Bud Stonebraker and Family
It is day 3 here in Cambodia and we have been busy since we hit the ground.
The morning after we landed we visited Tol Sleng, the Khmer Rouge interrogation site (a converted high school) where thousands of victims were tortured and killed and then the mass graves of the killing fields. The sheer numbers of these places is astonishing. When you see the actual bones coming out of the dirt on the pathways where you re walking and the hundreds of skulls enshrined in their memorial, categorized by age and gender, it is hard not to be broken in your heart for this poor people. When you read that there were over 20,000 of these camps throughout the country you become bewildered and numb. As I watched the tourists filing through this place listening to their audio guide on headsets I wondered how they would process such an atrocity. Most were younger hippy types, dreadlocks and tie dye. The smell of their patchouli oil mixed with the strong odor of the shrine's incense drifted through the trees as my group and I began to philosophize and discuss world views and politics. Soon, realizing that we might miss the impact of the place by making it all a cognitive exercise, we formed a circle and prayed for a while. What a way to start the trip. Sobering to say the least.
Then it was off to the orphanage to see a little slice of heaven. These kids are radiating with joy and there seems to be a surreal harmony that shrouds the place. The orphanage (A Greater Hope Orphanage), overseen by Kit and Ream Carson, houses over 40 kids currently and the school they run (A Heart for Wisdom) has over 200 students. They don't fight or argue. They play well, respecting each other. We played kickball together. It was competitive but not abrasive. The boys are kind to the girls. The girls are pure joy. They all do their chores. I have watched one girl, Chantrea, quietly wipe the tables and mop the floors after meals. That is her job and she happily does it. They all do their part. It is something to see an 8 year old boy pray for dinner in front of 50 others. The staff is a treasure too, living on site mentoring and serving the kids.
Our pastors/leaders conference went extremely well. Pastors Travis, Santo, Rich, and I shared out of the Word, encouraging these sweet servants of the Lord. Cambodia has a blend of Buddhism and Animism that keeps millions in fear and bondage. Under the Kamma (karma) system they look to the priests to give them good fortune through sacrifices, festivals or charms. Behind all of this is the demonic world holding people away from Christ. I was so blessed by the messages the guys gave. God has really blessed Japan with some awesome pastors in these guys.
Pastor Khan (Ream's father) has quite a testimony, surviving Pol Pot and planting over 30 churches. He put the conference together. Today as we ended I was asked to pray over the group of about 60. I wasn't ready for what happened next. They all gathered at the front and got on their knees waiting for a blessing. I felt like John when he said to Jesus, "I have need to be baptized by you." Who am I to pray over these wonderful saints? I need them to pray for me. A verse I had read earlier flashed through my mind, "Those who prophesy should prophesy according to their faith." I silently asked for grace and began to pray over them. Then, joining them on my knees we all broke out in praise. It was a sweet time. We sang "Jesus we enthroned You" and shouted praise and then I gave them a vision the Lord had put in my heart. The tears were flowing as many felt victory and healing flowing into their lives. Jesus sweetly touched many. What an honor to be a part of it all.
In the next few days we will visit the wells our church has sponsored and see the families they serve. That will be exciting!
It is day 6 here in Cambodia at A Greater Hope Orphanage (AGHO). Our conference finished well on Friday afternoon. Saturday morning we took a few motos (mopeds) and a couple tuk tuks (moped with a sort of carriage) and headed out to some families that Jessica has been ministering to for a while. Along the dusty roads we met the parents or grandparents of the children that are part of the school. They live in such humble conditions, usually a single room hut with a metal roof. Outside there will be a chicken coop or pig pen and maybe a small water hole with lotus blossoms in it. Jessica had made bags with portions of rice, sugar and other household items to give out.
The second house(s) we went to was home to a witch doctor woman whose niece attends the school. Kit had mentioned that one day she had to drop the girl off at school but she was unable to step onto the property. She said the church/school grounds had a power on them that kept her out but she didn't know what it was. She wore her hair in one thick matted dread lock and we could see her shrines and idols on the property. They will often venerate anthills thinking that spirits live in them. I could see a shrine built around a small anthill with an incense altar, a typical mix of animism and Buddhism. We gathered around and prayed for God's light and blessing to be on that place (we could sense the darkness) and we took a spiritual stand by claiming the property for Jesus. We will see how God works there in the coming months.
