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

Stop and pray for Cambodia right now!

Cambodia needs your prayers right now. We are currently in the middle of the biggest Buddhist holiday in Cambodia called Pchum Ben. Cambodians believe that the “gates of hell” open up during this holiday, and they need to appease their ancestors by bringing food and worshiping at the pagodas. It is a time when everyone returns to their homeland and visits the pagodas of their ancestors. They believe that  bringing food for their dead ancestors will somehow protect them from evil spirits. Some people will bring rice to the gates of the pagodas and throw the rice in the pagodas before dawn because they are afraid of the really bad spirits.

Since everyone goes to their homeland, it’s interesting to be in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, during this holiday because everything shuts down and the city of 2 million people becomes a ghost town for about 4 days. It’s almost eerie because of the silence and lack of traffic on the city streets.

Pchum Ben is a very spiritual holiday, and the people of Cambodia need God to enter their lives. Please pray that people would start to hear the one true God calling out to them and that Cambodian Christians would stay firm in their faith in God and not conform to the patterns of the world. Pray that CGI staff, participants, friends and family would all return safely to us once this holiday is over next week.

Familiar Faces

Lots of people ask us if we miss anything from the United States, and our answer is always the same… family and friends.  We had the pleasure of recently spending 7 days with the Common Ground Christian Church vision team! It was great to see friends and connect with familiar faces from our home church. We really enjoyed morning devotions with the team and showing them the country that we call home.  We feel true blessed by our church community.

It was great for the team to see God working and transforming people in the Kingdom of Cambodia. I think they now have a better understanding of what life looks like here in Cambodia.  Did I mention that the CG vision team was composed of 15 women?  I think this was great for Katy to connect with so many women and mothers right before becoming a mother herself.

An added bonus for us was the team brought baby shower gifts from our family and friends. Thank you for all the wonderful prayers and gifts for our child.

Alan

Mosquito Racquet!!!

The rains have started again, providing some relief from the heat.  The rains have also brought more mosquitoes.  Thankfully, we have a mosquito racquet.  This simple, inexpensive device makes killing mosquitoes easy and fun.  To use it, we simply turn the switch on, press another button, and swing.  We know we have been successful in our mission when we hear zapping!  Mosquitoes seem to particularly enjoy hanging out near the wet clothes on our clothesline and then sneaking into the house on the clothes.  It’s gratifying work to swing the mosquito racquet around the clothesline—lots of zapping!  When the battery on the racquet is low, we just plug the racquet into the wall and recharge.

--Katy

Crossing the River

Some people have asked me how being pregnant in Cambodia is different than the United States.  I honestly can’t answer this question since I have never been pregnant in the United States before, but I can share my experience of pregnancy in Cambodia.  As I am now 7^th months pregnant, it’s becoming obvious to all that a child is coming soon.  I had hoped that pregnancy would be something that not only would bring us a child but would also be a way to break down barriers and start conversations with people around me.  In a country in which having children is a significant part of life, it has done just that.  All types of people smile at me, say hello, and are happy to see my growing belly.  It has really been a sweet time.  One adorable 2-year-old girl came up to me as I was seated at a church we were visiting and laid her head on my belly as if she knew her little friend was right there.

Some Cambodian women have suggested that after I have the baby I need to wear socks and gloves and drink hot liquids to make sure I stay warm.  Women in the countryside typically sleep with a fire beside their beds after delivery.  I am certainly not worried about being too cold after delivery since 80 degrees constitutes a cool day in Cambodia.  I have definitely been hot during this pregnancy and have been envious of Cambodian men who stand around talking to their friends with their shirts pulled up so that their bellies can cool down.

Marriage and having children are a standard part of life in Cambodia.  When people meet for the first time, one of the first questions asked is, “Are you married already or not yet?”  If someone is unmarried, instead of answering ‘no,’ the correct response is ‘not yet.’  If someone is already married, the immediate next question is “Do you have children already or not yet?”  If someone doesn’t have children, the appropriate answer again is not ‘no,’ but ‘not yet.’  The formal word for saying that someone is pregnant translates to something like ‘the area of the stomach,’ but people typically use the expressions ‘to have child,’ ‘big stomach,’ or ‘heavy.’  The most typical expression for delivering a baby is ‘to cross the river.’  As our Khmer friend told us when he explained the expression, “It’s a lot easier to cross the street than the river.”  While I initially agreed with him, after carefully considering his logic, I’m not sure it really applies to Cambodia.  I have crossed the street many times in Phnom Penh, and I cross the river on a small boat each week to get to the island church we attend.  I certainly have a greater sense of accomplishment when I make it safely to the other side of the street than I do the other side of the river.  In this case, I am hoping that my delivery is more like crossing a Cambodian river and less like crossing a Cambodian street!

--Katy