

Thanks Cotton Babies!

This is a long overdue thank you.  Before Jonah was born, some friends of ours here told us about a cloth diaper missionary grant from the company Cotton Babies (www.cottonbabies.com).  We applied for the grant, and we got it!  Thanks to Cotton Babies and some gifts from friends, Jonah is a 100% cloth diapered kid.  Cloth diapers are especially nice in this hot, humid weather as they are less inclined to give a diaper rash.  Also, I’m happy to not be creating so much trash, especially while living in a developing country.  The Econobum and bumGenius Diapers are great.  Thanks again Cotton Babies!

(An Old One of Jonah, but so cute!)

 

 

-Katy

4 Jonahs

I feel that it is impossible to describe the street where we live.  I think on an urban street of comparable length in the U.S., there might be 30 homes.  A suburban street would have even fewer homes.  Lets be generous and say that on this urban American street there are 5 people living in each house.  This means that about 150 people live on the street.  I honestly think that on our street in Cambodia about 150 people live just at our end of the street.  There is so much housing on our street; there must be hundreds of people that I could call neighbors.  With so many people living on our street, it is no surprise that I meet someone new almost daily.  After Jonah was born, we started being more aware that our street was teeming with children.  We were surprised to find that the name Jonah is actually a pretty common name on our street.  There is a boys’ home a few doors down from us, and one of the boys there is named the Khmer version of Jonah “Yuu-nah”.  A few months ago, I met a German family that had recently moved to our street, and one of their sons is named the German version of Jonah “Yo-nah.”  Then a new multi-generational family moved in right next to us a few months ago.  The family is fairly large, and I still haven’t figured out how everyone is related.  They have opened a small store/restaurant, so there are often different people hanging out there, and I’m honestly still trying to understand who actually lives there.  All this to be said, until recently, I somehow forgot to ask them the name of the one-year-old boy who lives there.  So last week, I asked their son’s name.  They answered: “Yuu-nah.” Confused, thinking that maybe I had asked them if they knew the name of my son, I asked again.  I got the same answer: “Yuu-nah.” The confused look on my face pushed them to give further explanation: “You know like in the Bible, the big fish.”  I laughed and said that I definitely knew that story since my son also is named Jonah.  As I go out on the street, I expect to meet a lot of Pisets, Samnangs, or Sopieps (more common Khmer names), but I never expected that there would be 4 Jonahs living on our street!  Maybe there are even more whom I haven’t met yet!

-Katy

Anointed for Burial

We both just finished reading this incredible book by Tom and DeAnn Burke.  Anointed for Burial is a personal account of their time serving in Cambodia right before the Khmer Rouge took over.  There are so many books written about these horrifying years in Cambodia, but this book speaks of God’s power, miracles, and goodness.  If you’ve ever wondered where God was during this time, this book will show you.  This book reads quickly because it is so exciting.  It encouraged both of us to continue praying and to be confident that God wants to work in the lives of the people of Cambodia.

--Katy

What's in a Name?

Do you spend hours pondering what your name would be in Cambodia?  Well, today is your lucky day!  I will take you through a step by step process to figure out your Cambodian name.  To figure out your “last” name or family name, identify and write down your paternal grandfather’s first name.  For me the name is ‘Charles’ because my dad’s dad was named Charles.  In Cambodia, the family name actually goes first instead of last.  After this name, write your first name.  Okay, that’s it!  You’re done! It’s very simple. Just 2 names.  This is your name for your entire life whether you get married or not.  Your name does not change.

So my name in Cambodia would be: “Charles Katy”

It’s interesting how in the U.S. we put so much emphasis on first and last names.  People might refer to us there as “The Beringer Family.”  However, in Cambodia Alan, Jonah, and I would all have different family names (well, actually that’s not entirely true since Alan’s grandfather and father both have the same first name).  When we signed our lease for our apartment, our landlord got a little weird that we had the same last name until it was explained that we weren’t brother and sister but that I had changed my name when I got married! Family names aren’t used as frequently in Cambodia as they are in the U.S.  Instead of calling your teacher “Mr. Smith,” you would just call him “Teacher.”  Instead of calling my parents’ friends “Mr. and Mrs. So-and-so,” I would call them “Aunt and Uncle” and not use their names—just “Aunt and Uncle.”  I have also noticed something interesting about Cambodian nicknames.  I’ve observed that in English, we tend to drop the end of the name to create a nickname, so “Katy” would be “Kate,” and “Alan” would be “Al.”  In Cambodia people tend to drop the beginning, so I guess my nickname could be “Tea,” and Alan’s could be “An.”  No one calls us that though.  Our names are already complicated enough.  A few children who know that we go together but can’t remember who is who just call us “AlanKaty.”

