Sunday in Poipet

It's hard to tell how things work here in Cambodia, with regard to rest-days. It seems as though many people work a seven-day week, and pretty long hours at that, and that there is not a specific Buddhist weekly 'holy day', like the Islamic Friday, Jewish Saturday or Christian Sunday (please correct me if I'm wrong!). But this weekend adds to our confusion as it is a three day holiday for the Water Festival. The streets are wuieter, the atmosphere less hurried, and going to church at 9am on Sunday seems quite natural for us.  A crowd, mostly young, are gathered in the 'upper room'  of the CHO headquarters. We have seen many of the kids before and are beginning to recognize them. The music is electronic (just like home) and all the musicians are men. Mao, our guide on the journey from Thailand, leads the worship. The team is intorduced, each beginning with 'Jim reap suer' (Hello) and suitable hand actions. We feel immediately at home, knowing that we are with 'family' in Christ (Isn't one of the most amazing 'revelations' for a Christian the realization that we are born again nto a worldwide family?).

Jono preaches from John 12 on Mary anointing Jesus. and grasping this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with both hands. The sermon is received with applause, as are all the prayers - not a bad way to say 'AMEN'! and the kids sing ' I have decided to follow Jesus' with the mst beautiful hand movements.

The rest of the morning is quiet. We take the opportunity to put all our photos together and select some for the blog.

Then, after lunch, we visit the 'hospice' - a ward of TB sufferes and a ward of HIV/AIDS sufferers, which Tearfund has been involved in building. It was a difficult scene - I noticed that noone even tried to photograph it - because only the weakest of the patients were left. The others had gone to their families for the holiday. We pray with them, and give them a fresh sheet each, feeling a wee bit helpless. Perhaps the quietness of the day has put us all a bit more in touch with our emotions as we experience such a variety of ministry and life.