Hi family….
As you can see, by the entries on the Elder & Sister Dowd BLOG, I haven’t even found the time to write in the SITE.…Oh sure, I was going to chronicle my mission? So much has happened, and in such ‘rapid fire” that I’ve already forgotten a LOT of what has transpired. Have taken pictures – which I hope will “jog” my memory (sometime in the future) when I get a moment to come up for air…… but there are days I FORGET to take pictures.
We feel like we have been shot from cannons since the day our feet stepped on the soil here in Cambodia…..WHO KNEW? Some mornings we wake up (always before 5:30) stare at the ceiling and say “out loud” Is today Tuesday or Wednesday. Just wouldn’t have believed it IF we weren’t living it….EVERY DAY… It’s the unexpected that continues to sneak up when we are not expecting it. Think I told you (or someone) there is a huge high-rise building under construction across the street. The sounds of pipes, trucks workers, hammers, saws, cement trucks begin precisely at 6:12 a.m. it’s better than an alarm clock. It’s sort of hysterical because the hundreds of workman…..swarming on site with hardhats are wearing FLIPFLOPS (no kidding) NO OSHA regulations here. They actually live on the construction site just under or around the building….you see clothes hanging on makeshift lines or over the side of the building……sitting, sleeping and eating right there on the ground. When we moved in they were beginning the first floor – NOW, we look out the window and its up a level from ouxcitedr 5th floor apartment….our building has 10 floors. In fact, the strangest thing (might have already told you this) but intermingled within in the sounds of drills, hammers clanging, cranes in the center of Phenom Penh…there is this stupid ROOSTER). What? I keep thinking some family will kill it for dinner. I always wonder “where are you? ” This bird crows about 5:00 a.m. every morning – but we laugh cause it crows about every 2-4 hours after that. (Alzheimer’s no doubt)
Well, this may be a snoozer and require more than one sitting to read over a few days – nonetheless, sending for those of you who are wondering what’s going on with your parents. Probably TMI… Remember the real magic of the computer and the internet is the ever ready “DELETE´ button.
We are now well into our 3rd month, away from life as we knew it. Loving our mission, loving the people – the contrasts/dichotomy in what we see and do are sometimes mindboggling. In just these few months we’ve seen and been a part of things we would never could have imagined.
Last week (September 8th) we traveled out in one of the Provinces, Kang Meas (about an hour away) the purpose was to follow-up on the completion of over 20 homes LDS Charities have been building for families in that area. Dirt roads (if you could call them roads) were really bumpy. Water and mud from previous day heavy rains splashing up on sides of the car as well as windshield. …We had to hold on, even with seat belts, so as not to bounce all around the car. What we saw that day was probably the MOST humbling and sobering of our mission thus far. I cry even now thinking of the feelings that overcame me. None of these people living in that area are members of the church…missionaries haven’t been in that area YET however; the church is reaching out to help and bless their lives. To look into the eyes see these indigent, destitute people with not even enough of a home standing to shelter them…many hungry from recent drought and inability to grow rice. They are just out there. We will have the privilege/blessing to be involved in a HUGE initiative project in the next weeks where the First Presidency has approved and the church is bringing relief in aid (food) and dispersing to (some of the poorest). It will provide food for over 96,000 families who will receive this rice and other necessities.
Besides checking the sites of the Newly built homes we took this giant bag of eyeglasses (varied reading power)…(which were donated from a scout who gathered for his Eagle project and brought to Cambodia by parents who were picking up their son after he competed his mission). When we stopped at one site people of ALL ages begin to come out (from I don’t even know “where”) cause couldn’t see into the trees where they must live survive …. they began to gather around us. They have NOTHING…little kids sometimes have a shirt no bottoms…some are just totally naked. Barefoot, for the most part – we did see some with flip flops…..no dental, medical, no health services…SO VERY VERY HOT…but evenso these faces are ALWAYS smiling…. amazingly happy. We watched as they would try the different styles and strengths and then put their hands out in front of their eyes looking at their hands…and around…sort of laugh together but visibly delighted with this small gift….realizing they really could see BETTER. They probably didn’t know they needed glasses till they put them on. As they were trying the different styles etc. we got to see some of the finished homes and people who were so humbly grateful for just these “tin walls and a roof” SO much better than what they had. They would say through our translator, “we can stay dry now”.