-Katy

WWF

Since our son was born, I’ve had this conversation with a few Cambodian men:

Man: What’s your son’s name?

Me: Jonah

Man: Oh, like “Jon-Si-Naa”

Me: Who is “Jon-Si-Naa”?

Man: You don’t know who “Jon-Si-Naa” is?  He is from the United States.

Me: What does he do?

Man:  He is a wrestler.

Somewhere in one of those conversations, WWF came up, so I got curious and did a little internet research.  I discovered that there is a WWF wrestler named John Cena.  Here is a picture:

 

Apparently there is a media scandal going around that John Cena died, but don’t worry it isn’t true.  He’s still alive.

 Also, technically he is a WWE wrestler as the name was changed from World Wrestling Federation to World Wrestling Entertainment.  But I will be honest, I haven’t thought much about professional wrestling since I used to watch the Hulk Hogan cartoon on Saturday mornings, so I still think of it as WWF.

It’s amazing what I learn about American culture by living overseas.

 

--Katy

 

Relief

A couple days ago some fairly heavy rains came down.  I had just gotten home, so I stood on the balcony and enjoyed the cool breeze.  The rain was quite a relief as it has been in the 100’s the last few weeks (and I don’t even want to go into the heat index and humidity levels!).  It’s hot season here in Cambodia, so rain, for me, is precious.  As I stood and looked at the rain falling from my sturdy concrete apartment, I started to feel a little guilty about being happy about the rain.  Most Cambodians dread the rain.  It makes riding motorcycles and bikes much more difficult.  It comes in through the cracks in their roofs and floods quickly, sometimes dumping raw sewage into their homes.  As I thought about this, I found myself singing the song from my childhood about the story Jesus told of the wise man and foolish man:

The wise man built his house upon the rock.
The wise man built his house upon the rock.
The wise man built his house upon the rock.
And the rains came a tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up.
The rains came down and the floods came up.
The rains came down and the floods came up.
And the house on the rock stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand.
And the rains came a tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up.
The rains came down and the floods came up.
The rains came down and the floods came up.
And the house on the sand went splat!

I know this song is metaphorical, but I found myself asking, but what about Cambodians who want to have sturdy and safe housing but can’t afford it?  They aren’t foolish.  They just don’t have the resources.  And then I remembered something Martin Luther King Jr. had said,

“For you will never be what you ought to be until they (your fellow humans) are what they ought to be.”

I’ve always liked that quote.  What a good reminder that we are only as good the weakest person, that justice for others not only helps them but helps me, and injustice for others not only hurts them, it hurts me.  It is easy for me in my safe, concrete apartment to watch the rain and think of myself as wise, but I guess I really can’t consider myself wise until everyone else on Earth has the resources they need. 

This reminds me of something else Jesus said:

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”  --1 Corinthians 1:27

I am humbled.

--Katy

 

Confession to an addiction

While we were in Thailand waiting for our son Jonah to be born, I was introduced to Thai Iced Tea   “Cha-yen”. I was instantly addicted to this tea as it’s available at every street vendor and even in the 7-Eleven stores, which are everywhere.

This tea consists of sugar, Thai Black tea, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk. It has to be the sweetest tea I have ever had, and of course it became my new favorite tea.

You would think that Cambodia would have this tea since it borders Thailand, but sadly I have not found the exact same thing. Cambodia has a similar tea, but it isn’t the same. “Same Same But Different” is the saying here.

Thai Black Tea

Luckily I have been able to find all the ingredients in Cambodia so I can now make my own Cha-yen Tea. Please don’t tell my dentist. I’m sure that 10 out of10 dentists don’t recommend anyone drinking this type of tea.

If you’re interested in trying the tea, here's the recipe:

Mix together
1-2 Tbsp sugar
2-3 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk
5-6 oz of hot brewed Thai Black Tea
Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Fill one large glass with ice.
Add 1 Tbsp evaporated milk.
Add mixture from above.
Add 1 Tbsp evaporated milk.
Enjoy yummy sweet goodness. This takes sweet tea to a whole new level.

-Alan

Some Punny Pictures

Jonah recently had 2 cute little teeth come in. Each new stage for Jonah brings new Khmer vocabulary for me. I just learned that 'to brush one's teeth' and 'to have one's teeth come in' are homophones (same sound different spelling) in Khmer. So, here are my punny pictures. I'm not sure anyone else will think it's funny, but I do. --Katy

A Funny Story

When we spoke at our home church on our visit to the U.S., Alan and I shared a funny story about our language-learning experience in Cambodia. In our first few months, we would go on what we called ‘language routes.’ Each time we went on language route, we’d walk down the same road. Alan would talk with the men, and I would talk with the women. This allowed us to practice our Khmer and get to know people. The punch line of the story is that inevitably I would come back from language route with food that the women had given to me. Alan only ever got offered warm beer.

