Sellers Cambodia Mission Weeks 6,7,8

 In the previous post I stated that we wouldn't be going to the Philippines to accompany the sister missionaries to the temple.  Two days before we were to leave we got notice that indeed we WERE still going!  We hurried to deliver the 6th of 7 temple preparation classes (the 7th to be given after their first temple session), got our Covid tests and went to the airport.  We accompanied five delightful sisters who would be released two days after our return and three within the next two months.  While in Cebu we were able to spend the majority of three wonderful days in the temple.  Some of them even brought some of their own family names.  Cebu is definitely part of a third world country, but the people were so nice, and the temple president and his wife, President and Sister Siady were extremely accommodating.  Hong Kong had arranged for us to stay in patron housing which was far better than I expected, and the meals were catered just for us three delicious meals a day.  This will be one of the highlights of our mission.

Sisters: Pich, Sok, Ya, Marian, San, Leang, Mom, Translator  Belinda Sok, Sok, Meas

In true missionary style, our missionaries have their own second verse to the the hymn, "Called to Serve".  It is as follows:  (I was not consulted for rhythm nuances)

Called to preach the gospel in Kmer, Mission miracles everywhere we go. Called to teach repentance and baptize, in the areas we serve.   Kean Svay, Chbar Ampov, Ta Khmau, Chamkarmon, Caktomuk, Tuol Tom Pong, Teuk Thla, Tuol Kok, Tuek Laak, Tuol Sang Ke, Steung Mean Chey, Pochentong, Kampong Cham, Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Sen Sok, Central, Battambang, Cam-bo-di-a Phnom Penh-Greatest Mission in the World!

We were privileged to have Paul Hansen and his wife, Susan come to visit our mission from Hong Kong.  He is the Area  Director of Temporal Affairs.  His purpose was to map out a detailed itinerary for Brother Waddell from the Presiding Bishopric's Office for his upcoming visit in May.  (a couple of weeks later that trip was cancelled)  While here we were able to take the Hansen's to see several of our projects in Baty, Porthe Reamea and Takeo.  Since he is on the council in Hong Kong that decides whether or not our projects can be approved it was very good for him to see first hand what is being done in Cambodia by our two doctors to strive to improve the healthcare situation here.  The remodels were nearly finished and very impressive.  So much has been done and the people seem very proud of the new improvements.  So are we!

Paul and Susan Hansen with us at Takeo Provincial Hospital (Dr. Te Vantha)

On our return from the Provinces we received word that President Tay's five year old daughter had just passed away.  She had been born with quite a few congenital health anomalies that unfortunately were too grave to repair.  While in Hong Kong five years ago Dan was consulted about her situation upon her birth and he was able to get help via his specialist friends in the US, but no one was hopeful about an eventual good long term outlook.  President Tay is a counselor in the District Presidency in our stake and also works at the service center over Cambodia Physical Facilities.  Their son, Aaron is one of my best keyboard students.  As is the custom here, the precious little body was dressed in a beautiful white dress and immediately brought to the stake center for a public viewing before being taken for a small funeral and burial the next day.  Although they knew the inevitability of the outcome, (she was getting progressively worse over the past year) it's never an easy thing to bury a child.  Out hearts are so sad for this wonderful and faithful family.

Khmer New Year began on April 13 with most of Phnom Penh going to Siem Reap for the week.  It reminded us of St. George!  Everything was closed for the week.  Everything!  The streets were bare and it was quite delightful having the town to ourselves.  However, some of our projects and contacts had to be on hold until the following week.  We were able to get some much needed work done at home.  The downtown area was decorated beautifully with lights and pictures, etc. which was fun to see.  There were activities going on in some areas of the city and of course much reveling.  We could only imagine what was going on in Siem Reap!

Khmer New Year's Dinner with our Chinese friends

New Year's look at the Cambodia Phnom Penh Temple site.

We went with our translator, Karona Phork (Katna) to Siem Reap, after New Year's, of course, to see hospitals in Bataambang and Siem Reap.  Along the way we were able to stop at a few sites of interest. We visited the Referral Hospital in Bataambang to assess their needs for future projects, as well as the Roka Hospital.  In Siem Reap we visited the Siem Reap Provincial Hospital, along with Angkor Children's Hospital.  While there we took all 14 missionaries in Bataambang out for pizza.  Some of these missionaries we had connected with in Phnom Penh so it was good to be with them one last time.  While in Bataambang we visited the bat cave which is near one of the killing caves used by Pol Pot in the '70s. (vertical caves that his soldiers would throw babies and children and sometimes adults down into to die smashing into the rocks 100 feet below).  