We passed the day praying and laying hands on people who needed healing. Many of the parents are not believers but send their kids to A Heart For Wisdom school for a good education. These kids grow to love the Lord and become witnesses in their own home. The last family we visited that day were the grandparents of a girl and her sister in school. They were both 77 years old and tiny sweet people. When I look at my picture next to them I feel like a giant. I had a picture of Kyo, their granddaughter, from last year when we did vacation Bible school. It was great to get another photo of the whole family.
In the afternoon we all played kickball at the orphanage. I just love how the kids play here. Like a bygone era in America when we used to run around and ride bikes. Kids today in the USA are too busy gaming and hypnotized by their gadgets. Do you remember when we were kids and could play with a stick as a sword and a seed pod as a boat? Good times. There is something wholly refreshing about jumping rope and riding bikes. We played tag with the kids, ping pong, red rover, dodge ball and other games. We even rolled around in the dried rice stalks (like hay bundles). The boys chase girls with moths. Caterpillars are caught and stored in miniature plastic bottle terrariums. When was the last time you held a frog? It is a little slice of yesteryear and it’s not bad at all.
Everything here is natural and organic even though it’s not trendy. It's just the way it is. Every meal I have eaten here was alive or in the ground earlier in the day. It is fresh. Lots of vegetables. Not much ice cream (too bad). It is a simpler way of living, not luxurious but healthier. It all makes you question our "progress" in the west. We are so advanced technologically but we are not happier and healthier for it? What's the moral of the story? I don't know, but maybe when you're done reading head outside and play!
Sunday church was great though we didn't understand much. Pastor Khan introduced our team and gave the message. We went with a handful of the orphanage kids out to the countryside for a kids church service in the afternoon. Riding our motorbikes through the little paths between rice fields is serene and relaxing. Cows wander onto the roads and little dogs scurry by. Locals wave to us from their sitting platforms and the children often shout "Barang" to let the others know a "white man" is coming through. They are fascinated by the hair on my arms and legs just as the kids in Sudan were. The kids run the whole program even leading the worship. Seeing them on stage raising their hands in worship makes me realize that we are not just helping children but training the future missionaries of the country. The kids are going to grow up to be pastors, worship leaders, business leaders, educators and moms and dads. After kids church we played games. The kids beat the grown ups in an epic tug of war battle. We played a version of duck duck goose where instead of "tagging" the goose, they hit them with a club made from a towel.
Monday was our day to visit the wells we have sunk through our "100 Wells" project. Earlier this year God put a vision in my heart to dig 100 wells in the area around AGHO. People in our church (South Shore Christian Fellowship) have given generously and the work has started. Two wells have just been finished and the silt hasn't even settled when we saw them. A well costs about $500 and takes a week to complete. The hole is drilled almost 100 feet deep and the pipe capped while the 30 foot hole dug and lined with concrete rings. The top is covered and the water clears over the next few days. We visited wells at all stages of construction.
The drilling is done by an ear shattering diesel machine splashing muddy water all over the workers. It seems the drill is held together by sheer will alone, the workers oiling it as it runs and dumping water on it to keep it under temperature. It is as if they are a part of its very mechanics. At another site we saw how two workers lower concrete rings into place with a very rudimentary but effective system with ropes and friction. The seams will be sealed with cement and the top platform will be stamped with the gospel message. This way all those who come to quench their physical thirst will know about the water of life that Jesus offers.
As I looked out over one of their family ponds covered by lotus flowers I realized how precious water is to them. Normally the Khmer drink from these nearby murky ponds shared by goats, cows and dogs. Many also believe that it is good luck to bury the dead near water, which taints their water even more. During the dry season these ponds dry up forcing the people to buy water which they can't afford. Often they get sick. Giving them a well provides year-round clean water to wash their clothes, feed their animals, water their gardens and, of course drink. One of their village leaders thanked me profusely. She said that a well will lift their whole community out of poverty. Another village chief said that our well will give water to about 400 people. I hope you will consider contacting our church to be a part of this amazing project.
