Hi there,
When you see a six year old girl picking garbage on the street late at night….
When you see children eating scraps in the middle of a garbage dump…
When you meet a child whose father tried to see her three times…
When you meet a 5 year old boy left on the corner of the street not even knowing his name…
It makes my life problems and problems at work all rather trivial.
Love Gerry
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
Serendipity is the act of finding something valuable or delightful
when you are not looking for it.
Hello,
This is an unreal story.
In Siem Reap, I have a volunteer coordinator that helps me identity organizations in need and then match those to my skills and desires as a volunteer. When I met the volunteer coordinator yesterday, he told me about my volunteer plans for Siem Reap.
I will be working with the Green Gecko project for street kids. The children arrive around 9:00am and shower and get ready for their day. They have play time and attend a Khmer class and then an English class. After classes, they get lunch and any of the children leave around 1:00pm. These are children that beg and sell on the streets of Siem Reap. Many of them are forced by their parents and most of them are the primary money earner for their familiar. It is often a challenge to convince the parents to let their kids come to Green Gecko, because the parents want them the make money on the street rather than be in class.
I also learned that I will assist a school for disadvantaged children. The school is run solely by volunteers. I learned that the school was started by a monk and has three volunteer teachers. A couple weeks ago, three monks were travelling down the road after conducting a funeral service. They got in a car accident and two of the monks died. One of the monks that died was the founder and director of the school. I learned that the children and other people are very upset, because this was a great man that gave his life to helping these poor children. The monks funeral was paid for by the school and their were concerns about whether the school could continue with the limited financial resources that they have. I will be teaching two classes at this school.
Today, I rented a bike and rode it through Siem Reap. I took my bike and rode north into the country. It was an amazing trip, since I took many dirt roads and the living conditions of the many people that are not located in the more touristy areas. There were dirty little children running everywhere. Many of them were half dressed or not dressed at all. It was definitely a very poor area. Everywhere people smiled and I bought chips and drinks for many of the children as I stopped my bike along the path.
I took one dirt road and then turned around after I realized there was nothing more down that dirty road. I was in the middle on nowhere. As I rode my bike back along the path, I waved at a man and he signalled for me to stop. We started talking and had a nice conversation. He told me that he could tell that I was a special person and that I was very friendly. He knew it when he first saw me. He told me that he was a volunteer English teacher and asked if I wanted to see his school. He got on my bike and I sat on the back and we road 5 minutes to his school. The school is basically four classrooms that look like huts. He told me that they rent the land and have classes for the many poor kids in the area that cant go to school otherwise.
As I walked around this school, there were many little children playing in the yard. The man then told me a story. He told me that this school was started by a very special person. He told me that this person died just a couple weeks ago in a car accident. He told me that he was on his way home from conducting a funeral. This was the same place were I was going to start teaching ion three days. You have to understand that I was in a very remote area of the country. I had no idea where I was going to be teaching. And, I was there today.
The new Director of the centre told me that he was very sad about his best friend dying. He told me that he was worried about the school being able to stay open. He told me that he was going to do everything he could to keep the school open for these children and for his dearest friend.
When we talked more, he told me that he was having a horrible day today. He told me that he was so worried about being able to keep on with this project that his friend started. He said that I changed things for him today. Perhaps, it’s not just chance that I was sent there many days early to meet him. Literally, I was stopped by a stranger on a remote dirt road way outside of the city. When I arrived, he was in one of the huts, trying to figure out how to keep the school going.
I believe that everything happens for a reason. It’s beyond reason that I ended up here at this school on this day. Some may say that it was God’s will. Others may say it was SERENDIPITY. Perhaps that it’s one in the same . Whatever you may believe…. today, I arrived for my volunteer work at the perfect time and in the most perfect way.
I would like to introduce you to one of my next projects, Volunteer Development Poverty Children School Education Against Poverty. Please look at the pictures on Flickr of this school for around 300 of the poorest children from Siem Reap.
Luv Gerry
Hi there,
I made it over to Siem Reap by a six hour bus ride. Siem Reap appears to be a nice place. It may be too touristy for me. I’m coming from a place where there are few tourists and I prefer to be with the local people, rather than other travellers. I will wait and see.
