I am sooo sorry that I haven't been in contact with you guys for abit of time, but loads and loads has been happening! My records indicate that I last posted on 29th March! Deary me it's been a long time has it not? I'm keeping a trip journal so I've got a fairly accurate record of what I've been up to, and other nuggets of information that people crave when their favourite boy is 6000 miles away in a hot, dusty Cambodian border town.

From 29th March to 12th April we were working 4 days a week at the building site and then spending fridays with the kids. In the mornings we go to school on a mat, orphanage im the afternoon. Our work at the building site has changed from making bricks to smashing rocks, as they want to make as many rocks into gravel as possible before the rainy season comes and makes it a whole lot harder to work away from the shelter. So we smash rocks with slegehammers and then put the smaller rocks into a rock crusher. Makes you feel very manly.

In Cambodia almost everyone rides small motorbikes called motos - most people cant afford a car. They are like scooters but with gears. I've been learning to ride one during our lunch/ siesta times at the building site. One of the builders - a really friendly guy called Jan To, lent his to us.

Its amazing to see everyone in the team challenged in so many different ways. For me, I am being challenged about having a servant heart, and what that truly looks like. Smallthings that no one notices like taking the uncomfortable places in the pickup, andsmallerthings like that are really really important.

Anyways, this week everyone in Cambodia has been on holiday for Khmer New Year! I’m not quite sure what the history behind it, but it basically means that everyone parties (completely sober) for a week with their families in their hometowns. Our Khmer new Year started last Friday night when we attended a party at the CHO offices where everyone ate a homemade beef curry/cassarole on the floor, followed by Khmer dancing. Following in their custom of asking us to do big things at the last minute, they asked our group if we could provide some music whilst their band had some supper. Luckily, us three guys are fairly adept at music, so I played bass, Mark played drums, and Ed boogied on the keyboard for 20 minutes or so. It’s really fun, basically , the bassist and drums lock into eachother’s rhythms, whilst the keyboarder improvises over the top and calls out chords and key changes that are coming up.

Whilst we we boogieng (SP?), we discovered that it’s another Khmer tradition to spread talcom powder on everyone’s faces during new years eve parties. This explains the photos where we all look like zombies. Also, during new year, mass waterbomb fights take place on the streets of all the towns, cities and villages. It seemed quite dangerous to see fast moving helmetless moto drivers being pelted from all sides by waterbombs, but no one seemed to get hurt! It’s just great to see so many people having much fun without a drop of alchohol being consumed.

Anyway, for our new year holiday we went to Siem Reap, which is the main tourist town of Cambodia. After a 5 weeks of being the only westerners around, it was strange NOT to be stared at in a fascinated way by every child (and some adults!) that you see. Siem Reap is basically a tourist town, with most of its income coming from the attraction of the world famous Angkor Wat. The temples in this huge complex range from 500 – 900 years old, and were amazing to look at. The lack of information boards was very frustration thooough. That’s where most of the pictures come from J

Anyway, I’m starting to ramble, so I’ll wrap things up there. If you could continue to pray for team unity, it would be great. I’m preaching tommorrow on the parable of the sowers in Mark 4, so if you could pray for that it would be great, especially that what I’m trying to say will translate well.

Thank you for taking the time to read. Please post comments.

I promise I'll get ya'll some photos! Or you could check out my facebook profile where i already have some up :).

Mucho Lovlies

Greg