The Flying Scotsman

A time to grieve...a time to reflect!

2009-01-26T03:21:00.003-06:00

So very unexpectedly I find myself sitting in a coffee shop in freezing cold London city. I flew here yesterday. The last few weeks I have been in Thailand working on my ELIC graduate classes. During my time in Thailand my great uncle passed away. He was 87 years old. Ever since my grand father died, when I was 7, my Uncle Eddie basically assumed the role of my grand father. He, and my great Aunt, never had children of their own. He was an amazing man. He was a brave second world war veteran who served in the city of Brugges in Belguim. As a young soldier he had to return home early, before his tour finished as his own parents died in a tragic accident during the war. He married my aunt and they lived a very simple, but a very happy, fifty plus years of marriage. When I reflect back on my life I can not think of a single moment when my uncle ever did or said anything hurtful. He was a tremendous source of love. A generous man who had little to give, but what he could he did. A man who was characterized by his smile, his laugh and his amazing ability for story telling. He did not have children of his own...but if he did I know he would have made an amazing father. I loved him very much and will miss him greatly. The last time I saw him was before I went to Cambodia in 2007. I just praise Father that he did not suffer when he passed away...he died peacefully in his sleep. Please lift up my aunt at this time...for I know this will be a huge loss for her.

I am also making some big decision about next semester. Last semester was incredibly challenging and the stress did take its toll. To be honest I did not cope very well with the extra responsibilities of country leadership, especially having just been on the field for just a year. I buckled under the stress of it all. Asia can be a hard place to be! I will be returning to the field, to asia, once I leave London, but I will be returning in a somewhat different capacity. I will explain more later. Life is short. I long to make my life count for Him. As I reflect back on my life I know I have made many mistakes and have not lived it in a way that totally glorifies Him. As I contemplate my future service, along with the possibility of marraige, I really long to live out the rest of my life in a way that serves and honors Him. I really do wish to live my life on the M field long term. Please ask Father to give me wisdom about how to best do that!

I love you all and thank you for your prayer and support!
Danny

My TV career has been launched!

2009-01-10T05:46:00.003-06:00

Last year I was asked by one of my best Khmer friends- Spencer - if I would present a TV commercial spot for his nephew's company. To be honest I was really honored to have been asked, but since my acting skills are non existent I was pretty nervous. The commercial was finally released a few weeks ago. It was premiered at a star studded evening at the Phnom Penh Hotel!!

We spent two incredibly hot weekends in the Eurotech water factory recording the commercial. It was a lot of fun. I did, however, expect to just kind of show up and read a script. When I got there I discovered there was no script- Spencer, Jerry (his nephew) and I had to make it up as we went along!! The company is one of Cambodia's success stories and both Jerry and Spencer are incredible entrepreneurs. It is young gifted men like these who will help rebuild Cambodia!

So go ahead and watch the commercial. It will make you laugh out loud - I sure did! Maybe its the start of a whole new career...he he :-) I think the funniest thing about it is that they dubbed my voice with a Khmer actor!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnBg--ck5Ts&eurl=http://limspencer.blogspot.com/2009/01/eurotech-iso-certification.html?showComment=1231587780000#c2170644297744228189&feature=player_embedded

Hope you all have a great Christmas!

2008-12-23T03:45:00.003-06:00

Hi everyone. This is just a quick post to wish you all a very merry Christmas. It is always hard celebrating Christmas away from loved ones...but I also know Father uses this time to reach those who do yet know the true meaning of this special season. Most Cambodian's have no idea what Christmas is all about. Yesterday's front page of the local news paper - The Phnom Penh Post - highlighted this lack of knowledge:

"In a country where only around one percent of the population is Christian, it comes as no surprise that Christmas is not a big public celebration, or even a national holiday. However, as the forces of globalisation penetrate Cambodia, Santa Claus, tinsel and Christmas trees are becoming an increasingly common sight, at least in the capital."

Phnom Penh Post - Dec 22nd 2008

It was a great honor a few weeks ago to invite my students to the English library on campus and celebrate Christmas together, and at the same time, begin to introduce them to why we celebrate this special day!

Thanksgiving in Cambo!

2008-12-01T03:09:00.005-06:00

Well we have just finished up a round of thanksgiving celebrations. We celebrated as a team last Thursday and then this weekend the team hosted a thanksgiving outreach at my house. The theme was - bring a dish and a student! We had plenty of food - and plenty of students showed up too!! It was a great time of fellowship and sharing - and of course eating! Most of the students had never eaten Turkey before! It was quite the challenge working out how to cook the turkey too as none of us has an oven big enough!! Or - for that matter - enough cooking gas. In the end we decided to cook it in a crock pot over night at Jim's house and then he transported it on the back of a moto to my house! One of my favorite local coffee shops - JAVA - also made a pumpkin pie which was a huge hit!

The weekend reminded me of all the things I have to be thankful for while here in Cambodia. Thankful for my team. Thankful for my many Cambodian friends. Thankful for the amazing provision of my friends and family back home. Finally, and most importantly, thankful to Father for allowing me to be here and serve amongst these incredible people - and to have the chance to introduce them to the one from whom all our blessings flow! I am constantly aware, however, of the fact that I fail Him in that task everyday, and as such am so thankful for His grace and for the fact that he uses us despite our weaknesses!

There have also been some HUGE challenges these past few weeks. These have included a home invader, a team mate having her purse stolen in the middle of the street, one of our familes being stranded in Thailand because all the struggles there (they are still stuck there). This all on top of some pretty intense spirtual attack. To be honest I, and I know others in the team, are struggling with everything - and would appreciate your thoughts and petitions. We all know, however, that the battle belongs to the Lord - and His ways and plans can not be thwarted.

Cambodia - Kingdom of Wonder

2008-11-18T21:22:00.010-06:00

Cambodia is called the Kingdom of Wonder. That was the title the country chose to use as they rebrand themselves to tourists. To be honest...I think it is a perfect slogan to describe Cambodia. Yes there are many things about this country in which I am struck by awe...the genius and majesty of Angkor, the resiliance of a people broken by war, the natural beauty of the lakes, rivers, beaches and jungles to name but a few. But the main reason why I feel this title - Kingdom of Wonder - is so apt - is that there are just so many things I wonder about in this country. I wonder why students come to class twenty minutes late because they were eating breakfast and ask to leave twenty minutes early because they need to eat lunch - they seem to eat so much and yet they are so skinny! I wonder how despite the fact that it is pouring with rain on the way to work and my clothes get splattered with mud...my students always show up in immacualte white shirts! I wonder why it is illegal to have you lights on your motorbike during the day, but perfectly legal to not have them on at night! I wonder why the photocopy technician at our university has an air conditioned office with a TV and a front row seat at all official ceremonies but refuses to actually make any copies for me! And...I wonder why in this Kingdom of Wonder they celebrate their biggest national celebration - Independence day - at 7am with a Parade that includes a balloon release and a giant sized pidgeon on the back of mardi gras float!

This is indeed the Kingdom of Wonder. Every day something else happens that causes me to exclaim - "Why?" Even though there are so many things about being here that I will never quite understand - I understand one thing. I think this country is wonderful!

It's a wondeful LIFE!

2008-10-31T23:59:00.007-06:00

I have just spent an incredible week on the campus of Life University in Shianoukville, Cambodia. This is the only "like minded" university in Cambodia - and from what I have experienced this week it is on course to become one of the best universities this country has to offer. As with most ambitious projects here in Cambodia it is funded and adminsitered by Korean believers.

I was teaching in the theo. department. I have not had the opportunity to teach theo. since my time teaching at the University of Mobile. I taught a one week intensive class to the entire theo. department on the Mission and Message of JC. The students were amazing - so motivated and enthusiastic. I found it very hard to leave! The university depends on volunteer professors from the West and at the moment they are extremely under staffed.

Student numbers are rising though and the university has just embarked on an impressive building project. They hope to open their new "Vision" centre next year. The vision center will house faculty members along with guests. It will also include a faculty restaurant and lounge. When it is finished it will be a great place. Next year we will be sending an ELIC team to Life University to help deliver the English curriculum there. Please lift this opporutity up as we begin to recruit at least five new teachers to be sent to Life.

Shianoukville is a beautiful city - it is the main beach resort of Cambodia. We spent a lot of our free time soaking in the sun and swimming in the ocean! Not a bad way to end a hard day teaching.

We stayed at a very interesting hotel! It obviously was past its heyday! The hotel was full of big empty halls that obviously used to be used as conference halls or night clubs. I spent much of my time walking through the empty place dreaming of what I would do with it if I had enough money to buy it. It even had an old helicopter pad!

Meet Mr Scrags!

2008-10-17T22:00:00.002-06:00

So I have adopted an orphan! One of the Pagoda cats decided he no longer wanted to live at the Pagoda any more and instead he has taken up residence in my front yard (not that you can really call it a yard). I have a feeling he was kicked out of the Pagoda. He was in quite a state when he arrived. I think the gangster cats may have got the best of him. He has to be one of the ugliests cats I have ever seen. But much like this country - despite appearances he has a hidden charm that just makes me like him. I hate cats. But I like the fact that he lives in my house as he serves a valuable purpose. We have a deal. I will let him stay and feed him a bowl of milk a day on the condition that I never have to touch him, he never enters my house and he keeps all the rats away! So far the deal has worked out pretty well.

Provincial Life in Cambodia!

2008-10-09T08:21:00.009-06:00

So much has happened since I last blogged! My computer also seems to have been infected with some kind of virus or spyware and for some reason I can not use it to access my blog or facebook! So I am doing this the old fashinoed way - in an internet cafe.

A few days ago I was riding my moto through the streets of Phnom Penh. It was particularly rainy - we are well and truly in the midst of rainy season. The streets were so flooded that I rode my moto into a pothole and fell into the water - ruining my nice new shoes I got this summer while I was home! :-(

While I was stuck in the water I got a phone call from one of my Khmer friends - Sovanna. He lives in Siem Reap and called me to let me know that in true Cambodian fashion he had come all the way to Phnom Penh to see me an d was now waiting for me at the bus stop! So I had to get up, dry myself off, and head out to meet him.

Most Cambodians are very passionate about their homeland - the province they were born in. Sovanna was very insistant that I go with him the next day to his "homeland." I had nothing else going on the next day - so I agreed to go! It was an adventure to say the least.

Step one of the adventure was the mode of transportation. We took a taxi. Well we took a taxi (a Toyota Camry) along with seven other passengers - yes - eight people in a Toyota Camry. Eight people should NEVER travel togther in one Toyota Camry! I have the priviledged position of being one of the four people squeezed into the front. My seat was in fact right on top of the stick! Not the most comfortable of positions. Every time I moved I knocked the car out of gear and had to put it back in gear before the driver noticed! I spent most of the three hours with my eyes firmly shut! I think the driver did too.

Takeo - my friends homeland - is beautiful! A world removed from the dust and pol

lution of Phnom Penh. It is a province that borders Vietnam. The terrain was very wet and hilly, and as such the air was nice and cool. The day consisted of me being paraded around Sovanna's village from house to house. He informed me that having me visiting his home town greatly increased his streetcred and did a lot to boost his ego! I was glad to oblige. I met the uncles, aunts, cousins, old school friends, teachers, chickens, pigs and the odd spider. It was fun...but incredibly exhuasting. Each house I visited we went through the same protocol - greetings, small talk, offered a seat, and then inevitably offered a bizzare drink of some kind. In one day I drank water, a freshly fallen coconut, lychee juice, winter melon juice (still not sure what a winter melon is), sweetened coffee, unsweetened coffee and extremely strong Vietnamese coffee! By the end of the day I was on a sugar and caffeine high. It was great!

Life in Cambodia is all about investing in people. Building relationships. Going to their homeland, drinking their drinks, eating their food, meeting their family and friends - all this paves the way to earn their trust so that I too can share with them my life - and ultimately the author and perfector of my life!

Mosquito nets and bombed out villas! Welcome back to Cambodia.

2008-09-18T17:15:00.006-06:00

Let me set the scene. I am typing this at 6am from my bed in a pretty rustic bungalow. A mosquito net is over the bed...and to be honest mosquitos are the least of my problem! I am glad I am inside this net so that the big spider that is staring at me on the wall opposite does not decide to come anywhere near me! I can hear tree frogs chirping away outside, heavy monsoon rain falling, the occasional call of a bird. If I were to pull back the curtains and glare out of the window I would be able to look down this tree lined and jungle encased moutain we are on and see out to the beautiful waters of the gulf of Thailand. If I were to look really hard I would also be able make out the faint outline of the Vietnam coast in the distance. I am in a small and bombed out city called Kep (pronounced Kype). In fact this city used to be the preferred get away destination for the pre-war Cambodian elite. Now it is a shadow of itself, a city of ghosts, full of empty and abandoned villas. This city was in fact the most bombed city of the Khmer Rouge campaign. The natural beauty of the place, however, could not be destroyed. Now the bombs have stopped it really feels like one of the most peaceful and beautiful spots in this country. If only the rain would stop!!!

We are camped out here, up this hill, for our team retreat. It is a chance for the returning teachers and those who are new to team Cambodia to get to know each other and to prayerfully put in place a plan and strategy for the year ahead. Four days of praying, fellowshipping, strategising and getting drenched in the rain!

