GBM EXPLORATORY MISSION TRIP TO CAMBODIA 22-29 AUGUST 2004

Any GB officer interested in joining the GBM Mission Trip to Cambodia in 2006?
Please contact gbhq@gbmalaysia.org

The team: VP Tay Choon Neo (1st KL), Capt Lily Sia (3rd Kuching), VP Evelyn Chew (2nd Kuching), Lt Jenny Ho (1st KL)

Meeting with Rev Lun Sophy of the Methodist Church in Cambodia to talk about starting GB there

Admiring the bags made in VillageWorks SongKhem, a GB enterprise

The GB in Cambodia is known as Life +Plus Club where the members are 18-24 years old

Jenny and Choon Neo went to visit the 1st KL sponsored child, Chim Srey Neang, of World Vision outside Phnom Penh

An unplanned visit to Angkor Wat, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world made the visit extra special

Day to Day account by Choon Neo, Lily and Jenny

Day 1, Sunday, 22/08/04
We flew Malaysia Airlines MH 754 from KLIA to Pochentong Airport, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The flight took only 1 hour 40 minutes and we were met by the Asia Hotel pickup. The Hotel was a decent one with sufficient facilities for the USD 13.50 per night we paid for a twin room. We quickly settled in and unpacked in what was to be our home for the next 7 nights (almost).

Toh Wei Hong, our contact who is a Singaporean teaching Computer and English at the GB CTS (Canaan Technical School) came to see us at 12.30 and took us for lunch. We wanted some safe food, as three of us had not been feeling very well. So, Wei Hong took us to a posh restaurant, Sorya, where we had a Chinese meal. After this, we checked out the nearby supermarket and shopping market to orient ourselves with the surroundings. Most things are in US dollars, the local currency Riel is also used, 4000 riel to USD1. Then we went to the Central Market – our hotel is strategically in the centre of town with easy walking distance to eating and shopping places.

We had decided that we would join the International Christian Fellowship (ICF) Sunday worship service at the World Vision Headquarters at 4.00 pm. Met Jayanthee, another Singaporean from GB CTS. The sermon was very good and relevant for introducing us to the situation in Cambodia. Individuals and community – many churches and Non-governmental Organisations (NGO) here – must work together as community “one body in Christ” and not separately.

Met Susan (Singaporean) who is married to Kam Rin (Khmer) and they packed us all in their car to dinner at another posh restaurant. This time we had Cambodian food, very good and rather like Thai but not so hot : otak2, (salted) fish omelette + salad, soup (santan + fish) and kailan. Then we walked around a bit at the water front and went back to the hotel. Had group prayer before we called it a day.

It was a wonderful day, a wonderful start to the GBM Mission Trip. (TCN)

Day 2, Monday 23/08/04
In the morning, Pastor Lun Sophy came to meet us at Hotel Asia. Brought us to The Methodist Centre In Cambodia. Was introduced to the centre staff. Met Jessica Tiong, missionary from Sarawak. Visited the computer centre and sewing class centre. Met Pastor Lun Sophy's wife and the teaching staff of the school. Proceeded to Pastor's Office and promote/discuss GB matters to
him. He is positive about the GB ministry. If there is a need GBM trainers might be called to assist in the training.

In the afternoon, Pastor Lun Sophy sent us to the Genocide Museum. Entrance Fee US$2 each. It was a painful sight. Visited the Songkhem showroom next to the Genocide Museum. This centre is the project of GB Singapore [Villageworks Songkhem Collection] where handicrafts are sold. Met Anak, Sales Executive at the centre. Bought a lot of items there.

Late afternoon, met Pastor Kim at the Hotel Asia. He brought us to CTS Centre. Fellowship and meeting with his staff. He brought us around the centre. See the sewing class, computer class and english class. Grand Dinner at Korean Restaurant KYUNG BOK GUNG with Pastor and wife Hana, Toh Wei Hong, Jayanthee Kasi, Choon Neo, Jenny, Evelyn and Lily. (LS)
Day 3, Tuesday, 24/08/04
Jayanthee Kasi of CTS Centre came to our hotel at 9.00 am. Choon Neo and Jenny went to Bati Centre to meet the Sponsored Child by World Vision. Evelyn and Lily together with Jayanathee proceed to Russian Market to do shopping by Motor Tut-tut. Later we proceeded to Jars Of Clay Coffee Shop just down the road to have refreshing drinks. Later we proceeded to CTS Centre for Khmer Lunch cooked and prepared by Suk Ney. (LS)

Visiting 1st KL GB Sponsored World Vision Child – Chim Srey Neang

Choon Neo and I were picked up by the CRS (Customer Relations Service) Coordinator, Ms Sarom Mardy from our hotel at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday to the Bati Project Centre in a World Vision zeep. The driver is Mr. Sous Buntheoum. As the journey is about 1½ hours, it was good we had a good time of getting to know each other as they could speak good English. We learnt from them that the green citrus fruits that were abundant along the way were pomelos called “Kroch tlong” in Khmer.

