Hi there,

The weekend before I left Phnom Penh, we took the 44 children from the CCH house to the beach in Sihanouville. It was a wonderful trip.

We all crammed in bus and van for a three hour journey to the beach. There were kids sitting on top of kids, which is normal travel for a centre with little available funds for better means of transportation.

We stopped for gas shortly after we left Phnom Penh. I think I had the biggest laugh of my life. When we tried to leave the gas station, the van wouldn’t start. Without any hesitation all the kids from the van jumped out on the street. I wasn’t sure what was going on. I watched these kids line up behind and on both sides of the van and start running, pushing the van forward. The driver turned the key and the van started. All the kids piled back in the van. The Director said “That is how we start the van, Cambodia style”. I laughed out load for a long time. I was sitting in a hot hot van with kids everywhere on top of each other and they all just got out to jump start the van. That is priceless.

We got to the beach and the kids went crazy. I jumped in the water and played with all these kids for hours. I was exhausted. I wasn’t left alone for one minute. Later, we piled back in the bus and van and went to another beach area. I donated some money to take the children on a boat ride. We got on the boat and headed towards an island. I was so very happy. I was in the girls boat and the girls sang and clapped and sang again as we travelled the water. This was the first time any of these kids had been on a boat at sea. They were incredible.

We got to the island and walked around. Some of the kids played a Cambodian game on the beach. We got back in the boat and headed towards the bus.

That night, we all stayed in eight rooms of a guest house. I stayed with another guy about my age and three young boys around 12 years old. The young boys played Khmer Karaoke music for hours. It was so cute, but drove me crazy after a while. LOL. Not really. We all fell asleep in that room with two beds. I doubt that a sleepover like this would happen at home. I would be paranoid about being in a room with these kids. That said, it was a great sleepover. It is very nice not to have to worry about hugging kids and stuff here. There re no problems and the kids need the attention and family atmosphere.

We went back to the beach and played again. Then… the most incredible ride home……

The kids in my van sang the whole drive home. The Director hit a dinner tray with a bottle to get a beat and the kids sang sang sang. They sang traditional Khmer songs all the way back. for me, it was heaven to hear these beautiful kids sing in this cramped van. I remember wishing that time would stop right then and there.

The bus broke down three times on the way back. LOL. No body gets upset around here. The culture is very laid back and there is a “”no problem” attitude with everything. At one point, the bus stopped for 20 minutes because the driver wanted to have a break and eat. He just stopped the bus and walked in the restaurant. No body cares and the kids just keep singing or step outside the bus and play. The Director never seams to get stressed or annoyed. He just keeps going. It is wonderful. In Cambodia, it is often not proper to lose your emotion in public. If someone cuts you off in traffic, every time the person looks at you and smiles. It is the most wonderful thing. I often have to watch my emotions, because I still get upset if someone practically runs over me. They just look at me and smile.

I am in love with this place and these kids. I really do wish that time would stand still right now.

Love Gerry