It certainly is different to where I was this time last week! Just seven days ago I was in Lousiville, Kentucky with my brother drinking coffee in a nice neighborhood coffee shop discussing the US presidential race! There were no frogs, giant spiders or bombed out villas in sight! As I think back to last week I am reminded of just what an amazing summer I had. It was a summer of blessing upon blessing. A time in which I really felt so connected to my supporters, in Alabama and Kentucky and else where. When I needed somewhere to stay, so many of you opened up your homes to me. One of my goals for being back in the states this summer was to regain some of the weight I lost last year, and I did that through the wonderful cooking of so many of you! I needed to raise support to come back here, and so many of you committed yet again to give. As I said, it really was a summer of blessing upon blessing! I am so fortunate to have such a great network of friends and supporters - it is truly humbling! I praise God for all of you!

I miss you all. I felt so loved and cared for this past summer it was difficult to leave - but it makes it so much easier being here knowing you are back home lifting up this work. I am excited about the year ahead. Really excited! There is a renewed sense of anticiaption on our team of what Father is going to do. As a new team we have gelled pretty much instantly. We are all so different, yet yesterday we commited to as far as possible lay aside out differences, keep accounts short, and stay focussed on the incredible task that lays ahead - the one of being His witnesses on the campuses that He has sent us to, through your faithful giving.

Thank you, all of you!

Back in America!

2008-07-13T16:03:00.006-06:00

Well I am back! It has been almost two weeks now since I have been back in the USA. It is so good to be here - a chance to reconnect with family and friends, a chance to reflect on the past year, and a chance to get ready for the year a head! These past two weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. I flew back to Louisville and had a few days there with the family before they headed to Scotland for a mission trip. It was so good to be back in Bardstown, Kentucky and spend some time with all my friends at Bardstown Christian Fellowship. The church has grown so much since I left last year! When my family went to Scotland I flew down to Atlanta for July 4th weekend. Two of my good friends from Mobile, Mike and Jess (in the picture) moved to Atlanta while I was in Cambodia and they invited me down there for a few days. We had a great time! It was good all American July 4th fun - including a baseball game and fireworks! Now...I know technically I represent the side that lost the war of independence - but in the name of peace and reconciliation I partied along with everyone else!

After Atlanta I was bound for Wheaton College (just outside Chicago). I am presently here with about thirty other ELIC teachers. We are all working on a Masters degree in Intercultural Studies and TESOL. The degree is an integral part of our ministry and work in Asia, ensuring that we are as well prepared as possible. I am enjoying being back on a college campus and studying in community with other likeminded friends who share my heart for Asia. I count it such a privilege. The workload is pretty intense and I am consuming a significant amount of coffee...but I am learning so much good and practical stuff!! This college also has a great legacy - it is the school of several of my heroes of the faith - Jim Elliot, Billy Graham and John Piper to name just three!

Three more weeks of classes and then I will be heading for Alabama!!

Cambodia's knock out blow!

2008-06-15T21:32:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was not the best of days. I woke up yesterday morning feeling pretty sick. Food poisoning yet again! I did not think it was too bad so I proceeded to get ready for church. As I was getting dressed I began to feel terrible. I went to the bathroom to be sick but somehow, for some reason, I collapsed unconcious. I hit my had badly on the tiled floor and cracked my head open just above my eyebrow. I had totally blacked out and was unconcious. I woke up some time later. I was totally disorientated as there was blood everywhere and I was covered in sweat! I was in a state of utter confusion as I had no idea what was going on!
Thankfully Kompheak was here as he has been living here the past few days. Kompheak took me to the American clinic on my moto and the doctor (who is very good, I like him a lot, even though I discovered that he is not in fact American, but he is actually Iraqi), cleaned me up, injected the wound, and stitched me up. He says the scar will go with me to my grave! Not too happy about that! I think most of it is covered by my eyebrow though. This morning going out for the first time since my injury I feel like a ganster! I have to explain to everyone that I was not infact involved in a pub brawl! I'm sure it does my witness tremendous good!

So...all in all...another eventful day in Phnom Penh!

Our Happy Cambodian Family!

2008-06-12T06:47:00.006-06:00

Lunch with Alex (French room mate), Polly (my Cambodian mom!), Kompheak (my Cambodian little brother!), Ryan (my American room mate) and Tara (Ryan's girl friend).

I realised today how rare this is. This NEVER happened when I was living in America or Scotland. Twice a week I eat lunch at home with my two room mates, Polly and usually Kompheak and another Cambodian student guest. Today Polly made Sping rolls - soooo good!! Meals here are so incredibly social and I love that. Even breakfast time here is social and is eaten communally with family or friends rather than alone. It is a great time for conversation, good food, and a real sense of community.

I'll miss Ryan and Tara when they leave at the end of this month (they are heading back to the States, to pursue other things) and I will miss Kompheak too!! He has been awarded a scholarship at the University of Lyon to complete a Masters in Economics! He is a bright guy!

Oh help my unbelief!

2008-06-10T03:18:00.002-06:00

I am angry. It is not often that I get angry over here, but today, for some reason I am incredibly angry. I am angry not because of what someone has done to me. I am angry because of the many, many injustices that are present in this part of the world. I just finished lunch. Every Tuesday Polly cooks lunch and I will invite someone over. I find it is a great way to spend time with Cambodian friends and students as Polly is a good cook and has a great way of making people feel at ease. Today my friend Sopheak and his wife came over (see picture). We had a good time, except our conversation was somewhat depressing…and it left me in this state…feeling angry. Sopheak is a good guy. He is 31 years old, newly married, he now lives in a tiny one room apartment in the north part of the city. He grew up to work hard and go to university, he went to one of the best universities in the country and earned a bachelors degree in marketing. Now, like many other Cambodian young men, he is working at a restaurant. He works eight hours a day and earns a measly $120 a month. He does not like his job. He is bored. He wants something new, something different, something that will enable him to support his wife and start a family. But it is so difficult for him. As he talked today over lunch I saw his anger. I sensed his hopelessness. I looked into eyes full of despair. He spoke about the “system” that exists here. To get a good job you have to have contacts. More than that, you have to buy the job. A good job in marketing, for example, could cost anywhere up to $10,000. He simply did not have that kind of money. It made me angry. People are not employed based on their merits or credentials…but based on their ability to pay a kick back. Sopheak cussed in English. I have never before heard a Cambodian swear in front of ladies. He did. He immediately apologized. But he was angry! He wanted me to help him. He saw me as someone who was white, and therefore wealthy and influential, and who could help him. But there is nothing I can do.

On Saturday I met with a good student friend, Kakada, for lunch. We talked and talked and talked about education, politics and life. He was despairing for his country. He sees so much progress, but at the same time he feels like his country is advancing and leaving people like him behind. The gravy train is leaving the station and all the tickets have been sold. He does not want to become another corrupt lawyer, someone who is part of the “system,” but he does not know how to survive any other way. He saw me as someone who was white, and therefore wealthy and influential, and who could help him. But there is nothing I can do.

So today I am angry. I am angry because in a few weeks I am going back to America, a country I love, and yet I will no doubt buy into the inevitable consumerism and will no doubt complain about how prices have increased and gas has gone through the roof. But here, in Cambodia, there are countless people struggling to put food in their mouth, let alone gas in their SUV. I will be inundated with TV images of an election campaign that is free and fair. Whereas here democracy and freedom of expression and self determination is still a fragile notion. There is nothing, in and of myself that I can do.

Come to think of it, there is some truth in what they think about me. Yes I am someone who is white, but that does not make me wealthy or influential – it just means I get sun burnt in the Cambodian heat! However, I am wealthy and influential – but the basis of my wealth and influence is not found here on Earth. My wealth is found in Heaven, for I have access to all the resources of Heaven, through prayer. Also we who believe do indeed have incredible influence. We can take the requests of our friends to our Father who promises to set the captive free and brings justice to those bound in injustice. He will make the way clear for my friends to be all who He has created them to be. He will make straight the crooked way. He will bring light to those in darkness and hope to those in despair. Oh please, I pray, give me eyes to see and faith to believe!

The clouds of change are coming...

2008-05-27T18:02:00.004-06:00

View from my roof...Sunday afternoon!

Change is never easy. It seems, however, that change is a constant feature of this kind of work. In the midst of the uncertainty of change I am comforted by the fact that we serve an unchanging God. One who always remains the same. I am reminded of the fact that although our immediate circumstances may change the truth and the need to share never does! Our task remains the same.

So...in just a few short weeks the first of my team mates will be departing and going back to the States. Out of the ten of us presently on team Cambodia, five are leaving - Vandenn and Danielle, Ryan, Tara and Tricia. I have grown close to them over the past year and I know that I will miss them. We have had a lot of fun, shared some great experiences and become good friends. They will be replaced by four new team mates - I am excited to get to know them when they arrive after the summer. I remember all to well the feelings they are experiencing right now as they prepare to leave America and come here to Cambodia. It really does not feel like a year ago when I was preparing to say my goodbyes!

Next year will be different for us here in Cambodia. As Vandenn, our Country Director, is moving on we will be without a country leader. I have been asked to serve alongside Steve, one of my team mates, to undertake the responsibilities of country leadership. Steve will serve as Business Manager and English Director and I will serve as Cambodia "Contact." I was not looking to step up so early, and, if the truth is to be told I am very apprehensive about doing so. I will continue to teach at the law school, although I will have a slightly lesser load in order to prevent burning out! I will be the Cambodia Contact & Co-ordinator for the different programs we have here in Cambodia. Basically I will be the middleman for team Cambodia and our Asia and US based leadership, visitors, communication with the main office and so on. I will also continue to explore partnerships that would extend the purpose and vision of ELIC in Cambodia. Even as I write this I am reminded of how ill equipped and undeserving I am of taking on such a role as this. Please lift this new position up and in particular ask Father to give me wisdom! Also lift up all of our team - old and new members alike - as we navigate this period of transition together.

Since our organization has been operating in Cambodia we have been on just one campus at the Law school. Last week Vandenn and I went to the campus of a new university - a joint venture between the Cambodian and Korean government - the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia. It is such an exciting new opportunity for us. This university is unique in Cambodia in the sense that students live on Campus in dorms and the faculty also live on campus in faculty housing. The university specializes in teaching vocational skills deemed essential for the developing Cambodian economy - tourism, engineering, architecture and electronics. Three of our new teachers will form our first team at NPIC. We are very excited about this development. Please lift up this great opportunity.

Vandenn signing the official agreement with NPIC

Life continues to go on though - I have to remain focussed on the here and now and not get lost or distracted by what may happen in the next few weeks. This past week has been as busy as ever. Some of my top students came over to my house last Friday to work on the web blog we are devloping on explaining the Cambodian legal system (it will be live soon). We also just "chilled" together over chicken nuggets and a movie!

I also went to a Khmer friend's house on Monday. He is a waiter at one of the coffee shops I frequent here. We have become good friends. He just recently got married and wanted to invite me to his new house for his wife to cook me a meal. It was great! They live such a simple life - in just a tiny one room apartment, about the size of a regular US bathroom! But they were so happy to have a visitor. We ate rice and pork, listened to some music, looked at their wedding pictures and then went for a ride down by the river front. My face is red in the picture as I got a tad sunburnt!

The Lady came to visit!

2008-05-14T06:47:00.011-06:00

Well she came. She said she would and she did. Brandy, my girlfriend, came to visit me, in fact she left just this morning. All my Cambodian friends kept asking me "When will we get to see the lady?" I think it was because they were never able to remember her name. I can not express what a joy it was to have her here...and for me to do so on a public blog would just make everyone cringe! So I will save you from having to endure my mushy ramblings and just let you see some pictures of - the visit of the LADY!

TRIP TO ANGKOR WAT

On the way back to Phnom Penh our bus hit a cow! Bus journies in Cambodia are ALWAYS eventful! Well the driver did not want to leave the cow dying out on the road when he could put it on the bus and sell it at the market, thus paying for his broken windshield!

VISITING THE PALACE WITH MY STUDENTS

DRIVING BRANDY ON A CAMBODIAN TUK TUK - THE CLOSEST I COULD GET TO A HORSE AND CARRAIGE!

DON'T WE LOOK SO CUTE...he he!

PLEASE Pray for Burma!

2008-05-14T06:16:00.009-06:00

As I sit here typing this blog I am watching CNN. I can see desperate images of people clingling to what remains of their lifes. Children searching for their parents. Parents trying to feed their children. Men seeking shelter for their families. A myriad of images that portray a nation in despair, a people with seemingly no one to turn to and a belief system that offers no hope. A people who have been through so much and yet have been hit again and again. As I type this there is news of yet another cyclone making its way to southern Burma. I cannot offer explanations for disasters such as this, except that I know all things work together for the good of those who love Him.

I am burdened for this people for just last month Father presented me with a unique opportunity to go past the curtain that keeps Burma shut out from the rest of the world, and visit. I had no idea what to expect. I was nervous about going, but I am so incredibly glad I went. What I found was a beautiful land with a people who must be amongst the most resilient and friendliest I have ever met. Their faces were covered not only in their traditional Burmese face paint, but also in the ever present Burmese smile. I met a people who were incredibly religious and devout. Buddhism is at the very core of Burmese society, even more so than here in Cambodia. I was left with a great respect for their devotion and their faith, a respect however tinged with sadness becasue their faith is based on false hope and false promises.

