Tuesday's VBS

Centerpiece

I am writing the last part of this post first because I'm waiting for the other pictures, but also it is the best part of the story.

3 years ago funds we're donated to us for a play area.  It took us 2 years to find time and decide how we'd use those funds.  Last year we decided it would be a pool and barbecue area.  

Though our pool sits to the side of the property it has become a centerpiece of our events.
An unintentional perk to having a pool has been having baptisms.

Well we've had our annual visit with Temple Christian College who not only brings great kids who spend quality time with our children they have also always bring tremendous support for the works that go on here.  This year like the last we held a little one day VBS.  Our school is out of session but still we had hundreds of kids show up.  

We had kids from 4th and 5th grade who had not been baptized yet so today was the day.

 Pastor Mark is in charge of their school's mission program, re-addressed what baptism means and confirmed they were aware of decision they had made before.

 Little prayers

First ones in was our second grade teachers (Sela's) son on the left.  One of our most awesome children Ratha in the middle and Joe my own son.

First 3

  

Joe

Ratha

 #6

 #9

New to our household is Seitha

#12

 #15

 Also new to our home Thon and Beautiful Naiput

#18

#21

Tate's get's to help baptize his niece who comes to our school

#24

This young lady has had her eyes on our son Sam for a couple years.  If anything works out in the future this will be a wonderful picture to have. ;)

#27

 Some of TCC students who've not been baptized before joined us.

 A little pool time afterwards. 

Other parts of the VBS

T-Shirts and Classrooms

We came up with an idea about an empty tree and having the kids put their hands on it for leaves and the team adding their hands as fruit on the tree.  Then we though of making a t-shirt the same but using thumb prints.  So on Monday the day before the VBS half the team spent the day adding their yellow thumb prints to the shirts. 

While half the team spent the day painting the empty tree trunks in the classrooms.

It was a long day to say the least.  Some of our kids confirmed they do not want to work in a garment factory.

Team Thumbprints

 Team painting the trunks of the trees in the class rooms.

Tuesday

Far more children showing up than we had hoped for.

 A little bit of worship from the team and our worship team

Team house in the back right is complete and being used.

Pastor Mark sharing with Tate's translating.

Some sort of Mexican Chicken dance being taught.  By the sounds I heard later later I think was one of the more popular classes.

Class by class the kids got to add their thumbprints to their shirts.  

A finished, personalized t-shirts

Coloring pages and adding their hand print to the wall of what will be their class come October.

 Finished murals 

The idea here is that the classes each year will add their print as will our coming guest and over time our tree will fill out, "in theory".

There was also a lot of yard games, more music, soccer and volleyball going on.

With the kids going home after the baptism with a juice and a snack.

Ream and I spent the rest of the day on the couch. 

Not Quite Complete

Team House 

We had hoped the next post would be completed projects but the fact is we're excited about how things are coming along and wanted give an update a little sooner than planned.

 So the second floor will remain open for the time being.  We are looking at the budget for a roof but it will work either way. We've got to connect the water tanks and add railing since we won't have walls for a while.

Paint was finished 2 days ago, inside and out.

A very low priority but we will add the planter box the side walk.

Back rear corner.  Air-conditioners went in yesterday.

Out front still a bit of a mess but the kids should have that cleaned up this afternoon.

Inside actually looks like a real house now.

Notice the abundance of fans.

Bathrooms on the left standing in the very small kitchenette looking towards the front door.

A little crop on the bath room their still painting the ceiling. 

New larger electric wires were run from the street as well.

All of our drainage around the property is now in pipes and covered.  No more weird smells and fewer black muddy dog prints in the house.  ;)

School Location #1

At the old school some changes are under way as we are really fighting for space this year.

Our "closet"  class room for grade 10 and computer room.  The walls have come down to make a larger single class.

So grateful to Mr. Mow, he has as so much work going on as we do.

Doors were pulled from grade 10 and was added to 9th grade class.  The original door was on the end of the building which split the class weirdly in half and was also very rough with the morning sun blasting in.   This will make the class much more practical.  

Still needs some paint though.

 Summer Jobs for some of our kids.

SreyWut is teaching English class for a couple weeks.

 Tate's English class with the bigger kids.

New School Location #2

2 Kindergarten classes

 We did have the roof put on but are still working on the funds to enclose it, if we can pull that together we will also have two 1st grade class rooms here as well.

6 Bathrooms being installed on the left class rooms.

Tong and Yong have been also working this summer.  They've been working with Mr. Mow get through his demanding schedule.  Young been working on the bathrooms while Tong has been helping tear down the wall at the 10th grade.

The paint is going on today.

My project

Chicken coup is gone and shed erected to store all of our seasonal stuff.

Knocking things down is always fun for me.  Once we pull out the rest of the old pig pens we'll start making plans for future ball courts.

For the ball courts; besides funds we are also waiting for the land to settle which may take a while.

The pond was here so we want to make sure we give it time to rest before laying a pad on it.  

Gardening is going well.  First fruits from the beds have been eaten with pride.  

Reams herb garden is doing really well this year.

 

We've got zucchinis coming over the trellises.  Also we've got 2 grape vines growing.

When we were in the US a couple years ago we picked up some flower seeds.  One of them was a viney flower called a Cotton Flower I believe.  Well it really was the only flower that grew and it's doing so great.  It's slowly covering our fences around the garden and pool.