Today we are headed up to Siem Reap which is where the famed temples of Angkor Wat are. It will be a little tourist time before we fly out; shopping, eating and maybe we will hit the spa. I will definitely visit the spa. Right now we are sitting on the runway in a sweltering plane. It is like a hot box in the midday sun. Jesse, who detests flying, is stress fully awaiting this to be all over. It's a half hour flight but that's if we ever get off the ground.
Well, our trip has come to an end, and I am sitting in the airport on the way home. When I left off last we were about to play "tourist" and visit the famed temples of Angkor Wat. We took a short flight up there rather than spend 8 hours on a cramped bumpy van ride. I did that last time and, though it was a fun experience, we just didn't have the time.
I am sure one of our guys would have been happy if we did drive. Jesse has a major fear of flying and usually allays his anxiety chemically. The problem with a short flight is that the drugs don't wear off that quickly. When we landed in Siem Reap he was still floating along in the clouds. It turned out to be quite hilarious when he later tried to bargain for a headset with a bunch of young ladies in the market. With slightly slurred speech he was overwhelmed by their professional selling savvy. "Mister, you buy. good price!" They were like the tiny "doctor fish" we paid $2 to nibble our feet clean. They swarmed on him knowing they could make a sale. At one point he took out a $20 bill saying, "This is all I have." The young lady gently took the money, pocketed it continued to negotiate a higher price. He even confessed, "I just took a pill so I don't know what's going on." They weren't deterred. He eventually got the earphones. Maybe he paid a little more than he should have, but he gave us a good show at the same time.
Our hotel was nice and near the center of activity. Walking through the vendors nearby can be exhausting though. They are very aggressive. Friendly but aggressive. Most of our guys were too polite, addressing each hawker saying "no thank you" with a polite Khmer hand gesture. After a few days you learn to just ignore them. We wanted to catch the sunrise at the temple so we left at 4:30 am via tuk tuk. Amazingly there were probably a thousand people already there. It is a massive area though, and by the time we pushed past the normal gathering spots we were basically alone. We climbed over the barrier and up the precariously steep stairs to the five pinnacles of Angkor Wat. It was almost pitch dark, but our phones led the way. Other creatures there have a different technique to navigate. We could hear the bats chirping high overhead and see the mouse guano on the ground. It felt like we were in an Indiana Jones movie (the music playing in my mind). There were a few other rule breakers up there for the sunrise too, but that all was spoiled when the "guards" ushered us out. A little money changed that and, with the guards paid for a "special tour" we were able to stay up.
It is a little surreal to sit atop the 800 year old ruins of one of the greatest temples ever built. The tropical forest stretched out below me under a morning mist that lies like a blanket over the foliage. Tropical birds call out their unique songs and roosters call for the sun to come up. I stretched my head out over a railing to see further out when a bat came whipping around the corner into my head. My heart raced as he flew up into the darker recesses of the spire. Then the sun began to rise.
As the light begins to reveal this ancient ruin we can see the hundreds of women carved into the stone. They are called apsara and worshiped as angels. The stone is shiny and polished where thousands of hands have touched. Inevitably the breasts show signs of the most wear. The influence of India is heavily seen in the architecture and symbols. Hinduism played an early role in shaping Khmer culture and the king who built this place as his burial site, Suryavarman II, also claimed to be both king and god. That's ironic isn't it? He claims to be god but builds an enormous tomb? The Egyptians did the same. Pssst, news flash: if you are God you can't be held by death. See Jesus for more details. Tragically, Pol Pot used these ruins to demand that the Khmer people labor again as slaves to achieve greatness and in the spirit of a so called god/king, he killed up to 3 million people. Not to go off on a rabbit trail here, but the lessons of history are clear that too much power in the hands of the government is always bad for the people.
We saw Bayon, the temple with faces carved to face each cardinal direction. They were clearly beautiful people and the faces are all unique, probably based on actual models at the time. As I looked at each face with their cracks and stone seams I imagined what it would have been like in that time. Who were these people? How did they disappear so suddenly? Wouldn't it be amazing to have a gift of speaking every language ever spoken and to have a time machine?