One of the friends I made in Burma emailed me this week. He spoke of the desperate plight he, and his nation, are now in. He has no job. He has lost his home. He has no food and limited access to clean water. He has to contend with sights of bloated bodies floating through the once busy streets. In the midst of the horrors of what has befallen his nation he is also contending with the intolerable burden of karma. He asked me what it was that he and his nation had done to deserve such bad Karma. In his belief system bad things happen because of a lack of merit. He knows nothing of hope, nothing of grace, nothing of mercy, nothing of a savior. He longs to restore his karma so that he may be able to rebuild his life. But no matter how much he tries to restore his karma his life will still be a broken one, without the redemption and freedom he truly needs, in a nation that epitomises all that is broken and fallen in this world.

So please lift up Burma, and lift up my friend (I will called him Maui). If you feel led to help Maui please email me and I can tell you of a way to do so. His greatest need is, however, the Truth. Maybe this very disaster will lead to the tearing of the curtain that shuts his nation off from the rest of the world and for the truth to be proclaimed.

Hello Moto...Good Bye Moto!

2008-04-27T08:47:00.002-06:00

Remember I told you about the "Curse." The one that strikes down any vehicle I have ever owned. Well it reared it's ugly head again, last week. This time my moto (the one I bought just three months ago) was it's victim. My moto has died. It is no more! My mistake was I decided to wash my moto Monday afternoon. Apparently you are meant to cover the engine of the moto before you wash it. I thought the engine was already covered. Well...anyway...I got water into the engine, and the water mixed with air, and the engine died!! At first I did not realise it had died, as after I had finished washing it I did not attempt to start the engine as I had a flat tire. So, first of all I pushed my moto to get the tire fixed. I waited out in the sun amazed at the simplicity and ingeniousness of local street side Cambodian mechanics. He fixed my tire by taking it off and burning some plastic, affixing some kind of patch and then reassembling it. He just sits on the street corner with a burner and a few simple tools and a chair. That's it. That is his life and his livelihood - fixing tires...and he's good at it! Well anyway as soon as my tire was reassembled I tried to start the engine...but the engine did not want to start. My heart sank!

I proceeded to push my moto back home. As soon as I got to my street I was met by about seven of my local motodups (moto taxi drivers) who came walking towards me to give me a hand. Without a word from me they took over. They pushed the moto and then they tried everything they could to get it fixed. They were not interested in money. They simply saw I was in need, and it was something they were familiar with (a broken moto), and they came to my rescue. They spent almost an hour trying to help. I just sat, and watched and laughed! They would make fun of each other, argue with each other, compete over who was going to run and try to push start the bike. It was awesome! At one point an old lady came over to me, laughed, and put her hand on my shoulder in a reassuring "it's going to be ok" kind of way.

Despite the efforts of the motodups they could not fix my moto. In fact my moto was officially declared dead at 7.56am on the morning of Wednesday 23rd April 2008! Although my confidence in Malaysian made motos (for that's where mine came from) took a serious hit last week, my love for these people to whom I have been called greatly increased. I may be a stranger in a foreign land, but I am a stranger in a land full of great, simple and caring people! A people I fully believe He wills to be His own!

The Red Numbers will Not Kill You!

As I was reading the local English language newspaper on Friday I was reminded of the extent to which Cambodians are superstitious. A rumour spread through the provinces that if you receive a phone number on a cell phone that appeared in the color red you will die. Many Cambodians became convinced that they were going to die. In fact, so many were gripped in fear that the government had to issue an official statement calming people down and convincing them that they would not die if they received a red number. Telecommunication companies operating in Cambodia were also ordered to do all they could to dampened down the hysteria.

Khmer New Year Vacation.

2008-04-14T07:56:00.014-06:00

It is New Year again! This is the third time I have celebrated New Year this year. One of the novel things about Cambodia is that they like to adopt every holiday going. It is a land of public holidays - they love them - and they celebrate them with relish! Not only do they celebrate international new year, they also celebrate Chinese new year - and in April the biggest festival of the year is Khmer New Year.

So happy 2008 - for the third time!

Spencer, one of my close Khmer friends, and I, decided to go away for the Khmer New Year weekend. We ventured out to one of the few national parks here in Cambodia - Kirirom Resort. I had no idea what to expect. It certainly was an adventure.

The trip started off not too good. We were held up by a massive fire just a few streets from my house. One of the cities biggest casinos was on fire. Despite the amount of smoke very little damage was actaully done. Which is more than can be said for the 2000 people who were made homeless on Friday. A fire ravaged through a poor Phnom Penh neighborhood Firday morning, burning 450 homes. As most people here still do not have bank accounts, not only were homes destroyed but also entire life savings were wiped out in a few hours. Most disturbing of all was the fact that the fire trucks did little to extinguish the flames as they demanded bribes before they would turn on their hoses. No one had enough money to pay the $200 fee...and so they just watched their houses burn! Devastating! Please lift these people up to Father. Pray that in their hour of need, He will reveal Himself to them. Also...please continue to ask that the dark, debilitating cloud of corruption will be lifted from this nation.

So...we continued on our road trip. Out of the city and onto national road 4 - towards Kirirom. The distance was not that far, just 90 kilometers, but it took almost four hours because of the condition of the roads and how busy they were. Finally we arrived and we checked into our bungalow! The bunglow was really nice, as you can see from the picture, I was pleasantly surprised.

Hanging out with Spencer was like two fourteen year old kids hanging out at an adventure park! We played on the swings, climbed the dinosaurs, talked to the monkeys, rode horses, attempted to play tennis, rowed canoes and watched cheesy animated movies on the laptop! It was fun!

The only downside was I managed to get really sick yesterday. I had spent way too much time out in the heat and did not drink enough water. As such I managed to get really dehydrated. I could not move out of my bed for several hours and had double vision! It was cool though. Being sick at a resort was way more pleasant than being sick at my house in Phnom Penh!

Today Spencer insisted on going on an adventure. When a khmer guy suggests going on an adventure I get nervous! So anyway we set of in search of this famous waterfall. We drove down some dirt track for about an hour. Past several signs warning us not to stand on unexploded land mines, never a comforting sight! We finally got to a desserted village and found an ox-cart to take us up the next part of the road, as it was no longer suitable for cars. I have never ridden on an ox-cart before! It was fun...but not the most comfortable modes of transportation! Finally the road was now unpassable even by an ox-cart. So we had to walk the rest of the way. I was determined not to do two things - one stand on a land mine, and two stand on a snake! Fortunately I did not do either! We did find the waterfall, but it was a little disappointing as we seemed to have forgotten that it is the dry season and as such there is not much water flowing in the rivers!! But we did see a pretty impressive water drizzle! It was a good day, and certainly was an adventure. Spencer kept calling me a strange foreigner as I am scared of snakes and landmines! Cambodia is home to some of the worlds most poisonous snakes, plus one of the most heavily mind nations on the face of the Earth. But...I should be less afraid! He is right...I should remember that I have no need to fear anything...for Father is with me wherever I go.

So...Happy New Year! And please continue to lift up those 2000 Cambodians who lost everything last Friday, and are now living in a red cross campsite, here in Phnom Penh. Landmines and snakes are the least of their problems!

Yet again...the dreaded curse strikes!

2008-03-31T06:08:00.007-06:00

Here are some pictures of our Easter cook out we had last week (we did not think it through very well...cooking burgers in 100 degrees temperatures was not the most sensible idea ever!) I Just wanted to let you see some pictures, my story, however, is not about Easter!

For those of you who know me well, one thing you will know about me is that I have terrible luck with vehicles. I mean terrible! No matter where I live, no matter the vehicle type, the mechanical curse will come following me. I can not run from it. In Scotland I was driving on the highway (well Scotland's equivalent) and my gear box fell off!! Another time two love birds in the midst of their euphoria flew into my engine. In Kentucky - within my first week living in the states - I bought a car, with all the cash I had on me, only for it to break down a few days later, in the middle of a busy intersection, with irrepairable damage. In Alabama - the list is long. The a/c failed on my Saturn, another time I had to abandon the car in a parking lot as the engine starter failed. The entire engine failed on my Toyata Camry, just a few weeks after I bought it, and I had to abandon in on the side of a road. I borrowed a friends car only for it to break down in the university parking lot and had to be towed away.

When I came to Cambodia I thought I was set free of the monotomy of waiting for tow trucks, the confused facial expressions as I listened to countless mechanics, the dreaded phone calls telling my boss I would, yet again, be late for work! But...alas...NO!

Last Wednesday I had just finished lunch and I was about to go straight back to the University. I had a class to teach. My motorbike was fine...at least I thought it was. But then...at a busy intersection...it broke down! Nothing...no movement...no noise...no hope of recovery. So I got off and in the middle of the afternoon heat I pushed my bike to the nearest gas station. I then realized I only had a $50 note on me, and the gas station would not be able to change that. So I had to push my bike to a little store to get some change. Then...back again...to get some gas (as I thought this was the problem)...filled it with gas. Still nothing. No movement...no noise...nothing! This was not good. I was sweating. I was late. I had no idea what to do. So I resigned myself to fact that I was going nowhere. I called one of my students and cancelled class...and I began the daunting prospect of pushing my moto home...in 110 degrees weather!

As I turned onto my street I was instantly crowded by my friendly neighborhood motodub (taxi)drivers. They came to my rescue. Yet again it is a testimony to the heart and the friendliness of the Khmer people. They tried to kick start the bike. Push start the bike. Shake the bike. Jump on the bike. Nothing! Then...one of them offered to take me to a mechanic. I said "sure." I had no idea how we were going to get the motorbike there though. Then he instructed me to get on my bike and he would ride behind me on his bike and push me with his foot!!! So that is exactly what happened. I sat on my moto. He rode his. And he pushed me with his outstrethced foot! We went passed the palace...passed the river front....passed the hordes of tourists...passed the market - until we found a mechanic. I pulled the visor down on my helmet, as I wanted no one to recognize me! We got there. I sat in the sun. The friendly motodriver spoke to the mechanic...and twenty minutes later and $2 later my moto was fixed!

Or at least I thought it was fixed!!! The next day I was on my way home from our team men's group meeting when...yes...you guessed it...my moto broke down again. I was not a happy fella! Luckily I was pretty close to the market and some street side mechanics (mechanics here are men who sit out side, under a canopy, on the streets, with a box of tools!). The guy started rambling something to me in Khmer - which I did not understand (but then I do not understand English speaking mechanics either) - so I called one of my students to come meet me and help translate. Apparently I needed a new piston. So four hours later and $26 later (I bartered him down from his original $50) my moto was fixed.

And...so far...it has remained fixed!

Now to end...some more Easter pics. I gave my class some Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday. Again none of my students knew anything about Easter - so it was great being able to share with them why we celebrate it.

My run in with the Law!

2008-03-12T07:39:00.003-06:00

On Sunday…riding back from Fellowship…I got pulled over by the police –It was so funny. Three officers marched into the middle of the road waving their batons at me – they then herded me into the side of the road and started jabbering something in Khmer. I had left the light on, on my motorbike – which apparently in Cambodia is against the law. They first of all demanded five dollars. I kind of laughed at them and said that was way too much. They then said they wanted some coffee. So I offered to buy them some coffee, fifty cents each, the third officer wanted a coke instead! Picky or what! I should have pulled out a notepad and pen and took orders! They were, to my surprise, impressed with my Khmer – which I think went a long way towards making them like me enough to let me go without getting a ticket or paying some ridiculous bribe. It was a funny experience. I pulled my visor down, burst out laughing to myself, and then rode off!

The police here are extremely corrupt. Considering they only get paid $35 a month, plus they have to buy their own uniforms, who can blame them. Polly, our house helper, said that her husband, who is a police officer, has not been paid for two months. She can hardly afford to buy food for her family because of it.

The fact that police get paid so little really makes them so ineffective. I am not sure I would trust them if I needed their help...not because they are not trustworthy people, they just do not have the resources or the motivation.

Who turned the heat up!

2008-02-27T01:24:00.004-06:00

It is certainly getting hot here. I cannot believe it is still February it feels more like the middle of an Alabama August. The hard thing is we are not even in the hottest months yet - March and April are officially the hottest months of the year. This past month, although being a hot one, has also been an incredibly exciting one and busy one.

Last semester I had one class that was particularly difficult. The students just really struggled to understand me. Each week I grew increasingly frustrated at my lack of progress. It is so difficult teaching a class legal English when they have not even grasped basic English. I requested that the students who could not understand me switch to a Khmer teacher. I was not expecting 22 of my 26 students to switch! I was left with just four. As you can imagine my job became significantly easier. One of the students who stayed with me was a guy who I am going to call Van. One Monday the other three were absent - so it was just Van and I. I took him out for coffee and we got to know each other. That following Sunday he asked if he could accompany me to “Fellowship.” He seemed to be genuinely interested in the good news. I asked him if he would like to begin a weekly “word” study with me, and he eagerly agreed. We have been meeting every Tuesday and have been going through the “word” chronologically. Last week he asked how he could make his commitment more official. We knelt down and I had the priviledge of introducing him to his Father. We continue to meet weekly. I am so excited by what Father is doing here. It is truly astounding!

