Dear Family and Friends,

 Retirement brings new adventures. One of my most exciting events will be a mission trip to Cambodia in February. It is one of the poorest countries in Asia with a per capita income of less than $300.00 annually. There will be eight women on our team. We will be working with children in an orphanage, presenting Jesus and the salvation message in women’ conferences, and visiting small remote village to give talks and distribute rice. 

The River of Life Orphanage is sponsored by Fran Lance from the Seattle area and the children are sponsored by people like you. They are well cared for and attend Christian school. Their day starts at 5:00 a.m. with chores — washing, ironing, cleaning, meal prep, and clean up. Then off to school from 8:00 to 4:00. After school homework begins, meal prep, dinner, Bible story and bed by 9:00. 

These children are blessed to be in the orphanage. It is common for parents to sell their child for $50.00 or for a child to be kidnapped. Children are a commodity in Cambodia. Becoming a beggar or prostitute, after a series of electric shocks, insures child obedience to her owner. 

While in Phnom Penh, we’ll be hosting four conferences over four days for 200 -- 300 women. They start at 8:00 a.m. and continue to 9:00 p.m. Some women will be arriving on foot after walking several days; others will be picked up by vans sent to their villages. Each woman will be provided with a Bible; mat, for the floor to sleep; meals, cooked in the alley; notebooks; and medical attention. Last year each woman got a new sarong from Fran to wear home. 

Our next several days will take us off on to remote villages via rugged dirt roads with very deep potholes. I have heard this is a very shaking experience. Once there, we’ll sit under a tree, out of the hot sun, and present Jesus and the salvation message. The people sit on the ground, visited by pigs and ducks wandering in their midst. Before we leave, 20# bags of rice will be distributed to each family. Last year four tons of rice was distributed since 80% of the rice harvest was destroyed by rats. Besides rice, we’ll distribute Bibles and toys for the children such as soccer balls, jump ropes, crayons and tablets, toothbrushes etc. — items they would never dream of owning. I would also like to get a Polaroid camera to take family pictures. What a treat and remembrance for each family.