...Another Day here with Jerry & Wilma in Battambang ~

Bits and Pieces ~

Every few days, Nick & I will run a few errands at the store or vegetable market.  He will track down a tuk-tuk, negotiate a price and then off we go! 

We enjoy these rides through town...the breeze feels so' good and what fun that it is to sit

open and you can see the sights around you!  Here below is a little market place - kind of the "corner store' for the smaller needs...ha! 

Everyday these little markets  are selling their goods... all through town...I  wonder "does it sustain them?' 

I love to see these families fly by in their "moto's" as the Khemi people call them...I call them scooters!

 Towards the evening other vendors come out too...because as I had shared before...people just seem to hang out in the evening (it is understandable...the average Khemi person lives in tiny one room huts) along the river, in the park...singles, families, doing this and that!  So the vendors are setting up their goods...one has a roasted corn on the cobb, another sell sweetened popcorn, roasted peanuts in the shell, cold drinks, also assorted different kinds of meat on a stick (don't ask what it is!)  - people will stop & purchase a little snack in the early evening~

 Look here...they even have little plastic tables & stoel's set out to sit at! 

Our tuk-tuk driver was very nice - they always ask where we are from?  

Some drive really fast and zig-zag through the traffic...going in between cars, bikes, scooters, and man oh man it can be an adventure just crossing town!!!  Hang on! 

Then others are not in a hurry! Ha!               

Temperament I guess!

The Stung Sangke River through town is not like our Bend Oregon Deschutes River is it?  With a whole lot of downpour everyday during the rainy season - it rises & rises - even in the short time we have been here!

Here is Wilma - daily on the computer in her "office" responding to emails...supporters, people asking questions about "on the frontline ministries" daily she stays constant and committed to respond and keep in touch with supporters.  She does newsletters to the supporters...and keep their website current and she does so many things - God had truly gifted her in so many ways! 

Say Cheese......Wilma?! you Dutch girl!  Yep Wilma was born in Amsterdam and immigrated to the States with her parents and sister at the age of 11 yrs ....Wilma de Bruin!

Nick continues to plug away doing finishing touches in the kitchen...Wilma is a happy girl with colors in her kitchen! 

So glad we could help girlfriend!

Jerry purchased some new light fixtures for the kitchen too.  Nick can certainly do that too! 


My man is so handy!!!!  Love that!

This is their sitting area - notice everything in the house is tiled...it keeps things cool and it is also easy to maintain.  With so much dust outside all the time...it is so much better to have tiled floors.


Nick & I went for a good walk last evening and ended up getting a bite to eat at Gecko's.  While sitting there...we noticed the electrical wires outside...

Can you believe that wiring?!  Jim can you believe this? Figure out which is which??!!!!! And where does it go from this pole? 

Can anyone figure out how what is what? 

Not I! Not Nick either! Sure wouldn't want to see a wire loose or disconnected ~ ugh!

a fun picture - yes candlelight...a good meal (mixed veggies) and for dessert - a apple crunch with ice cream...gosh! And it was good!

Hey look at this here...now understand something before reading further....this Dutch girl was brought up in a city...so city girl I am...all this growth out there is new to me:  

With that said.......

Wilma says "look here Ellen at the banana trees in our backyard...see this pointy thing?"  YES?!

Now look above it...do you see the two leaves raised up...and the dry stems coming out? YES?!

Well that is the banana's growing ....YES?????? For Real???????

The long stems grow into this below?????       NO WAY!!!!!!  From growing downward they then began to grow upward....???? 

"Yes said Wilma" and then Ellen the other two leaves began to dry and curl up and then another layer of banana's come out until the who pointy thing is all banana's....

Can you all believe that? All new to me...

Yes I am truly a city girl...learning a whole lot of new stuff! Thank you Wilma girl for taking the time...! VERY INTERESTING!
Here is a picture of their courtyard...

.and inside the courtyard lives Chettra & his wife Sevouern who are expecting their first little one.  They are pleased to live here and Jerry & Wilma appreciate their help in many ways.  He works during the day and also helps translate. 

...a little wild flower growing in the yard.

Sunday / Cambodia ~

Sunday morning...we were all rested when we woke up this morning...aw....Sunday!  Jerry & Wilma, Nick & I came together in the later morning and just sat and talked & chatted for quite a while...very relaxing and enjoyable!  

The plan today was to go to the orphanage at 5 pm to have an "ice cream party" We all got into the car..and off we went!  The kids were excited...and so were we!  

Shari wanted to treat the kids with ice cream on a cone today!
Right On Shari!

Scooping up with Kerry's wife she is the house Mom!
(she is in her 30's) 

 The kids are patiently waiting for their ice cream while others were already licking away!  They are adorable and get along well with one another!  