Prayer flags at bottom of the 'killing cave'

At dusk the bats come streaming from their cave high on the mountain while several hundred of us watched from below.  It was an incredible sight!  Literally hundreds of thousands flew out in seconds.  Overall, they estimate that 2-3 million bats come out of the cave each night and then fly back in the early morning.  We watched for nearly a half hour in wonder of this unbelievable phenomenon.  It certainly would be worth a google search!

The bat cave phenomenon

Depiction of Hell on Killing Cave mountain

We mustn't forget to add the best part!  Our 48th wedding anniversary!  We had a very nice dinner on top of our hotel in Battambang overlooking the city.  What a ride our life together has been!  We've supported each other raising 4 incredible children through the thick and thin of life, through many countries with humanitarian work; we've laughed together, cried together, worked together, served together, played together, sung together, prayed together and loved being together.  We are blessed!  Here's to another 48!

48th anniversary dinner in Bataambang

All aboard the bamboo train in Battambang!  

Katna scooping out coconut meat

Dan and Marian discussing the Building project at Banteay Srei with District Governor Finan

Making Palm Sugar candy

Katna took us to one of his favorite places outside of Siem Reap--the waterfalls.  Although it was nothing like some of the waterfalls in the states, it was fun to go see, and Dan even got in and swam around a bit!

Dan and Katna

With the Monks at the Waterfall

We also managed a quick early morning trip out to the Angkor Wat and Beyon Wat.  The sunrise behind the Angkor Wat was spectacular!

Beyon Temple

Before leaving Siem Reap we stopped at the rat mine sniffing facility for a demonstration of how rats are being used to sniff out land mines in northern Cambodia.  It was amazing!  The rats are bred and raised in Turkey, sent to Siem Reap where they are literally trained to go across an area of about 10x30 meters wearing a little harness connected to a rope being held at each end by two people.  The rat runs along the line and stops to paw the ground when it sniffs a land mine after which the handlers call the crew to come and dig up the mine and dismantle it.  There were hundreds of thousands of land mines planted by the Vietnamese and other countries during the late 70s.  They hope to be 'mine free' within three years, thus returning precious land back to the farmers for their livelihood with no fear of being blown up. 

See the mine hidden in the grass?

Mine-sniffing Rats

On the way out of SR we took a short boat ride to visit the "Floating Villages" on the Tonle Sap Lake.  These are mostly Vietnamese people who have developed a whole society there, based mainly on fishing. One place had a crocodile habitat! 

I was able to teach a two-hour conducting class five times over the past few weeks in the three stake centers and at a stake Primary meeting.  I am grateful that I could share my talents with these wonderful people and hope that they in turn will be able to teach upcoming music directors.

Upon our return from Siem Reap we picked up Dr. Neal Clinger and his wife, Carol Ann from the airport.  They are our replacements who have come from Idaho Falls two weeks early to shadow Dan and meet with many hospitals, doctors, government officials, etc. so that they will be ready to take over when we leave.  Carol Ann will be taking over my keyboard classes and private students. The next night we picked up Dr. Steve Rhondeau, a friend of Dan's from his days at LDS Hospital who still practices there as an anesthesiologist, and who travels the world training doctors in using ultrasound techniques, and Tad Morley, a hospital administrator from the UoU Medical School.  He and Tad spent the next week going to various hospitals to assess the need for further training later this year.  They had a very successful week as their skills are sorely need here.

Tad Morley, Dan Local Docs, Neal Clinger, Steve Rhondeau

On the right: Dr. Nob Chai, a member of the International Branch and our translator for the visits of the various doctors.

We attended a handover the next Friday at Pea Reang Hospital where Dan redesigned much of the hospital and even created two additions that made it much more functional and modern.  Many dignitaries were in attendance including the District Governor, the 2nd two people in command at the Counter Counterfeit, Dr. Wutty-director of Pharmaceutical Counterfeit Detection, the hospital administrator, the district operations director, the hospital director as well as many doctors, nurses and interested parties, plus our own dignitaries including Samnang, and Saret  who are the faces for our church humanitarian group.  They presented Samnang and Dan with beautiful pictures to hang on the wall and me with a beautiful bouquet of roses.  We were given a wonderful Khmer lunch afterwards.

Introduction of privacy curtains to the hospital

New bathrooms

New ramp to get patients to top floor

(Previously had to carry up an inside 3-turn stairway!)