While we were stopped at another location and people had gathered around the car. One of the young women I’d say around 24 or so….just passed out and dropped over on the ground….barely missed falling into a HUGE pile of DUNG from cows that just are walking around loose. She was really OUT. Anyway “D”and the other Missionary helped carry her back to where her hut was at least out of the sun - you know dilapidated with fabric hung for doors. We had some bottled water and protein bar he took over to her. They said she was pregnant, but NO doctors would come because they are so poor and honestly, I don’t know “where” they would come from or where they would take her or for that matter what circumstances her baby will be born.
..…Lance and Elder Thurston laid her down in the shade…there were 3 women around her trying to get her conscious again. Each of them were pulling her hair…not sure IF that’s a custom to bring them back to consciousness….but was really bizarre. I will long remember that day, the look in their eye and looks on their faces, their circumstances and they are SO grateful for the smallest gesture of kindness. Just have to wonder “why” was I “given SO much”.
Tomorrow we meet a Dr Brent Lind and his wife Rosemary who are flying in from America part of the LDS Charities International Medical Team and who will be conducting training for nurses (midwives) who will travel to Phenom Penh, from many of the Provinces around the Country. There will be 2 full days of NEW baby training to these midwives (how to resuscitate newborns) with the equipment they are bringing - a neo natal portable machine (the prop they use to demonstrate and practice on…it’s name? NeoNatalie! The church is training these women who are care takers of moms/babies throughout Cambodia on the use of the equipment – at the conclusion of the training, the machines will be gifted (over $25,000 worth to organization that has partnered with the Church RACHA (Reproductive & Child Health Alliance) and they will in turn take these machines back to their villages, Provinces, towns. It’s a beautiful thing. Since 2001 the mortality rate for newborn babies has improved….evidently these midwives only have about 1-1/2 minutes to get the baby to breath. In as much as there is usually only One midwife at the birth, she is caring for the mother can’t care for the NEWBORN so baby is set aside and IF the baby doesn’t breathe immediately it results in HUGE death rate. This resuscitating machine will be a miracle for these unborn babies One might say well the impact so minimal in view of the needsis SO small it’s almost like throwing a small pebble into the sea….I would just say…”It matters to this one”.
Last Friday September 9th, ONE of the Opinion Leaders (government officials we meet and hopefully create a relationship with), His Excellency, Min Khin, a highly honored minister in Government Official passed away in Thailand with Cancer where he was receiving treatments. He has been a good friend to the church for several years and with the Public Affairs Missionaries whom we replaced, as well as the Mission President and other Offices of the Church here. Our delegation was invited to his “State Funeral” yesterday. YOWZA! There were 7 of us invited that attended. I’m certain I probably will never again have another experience like that in my lifetime. Really, didn’t know what was happening – just that our entourage (Mission President, Humanitarian Missionaries, US the Public Affairs Missionaries and the Director of Church Affairs for Cambodia Sea Samnang) would be going by to pay our sympathies. We were ushered into this enormous, extravagant tent (yes a tent) it’s called a funeral tent….they have wedding tents too. The church had ordered and delivered a very large floral tribute mounted on an easel. Those officials led us to an opening (everything is carpeted inside this tent) lined us up exactly behind each other….men on the left , we were right behind the Mission President. They had put a white arm band on him when we first entered the tent. Two soldiers dressed if FULL DRESS uniform White with gold epitaphs hats etc. stepped in front of us carrying the floral arrangement (the kind that sit on a huge stand). Similar to what you see the soldiers place at the tomb of the Unknown soldier. As we stood there, we could see into the next room of the tent HUGE I would say about 30 feet long. There on our right we could see 30 men lined up in attention - also in FULL Dress uniform holding instruments trumpets etc. At the command of the conductor they began to play– (loud) and the two soldiers in front of us (who were carrying the flowers), actually began marching “goose step march” legs straight out in front of them… moving forward in front of this band. I swear it was like “Hail to the Chief” just not that melody….but something famous in Cambodia….it was SO surreal and here we are the 7 of us s-l-o-w-l-y walking behind these soldiers and in front of the band. There were SO many cameras clicking, and videos. I didn’t dare look right or left. I was thinking “please don’t trip” I did whisper to “D”….. “What in the world is going on?” None of us knew any of this was part of the ceremony and had never experienced anything like it before.…..we thought we were just dropping to pay our respects.
