Tanks

After a winding 10 minute drive off the highway you come upon a few scattered huts and a building site for a new church.  Park the car and walk a few 100 yards on a little dirt path.  You may be greeted by some children along the way.  Pass two small shack homes turn right into the third home, walk to the back and under a mango tree is a rickety bamboo bed.  Wait a few minutes while the women and children are collected, and then have Bible study.  I get to do this every Tuesday morning!

I am amazed each time I sit under this mango tree, brushing off ants and wiping sweat off my brow, that I get to introduce these women and children to their Creator.  Others have come and shared, some Korean missionaries are building a Church, but when you ask these women, this is the first time they are understanding who God is and that He created them and loves them.

Words can't express what runs through my head when I contemplate this reality.  What a privilege to sit with these women and children and tell them a truth from Scripture wrapped in a story.  What a honor to pray for them and with them.  What a joy to see their faces light up with understanding.

These faces, these lives, these souls need to know Jesus!

new home

In July I was able to move into my new home in Battambang.  I hired a truck to carry all of my belongings from Phnom Penh to Battambang.  My friends who had sublet their home to me for the last 6 months also let me store my things until I had a new place.  The weekend before the move was a flurry of shopping as I needed everything....curtains, beds, stove, refrigerator, washing machine etc...  Here is a picture of the initial loading...we still had on more stop to add many more things!  The driver got it all on the truck and it all made it safe and sound to my new home! : )

After we sent the overloaded truck on its way my friend Louise and I made a few more stops and then hit the road.  The final stop was to pick up my little dog, Harley.  My friends BJ and Andrea had a sweet little shi tzu that needed a home.  So Harley joined us for my move up North!  Isn't she cute?!?

This is my little home. 

My new couch...it's kinda of chocolate brown and purple.

The dining room area leading to the kitchen

My bedroom

Kitchen...fridge and stove....hallway leads to a large room that has become storage

Huge ant cabinet to keep all my food safe from little critters

I also have a great guest room...not yet ready for pictures...so if you are in the area, you have a place to stay!!

My home has been a huge blessing.  It is a shared property with the landlady and several other buildings.  Currently there is a NGO in one building, the landlady and her family next door to me and another Khmer couple across the way.  The lot is big and gated and sharing with others makes it very safe for me.  There are 2 hotels within walking distance that I can go for a meal from time to time as well.

The home was not complete when I moved in, it was in the process of being renovated so I wasn't able to check everything out prior to the move.   So the waterfall feature in the bathroom should get fixed soon, and is only an issue when it rains. ; )  I am hopeful they will get it fixed, they have tried several times without success.

All in all it's a great little place...and if feels good to be settled!