The Bati Project Center is situated in the Takeo/Kandal Province which is in the Bati District. There are 15 communes, 168 villages with a population of 125,829 people.

We arrived at the Center after a bumpy journey at 9:00 a.m. where we were welcomed by the SRS (Sponsor Relations Service) Coordinator, Dr. Som Bokhann, Srey Neang, her mother, Caeng Sokvom and their VDC (Village Development Committee) headman. Her father was unable to join us. She was six when GB sponsored her, now she is a pretty & shy young lady of 10, tall and thin. We presented Srey Neang with our gifts of toy, cloth and food plus 2 beautiful cards made by our 1st KL GB cadets especially for her. We later found out that she had never before received such a lovely toy and cards which she liked the best. We were also presented by WV, handed to us by our Cambodian sponsee, 2 lovely Cambodian shawls. Srey Neang drew a picture of herself and a thank you note from her and her mother in Khmer translated into English for GB.

After our initial meeting, we were joined by another staff, Miss Sou Sokunthea, Correspondence Analyst at the project orientation, then to lunch at the village restaurant. We were served with a simple meal of rice, grilled river fish (hard skin but with smooth white flesh) and fragrant soup. After lunch it was goodbye to our little new found friend.

Our understanding of World Vision before this was quite not we thought it was, just a child-sponsoring programme. We were amazed by what World Vision is doing for the people of Cambodia. On the wall of the Center, a bilingual poster (Khmer/English) clearly states their vision: “Men, Women and children in Bati District live in appropriate situation like peace, justice, good living standard with competence and commitment local governance.” And their overall goal: “To improve Food Security, Health, Education and Community Capacity Building toward better living standard of community people particularly the poor and vulnerable in 46 villages of 4 target communes by the end of FY 2005.” Yes, Srey Neang is being helped, medically, academically and clean drinking water for a well will be built with manual pump near each sponsor child’s house but is shared by everyone living near her. You may think a well is nothing, but in Cambodia, it is life. Clean drinking water was hard to come by in the village for there is no pipe water.

We also learnt that World Vision sets up Area Development Programmes such as this Bati Project and here they have identified 15 problems which they have started to overcome since 1998. Problems like lack of water for agriculture, lack of school, roads, lack of food, no clean water and lack of latrine (attribute to poor hygine) and lack of health service. They have activities like Output 1: Food Production: canal renovation, support animal vaccine, provision of fruit tree seedlings, support rice production trainings, cow bank. Many more outputs to combat the problems the villagers are facing. The result of their outputs greatly reduced food shortage period, mortality rate of children, increased and improved education among the villagers. The church-related activity is the partner leadership building where they support church growth working alongside church planters.

We visited a household church in one village where the whole family and surrounding households have become Christians. They have a local pastor visiting them once a month, other times the village folks lead in the church activities, e.g. Bible studies, Sunday school etc. In the same village, a poor old women’s torn and tattered house was being replaced by a new house by WV. A pump-well had already been dug for this small village.

We went to see a pond being dug in another village for water for the whole village to use, a chicken rearing class for farmers and then to a VDC member house where, he was in charge of a rice bank. For a loan of 100 kg rice about 120 kg rice would be given back to the bank At the moment, bank was emptied due to the recent drought when the rice had been loan out for food or for resale or to keep as seedlings to grow when the rain comes.

In every village, there were many children and it was indeed a rare pleasure to see children beaming and smiling when they received our simple gifts of stationery and toys. We were informed that this might very likely be their 1st possession of a toy or pencil box set in their young lives. We prayed someday, they will be happy to receive God’s greatest gift to them, Jesus Christ. God be praised and glorified. (JH)
Day 4 Wednesday 25/08/04
Anak came to Hotel Asia together with Taxi Driver Kong Sam Oeun (“Sam”). Enroute to Kpg Baray. Arrive at the Centre. Introduction Of works process GB Villageworks Songkhem. Met the staff there. Lunch at Cambodia Methodist
Services [CMS Centre] and met Esther from DUMC Church KL. Was introduced to the centre where tea towels and hangings are made by the youth. We ordered some to take home to sell (1st KL).