When we got to the NEXT room (at the end of the 30 foot walk) of this ENORMOUS tent. We were again placed in front of an area where different music was playing. There was a sort of display with a casket and then a FULL sized manikin (YES I said manikin) in full dress white uniform – including medals and epilates, of course to replicate His Excellency, Min Khin, that had died. Seriously, they taken a colored photograph (of his face) cut in a circle and pasted on the face of this manikin. , I’m in full shock mode now – It was eerie and MORE than weird. And I could have sworn he was looking at me. Are you kidding? Again all of us are in various degrees of “astonishment.” We are then escorted around another corner of this ENORMOUS tent and the family is there ALL dressed in white and just weeping, weeping and sobbing. We greeted (Min Chandyneth) the daughter who is also called Her Excellency, being part of the Minister Cabinet with whom we had met and had dealings with along with her father. Standing next to her was her mother and others family members. We expressed our sympathies as best we could not speaking (even a little bit of Khmer). We were then escorted to a large table with a chair and a large open book – would remind you of what you see at a wedding sign in book. They lined us up again surrounding the table (for MORE photos) – President wrote in the book…again all kinds of cameras clicking. Now, I was wishing I had washed my hair and wore something different. You will remember I brought such an extensive wardrobe but then “who knew” we would ever be in that setting. And after what we had witnessed last week, what I looked like and what I was wearing seemed especially insignificant. (although my roots really looked bad) just kidding.
That night, experiencing all that poverty and then all that opulence, as I put my head on the pillow, the events swirled in my mind again and again. I thought about the surreal events of the past few days. FIRST the stark poverty and suffering of the people in Kang Meas Province, contrasted with the pomp and ceremony of the events we saw that day. I was reminded of the scripture in Alma: 25:37
“ Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of EVERY people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people and his bowels of mercy are over ALL the earth. Now, this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving, yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever”. Amen
In closing Tuesday, we had a delightful experience as we invited the young elders/sisters of our District to hold their weekly District meeting in our apartment. “D” cooked his famous PoPasketti for them. The recipe was a bit abbreviated as some of the ingredients that are readily available at home are not in the markets here…but we improvised and it was delicious. I made the Brownies while he cooked the sauce. Smeared butter and garlic salt on the bread…. YUM! It was reminiscent of our family’s Monthly PoPasketti gathering back home the FIRST Sunday of every month. The kids arrived really hot and sweaty from riding their bikes the distance. But the couple of hours we spent together were fantastic. We were fed BOTH spiritually and temporally. What amazing young leaders we have in action in the church. Watching them ponder the scriptures, discuss ways to better reach and care for souls here with the message of hope, so knowledgeable and decisive in their assignments. Was wishing each of their parents could have listened and watched with us to bask in the warmth of their testimony and faith. Of course, I forgot to take a picture – what a sight ALL of them spread aroud the apartment anxiously looking for “seconds”. They said they had missed spaghetti and home cooked meals…as always we received MORE than we gave today. Such a pleasure to be in “His Service” For sure we realize more each day we are completely dependent on HIS direction to accomplish any of the things we never would figure out on our own. Sincerely want to be (and do) what the Lord would have us do for our time here.
Tomorrow, we travel out to Kampong Cham trying to finalize assignments and preparation for the Open House Event on October 22nd. We finally got the invitations designed, then got them translated into Khmer and they went to print yesterday. Next Friday we travel the 5 hours with the YSA’s from both the Phenom Penh North and South Stakes about 500 of them….for a massive Service Project they will clean/clear more than 8 miles of beachfront in a place called Sihanoukville. (no we can’t say it). which sadly is filthy with garbage you can’t even imagine. So the work goes on and as I said, We are so happy to be a small part of it in a Country and a mission we love.
I’m forwarding some pictures….can only attach 6 on an email so will send some emails with just pictures…..ARE YOU STILL READING????
Your parents (grandparents) SURE love and pray for you!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE,
Grammy & PopPopE