The streets of Phnom Penh are crazy. There is no other adjective to best describe them. Well...they just got crazier! Last week I got a small motorbike (or moto as they are called here). I have never driven a motorbike before in my life - but that did not deter the authorities from issuing me a licence (without even a test or a single question asked). Initially I took to the moto like a granny driving an electric shopping cart at Walmart - very very slow! My pace has improved a little - but I am still slow. Which is ok...considering how crazy everyone else drives around here. Since I got my bike things have improved so much. It now takes me less time to get to school, I can go to places easier, I do not have to rely on motodups (motobike taxis) and as such my daily living costs have also significantly reduced. I was spending about $4 a day on transport whereas now I spend just a $1 a day. Oh and for all of you worrying about my lack of helmet in the picture - don't worry - whenever I ride the moto I wear a helmet (much to my hair style's dismay).

Thailand...Malaysia...and sun burn!

2008-02-12T04:08:00.000-06:00

Well I am now back in Phnom Penh after almost five weeks of being away. It is strange coming back. In some ways I know this is where I am meant to be. Arriving at Phnom Penh airport was so different from the last times I arrived here - back in 2005 on my first visit, and when I came here with ELIC back in August 2006 - this time I knew what to expect, I could speak to the taxi driver in Khmer and my cell phone had a whole heap of waiting text messages from my Cambodian friends. Also - because six of my ELIC friends decided to come back to Cambodia with me and spend some time here - I had the priviledge of being "tour guide." This has been the first time I have had visitors here and it has been amazing showing them around this great country - even though I got really sun burnt on our trip to the beach this past weekend!

If any of you reading wanted to come and visit - PLEASE DO - I have a whole itinary of exciting places for you to visit plus a network of tuk tuk drivers and hotels all of which have recieved the coveted "Danny Seal of Approval"!

I was away from Cambodia for three reasons - 1. I am enrolled in a Masters program in Intercultural Studies and TESOL, though Wheaton College (Illinois) and those ELIC teachers enrolled in the degree had two weeks of classes to attend in Chiang Mai, Thailand. 2. For a four day vacation to Malysia with one of my best ELIC friends - Brad, who teaches in China. and 3. For the annual ELIC conference.

It was one hectic, exhausting and at the same time rejuvinating experience. Father spoke to me in so many ways in the time that I was away. He revealed to me yet again the full extent of His amazing grace and just how much I am dependant on Him. He also continued to reveal to me the great opportunity we have here in Asia. Through the conference addresses, the workshops and simply listening to the stories of other ELI teachers scattered throughout Asia I was able to come face to face with the work He is doing. One constant theme of these past five weeks though has been the incredible size of the task that lays ahead of us, the strategic nature of our work, and the frightening lack of laborers! Doors are opening but so few are walking through them. So few are responding to the call and many who are overseas are having to return home because of lack of support or other concerns (the state of the U.S economy is taking a toll on the level of support being raised). As we closed the conference though we were reminded of just how faithful Father is. He will provide for our every need - just as He always has.

So as I sat to share in our final communion I was reminded of just how fortunate I am to have such an amazing support base as y'all. I do not feel like I am here alone. Through your emails and support I feel very much part of an amazing team. THANKS!

What follows is a pictorial highlight of the past five weeks!

I miss you!

Danny

Chiang Mai - THAILAND (Wheaton classes and ELI conference)

We found a southern themed cafe that made amazing...Biscuits and Gravy - I was so incredibly happy!

Most of you know how much I love coffee - I went to Starbucks almost every single day I was in Thailand!

The view from our room in the YMCA - where our Wheaton Classes were being held. Thailand is a beautiful place.

I think I am checking out pictures on Amy's camera on the night of the Graduation Banquet - for those students who were graduating this year.

Karen - who teaches in Vietnam - trying to finish her assignment. She managed to finally finish it at 4am the following morning!

Kualar Lumpur - MALAYSIA (vacationing with Brad - who was ill with the flu!)

Kulur Lumpar was a very impressive city. It is so hard to believe that it is just an hours flight from the poverty of Cambodia. It was an incredible mix of cultures - muslim, christian and hindu. Malaysia also has some of the tallest towers in the world!
Tour Guide Danny! - CAMBODIA (with some of my ELI friends who came to visit)

The real world of being back in Cambodia - pictures taken just outside my front gate, a world far removed from Starbucks, Biscuits and Gravy and laying out on the beach! This is the real reason we are here.

Surprised by the unexpected!

2008-01-13T04:13:00.000-06:00

When I agreed last week to go with some other professors and some law students to a conference in Siem Reap I had no idea what it was going to be. I only said yes because it would be a good opportunity to spend time with some of the students and also to get to know the university president and some of the other professors a little better. Also...selfishly...Siem Reap is my favorite city in Cambodia and this was a good opportunity to go back and visit. Even as Vandenn and I met the college president and his driver on Thursday morning I still had no idea why we were going to Siem Reap - and what lay in store! We did not know - but a Higher Power knew all a long why we were all going.

What I thought was going to be a conference for law students turned out to be a something very very different. Somehow, and I still am unsure how, our university (RULE) has entered into a partnership with two other international universities - Handong Global University in Korea and Calvin College in Michigan. Both these universities happen to be Christian universities. the purpose of the weekend was for students and professors from the three universities to meet together, to share experiences and to help put in place plans for the launch of a new university in Siem Reap - Asia International University. AIU will be a university that will be founded and built upon Christian principles! The more I heard about the plan the more intrigued and excited I became. RULE is not a Christian university - the president, school administration, student body and faculty are overwhelmingly Buddhist, just as this nation is - but they are prepared to help - in some way - with the establishment of a Christian university. It is staggering! This partnership I truly believe was one that has been established by powers far greater than ourselves. The partnership between these three universities will enable the exchange of ideas and values across the three faculties and student bodies. During the weekend friendships were established between American and Korean Christian students and professors and their Buddhist counterparts - friendships that I hope and pray will have eternal significance. If all goes according to plan - within a few years this partnership could lead to a new Christian university in Cambodia - built from literally nothing except a vision, faith and the incredible power of prayer- a university that I pray will help shape a nation.

The President and professors of RULE

Professors and students of Calvin College

Professors and students of Handong Global Univeristy, each school place one corner post for the new university at the proposed site.

I am very excited about what took place this past weekend. I am very encouraged by what happened. Despite the difficulties of teaching here. Despite all the frustrations that we as a team sometimes encounter teaching at RULE - it is so incredibly obvious that we are in the right school, and at the right time!

Some of the Calvin College students on our trip to Angkor Wat

Rule Students Some Monkey dance at the temples!

Best man in a Cambodian wedding!

2008-01-07T00:02:00.000-06:00

Since coming to Cambodia I have had many great experiences. When I moved here I wanted to not just work here, to not just be a teacher - I wanted to be a friend. I wanted to try my hardest to get deep into the heart of this nation. I wanted, as much a westerner can, experience Cambodia - and there is so much to experience. I could have come here in many different capacities, and try to accomplish many different things. The people that I am working amongst are not the poor and the vulnerable - although the vast majority of this impoverished nation falls into that category - no, the people I have been called to live amongst are the emerging, educated middle class of Cambodia. People who, spiritually speaking, are just as poor and vulnerable as anyone else. One experience I never thought I would have was to be a best man in a wedding, especially having only been here for less than six months! It just goes to show you how welcoming the Cambodians are. It was an incredible - and exhausting - experience! As a precursor to what you are about to see though - please bear in mind this was not a typical wedding. This is not a typical family. This family owns one of the nations most succesful companies - the 800 strong guest list bears witness to this. It was an extremely extravagant affair! Also, bear in mind, that this family - is one of this nation's great success stories. They are succesful not because of handouts or corruption. They are succesful because they are a family that has stuck together and have endured great hardship - but have perservered - to be the success that they are today. Their company also provides a great service to the nation - pure drinking water. I felt very honored to have been asked to be part of the wedding party. I was best man alongside Spencer - one of my closest friends here in Cambodia. Building a friendship with someone means making memories with them - yesterday was a day that gave both Spencer and I many memorable moments! It was great! Enjoy the pictures - espcially me in the crazy Khmer traditional costumes!

The morning started early! Way too early...we had to be at the bride's house at 4.30am. Spencer and I sneaked out to go and see if we could find somewhere for breakfast. The lady serving us is still in her pyjamas!

Outfit number one!

The living room of the Bride! They emptied the room of all the furniture as this was where all the morning festivities took place. The room was full of gift offerings presented by the guests.

Jackie - the other groomsman - waiting - we did a lot of waiting!

The first part of the ceremony takes part at the house of the bride. The whole street was taken up with a massive tent structure to house all the guests - I guess (and hope) they got permission from the neighbors. This was a big wedding, the family are pretty wealthy and well connected, hence the 800 guests!

The crowds waiting to follow the groom down the street to the Bride's house.

I had the great job of holding the umbrella over the groom to protect him from the sun! I felt like I was in a Mardi Gras parade - he he!

The Groom!

The Bride and Groom - the first of many ceremonies.

Don't laugh - ok....you can laugh - getting dressed for the "Cutting the Hair" ceremony!

Spot the odd one out!

At night - in outfit number three - Spencer and I had to welcome the guests and give them a gift! We stood and did this for two hours straight - as they just kept coming and coming and coming!

The Bride - in one of her many dresses - she looks like royalty!

Outfit number four! I liked this one the best!

Ok..so...next the bride and groom - followed by the wedding party - had to walk down the aisle - and be pelted with foam, flowers, party string stuff, - it was a mess!!!!

The very happy couple!

Christmas Day

2007-12-26T21:35:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone. Well I hope you all had a very merry Christmas. My Christmas was very different to any Christmas I have ever had in my entire life. As I met with the other guys on my team this morning we reflected on what makes Christmas. We kept saying things like it did not "feel" like Christmas. Why did it not "feel" like Christmas? Well there was no snow, it was incredibly hot, some of us had classes, we were not with family, there was no turkey or trimmings. But why do these things "feel" like Christmas. The truth is they do because they remind us of times in our lifes when we were together with our family. They were symbols of happy and joyful times of sharing gifts and memories and laughter. Christmas is different here. The biggest difference is that is does not "feel" like Christmas because we were not with our families and loved ones. Despite that, however, it was still Christmas. Christmas may be different here. There may be no, or few, symbols of the season. We may be far from family and friends - but our Savior was still born and we still have an incredible reason to celebrate. We may have to celebrate differently. But in some ways all those things that are missing may allow us to appreciate more the reason why we celebrate. There are less distractions. I also have been reflecting on what a great and awesome privilege it was to be able to celebrate this season with my Cambodian friends and introduce them to the one who came on that first Christmas day. Yes I missed my family and friends. I missed you all terribly. But I am here because of you. I can speak to my friends here, because of you. So, even though I was not physically present with you all, I still felt close to you. Christmas is a time of giving. You have all given so much to enable me to be here.

Here are some pictures of my first Christmas in Cambodia.

Christmas party with my class.

Christmas morning in the ELI library

I handed out some gingerbread cookies to the security guards and moto drivers on my street! Made them happy...he he.

Finally - Christmas party on my roof with some of my Khmer friends.

I tried to teach them how to make pancakes! I failed miserably. How is it that mine turned out like this, but theirs turned out amazing!

I got a hammock for Christmas!

A really bad day in Cambodia!

2007-12-21T03:46:00.000-06:00

Well today has not been a great day. It did not get off to a good start…it’s one of those days when it would have been best to simply have stayed in bed. The day began badly when I slept through my alarm. My sleeping pattern this week has been really erratic! I woke up late and as such had to rush to get ready. I knew I needed to eat something as the mornings are always difficult when I skip breakfast. I attempted to make some scrambled eggs as I had run out of cereal. While making the eggs I somehow managed to drop them on the floor! This was not good. Whenever food is on the floor you can almost set your watch for two minutes before a legion of ants will descend upon the kitchen. So I hurriedly tried to mop up the mess. No fun!

Scrambled eggs take two! I tried a second time. This time I got as far I heating up the eggs, I was going to use the microwave as it is faster and less mess; I opened the microwave door and somehow managed to knock the eggs over the table! Spilt again. I could not believe it. No eggs left in the fridge! Now I was really running late. So I got my coffee mug – with cold coffee in it – and put it in the microwave and heated it up so I could take it with me to work. I went upstairs to pack my bag. I then began to smell this awful smell and was wondering what in the world the neighbors were cooking. When I got back downstairs I realized the smell was coming from the microwave. I opened the door and my favorite coffee mug that I brought with me from my favorite coffee shop in Mobile, MELTED!!!!! It melted so bad that when I lifted it up it was molded to the microwave plate. Yikes…bad day! So no coffee!

I then proceeded to leave the house and looked for my moto driver to take me to work. I opened the gate – and there was no one there. He had left. So I had to walk until I could find another driver, which I managed to find, although he did not know where the university was and charged me a lot more than my driver. My morning class went well…which was great…but I was not feeling too good. I was very tired and had a headache, so used that as an excuse to cancel my Khmer lesson, which I was not too sad about. Instead I met with one of my friends who had just had a heated exchange in the corridor with one of his French teachers about her being culturally insensitive. He was very upset and wanted to talk to me about it! I had a lunch appointment at 12 with an Australian couple I know so I met with my friend for an hour and then he offered to drive me to their house. My Australian friends, the Macnamaras, have been very good to me since I have been here and they wanted me to have a quick pre-Christmas lunch with them. I really wanted to go. For the life of me though I could not remember the street they lived on. I drove around and around and around trying to find their house and just simply could not find it. My mind had gone totally blank. I tried to call them – but my cell phone had run out of credit!! So I had to try and hunt down a payphone. Eventually I got directions, and told my friend which way to go. As we turned the corner a car came hurtling into us and hit us side on crashing into my leg and tearing the front of my friend’s moto. The driver of the car then got out and began shouting in Khmer at my friend. Very quickly a crowd gathered. I know how to say in Khmer “It’s no problem,” so I just kept repeating that phrase until he calmed down. Eventually he did and he drove off. My friend and I stood for a while until we got our composure back and then continued on. Thankfully lunch was excellent – amazing food – but I could only stay for thirty minutes as I had to be back to teach my one o’clock class.

