Visit to Preah Vihear Province

We left Phnom Penh at 5am, bright at early on Saturday(11th). No wait- it wasn’t bright yet, it was quite dark.

We spent the next few days with a small group of Christians who Soeun met last month (as mentioned here). Evenings and Sunday morning we spent sitting on the floor of someone’s houses singing and reciting Bible verses. On Sunday morning Soeun preached (although it was a much more informal sermon than he would preach in Phnom Penh).
We also ate most of our meals there as well- my back got pretty tired of sitting on the floor.




For Soeun the trip was a fun time, to see the people again. It was a break for him in between being at places where he has responsibility. We came from Phnom Penh where he works at the Bible school, then afterwards went to visit his family in their province.

For me it was an interesting and exhausting cross cultural experience. Everything was so different.


This type of transport is called a mechanical cow. Can you see why?

On the Monday we went out for the day to visit Koh Ker, I put some photos from that day, which turned out to be quite an adventure over here.
Preah Vihear province

Surreal

I had been walking around thestreets that afternon and noticed most people had set out a table with flowers, food and incense sticks. Cambodian households and offices usually have a Spirit house but this was something extra special and bigger. Just after 6pm I was standing outside my mother-in-laws house. It was starting to get dark and people had turned on coloured fairy lights. It looked like all the houses were decorated for Christmas.


Then I heard some strange music and a voice. It seemed to be coming from everywhere. It was so weird standing in the middle of the road, in the dark, looking at all the tables and lights and hearing all that weird stuff. My in-laws houses was the only one quiet and dark, as they are Christians. Later Soeun told me that at a certain time everyone turns on their radios to listen to the angel arriving. They broadcast some royal processional music and the voice of the outgoing angel updating the incoming angel. There are seven angels that take turns each year to look after Cambodia. I think they are daughters of a king who had his head cut off- I can't remember exactly.


That was last year, when the angel came just before 6.30pm, but this year she came around 1am. We slept through the music bit but woke up when they were setting off firecrackers. It would have been a bit scary if we haden't known what it was, especially as we were in Preah Vihear province, there was some fighting at the border the friday before last.
The angel tables are everywhere this week, can you spot them in the photos below?

Happy Khmer New Year!!!!

Around this time of year people are celebrating New Year by throwing powder at each other!
Also there are lots of games and dancing. On Kronicle extra I wrote about the Bible school Khmer New year celebrations (see: Overwhelmed)

Can you help?

Do you have management skills? A group of missionaries here is in need of some help ASAP, click here to find out more.
Spoken Khmer is not a pre- requisite. By doing this job as team leader you would be supporting a variety of activities such as bible training, poor families, education, vocational training, families with HIV, peace building plus much, much more!

Front loading Esky- previously known as Fridge

Hot season means more power cuts than usual. Our area of town has had no power for the last few days! As we live on campus we benefit from the school generator. They turn it on around 6pm so we have lights and power in the evenings. I think it goes off around 4 or 5 in the morning. So the rest of the day is hot, no fans at this time of year is not fun.

This morning Soeun and some students were supposed to practise music from Khmer New year celebrations and for Good Friday, but no power!