It was hard leaving the Centre for Children’s Happiness. I’ve decided that I will return to CCH, when my volunteer placements in finished here is Siem Reap. I think it’s going to be hard to get me to leave that place for my return to Canada. CCH is organizing a mobile library to visit the dump and spend time reading with the children right in the landfill. I’m hoping to take part in that mobile library trip. I would like to see visit some of those children that I met at the dump on my previous trips.
I’m making plans to visit a number of humanitarian projects in Siem Reap. I will keep you updated.
Love Gerry
PS: I’m behind in my blogs. I will write you about our incredible two day trip to the beach and our day in the Cambodia country side. I also want to tell you about my journey to the Killing Fields.
Hello,
If anyone is interested in sponsoring a child from CCH or other donations, please let me know by e-mail. I will be setting up an organization for child sponsorship and contributions from Canada for CCH, when I return home. That said, I’m in a great position right now to bring back person information, pictures and video of a child that you may decide to sponsor. I know many of these children and can tell you about them. I will be visiting CCH on a continual basis. I will be able to help make your child sponsorship very personal. I spend time with the child and tell them about you specifically. The children will be able to write you as well, depending on their age and ability to write in English.
Thanks
Hi there,
Last night was another great evening. I went to a restaurant in downtown Phnom Penh that was started to support an orphanage and street kids.
In the restaurant, I met the couple that started the restaurant and orphanage. When I finished eating, I ran into them again at a street festival and they asked me to sit with them. Many of the kids were at the festival as well and they took my hand and asked me to dance to some traditional Khmer songs. It was great. The kids ranged from about 6 years old to 15 years old. Similar to CCH, they are kids that are orphans or from extreme family situations. They were so cute and kept me up dancing until 1:30am.
The most interesting part was talking to this couple. The couple started the restaurant first. six years later, they decided that they would use the profits generated by the restaurant to support the poorest or the poorest children. They bought property behind the restaurant. They went out into the country side and researched various children and also got information from NGOs. They brought the kids back to their new orphanage. The orphanage has 25 children and it is entirely funded by the profits generated by the restaurant, the sale of craft items made by the children and donations taken at the door. The kids can train to cook and serve at the restaurant and also talk to tourists to learn English. They have volunteers that tutor the kids and an English class is taught at the orphanage. School comes first and the couples pays for the schooling of the children from the restaurant.
I asked them why they made this decision and the man told me that he had a hard childhood growing up and wanted to give an opportunity to poor children. I asked whether they took any vacation for themselves. They told me that they want to give these children a family structure. If they go on vacation, they pack up all 25 kids and go away in a small van. He told me that they want this to be the closest thing to family these kids will ever get and a family would not leave a child behind for a vacation.
I thought about the whole thing a little more as I sat there watching them all dance. These are normal and nice kids. This couple bought a place and searched out the children. This couple gives them a home and everything included from clothes to family vacations. There is no government support and funding. They did this whole thing on their own. Amazing.
These are definitely not rich people. It is a very small restaurant and not a big tourist place like some of the others. They grew up from a poor background. And… look at what they can achieve. To this couple, we are the rich ones. I wonder how many people would take in 25 children and raise them as their own.
I may try to stop back at the restaurant after Siem Reap.
Luv Gerry.
Hi there,
I’m still in Phnom Penh and not going to leave until Friday. I stopped in at CCH for a few minutes to get some information about sponsoring a few of the children. The next thing I know, I decide that I’m not leaving. I don’t want to leave this place yet, or ever to be honest with you.
It is Cambodia New Years here. It is the biggest holiday of the year in Cambodia and it last many days. The main focus if to be with family. Many of the CCH children went off to their caregivers the other day. It was difficult for me to meet a few of the caregivers and know the background of the children. That said, I know from our little Missy that no matter what a parent may do to a child, the child still has a longing to be with that parent.