It’s a funny story, but after telling it a few times, I realized it gives insight to the culture. The reason women gave me food is that women are typically vendors. They gave me fruit or snacks not just to be nice but also in hopes that I would come back and buy from them (which I did).  Women are responsible for the finances in Cambodia. Our coworkers just told us that the accounting field in Cambodia is dominated by women because they are the ones who are used to handling the money. Daughters, not sons, are responsible for their parents’ financial well-being which is why impoverished girls often find themselves in compromising work such as prostitution, karaoke bars, and working as overseas maids (a profession that often turns into a trafficking situation). When I told a friend here that often in the U.S. it is the male’s responsibility to take care of the family finances, she laughed and said, “If men in Cambodia were in charge of the family’s money, they would go drinking, go out with other women, and gamble it away.” I guess that explains why the only thing ever offered to Alan was a warm beer….

 -Katy

A couple lists about the U.S.

I've made a couple shallow, non-comprehensive lists about our recent trip to the U.S. Nothing deep but all true:

 

Things I enjoyed about the U.S.

 

1. Comfort-comfortable furniture, comfortable carpet, comfortable cars, comfortable people, comfortable food, comfortable hot drinks, the list could go on....

 

2. Walmart-We were in Walmart in my hometown, and I actually shouted out "We are in America!" So many items so easily accessible!

 

3. Not sweating

 

4. No fermented fish--No fermented fish scent in the air, no fermented fish basking in the sun outside my house, no fermented fish in my food, no fermented fish on my breath

 

5. Clean feet--I hadn't had really clean feet for over a year. I had clean feet EVERY DAY while in the U.S.

 

Things I won't miss about the U.S.

 

1. Crowds consuming--For some reason while in the U.S., I was not overwhelmed at my own consumption. I confess I sipped on my $3 lattes without much guilt. However, when crowds of people were consuming, it overwhelmed me. A crowded Starbucks, a crowded restaurant, and I found my anxiety level increasing. I'm not sure why, but that's how I felt.

 

2. Walmart-I know I said I enjoyed it, but I also won't miss it. There's something refreshing about not having everything I want and need at my fingertips.

 

3. Babies R Us-My goal while in the U.S. was to avoid Babies R Us. We managed to only pay one quick visit there and that was more than enough (although our son looks pretty cute in the Bumbo seat we bought! :). I have never read The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I have only seen the first movie, but as I gazed at the never-ending row of car seats, I found myself feeling a bit like how the characters of the books feel about the ring: knowing there was something evil about it and yet wanting all the car seats all at the same time. My greed is still present in Cambodia; it's just a lot easier to manage.

 

4. U.S. Airports and Airlines--I have been spoiled with Asian airline travel. Asian airline workers see you from a distance with a small child in your arms and ask you to sit down while your husband checks your bags. They re-route you so that you don't have to stand in long security or customs lines. They give you priority boarding. You don't even have to ask. U.S. airline workers stare through you and your little baby. If you ask for special assistance, they have to check with their supervisor. As a vulnerable person, in this case a person traveling with a small child, the American ideal that all people are created equal kind of stinks. A small child needs greater care than others do.

 

5. Lack of sun--The sun may be hot here, but I like it. I think Americans should be allowed shorter work hours during the winter months. The sun makes it so much easier to function!

 

-Katy

I Promise

....to not squat on the toilet.

--Katy

The King Father

This past week, Cambodia’s King Father passed away. It was a significant death for all Cambodians as he was king for many decades and is seen as divine. The King Father had been living in China receiving medical care while his son acted as king in Cambodia. Last Monday, on the day of the King Father’s death, Alan was out in the city and saw crowds already gathering in prayer at the palace. Last Wednesday, the King Father's body was brought back to Phnom Penh, and most of the city greeted his body at the airport. We decided not to brave the crowds with our little one but instead walked to a family run “coffee shop” down the street and watched the footage on the TV there. Two nights ago, many Cambodians said they saw the face of the king in the moon. 

Songs from the musical Evita have been swirling through my head as I see several parallels with her story. As an American, it is hard to understand the devotion and worship that citizens of other countries have for their leaders.  Although I am far from the hubbub of the presidential campaign, I imagine that crowds aren’t teeming to pray to Obama or Romney—maybe for them, but not to them.  It has been an interesting and significant time to be living in Cambodia.

For more information on the King Father and the fascinating person that he was, go to:

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/14/world/asia/cambodia-king-obit/index.html?iref=allsearch

For pictures, go to:

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/17/asia/gallery/cambodia-mourns-king/index.html?hpt=ias_mid

 

-Katy