When I arrived back at the university I ran up to the class room and began the lesson. About forty minutes into the lesson I began to feel really ill. I started going dizzy, my stomach really hurt and I began sweating. I could not concentrate on anything I was saying. I apologized to the students and told them I had to cancel the rest of the class as I was not feeling too good. They seemed to understand, but I worry that they may be upset with me. They are so used to professors here canceling classes, I did not want to just be another professor who let them down. I had to come home though and just rest. Phew…what a day…and there is still over seven hours to go!!!

I have realized that for the past few weeks I have been trying to do far too much – meeting with students, teaching and teaching prep, beginning my new student club, working on assignments for my graduate classes this January. In the midst of all this business I have been relying far too much on my own strength and not on the One who called me and sent me. If I continue to rely on my own strength I will fail. I need to rest in Him.

Christmas in Cambodia

2007-12-13T04:50:00.000-06:00

December has arrived. This is my first time to celebrate the Christmas season in a country that does not recognize Christmas as a public holiday. There are very few signs of the Christmas season, but we as a team have tried to ensure that our students know that it is Christmas and that they know why this season is important to us. Last week we invited the students to help decorate our office for Christmas. It was great. The students really enjoyed it and they did a great job – which, if the truth be known surprised me greatly as when you look at most Khmer houses the interior decorating leaves a lot to be desired! On Tuesday of this week I also decided to put up a tree in our house. I was going to do it by myself – which I decided was far too depressing and just a little strange – so I called one of my students, Sideom, and invited him over to help. He was so excited about it. He had never put up a tree before and had no idea what Christmas meant. It was a great opportunity to share with him. I invited him to my house for Christmas day. I have to teach Christmas day – which will be a great shock to the system – but after classes I would like to invite some students to the house for a Christmas party. Please lift this opportunity up.

At the beginning of the month Tricia, Kompheak and I went up to Siem Reap to run in the 10k race. The purpose of the race was to raise money for land mine victims. It was my first ever long distance race. I was dreading it – with a capital D! We took the bus on the six hour journey – Siem Reap is on the other side of the country, towards Thailand. It was great to be back there. When I came to visit Cambodia in 2005 we spent three days in the city – mainly exploring the amazing Angkor temples. These temples are simply breathtaking – in their size and beauty. They are the symbol of Cambodia and a reminder of how great this nation used to be. The course of the race was around one of the biggest temples. It was amazing. The experience was so different to the times when I was training for the race. Every morning when I would practice running around the park near my house it was awful! I would never be able to complete the full ten kilometers. The heat would get to me, it would be so early, I felt like I was running around in circles. The run in Siem Reap was, however, so different. I felt like I had so much more energy and motivation. My goal was to finish the course in one piece and both Tricia and I managed to do that and we both recorded pretty good times – so it was a successful trip! Thank you so much to all of my friends at Springhill Baptist who supported me in the race – I really appreciate it!

This month has also been a good month in continuing to build relationships. I really feel like I now have a good circle of friends here. My daily routine is now pretty much established and as such I am feeling much more at home. The day usually involves waking up insanely early (as classes start at 7am) going to teach my first class. I then usually will walk over to the restaurant just opposite the university, with a student or students, for a bowl of noodle soup for breakfast. I return to campus for my second class or I will go and spend time in the office or the English library. After lunch and when I am finished at the university I will go home for my Khmer lesson, which usually lasts an hour (one hour a day). During the evening I’ll either hang out with one of my friends here for dinner or I’ll have a team meeting. Many times students will call and just want to come over to the house and watch a movie or just talk. There are days when I will say goodbye to one friend just to see another one riding down the street on his way to the house. Having a home here is so different to having a home back in the States. Everyday someone will knock on the gate or call and invite themselves over. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming – and I have to be disciplined not to say yes to every request – but also I want to be as available as I can be.

Well if I do not manage to speak to you before Christmas I want you to know that I will be thinking of all of you over the Christmas season. I will be lifting up each of you, my supporters, by name. I am so thankful for you and your continuing gifts and incredible support!

I love you and miss you all!

Merry Christmas.

Thanksgiving celebrations…and the dreaded Ten K run!

2007-11-26T04:15:00.000-06:00

In Britain, obviously, we do not celebrate Thanksgiving. The whole concept of Thanksgiving is an alien one to us. As a child growing up I used to be so confused as to why Americans had two Christmases. I was envious of the fact that they got to eat two huge meals a year whereas we in Britain only had one. Since moving to America I decided that I would celebrate Thanksgiving with enthusiasm. Being in Cambodia – where most people have never heard of Thanksgiving – I was able to celebrate this “all American” festival with even more enthusiasm. If it were not for the fact that Father led me to America I would not be here, in this place, today. I am so incredibly thankful to Father that He graciously put me on a new path, in 2004, a path that took me from Scotland to America to Cambodia. I am so thankful that he led me to America to meet the people who would enable me to be sent to this place. I am so thankful that he led me to America to find a church full of people I love and people who are willing to invest in what Father is doing here. I am so thankful that Father led me to America to meet Brandy, my girlfriend, a girl who has been such an amazing source of encouragement and hope and joy in my life – even from such a distance as this. I am so thankful to Father that he led me to America – a country in which I rediscovered my faith in Him; a Father of amazing grace, of limitless mercy and unconditional love. A Father who not only loves me – but loves the people here. In the same way He led me on a path of redemption, He too has a plan of redemption for my friends here. I long for them to come to a realization of that truth.

Last Friday we had a Thanksgiving dinner at Vandenn and Danielle’s house. It was awesome. We cooked. We ate. We played (well attempted to play) American football. Danielle and Laura cooked the Turkey. Kompheak, Ryan and I peeled and mashed the potatoes. The Coxes brought a ham. Tricia and Tara made Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie. Jim came with his famous green bean casserole. I am not sure what Steve brought – he certainly ate a lot though! It was a great day of celebrating together as a team and also with our new found Cambodian friends.

Last week, and I guess this coming week too, has also been accompanied by a great deal of dread. This Sunday I will be running the annual Angkor Wat 10K charity race. The race is for the purpose of raising funds for the countless landmine victims here in Cambodia. I have no idea what I have got myself into. I have never ran such a distance before and I am still not convinced I am able to do this. Tricia, Victoria and I have been trying to run every morning, at 6am – although some mornings I have to admit I fail to make it down to the park! One day last week Tricia and Victoria failed to make it to the park and I went by myself. I cycled there and ran five laps – and then walked home! I had to walk home as mid way through my run my bike was stolen. I was way too exhausted to be angry or sad about it. I just sighed and walked home!

I think I am going to buy a small motorbike in the next few weeks. It is by far the best mode of travel here – slightly dangerous – but then walking on the sidewalk is a life threatening activity here, so it’s all relative!

A week of celebrations and a moment of reflection!

2007-11-16T22:19:00.001-06:00

This past week has been a week of celebrations. Last Friday was a public holiday (there are a lot of Public Holidays in this tiny country). It was Cambodia's Independence day. In 1953 the nation secured her independence from the French empire. Cambodia was free. The country comes together every year to celebrate this event. Considering all that the country has been through since 1953 some would wonder what exactly Cambodia has to celebrate - but the fact is that modern day Cambodia really is a miracle. The fact that the country is a free and independent nation after years of war, violence, oppression and genocide is truly remarkable. Early on Friday morning I heard music and cheers from outside my house. I went on my bike and cycled to investigate what the noise was all about. Just a few blocks from our house is the Independence Monument and surrounding the monument were hundreds of people waving Cambodian flags. Everyone was there - governement ministers, the armed forces, diplomats, school children and even the King (pictured above - it was incredible how close I could get to him)! Only Cambodia would celebrate it's national birthday with a full military parade at seven o'clock in the morning! It was great to see just how proud these people were of their nation and their hard won freedom. The King, to much fanfare, lit the Independence Flame, and then he walked around and met all the crowd. The King is extremely popular here - and he seems to have a real connection with the people.

Monday was my birthday. Thanks so much to all of you who sent birthday wishes - I really appreciated them. I remember thinking back before I left that Birthdays and Christmas would be really difficult here being so far away from family and friends. In one sense it really was difficult. But it was also amazing. So many of those I love and care about called me and spoke with me - that I did not feel far away at all. In fact that evening I was able to speak with Brandy in Africa and then have a conference call - on the Internet - with my family all at the same time on one truly international conference call! We were able to speak with each other, together, from Kentucky, Trinidad and Cambodia!

The ELI team also came to my house for a "rooftop" birthday party. It was so much fun. I was able to invite some of my students and Khmer friends too. Tara, one of the ELI teachers here even made me home made cheesecake (my favorite)! The Cambodian's were a little confused by the concept of Cheesecake - but they seemed to like it!

Classes are going well. The schedule seems to have settled down! I am still trying to teach myselfs the basics of "Law" so that I can teach the students "Legal English". It is a little intimidating teaching a subject that I know very little about - but I am enjoying learning.

Last week I made three new Khmer friends. Two of them are second year law students at the University and the third is one of their friends. We met on campus last week - and since then we have spent almost every day together - either over lunch or breakfast or just simply coffee. Cambodian's are like that - if you open up to them and show that you are interested in a friendship they will want to spend time with you every day! I have invited them to my house tonight and will attempt to cook for them!!! YIKES!!!

There was also a low point of the week. On Wednesday a young 28 year old french lady was killed very close to the university. She was a victim of a purse snatcher. She was riding a moto, thiefs attempted to steal her purse, in the process she fell off the moto and died instantly. This event hit our team hard as we realised just how fragile life is, the reality of the dangers that exist around us, and the urgency of our task. It was a sobering experience for me to reflect on the fact that in the week that I turned 28, a young 28 year old lady - doing similar work to me - lost her life! Thankfully we have a protector and sustainer of our life and we can trust in Him for all things. Our time here on Earth will end when we have completed the work He has assigned us to do. May we continue to remain faithful to His call.

Thinking about you - and so thankful for you all - especially during this Thanksgiving week!

Short video of commute to work!

2007-11-09T09:23:00.000-06:00

I know this video is not that great - I am just practising with my new media software on my computer. I hope to put several videos on here of life in Cambodia. This week has been one very busy week. We finally....finally....started teaching this week. It has been so great to finally get into a classroom. There are still a few issues with the schedule - for example on Tuesday I went to the classroom I thought I was meant to be in and assumed the students in the classroom were mine. I started the lesson I had planned - but it turned out they were the wrong students. My class were waiting in the room next door! Ooooopps!

On Thursday I had the privilege of visiting the Cambodian Senate. Two weeks ago I met a former student of the University who now works for the Senate. We met when I was buying a newspaper one day. She started a conversation and asked me why I was in Cambodia - when I told her I worked at the Law School she was very excited - as it is the university she graduated from. She invited me to go and tour the Senate campus and to meet the Senator who she works for. He was a very nice man (did not speak much English). He was probably in his seventies and was extremely friendly. He sat next to me and told me stories about when he was at military college in Hawaii and when he was a Governor of one of the provinces in the north of the country. He has been a Senator now for eight years and presently sits on the Human Rights Commission. I asked him if he would speak to my classes and discuss aspects of Cambodia's constitutional law - and he graciously agreed. It was a great experience and I am so glad I got the opportunity to meet him.

My first culinary victims!

2007-10-30T01:17:00.000-06:00

On Sunday night I invited two of my Khmer friends - Spencer and Kompeak - to the house and we went shopping and then cooked together. It was great! The only mistake I made was to marinate the beef in the Spring roll dipping sauce instead of the beef sauce - but oh well - they still liked it!

On the menu was Spring Rolls and Khmer Beef Lok Lac - with fried potato slices.

Cooking Class!

2007-10-27T08:20:00.000-06:00

I have decided that while here I want to learn as much about Cambodia as possible. I want to learn the language, eat the food, cook the food, explore the country, learn the history and attend the festivals. So today Jim and I went to a whole day of Khmer cooking classes! I cannot cook. I repeat...I CAN NOT COOK! I can not cook any kind of food and definately not Khmer food. So today was a challenge - but it was incredible fun. I now have a cache of Khmer dinners that I can prepare and wow unsuspecting visitors - well I hope to wow them and not poison them! We first of all went on a hair raisingly terrifying visit to the market - if you are squeamish do not watch the video of the skinned headless frogs jumping about (you have been warned) - and then we cooked and cooked and cooked and then ATE!!!!! We made friend spring rolls, Green curry, Fish Amok (my favorite dish - steamed fish marinated in red curry paste) and a not so good Khmer dessert made out of lentils and rice flower (it really tastes as bad as it sounds).

My banana leaf shell did not turn out exactly as the teacher showed us how to do it. His is on the right...mine is on the left...if I cook this at home I will substitute the banana leaves for something else!