New dining pavilion (before, just a shack on grass and mud)

The next day we had another handover at Baty Level One Hospital where we provided a lot of equipment and remodeled two buildings.  It wasn't quite the elaborate ceremony as the previous day, but very nice.  We were treated to lunch by His Excellency Chea Vandeth, the Minister of Post and Telecommunications for the country.  

 

That night we delivered the two visiting guests to the airport and picked up two more--Drs. Rob Clark and Rich Bell, doctor friends again of Dan's as well as mission buddies from Hong Kong in the early 70's.  These two doctors also have travelled the world many times training other doctors and nurses in maternal and newborn care.  Through their efforts over the years they have been instrumental in saving the lives of hundreds of babies and mothers.  They likewise will be traveling around Cambodia assessing the situation in preparation for a return visit with a team to train doctors and nurses in Cambodia to save lives.

Dan and Neal Clinger spent the last week huddled over the computer as Dan tried to prepare Neal for our departure, as well as many more meetings with various hospitals and doctors.  I spent quite a bit of time teaching Carol Ann how to do the IAN program which is how we get our reimbursements.  I had to learn how to do a simple spreadsheet in order to do this but I did do it!  

Tuesday morning Dan had asked Sun Chanthol, the Senior Minister who he got close to through the Koh Thom project (and caring for his broken finger!), if he could meet with him one last time and introduce Dr. Clinger.  He took Samnang Saret and Vichit along.  Wow!  Chanthol had invited the whole gang!  Dr. Chheang Ra from Calmette, HE Suong Heng, HE Koy Sadony:

Sea Samnang, Us, Carol Ann and Neal Clinger, Vichit Ith

Wednesday night we were invited to the King - Queen House to say good-bye to the kids there, and to  see what our CHIE donation through the education-building arm had set up for them.  The Smiths and Clingers came also. What a great bunch of kids, slugging in out in a very tough country, trying to make their way against great odds:

On Friday Elder Meurs and his wife, Maxine came to Cambodia from the Area Office in Hong Kong as part of his mission tours.  We senior missionaries had a very spiritual meeting with them and our president and wife, then a simple dinner afterwards.  We love meeting with Elder Meurs and are so glad that we've been able to meet with them twice during our time here. 

Our last week in Cambodia!  Saying goodbye is not our favorite thing to do.  We have been wined and dine, partied, and have shed many tears as we've hugged, kissed and bade goodbye to those whom we have come to love during our year here.  We love these people dearly and will continue to pray for them and for the well-being of the country of Cambodia.  My sweet Sunday night keyboard class had a surprise party for me including cake, pizza and other treats.  Our humanitarian group had dinner on Monday night where we all said goodbye to the Dandoys who flew out five days before us.  Tuesday night we had a dinner with the mission president, President Neang and his dear wife, Chanty where we said goodbye again to the two departing couples and hello to the two new couples.  She presented Kimme Dandoy and me with a beautiful Khmer outfit that she made herself.  She is a beautiful seamstress and makes a Khmer outfit for each sister missionary as they return home.  I'll treasure it forever!

Oh, and the car we drove everywhere in Cambodia:

Saturday morning we took our last "jog" (only a long walk now) to see the waterfront for the last time, and get a picture of Marian with a friendly monk!

Then Saturday afternoon Dan ran a quick trip to the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital to try to work out a way for Nob Chai to get back into medicine, and maybe to Chang Gung Hospital with Wai Fu-Chan:

Then a quick trip to Chenla University to say goodbye to Dr, Ratana:

 

We really hate leaving our translator, Katna.  He has been like a son to us and has helped us both so much during our year here.  We couldn't have done this without his help, not just in translating, but driving, making appointments and so many other tasks.  We have grown to love him and hope to see him in Hawaii if his efforts at getting accepted to BYU-H prove fruitful.  We'll pray for him!

Sunday morning Ted and Audrey Yan drove us to the airport (dropped by the Temple Grounds for a last view of the progress) where we were met again by Katna to say another goodbye.  Like I said, we hate goodbyes!

  As our plane lifted off of Cambodia soil our hearts (and our eyes) were overflowing with feelings of both sadness and joy:  sadness for leaving the dear people that we've been privileged to work with and love, and joy for the accomplishments that we have made while being here.  We also look forward to being with our family again.   We have been invited to return to Cambodia next year for the dedication of the new Kho Thom Hospital that Dan helped to design.  Since we will be in Hong Kong beginning in February for a year of service there, we think we might be able to make that work.

Thanks for sharing in our Cambodia journey.  Until Hong Kong!!!