There are many children at CCH that have nobody. I saw one little boy crying as he saw other kids get on motorbikes with uncles, brothers or a grandmother. He has no one at all other than the CCH family. This little guy was dropped off on a street corner a while back and lived on the streets with people feeding him. When the Director found him, he didn’t even know his name and the centre named him. Poor little guy. He is 12 years old. He is a very affectionate boy and needs a sponsor.
Anyway, I spent the day with a group of children that have no family. Most of these kids have lost their parents to aids or other. We drove out to the country with many children crammed in the back of a van and in a car. It was awesome. We were in an area where most people live in huts. They eat from banana trees. There were kids running around everywhere. Many of them were half naked and dirty. They were all amazed by me, since I was probably the only “white” person in these parts. This definitely wasn’t a tourist spot. I joked with the kids and had an amazing time. One old village lady took me over to show me her hut. I had no idea what was going on, because she took my hand and pulled me in that direction. There was no English to be spoken. I put me arm around her and joked with the others that she was my girlfriend.
Then we took the kids to the river front and had corn on the cob. We all sat of mats on the ground and ate. Restaurants here are not like home. Many of them are just families that cook something and try to sell it.
I saw the most amazing thing……
A lady came up to us begging. I passed her first and didn’t give her any money. There are beggars here everywhere and I get asked for money hundreds of times a day. I turned around and I saw my table of about 15 little girls all giving this lady money from their pockets. One of our girls even stopped the lady to give her more money that she found deep down in her pocket. These are kids that are poor and have no parents and were taken from working at the dump. They are here because they have no family that will take them for New Years. They are giving this lady allowance money from their pockets. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a group of kids, as much as I did that moment.
Love Gerry
Hi there,
I am very good at writing things down before I venture out in the streets. I’m not always good.
When I first arrived in Phnom Penh, I went to CCH. They brought me to a guesthouse. Later that night, I went for a motorbike ride around the city. At the end of the night, I asked the driver to bring me back to the “Anchor Meas” guesthouse. He started heading off in the wrong direction. I tapped in on the shoulder and said “no no.. it’s that way”. He said “you wrong and pointed’. We drove way far away and he stopped at a place called “Anchor Meas”. I told him that this was the wrong place. We both go inside to ask the owner about direction to the other locations. No one can speak English and I’m surrounded by about six people who all think I’m crazy. It’s late at night and I’m in a dingy area. They all talk in their language and no one knows what to do with me. I don’t either. I thought… what if I got the name wrong. I’ll never know where I left all my stuff. Aww man…. the guy gets on his motorbike and starts driving in the wrong direction again. I hit in on the shoulder and tell him to stop. He stops and I jump off the bike. I tell him… “no, it is that way”. He shakes his head and there is no one to be found. He turns around and drives. I try to tell him about CCH, but no one around here talks any English. The other hard part is that Khmer doesn’t use the alphabet, so even if I write an address down on paper it doesn’t meant the people know what I write.
I hit this guy again and we stopped to talk to another driver. He told my driver where to go. I eventually got home very late at night. My driver laughs a little. No one gets made here. Their culture doesn’t express anger. Then, he tells me to pay more money because he drove me all night. LOL… go figure…..
I am much wiser and smarter because of my mistakes……
And, I had to laugh too……
Luv Gerry
Hi there,
I was planning on leaving here at the end of last week to start travelling north for my volunteer work at the Green Gecko Project for street kids. I’m definitely not ready to leave CCH and the kids. Everyday is special here and I’ve decided to take a shorter route up north and spend more time here at CCH with the children.
We went to the beach last weekend in Sihanoukville and tomorrow we will celebrate New Years. This is the biggest holiday here in Cambodia. I’m excited to tell you about it in my next blogs. I will update the blog for the beach and New Years in the next two days.
I’m a little behind in my posts. I’m starting to get sad about leaving the kids and I’m trying to spend as much time with them as I can. The kids are starting to give my goodbye cards and I know I’m going to have a hard time leaving. I may change plans again and return here after Siem Reap.
Also, I want to tell you a few stories about some of the kids. That said, I want to be careful to respect their privacy. There are some very sad stories. I want to show you how it’s possible to completely change a persons life. It is hard for me to read child profiles for many of these kids that I have come to care about so much.
I will update soon.
Love Gerry