After the day of cooking the teacher, his name was Heng, came back to my house. We had a very long conversation about life. He is an amazing guy and has such an incredible story. I will not share it here as it is his story to share - but his is an awe inspiring example of someone who can succeed in life despite a childhood of incredible tragedy and apparent hoplessness. Please continue to lift Him up. I would love to have more opportunities to share with him and to form a friendship.

Trip to Battambang

2007-10-18T23:58:00.001-06:00

Last week was a holiday. We have not even started teaching yet and the university shuts down for three days. Some of us took the opportunity to go and explore a part of the country we have not visited before. We went to the city of Battambang - some six hours west of Phnom Penh. The city is the second largest town in the country. It appears to be a thriving industrial town, it is in the heart of Cambodia's rice idustry, but as far as things for visitors to do there was very little. The city is full of old French colonial buildings that are run down and in disrepair. The building hark back to an era when this city and this nation enjoyed peace and relative prospoerity. The infrastructure of the town is now seriously lacking. At night the town got very dark - as there were very few street lights. Thankfully I was looking at the ground as I was walking as I was able to avoid a man hole in the ground. If I kept walking straight I am convinced I would have fallen down it and my body probably would been discovered in about fifteen years time. I could not believe a hole that deep would have been left totally uncovered, in the dark!

The main reason I went to the city was to visit a friend of mine. His name is Saveaouy and we became friends two years ago when I was last here. He has now graduated from college and works for a development agency in one of the poorest provinces in the country. It was so great seeing him again and getting the opportunity to got and meet his family and his future wife. He has such a big heart and is a great example of young gifted people in this country who are determined to help improve the nation.

There were several reminders of the countries recent tragic past. Saveaouy's girlfriend was extremely nice and very friendly. She comes from a family of two girls and two boys. She has been raised mainly by her mother as her father was killed when she was ten years old. He stepped on a landmine. Battambang province is scattered with landmines. This was one of the last strongholds of the Khmer Rouge. Even in the nineties this was a war zone. My langauge tutor told me that he has not been back to Battambang since 1994. His father was a taxi driver and would take people from Phnom Penh to Battambang. San was in the car oneday with his father when they reached the provinced their car was surouned by Khmer Rouge militia. The soldiers asked for money before they would let them go further along the road. When they did not give them enough money they opened fire. The female passenger in the back was shot at point blank ranged and killed. They were allowed to go into the city - they took the bloody body to the hospital - but it was too late. She was another innocent victim of the madness of the war that ravaged this nation.

The city is also a city full of reminders of the fact that this is a very religious society. The town was full of statues and idols with countless people bowing down to them and offering gifts. They are seeking merit and good fortune. These people seem desperate for something more than the physical world around them. They yearn for a better reality - their worshipping idols made out of stone is a reflection of this longing.

The Team Photo Shoot

2007-10-16T22:08:00.001-06:00

TEAM CAMBODIA!

So...my bike does not have a mudflap...I turned up to the photo shoot - much to everyone's enjoyment - with mud all over my backside!!!

Would you take these people seriously?

Women's Rugby, Norwegian Salmon, more furniture and spirits returning from the dead!

2007-10-09T03:15:00.001-06:00

On Saturday I went to the South East Asian Women's Rugby Championship at the National Olympic Stadium. It amazes me that a country like Cambodia has an Olympic stadium. It is a living monument to how great and ambitious this country used to be. Back in the sixties, before all the wars, Cambodia was a very prosperous place. It was nicknames the “Pearl of South East Asia”. During that time the government constructed this structure with the hope that one day they may host the games. Well events led to the destruction of that hope and this country – but the stadium still stands! The rugby tournament was a great deal of fun - although it rained and I got very very wet. It is great that the international community puts these kinds of events on here - and for free! It allows the people to take time out of their busy and difficult lives to cheer on their home team. There were many Cambodians enthusiastically cheering on their national team - who, sadly, came last!

Last Friday the rector of the university (basically the President) met with all of the ELI teachers. It was such an encouragement to meet with him. He shared with us just how much he appreciated us giving up our lives back in the States to come to teach at his school. He was very impressed by the quality of the teaching. He also told us that the students who have had ELI teachers are the ones who go on to win scholarships at universities abroad. The reports he has heard back from those universities is that those students are amongst the best they have taught. He was such a nice man and clearly he was very grateful for the work of ELI. I was very humbled by the meeting and came away with a new level of appreciation for the opportunity that I have been given here. As an organization we have a great deal of favor in the eyes of the university administration. I just hope and pray that I will be able to live up to the expectations and will not do anything to damage that good favor!

Yesterday I went ahead and bought the last few pieces of furniture for our house. We now have a room that we can use when hosting students. I am hoping this will become one of the most used rooms in the house. I really wanted it to be a comfortable and relaxing place for students just to hang out in. The moto ride home from the street that sells wicca furniture was great fun!!!

This week is an important week for all Cambodians. It marks the last four days of a fifteen day Khmer Buddhist holiday: Prachum Benda, or Pchum Ben for short. Cambodians believe that although most living creatures are reincarnated at death, due to bad karma, some souls are not reincarnated but rather remain trapped in the spirit world. Each year, for fifteen days, these souls are released from the spirit world to search for their living relatives, meditate and repent. We live right next to a Buddhist Wat and each night we can hear the monks calling out for to the spirits inviting them to attend the festival. Last night I asked one of the security guards working on our street what was happening and he said the monks were inviting the ghosts to come back from the spirit world. People here take this holiday very seriously - the university will even be closed for four days. Please lift this nation up at this time. It can be a time when many are asking big questions - may we be available to offer truth to them.

2007-10-05T22:16:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday night I was invited to a party at the U.S. Embassy. Spencer, the guy at the far left, has become a really good friend of mine since I have been here. He works for a local engineering company - and is hoping to one day attend the Univeristy of Hawai to work on an MBA. He has a friend who worked at the embassy and he asked if I would go with him to a party the embassy was hosting. It was a great opportunity to meed some incredibly gifted and talented Cambodian students. We had some great conversations and they taught me so much about what life is like in Cambodia. They all possessed so much potential and I just hope and pray they will be given the opportunities and chances to succeed that students of their callabre and talents would in the west.

Introducing...Polly!

2007-09-29T00:10:00.000-06:00

Polly is an angel! She comes to our house twice a week and cleans and cooks. It was her birhtday last week! She thinks she is 45 - but she has no idea for sure. We gave her a birthday cake with candles!! She really loved that. She has begun to share more about her past - during the Khmer Rouge regime she was forced to leave the city - with her family. She had to live in the labor camps and was forced to do manual labor for four years. She lost her father - who was murdered - along with her grandparents. In all, eleven of her family were murdered! It was so difficult listening to her share all she has been through - and yet so amazing to hear how father used those experiences to lead her to Him!

Guys of Team Cambodia

2007-09-27T08:48:00.000-06:00

Well this past weekend we went on a team retreat to the beach. It was amazing. It was a great time for us to really get to know each other as a team, to have fun, and to enjoy some fellowship. Vandenn our team leader put together this video!!! It is quite embarassing - so I apologize! It is dedicated to the fact that this is the first time team Cambodia is made up of mostly men - in order of appearance it is - Chris, Ryan, Vandenn, Me, Jim and Steve!

The rainy season, Phnom Penh Sights and Delivering furniture!

2007-09-13T05:55:00.000-06:00

Well I have now been here for almost three weeks. Time has just flown by. I thought I would share with you some pictures of my time here so far. It is the rainy season right now - and when it rains here it really rains! The rain is, however, a very welcome relief from the intense heat. It is quite fun watching how the Cambodians react when it rains - they love it! The rain can lead to a lot of flooding though - but thankfully the street we live on does not flood that much. For a country that is so dependent on rice, rain is a very good thing! I am not sure if this year has been a good year for rain or not - but there has certainly been a lot of it!

This next picture is a view from the roof of our new house. It overlooks a small Buddhist pagoda and a very poor shanty community. There are hundreds of people crammed into a tiny block of land - all trying to etch out an existence. Standing out on our roof every morning and looking out at the city is an amazing reminder of why we are here.

The next two images offer a stark contrast of modern day Cambodia. First of all there is the grand central market. You can find anything in here - from deep fried tarantulas to designer clothes and watches! It is a great place just to walk around and mix with the locals on search of a bargain. It can be intimidating though having to haggle for a good price - but it is fun! The next picture is of Cambodia's first every shopping mall. This is a real example of how Cambodia is progressing as a nation. When I was here two years ago this mall was always pretty empty and there were lots of empty shop units - now it is full to the brim and there are plans to build a brand new and bigger mall! Most Cambodians, however, still prefer the market to the mall mainly because the mall is really geared just to the very few who can afford to buy things in there. The majority of Cambodians would not be able to afford the mall and therefore they still do their shopping in the market or in the many second hand stores. There is a huge gap between the very rich and the very poor here.

One obvious example of the very rich is the monarchy. Today we had the opportunity to go and visit the royal palace. The royal palace is beautiful and it is situated just on the banks of the River. The king is still a very much respected figure in Cambodia. He is a unifying figurehead who stands above the political turmoil of this fragile nation. We were shown around the palace by three of the students from the University.

This is a picture of one of the strangest parts of the palace. When Cambodia became a French colony, Napoleon the Emperor of France, gave the King of Cambodia a gift in the form of a traditional French pavilion. It really looks strange and totally out of place - and as you look at the pictures I don't think the King thinks much of it too as no attempts have been made to keep it in good condition or even to use the building!

Ryan and I are settling in to our new house - slowly but gradually it is beginning to feel like a home. This afternoon we went out to buy some furniture - the store offered to deliver it to our house. The means of delivery was on the back of a motorbike! We piled onto this motobike two desks, two chairs, a bookshelf, and a chest of drawers - and then Ryan and I had to sit on the back too so that we could hold the furniture down and direct the driver to our house!!! Thankfully we, and all the furniture, arrived in one piece!

Please can you remember me to Father this week. I am not feeling too good today. I have got a head cold - which basically means a sore throat, fever and headache. I am doing fine - and am taking some medicine I bought with me from Wall mart! It is just a cold and nothing more - but it is making me very tired! Language study is also proving a struggle - I am actually enjoying it - and am getting the opportunity to use it on people I meet etc - but it is very difficult! Please ask that I will have wisdom, humility and patience as I try to learn Khmer. I see everyday the importance of learning the language and I am determined to do so. But it is a battle!! However, as with all things - the battle belongs to Him and not us. He is strong despite our many weaknesses!

Thanks for your continuing prayers and support.

Daniel

A stranger in a foreign land!

2007-09-06T03:06:00.000-06:00

Wow!! I cannot believe I am in Phnom Penh. Finally after months of exhausting preparation, after two years of praying – I have finally arrived. I am in Cambodia. For the next few years at least this will be home. It is so incredibly exciting. We left Vietnam early Sunday morning and flew to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and then got a connecting flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. At the airport we were met by Vandenn (the country director), his wife Danielle and one of the officials from the university. It was great to see Vandenn and Danielle again – they were with us in Palm Springs during orientation.

Last week was mainly spent house hunting. This was not as easy as I first thought it would be. It was a challenge finding a place to live on a tight budget in the States – but here it is another story. There is no such thing as realtors in Cambodia. We basically just had to walk or drive around the streets searching for signs saying “For Rent.” It proved extremely difficult to find a house that is both safe and within my budget. Most of the houses that would be considered safe and ideal were too expensive and are aimed at ex-pats who are working for charities or aid agencies etc. But last thing last Friday we found the ideal house. It is in a great location and fits out budget!! We moved in Sunday. I will try to take some pictures soon and put them on here.

It is strange being back here. In some ways it feels like I have never been away. It was two years ago that I was last here but because I have been thinking about Cambodia almost daily ever since then it almost feels like I have never left. It is a strange feeling. Things have changed a little since I left in 2005. There are more paved roads. There are more cars. There is less trash. Despite these apparent improvements it is still obvious that this is a third world country. One very noticeable thing is the huge gap that is developing between the extremely rich and the extremely poor - there seems to be very few people in the middle. Still a huge percentage of the population earn just a dollar a day. Prices, however, seem to be increasing rapidly. Cambodia has got a lot more expensive than when I was here last.

I am so aware of how much I have to accomplish in the next few weeks and how much I need to learn. I began language learning yesterday. Please lift me up as I try to learn the language. I know I am going to find it a struggle - I just need to rely on Father. I also have to orientate myself with the city...I bought a bike this week...and I am beginning to learn the way around. I have to learn all I need in order to begin work at the University. It is a lot to take it – but as I said I am so excited about it. I cannot begin to thank you all for your support and donations that allow me to be here. Thank you so very very much!!!!! Internet is not as readily available here – but I will still try my hardest to update my blog and keep in touch as much as I possible can.

I read this quote this week and it pretty much sums up perfectly what I am feeling and experiencing...