We also walked through Ta Phrom, the temple where Tomb Raider was filmed. Though I didn't see the movie, I am sure this place is better in real life. There is no way to capture its splendor with a camera. Engraved in the stone there is a triceratops. Apparently they saw them in the area less than 1000 years ago. So much for the theory that they died out 75 million years ago.
After nearly ten hours of temple visits, we were worn out and our feet needed some rubbing. Back at the hotel a couple of the guys took advantage of the massage amenities. On the street you can get an hour massage for about five dollars, but be careful. Don't go alone or wander into the wrong shop or you'll be offered more than a massage. Stick with the blind masseuses who are trained. You won't be disappointed.
We took the short flight back to Phnom Phen in the morning even convincing Jesse to fly cold turkey so as to be coherent for the day in the city. He did fine and we spent the day with Kit and Ream. We ate, we shopped, some got pedicures ($3), KC ate a deep fried tarantula from a street vendor (ew!).
I even got a facial. The older lady that did it was really going to town on my face. She was no novice. She poked and prodded my forehead and temples, which was nice, like a face massage, but then started slapping my cheeks from the bottom. This made my whole face jiggle. Thank you for reminding me of my flabby jowls. She asked, "mister you want poot ("put") foot massage?" Yes I do want the poot massage. Right away one of her staff started working on my feet.
It was strange because it the beginning she kept burping under her breath. Maybe she had just eaten lunch. I don't know. Kind of a facial with a homespun feel about it. It was awkward but I returned the favor. About halfway through the treatment my stomach started growling and churning. It was loud like gentle thunder moving through the atmosphere, gurgling and churning. I couldn't do anything to stop it. Besides my face was covered in cucumber strips. I'm not sure if there is a more emasculating position to be in. I felt like my face was a salad in need of some vinaigrette, but my stomach is sounding like an old boiler in a cold warehouse. How embarrassing.
The trip was a total success. We led a pastors’ conference, blessed the kids at the orphanage, visited our wells in progress, left a gift from our church with their ministry there and got a good feel for the needs of this country. Jesus told his disciples, "Lift up your eyes and see that the fields are ripe for harvest." Going on a trip like this is like lifting your eyes to see. There is so much to do and so much that can be done. It is ripe for ministry. It just needs you. It is like that sign I saw that said "what is missing from CH_ _CH?" The answer: UR. All that is needed for good things to happen is for good people to get involved and that is why I am so glad to have gone with this group of guys.
I could not have been more blessed by the Japan guys. They served and taught and loved the people like the Lord would have. They were great models for the guys that I brought too, excellent examples and super teachers. I know they will be involved in that mission field in the future.
It will be good to get home and sleep in my own bed. I miss my wife and kids and I am looking forward to seeing my church again Saturday at the prayer meeting and Sunday for service. There is nothing like serving the Lord. What a fulfilling adventure!
Thank yous go out to the groups that joined in making this a special time.
www.southshorechristianfellowship.org
http://www.calvarytokorozawa.com/english.html
http://www.calvarywesttokyo.com/index4.html
http://www.calvaryfuchu.com/
http://www.ccbchonolulu.com/
Lastly Pastor Bud's son was injured the same day part of the team returned to Hawaii, falling from the top bunk of his bed. Little Bud broke his neck and has been admitted to the hospital. Right now he is fine, but little Bud and his family could still use your prayers for faith, trust and a speedy, healthy recovery, with no permanent damage.
We'd also have to give thanks to God for his grace and protection over little Bud knowing things could have been much, much worse.
It's a sobering reminder that none of us are free from the possibility of tragedy striking our loved ones. Last couple years Calvary Pastors seem to be in the lime light with such events.
Please remember to pray for your pastors, missionaries and leadership for protection, yes; but also for us to know how to stand during such adversity and how we can glorify God even in our pain. None of us want to be used in such a manner, it's not the tool we'd choose to be, we don't want to be that kind of example.
In the end all we can do is say God's will be done in our lives and if His will is to use us as such an example that He'd be there holding our hand on the way down giving us faith to hold his hand on the way up.
Amen