Lots of smiles! It was a vanilla and/or strawberry treat! 

Delicious... ~ "chee-nygn" we were being taught by the kids
how to pronounce "good!"  Well it didn't go very well
....both Nick & I need a whole lot of lessons from the kids.....
.....and they laughed and laughed! 

Here is the youngest girl - 4 yrs old...she just had their bath! 

                  

                  Cute huh?!!!!!!!

We had enough to share and so the kids received a "bowl" of ice cream too- if they wanted more...and what kid  would say no....to ice cream???  

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This little guy started to make pudding out of his ice cream....nice and creamy! 

Tammy & Shari had been at the Sunbeam orphanage all day so that Kerry and his wife, who are the house parents could go and vote....I asked Kerry to show his finger...and he explained that everyone who votes get his finger dipped into this "Indian ink" and this is so that no one can go back to vote again for the 2nd time!  

Yet they do bring their ID cards Jerry said but - nevertheless this is how it is done! 

And Guess What?  This special ink stays on 1 WEEK! 

Afterwards we got into the car and headed out for a bite to eat....Tammy's going away dinner. Carolyn, the Australian nurse and Yachiyo the Japanese gal who teaches English would also be there~ The restaurant was Cafe Eden

 owned by a YWAM (Youth with a Mission) gal who had started the business - she had come to Cambodia with YWAM and decided to stay! 

 We also meant "Caleb" there who was also with YWAM and had already been in Battambang for 2 yrs...and he was from ......Beaverton, OREGON!!!  

Nick said "are you a duck?" Caleb looked at Nick...with a question mark on his face...and then laughed! He chuckled about that because he has been away from Oregon for a while...ha!

We had a lovely dinner....fish & chips (yes!) and Jer ordered a pizza...and another a Cobb salad...so' it was American style food.  Another couple from Portugal was there and they were Skyping to their family in Portuguese!  

Sometimes you forget you are in a foreign land...when you are all speaking English!

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                                Just to tell you about Saturday evening's fellowship dinner...it was ever so sweet!  This group has now meant for the 2nd time and everyone is so happy to gather &  find it to be such a blessing and an encouragement for one another!!!                        

Tammy & Jerry are talking to Ron & Rheet-sa

I so' agree! It was for us too!

Wilma & Shari talking to Jennie 

Rhianna on the left had us dish up the potluck! 

So fun to hear the stories..."what brings you to Battambang?"

I so' agree! It was for us too! 

If you look - you will see that we are on a roof top.  Yes many building have a floor on top to sit undercover ~ the families in the evenings go up and spend time in the coolness of the evening! 
"

And there is Jerry & Wilma's ministry house right new door!
Yes it is 3 stories high and at times every room is used
by those who come to serve!

The Temple grounds are right next door...down the street from this house.

At times you hear the monks chant.

It is different..houses & shacks all mixed together...side by side. 

The little ones are eating their supper on the mat.

I am sure everyone agrees that coming together once a month is a blessing for them!  Everyone is busy with the work at hand and then to meet together from all different countries serving the Lord here in Battambang is very uplifting!

We meant Anthony & Ann from New Zealand.  Derek & Hiatt American's  who is fostering 2 little boys & a girl and hope to be able to adopt them in the future!  Rhianna who is also from the States and work with Rophe Ministeries - she is teaching the girls a trade...teaching them to bake in the new Cafe Mongo & Bakery next door to Jerry & Wilma - the coffee shop serves breakfast and lunch and has some really nice baked goods! (Ellen likes!) The girls there are so sweet and helpful and learning!  

Ron and his Khmei wife Rhett-sa was a really cute couple...Ron came to visit here and fell in love with a gal who is so dedicated to the Lord...no wonder he fell in love with her!!!!!  God is going to use her mightily!  Also meant Koon & Danielle who have 2 children and who hosted the potluck...they live 6 months in the States and 6 months here.  Jennie was from south Korean - she teaches English in the schools ...Jennie is an Korean-American.  Wow so' many neat people...all doing something very special and so' committed!  

We enjoyed the potluck that everyone brought and then we began to come together and have a special time of song & sharing!
Derek pulled out his guitar and we sang many wonderful & familiar songs...how sweet that here we are from so' many countries...yet...we are singing the Lord's songs and so many that we sang were all familiar to all of us!  It sure brought us together & we were united in the Spirit!                 Way-cool! 

Derek talked about a scripture - "what does it mean to bear one another's burdens?" and also "what does it mean to carry your own load?" 

We talked about how we understand these scriptures and it was again so wonderful to hear how others understood  it & explained their interpretation of it!


We were coming to a close and then we seemed not to be able to stop singing and then we all began to sing more worshipful songs all over again...it was the sweetest time...

....this girl was SO''''' ........ blessed!         "My cup runneth over!" 

My!