"As a foreigner you and your history will be unfamiliar to the people of the target country, who most often will be only mildly interested in your origins. Your identity will be reduced only to what you are at the moment you face them. You will not feel known by them. You'll be lost in the midst of people who are and feel at home, who are bound to one another in an intricate network of relationships, who have a different language from your own, a different history, and different aspirations. Their values, tastes, and assumptions will be foreign to you. You won't fit. As a stranger, you'll never know before hand whether you'll be welcomed or met with studied indifference, aloof intolerance, or even cold hostility. Often the bewildered, shocked look of the locals will tell you that you've committed some unforgivable social blunder. You'll feel lost and powerless. People won't laugh at your jokes and you won't "get" theirs. You won't be able to blend in. Furthermore when shopping you won't know the actual value of the merchandise you're buying, and thus, you'll never be sure if you're being exploited or treated fairly. However, being a stranger does not mean to be altogether forsaken and alienated, but instead to be specially bonded to Father. He did not desert the people in Egypt or Babylon. The biblical view of being a stranger always implies a convenantal relationship with Him. This primary relationship frees us from ultimate dependency on our location or our culture. As strangers we will always belong to a worldwide family of faith. Being a stranger in a foreign land carries with it unexpected blessings: it provides us with the opportunity to learn in a unique way that we are in our Father's special care."

AMEN

Ha Long Bay

2007-08-28T20:40:00.000-06:00

Our practicum ended on Friday and some of us decided that we would go on a road trip to the far north of Vietnam to see the world-renowned Ha Long Bay. This incredible natural phenomenon is an official world heritage site. It was breath taking. My friend Kirsten took these pictures. She is a great photographer. We had spent over four weeks in the one hotel and the same city and as such it was great to escape and explore more of Vietnam. It really is a beautiful country.

One thing I have learnt from my time in Asia – both last time I was here and this time – is that bus trips can be extremely eventful. The bus trip to Ha Long Bay was certainly eventful. There were five of us traveling – myself, Scott, Ryan, Kirsten and Karen. There were four Vietnamese men who worked on the twenty seat bus (in Vietnam there always seemed to be three people employed for every one job!) their job was to simply collect the money and basically make sure the seats filled up with customers. For some reason they were obsessed with me. They took turns to sit next to me. One took my headphones out of my ears and began listening to my music. They took my shoes off my feet and tried them on – and laughed at how big my feet were. Once one of the guys started pulling the hair on my legs and then they kept pulling the hair on my arms – I felt quite violated! They then kept touching the spikes in my hair – clearly fascinated – and they kept saying “You are very handsome would you like a Vietnamese girl?” I am not sure if they were joking if they were being serious or what. It was a very bizarre experience! I was kind of glad when the bus trip was over (3 hours later). My teammates did nothing to protect me – they found the whole thing extremely amusing!!!

On a more depressing note one of the hardest things I have had to cope with so far being over here happened during our drive back to Hanoi from Ha Long Bay. There appeared to be a serious traffic jam. We could not work out what the hold up was. It felt like we were stuck for ages. It became apparent however, by the presence of the police and crowds, that there was a serious accident. As we got closer to the crowd the scene that met us was horrific. A man was lying at the side of the road. He was clearly dead. There was blood all over the road and the remains of his moto and belongings were strewn across the road. It reminded me of just how fragile life is. How fleeting life can be. We are mere vapors in the wind. We are here today and gone tomorrow. We must make the most of every precious second we have. We must cherish ever opportunity we are given. We must abandon our small ambitions and give our all to the call. Life does not have to end in hopeless despair. If people are sent and people go then the message of hope can be spread and death will truly lose its sting.

Practicum

2007-08-28T20:39:00.000-06:00

Last week was one hectic week. It was the final week of our training in Hanoi. In order to graduate with our certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language we had to complete a practicum. The practicum was essentially a period of student teaching. Each of us had to teach a course on “English and Tourism” at the Vietnam Institute of International Relations. Each class we taught was monitored and assessed. It was quite a daunting prospect – but the whole experience was actually extremely encouraging. In enabled me to experience, for the first time, what exactly it would be like to teach at a South East Asian University. The students were incredible. Their knowledge of English far surpassed my expectations. These students were not interested in being taught the basics of the English language – they wanted to go in depth. They wanted to know how to communicate within formal settings, how to discuss such topics as world affairs, how to engage fluently with English speaking diplomats and businessmen. My impression of students in this region was greatly enhanced. On the whole they have endured incredible hardships and their determination to succeed and their willingness to work hard was admirable. I felt extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to teach these students and I am now incredibly excited about meeting my students at the Royal University of Law and Economics in Phnom Penh.

Pictures of my first week teaching in Asia

2007-08-21T07:31:00.001-06:00

I have had the opportunity this week to teach a course on "English and Tourism" at the Hanoi Institute of International Relations. Most of the students at the school are training to become diplomats. They were excellent students. This is the final week of our training here in Vietnam and it has been so great. I am loving actually being in the classroom! (Thanks Chris for taking the pictures!)

Life is like a box of chocolates!

2007-08-19T08:44:00.000-06:00

Well it’s Sunday again – in fact Sunday is almost over. This time next week I will be in Cambodia. I seriously cannot wait. I have waited so long to get there, I have had to jump over many hurdles, that there have been moments when I almost believed it would never happen. There is also so much still to do before I finally board that plane for Phnom Penh. This week is going to be one crazy week. Tomorrow morning I will be officially starting my teaching career here in South East Asia – as for the first time I will have the opportunity to teach at an Asian college.

This is the week of our practicum and we have been charged with delivering a course entitled “English and Tourism” to second year students at the Vietnam Institute of International Relations. Each of us being trained will teach twelve hours and each lesson will be monitored and assessed by both ELI personnel and Vietnamese mentors. I have taught in Scotland and in the States – but I have to say I am entering this week with a great deal of trepidation. I love teaching. I love education. I love being in a classroom. But this is a whole new ball game. There are so many factors involved in teaching in South East Asia that will be totally new to me – the language barrier, the lack of resources, student expectations and of course the heat! I just hope I manage to do ok and that I do not let ELI, the students or our Father down. When we are weak He is strong.

On Friday afternoon I allowed the stress to get to me. Part of the difficulties of living over here is the lack of structure. My personality loves schedules. I schedule and plan everything and I tend to freak out when plans change. Well plans seriously changed on Friday. I was told that I would not be teaching the lesson I had worked on all week because of schedule changes – instead I would have to start planning all over again. Also we were initially told each lesson would be around an hour and a half long and then we were informed that the lessons would now be two and a half hours long. I would have been ok with this if it were not for the fact that we also have two exams to work on this weekend. I just felt like everything was piling up and I would not be able to give everything my best. I am a bit of a perfectionist – one of my many flaws. However, that night I got news that gave me a reality shock. The wife of Brandy’s pastor was tragically killed in a car wreck. She left behind her daughter – who witnessed her mom die. Life is so fragile. Life is so precious. Life is so much more than lesson plans and schedules and exams. Life is about relationships. It is about making the most of every minute of every day to invest in the lives of those around us. It is not about what we achieve or how good we look. It is not about success or fortune. It is about people. It is about living out the truth that is within us. So as I go into that classroom tomorrow morning I will be going to meet thirty young Vietnamese students – not to impress them or wow them – but to hopefully show them that they are loved and valued and that their life has meaning.

Life does not happen neatly. Life is not about schedules or tidy little plans. Life is messy. Life is complicated. There will be ups and there will be downs. And you know what? That’s ok…because we can rest assured in the one sure truth of who we are in Him. We can also rest secure in the knowledge that His plans never change. His schedule is always on time. So…Daniel…stop trusting in the plans of man, relax and start living the adventure He has called you to live.

Talking about adventure – guess what we did last night????? KARAOKE….Oh yeah!!!! It was so much fun. When in Asia do as the Asians do!!! It was so much fun...the picture is of me singing Disney's "Can you feel the love tonight?" - I literally brought the house down.

ICE CREAM!!

2007-08-10T08:39:00.000-06:00

We just went out on the town and did my all time favorite Friday night activity!!! Ate Ice Cream! We found an Ice Cream cafe and they had these crazy ice cream creations. Mine was Pinocchio...it was really good.

Before Ice cream we went to a neat restaurant that served traditional dishes from all over Vietnam. It was a really really really busy place. When you ask for Skewered Shrimp what do you get? A giant whole shrimp on a skewer!!

Two weeks left in Vietnam!

2007-08-10T04:26:00.000-06:00

I just got out of class. Today's class finished our second week of training here in Hanoi. We have a little over two weeks before we all leave and go to our respective college campuses. Although the training has been incredibly intense - it has been really good. I am enjoying the classes more this week as they relate to the actual teaching aspect of what we will be doing. Next week we will be starting a new class - Curriculum Development. This class will be taught by a lady from New Zealand who began her teaching career in the seventies, teaching English in pre Khmer-Rouge Cambodia. I am really excited about meeting her.

This week really has been a roller coaster. I have had some great "I am so glad I am here" moments and also a few "what in the world am I doing here" moments. Being away from those I know and love is inevitably going to result in some moments of sadness and regret. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss the familiarity of home. I miss my church. I miss so much. If I did not miss those things there would be something wrong with me. I know I am not alone in this though. I am surrounded by friends who have traveled the same path as me and are experiencing the same feelings. In the midst of these feelings of loneliness though God has blessed me with some incredible experiences in which He has quietly reassured me that He is here, and everything will be OK.

On Tuesday night I met up with a friend I made when I was at church on Sunday (seen in the picture). He is from Cambodia, more specifically he is from the city in which I lived and worked last time I was there. We "just happened" to sit next to each other at church. He wanted to get to know me better and so he offered to take me out for dinner. We went to the West Lake - which is a massive lake in Hanoi and seems to be a popular hang out spot for young and trendy twenty somethings. We ate at a small and simple side walk restaurant that served Khmer style food. It was excellent. Probably the best food I have had so far on this trip. We talked for hours about Cambodia and about his hopes, dreams and aspirations. It was great to hear his story and his heart. He put me in touch with some of his friends back in Cambodia - and hopefully I will be able to meet up with them when I am there.

One recurring theme of my time here in Vietnam has been the fact that when I go out to eat I never quite seem to get what I order off the menu. This problem is not unique to me - others on the team are having the same problem. Instead of eating the delicious Beef Noodles I thought I ordered yesterday I had to make do with the Shrimp and Pigeon egg soup! Instead of the crispy duck I thought I ordered today I had to eat boiled duck fat mixed with cooked bamboo shoots. Mmmmm yummy! Who knows what I will be eating tonight....

This weekend...right around the corner of our hotel...is the 2007 Vietnam Beer Festival! :-) Unfortunately, if we went, we will have to just make do with sniffing and looking as ELI teachers are not allowed to drink alcohol while in Asia....probably for the best....he he!

Interesting Event of The Week - Our Hotel Hosted a Banquet for the Taiwanese Government's Official Representative to Vietnam this week. There were lots of important looking people milling around the hotel.

Interesting South East Asian Fact of The Week - Asians are obsessed with Mr Bean!!!!! I went to the shopping mall on Wednesday night and on every television screen there he was...Mr Bean...and in front of every TV were a crowd of Vietnamese quietly laughing away!!

Some Pictures of us busy in class!!

More pics from Hanoi

2007-08-08T21:34:00.001-06:00

Vietnam!

2007-08-07T03:39:00.000-06:00

It was sad leaving Palm Springs and all the incredible friends I made at ELI/C training. It really was an amazing week. Everyone is now in the second part of our training - most have gone to Beijing, but those of us who are on team South East Asia are here in Hanoi completing a certificate in teaching English as a second language.

Its day five of my time here in Vietnam and I am sitting in a coffee shop in Hanoi. I found a pretty cool one that has a reasonable wireless connection, although they need to turn some lights on as I can hardly see my keyboard. As I think back over the past five days I am slightly overwhelmed at all that has happened. The days have been so busy that I have never really take a step back to think about all that we have done and experienced

When I arrived last Wednesday, despite my sleepiness I was able to appreciate the fact that Hanoi really is a nice city. This is my second time to Vietnam. My last trip was to the South and it was a mixture of both incredibly exciting and extremely intimidating experiences. As such I returned with a level of apprehension. These fears were however allayed by the warm welcome we received from the other ELI teachers. One of them, Susan, took us out on our first day. She is very nice - she's been here since 1999. She took us out for lunch and then we went to the Hanoi Museum of Ethnology! It was actually a lot more interesting than it sounds. The museum contained some really interesting displays on life in the real Vietnam – from the many ethnic groups to life during the hard years of the subsidy economy. It really was a well put together and very honest museum.

There is a lot of French influence here - which is to be expected - and as such there are a lot of cool street side cafes. It is still South East Asia though - and so those who visit still has to put up with the craziness, the traffic, the smells and the noise!!! But all those things are just part of the fun.

I am so glad that I am here, I really am. I still cannot believe I am back. I really do love being in this part of the world. Today has been another exhausting day though. There were several moments when I just wanted to fall asleep on my teacher – it really is not his fault! I guess my body is just struggling to take all this information in. There is just so much to learn in such a short period of time - it makes my head hurt! The more I learn the more I realize just how different it will be to teach in an Asian context. I have taught back in the States and in Scotland and I think I came here with the misguided notion that teaching English is Asia is the same as teaching English in the West. Now, however, I am very conscious of the fact that that is not the case. I never thought about just how much there was going to be to this! I am enjoying it - but it is very intense.

Life in Asia can be frustrating...but every day is an adventure...you never know quite what you are going to get.

