Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Here is a map of Cambodia. We will fly into Phnom Penh (the capital) and then from their go to our locations to teach. We will stay the first weekend in Phnom Penh to be oriented with World Relief staff (our friend Kate - see her blog link on my blog). Then Amber (my partner) and I will be going to our area in the Kampong Cham region (northeast of the capital - you can see the area on the map). Please pray for safe travels. Pray for good health. Pray for team unity. Pray for our students. Much prayer will be needed! Thanks!
# posted by ErinW @ 1:19 PM
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Post Cambodia ESL Trip Update
We (Krista, Kristen and I) are going to be travelling around Thailand after our ESL teaching time.
1. We will visit a ministry called Bridges To The Nations (their website link is on my blog). We will be a part of the Pattaya Project (you can see pictures on their website!). This project centers around giving women jobs outside of the sex-trade industry that is so prevalant in this beach/vacation hot spot south of Bangkok. We will be attending their True Friend Fellowship Worship Service on Sunday and get to meet many of the women whose lives have been forever changed by this ministry.
2. And we will also be explore Bangkok (of course!)... spend a day seeing the various wats and the Grand Palace...
3. We will then head up to the north and visit Chiang Mai (culture heart of Thailand)... where we will get to be tourists... and take in the beauty and culture of this amazing area.
4. Then we will take a 6 hour bus ride to visit our friend who is working with orphans and refugee children (Journey of Wonder blog link on my blog). I am all set with packs of crayons, stickers and colored paper. We will get to spend time hanging out with these really amazing kids.
Check out what we will be doing! I am so excited. I hope to keep you all updated as the time goes on... I can't believe I leave in one day!
1. We will visit a ministry called Bridges To The Nations (their website link is on my blog). We will be a part of the Pattaya Project (you can see pictures on their website!). This project centers around giving women jobs outside of the sex-trade industry that is so prevalant in this beach/vacation hot spot south of Bangkok. We will be attending their True Friend Fellowship Worship Service on Sunday and get to meet many of the women whose lives have been forever changed by this ministry.
2. And we will also be explore Bangkok (of course!)... spend a day seeing the various wats and the Grand Palace...
3. We will then head up to the north and visit Chiang Mai (culture heart of Thailand)... where we will get to be tourists... and take in the beauty and culture of this amazing area.
4. Then we will take a 6 hour bus ride to visit our friend who is working with orphans and refugee children (Journey of Wonder blog link on my blog). I am all set with packs of crayons, stickers and colored paper. We will get to spend time hanging out with these really amazing kids.
Check out what we will be doing! I am so excited. I hope to keep you all updated as the time goes on... I can't believe I leave in one day!
# posted by ErinW @ 2:01 PM
Sunday, July 13, 2008
A bug repellent shirt?
So as my trip to Cambodia/Thailand approaches... I am beginning to think of what bring. I can't bring perfume (it attracts mosquitos), I have to bring clothes that are cool but still "cover me" (for teaching and to be respectful when entering temples/wats)... and I find myself looking at travel clothing... and I came across these "bug repellent shirts"... I mean they are UGLY... certifiable... but would I consider buying one to escape the dreaded Denghu fever? Should I get Deet and at what percentage? - REI just overwhelms me with their supply of bug spray... and what about "Skin so Soft" from Avon... will that be strong enough to fend of Asian mosquitos... these are the strange things I am pondering these days. Never thought I would think about this stuff... Hm.
# posted by ErinW @ 1:15 PM
My location: Kampong Cham, Suong Town
If you notice on the map above Kampong Cham is located just northeast of Phnom Phen. My site is located in Suong, a small town east of the main city.
Here is a description:
Suong is a dusty roadside market town on the main highway through Kampong Cham province (Muslim Province). It is mostly rice fields surrounding the town and villages pop up in the middle of the fields. HOPE for Cambodia's Children, Light For Life, Way of HOPE, and Mobilized for Life, Trafficking Free Villages and Christian Response to HIV/AIDS, are all programs under the HOPE umbrella, of which Joke Von Opstal is the overseeing director with Cambodian nationals running the logistics and is in this area. She functions as the pastoral mentor of staff for the whole country and has been in country nearly 20 years and now has adopted 7 Cambodian children. I will be staying (eating, sleeping and teaching) in a World Relief base office building right off of a dusty, but well used road. Staff are always around (so, yes, we will be really safe - we are the third team to go to this location).
Update - NOTE: I have also been told by someone who was at this site last year that we have a very amazing cook (yey!!), an internet cafe in town, a local team that watches out for our safety diligently, western toilets (quite a luxury), and a nice local market nearby. :)
Here is a description:
Suong is a dusty roadside market town on the main highway through Kampong Cham province (Muslim Province). It is mostly rice fields surrounding the town and villages pop up in the middle of the fields. HOPE for Cambodia's Children, Light For Life, Way of HOPE, and Mobilized for Life, Trafficking Free Villages and Christian Response to HIV/AIDS, are all programs under the HOPE umbrella, of which Joke Von Opstal is the overseeing director with Cambodian nationals running the logistics and is in this area. She functions as the pastoral mentor of staff for the whole country and has been in country nearly 20 years and now has adopted 7 Cambodian children. I will be staying (eating, sleeping and teaching) in a World Relief base office building right off of a dusty, but well used road. Staff are always around (so, yes, we will be really safe - we are the third team to go to this location).
Update - NOTE: I have also been told by someone who was at this site last year that we have a very amazing cook (yey!!), an internet cafe in town, a local team that watches out for our safety diligently, western toilets (quite a luxury), and a nice local market nearby. :)
# posted by ErinW @ 10:20 AM
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