Early afternoon, travelled on national road to Siem Reap. Checked into Guest House Rasmei Angkor [Shadow Of Angkor]. Proceeded to Phnom Bakheng for the sunset viewing. There were lots of international tourists. Bought One Day ticket Angkor Wat trip for 26/08/04. Arrived back at Guest House in the evening and later had dinner at Bistro Pizzas. (LS)
Day 5 Thursday 26/8/04
Visited Angkor Wat, the magnificent ancient temple ruins, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Took up the whole morning, people can actually explore the whole place for a week, but we decided to visit other places too. After a quick lunch we went to the silk factory in Siem Reap before flying back to Phnom Penh.
Day 6 Friday 27/8/04
Had the morning free for some shopping at the Russian market. In the afternoon, Wei Hong fetched us to visit the Orphanage at Kampung Speu. This place was sponsored by the Singapore St Andrews Church and Full Gospel Assembly, Kuala Lumpur. Evonne, the supervisor there proudly showed us the orphanage and also the new building which will be a technical training school.
Day 7 Saturday 28/08/04
Life+Plus Club & New work among needy women.

Life+Plus Club (LPC) is GB in Cambodia and was started by GB Singapore and Canaan Technical School of Cambodia. The girls are from 18-24 years of age, mostly college and university students. It’s headed by Pastor Kim Han Shik and his wife, Hannah, missionaries from Korea Brethren Church. They have a fulltime office administrator, Noami, a Cambodian Christian and two full time Christian workers from Singapore, Toh Wei Hong and Jayanthee who are teachers at the School. Pastor Kim also looks after a Khmer Church in Phnom Penh.

Pastor Kim fetched us, Lily, Evelyn, Choon Neo & I from the Hotel at 7:30 a.m. LPC starts with drill at 8:00 till 8:30 a.m. They have just started to learn to drill from a local military officer. Naomi and Jayanthee doubled up as officers on Saturdays.

Between the four of us, the 2 hours programme for that morning was:

1. Choon Neo led in the Worship and singspiration. We taught them 2 new songs – He Saved Me and Planting Rice is No Fun (a folk song). We chose this folk song because rice fields are very common in Cambodia to which these girls could relate.
2. Jenny shared her testimony and spoke on “Tak Nak – Smoking is Unhealthy”
3. Evelyn shared the message of The Samaritan Women at the Well from John Gospel.
4. Lily taught the girls origami - making a stork out of coloured paper.
5. Before we end, Choon Neo led us in a very interesting interactive game. The girls enjoyed it tremendously.

They were so touched by the little tokens made by 1st KL GB. In return the four of us were also very touched by their handmade beaded teddy bear gifts. We had a group photograph taken before we say goodbye to each other.

At noon, Pastor Kim and Hannah invited us to a home-cooked lunch, a delicious spread of deep fried battered chicken and fish fillet, tangy kimchi (especially prepared by Hannah) and a spicy Cambodian style tom yam (cooked in satan) prepared by her Cambodian maid.

Later on, Pastor Kim took to Phnom Penh Temai (New PP) to see a big piece of property m.o.u. by the Cambodian government to GB-CTS to start work among the needy women, mainly training them to weave silk. GBM is invited to join in this ministry.

Furthermore, we were blessed by their generous hospitality when taken to a lovely Chinese Restaurant for our farewell dinner being the last night in Phnom Penh (PP). It is called Restaurant Heng Lay in the province of Prik Leap. We have to cross the Mekong River via the Japanese Bridge to get there (which is on the way to Ho Chi Minh City that is about 4 hours from PP). Pastor Kim said they serve the No.1 delicious food in the whole of PP. A lovely Cambodian dish, Panchea Eu, usually served at weddings, and battered prawn coated with almonds were something quite extraordinary. We felt so pampered. For desert, we adjourned to the infamous “Ice-cream in coconut” right back in the city near our hotel. We bid adieu to our lovely hosts for tomorrow we shall fly back to home-sweet-home.

It was a lovely night of rich blessings from the Lord, both physical and spiritual sweet fellowship with the lovely missionaries from Korea and Singapore and of-course our lovely Cambodian Noami.

Or koon (Thank you in Cambodian) (JH)
Day 8, Sunday, 29/09/04
Our final day: what a full week it’s been. Leaving for airport at 9 am. But there’s still a little time after breakfast for a quickie shopping trip. So off we zoomed to the Central Market for some last minute buys : trousers, blouses, gemstones.

With our bags, this time less than what we came with after dispensing the 6 boxes of stuff given by Wesley Church KL, but now with Cambodian goods (shoppings and bags and Tea towels from SongKhem) we said goodbye to the hotel staff, Jayanthee (who was seeing us off) and Phnom Penh. All of us left a bit of our hearts in this country which seems to be in such great need, wondering if or when we’re coming back, perhaps for a longer stay and really doing some more “mission”.

We arrived in KLIA at 2 pm after an uneventful flight. The customs didn’t even bother to look at us, happily so. Praise the Lord for a blessed trip. We have met so many wonderful people and seen some of the work being done. We now ask ourselves What Can We Do?

We went with the idea of blessing someone, instead we ourselves were so very blessed… (TCN)