Mountain Top Experience

2007-07-30T10:32:00.000-06:00

Well...all this past week I have been comparing this whole experience as like being on top of a mountain. The exhilaration of having arrived at the peak - looking back at the struggles and the effort to get to this place - but also acknowledging that life is not lived on top of the mountain - it is a stopping off point on this journey - this feeling and this place I am in right now is only temporary. There is still a long way to go, and the path is still somewhat treacherous. But its fun being up here - looking at the incredible view of God's glorious work. Yesterday morning we literally did scale a mountain. A group of us woke up extra early - 5.30am!!! and set off to climb one of the many mountains we are surrounded by. For some reason, Tammy, who is one of the leaders here, assumed that because I am from Scotland I would be a hiking pro - so she asked me to lead the pack! BIG MISTAKE. When I was thinking of going on a walk up a mountain I presumed there would be a pathway and a nice trail - not so much!! It was more like literally CLIMBING the side of a mountain. Early on I took the wrong turn and led us down the wrong path - but some guys who were way more awake than I was - and clearly far more competent - realized we were on the wrong path and they put us right where we were meant to be. No big deal though! There were some hairy moments and I think I almost fell like three times - which would have not been pleasant - considering I have a fourteen hour flight tonight! All in all the the experience was great - good time to get to know more of my team mates, good time to reflect on the greatness of God and a good time to top up the tan!! :-)

2007-07-28T22:57:00.002-06:00

Team South East Asia!

Team Cambodia - Chris, Danny, Charis, Victoria and Llana!

Training and Commissioning Service

2007-07-28T22:39:00.000-06:00

Well...this truly has been one of the best weeks of my life! I cannot believe how amazing it has been. I know that I am experiencing one of those mountain top experiences right now...and life is not lived up here...but I am enjoying every minute of it. I just got back into my room after an amazing two hours of worship. We just had the end of training commissioning banquet and service. It was great to be reminded of why we are doing this - and also of the great heritage of those who have gone before us. I am not worthy of such a task as this. I feel woefully inadequate and extremely privileged. The truth is none of us are worthy to be called His ambassadors. None of us deserve to be used by Him - yet He still chooses to use us. He still chooses to send us.

There has been so much to learn and so much to take in this week. We have had classes on cultural relations, administration, spiritual foundations, security, finances....the list goes on. Although I have learnt so much in the classroom - I have learnt a lot more in the conversations and discussions I have had with the people here. Listening to their stories. Encouraged by their testimonies. Inspired by their heart for Asia. The greatest joy I have had is getting to know the men and women I will be spending the next two to three years of my life with. Chris, Victoria, Vandenn and Danielle (Team Cambodia) Shannon, Amy, Nick and Marrissa (Team Laos) and Scott (Team Vietnam) - together we all make Team South East Asia! The majority of those here will be going to China on Monday - but we will be heading to Hanoi for the rest of our training. Our time together really has only just begun. The road ahead may be hard. I expect, and have been warned, that it will be full of struggles - emotional, physical and spiritual. But I have been comforted this week by the fact that I have been blessed with a God who loves me and is faithful, and one amazing team of incredibly gifted teachers - a team that I am so proud to be part of!

Thank you so much for all your comments and emails - you have no idea how much I appreciate them!!!

Pictures from Orientation

2007-07-25T19:56:00.000-06:00

It's happening folks!

2007-07-24T23:17:00.000-06:00

I keep having to remind myself that this is real! I really am sitting in a hotel room in Palm Springs California with a guy from Wisconsin, who is about to head to China. I really did say goodbye to my family yesterday morning at Louisville Airport. I really will not see them for almost a year. I really did spend the whole day with a group of amazing men and women who have given up so much to be in this place, to fulfill a call on their lives. I really am here. I really am going to be flying to Vietnam next week. THIS IS REAL! It is real and it is amazing.

I feel like I like I am at home. For weeks now, since I left Mobile, I have felt like I have been wandering. Going from place to place - and it has been great - but now I am here I feel like I have arrived. I'm not even in Cambodia yet! I know there will be many challenges ahead. I know there will be several hard days and probably a lot of sleepless tear filled nights. But all those things are nothing compared to the joy I am feeling right now. The joy of knowing I am where I am meant to be. Yesterday was totally overwhelming. I arrived at Ontario airport in a complete daze. The whole day I felt like my body was separated from my mind. But today - my mind and body has been reunited! I feel at peace. And it is good. It is very good!

This organization is amazing. I feel so privileged to be part of it. They genuinely do care for their staff - from the moment I arrived at the airport I have felt cared for. I feel like I could go up to any of the leadership and ask them to pray for me and they would. It's great!

Today was the first real opportunity I got to sit down with the Cambodia team. The Cambodia team leader is Vandenn and his wife is Danielle. They are an awesome couple. They both have such a calming spirit. One that simply lets you know "things are going to be ok." The other component of the team are the Cox's - Chris, Victoria and their daughters Charis and Llana. They are such a wonderful family - so full of life and vitality. I like their sense of humor - it matches mine - which is a good thing!! I feel part of this team already - we just seem to have gelled.

If you are reading this - I know too that you are part of my team. If it were not for you and your prayers, love and support - I would not be here!!! I am so fully aware of that fact - and I could never thank you all enough.

I will try and post some pictures soon. Keep in touch! I love your emails and comments - they spur me on!!

From Africa to the Caribbean!

2007-07-15T11:42:00.000-06:00

So now I am in the Caribbean. My stepfather works for a Houston based oil company and he is stationed primarily in Trinidad and Tobago. The downside of that is that he is rarely at home...the upside is that we as a family get to go on fun filled trips to the Islands!! It has been so good to be able to spend some quality time with my family before I head out to Asia. I will miss them terribly - it will probably be a full year until I get to be with them again. My nieces - Alice and Bethany are growing up so quickly. Its fun playing "uncle" and getting a nice tan at the same time! Trinidad is a great country - it is so diverse. There are people living here from so many different backgrounds and cultures. Trinidad shares the same laid back attitude as Niger - so don't expect anything to happen in a hurry - the pace here is very slow! Tobago is the prettier of the two islands - and as such we have spent most of our time there - making the most of the sun and the beaches. The waters is so warm. I do not usually like swimming in the open water - but I could not help myself here.

Scotland to Africa!

2007-07-15T10:50:00.000-06:00

Wow...so much has happened since I last blogged. I literally have been halfway across the world. Since the last time I have blogged I went to Scotland to visit some of my friends and to spend a morning at the school I used to teach at. It was great to be back. I really do miss Scotland. Here are some pictures of Laurencekirk School, where I taught for three years, my best friend from College - Chris, and his son Daniel, and one of my best friends from back home - Mark.

After my trip to Scotland I flew back to London and met my friend Eric, from Mobile, and we both flew to the Republic of Niger in West Africa to visit Brandy, my girlfriend. Brandy is working in Niger as an IMB missionary.

It was awesome to be able to see her and to share in her ministry. We met at the University of Mobile...and God has called us individually to two separate countries...her Niger and me Cambodia...and until he calls us to be together and to serve somewhere as a couple we will continue to fulfill our individual calls. We very rarely get to be together - so the two weeks we had in Niger were amazing! She truly is an inspiration to me. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. Comparing it to Cambodia though there was a marked difference - although Niger is much poorer than Cambodia - the people of Niger seem more satisfied and content with their life. There were very few beggers. Cambodians are extremely poor - and this is exacerbated by an awareness of their poverty. Nigeriens are poor - but they seem oblivious to how poor they really are. The African culture is also very different to the Cambodian culture. It is very rare to see the men and women together - even married couples - and there is a national laissez fair attitude. The people are so laid back. They seem to spend hours and hours and hours just sitting and talking in the desert heat. The Cambodians on the other hand are amongst the most industrious people I have ever met. One of the things I used to ask myself when I was last in Cambodia was - "when do these people rest?"

Brandy's ministry is mainly with the women and children. It is hard for a female to reach out to men in a Muslim culture such as Niger. As such Brandy wanted to make best use of the fact that there were Christian men visiting her. She arranged for me to lead a series of Bible studies aimed primarily at men. This was an awesome experience. I had no idea what to expect. There is one male believer who Brandy knew would show up, but we did not know if any other men would come. On the Sunday night a man knocked on the gate of Brandy's compound - clearly in distress. He had a serious head wound - two of the summer volunteers staying with Brandy were nursing students - they helped dress the man's wound. It turned out that his wife had hit him on the head following a domestic dispute! Anyway that night we invited him to come to our Bible study - and he did. In fact he came every night of the Bible study. He was so eager to learn about this man "Jesus". It was amazing to have been given the opportunity to lead him through the entire gospel - it was also amazing to see how big God really is. I prayed every night we taught "God I have no idea how to reach these men...they are so different to me...I have no idea how to communicate to them the truth of your word...Lord please give me the words." I truly felt out of my depth and inadequate. And the fact was - I was! God bought Abdul there and He spoke directly to Abdul - despite me - and as a result Abdul accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior! AMEN!

2007-06-22T08:35:00.001-06:00

This is a picture of Gorleston, the town my mother and father grew up in. I lived here when I was a wee boy - then we moved to Scotland. I met up with my Dad's family on the Sunday night. My dad is the one sitting next on my right and Ann, my step mom is on my left. The other people are my Dad's brother and sister my Uncle Robin, Aunt Carmel and my cousins Sean and Siobhan.

2007-06-22T08:23:00.001-06:00

This is a picture of my mom and my great aunt Hilda. I spent some time in Norfolk, England, where my mom's family live. We had a cup of tea at a wee cafe at the beach! Yes, England has beaches - although they are not exactly Destin. The other pic is of myself, my uncle David and his wife Kim and my aunt Hilda - at the beach in Norfolk.

2007-06-22T07:43:00.000-06:00

San Antonio - My brother (in the orange shirt) and I (in front of the Alamo) went to San Antonio for the 2007 Southern Baptist Convention. It is a truly beautiful city and we got to meet some old friends. It was particularly good for my brother - who got a chance to see some of his old seminary friends.

Trip to Destin - 2007

2007-06-04T15:13:00.000-06:00

Me, Adam, Miranda, Josh, Nicole, Hampton and Lee - friends from church. We went on a trip to Destin a few weekends ago and had an amazing time! I'm going to miss you guys so much!

Keith and Danny - Williamsburg 2007

2007-06-04T15:09:00.001-06:00

Colonial Williamsburg - Virginia.

The Queen! Made out of Jelly Beans....yummy!

Keith, on the ferry from Jamestown to Scotland!

Keith and I infront of the old Colonial governor's palace.

Trip to Virginia - 2007

2007-06-04T15:01:00.000-06:00

I went to visit my friend Keith last week. He is in the US Coast Guard in North Carolina. The two of us spent the weekend in historic Willimasburg Virginia. It was a great trip. keith is a bit of a civil war buff so he was very excited when we literally stumbled upon a civil war re-enactment!

2007-06-04T11:44:00.001-06:00

2007-06-04T11:43:00.001-06:00

Well...since I am at work today...with very little to do...I thought I would write down a few of my thoughts. It's hard to believe that I have been here in Mobile for almost three years. When I came here to Mobile - in August 2004 - I came with so many mixed emotions. I was scared. I was nervous. I was excited. I was sad. I was happy. I was....quite simply...overwhelmed. That move was the biggest thing I had ever done in my entire life - leave my country, home and friends - for a new and foreign land. I left behind a country I loved. I left behind some amazing friends (and the best ones are still my friends - due to the invaluable vehicle of the internet!). I left behind an incredible job that I enjoyed so much. I also left behind some painful experiences. My life in Scotland, especially towards the end, had become broken. I had made a lot of mistakes, the consequences of which were incredibly painful for me and for others.

God...as an act of His amazing grace...took me down a path that led me here...to this place. A place in which I feel like I know God in a deeper and more intimate way. A place in which I am so aware of the fact that I am a sinner - rotten to the core - saved only by the grace of God. A place where I have become increasingly at peace with who I am - where I have been - and where I am going. And a place where I can say with absolute certainty - and with no hesitation whatsoever - that God is sovereign. He knows the plans He has for us. In the midst of chaos and turmoil and angst - he will bring peace. He will lead us to calm waters. He has blessed me in so many ways. He has surrounded me with friends; He has opened up opportunities for me to teach here at the University; He enabled me to go to South East Asia and meet the people to whom I would ultimately be called; He has provided for my every need - financial, emotional, physical and spiritual. And - it is knowing this - that I step forth into the next chapter of my life.

As I prepare to head to Cambodia - I do so with those exact same emotions in which I came here - but those emotions are now accompanied by a confidence that I once lacked. A confidence in God's provision and His absolute sovereignty. Our faith is fixed on a solid rock - one that cannot shift and will not crumble - despite ourselves! I have let God down countless times. I deserve to be cast aside upon the trash heap of failed humanity. But instead He lifts us up - and leads us on. His grace is sufficient! So...I want to thank all of you who have been part of this chapter of my life...and I invite you to share in the next. I have made some great friends here in Mobile. I have tried to be as a good a friend to y'all as you have been to me but I acknowledge that there have been times in which I have not been the greatest friend...there are people I love whom I have managed to hurt...there are friends I have let down - and for which I am sorry. So...in just a few days...I will be uttering those words "goodbye." There are many of you whom I am going to miss deeply. One of the risks of friendship is inviting someone in only to have them ripped away - but to me the gift of friendship is worth the inevitable pain of saying goodbye. Please...if you can...keep in touch. It's not like I'm going to be on the other side of the planet...oh yeah...thats exactly where I will be!!

Romans 8:28

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." C. S. Lewis