Written April 9th, 2010
One part of the job description of a World Racer (if itisn’t already there) should be moonlighter.
Because that’s what you’re going to do – juggle as many hats
as you’re nearly unable to.
as you’re nearly unable to.
For me, that means mornings, I teach English with Glenalyn.
From 8:30
to 9:30 every weekday
morning, we teach about a half a dozen girls from the ages of 9 to 15.
to 9:30 every weekday
morning, we teach about a half a dozen girls from the ages of 9 to 15.
They giggle as we mispronounce their names (Khmer doesn’t
roll off the tongue like you’d think it would), and start chattering when they
should be writing down what we’re writing on the white board (but since when is
that new in a classroom?).
roll off the tongue like you’d think it would), and start chattering when they
should be writing down what we’re writing on the white board (but since when is
that new in a classroom?).
These girls know a lot of words in English, but forming
sentence structure is a bit of a stretch still.
sentence structure is a bit of a stretch still.
We’re working through that, though.
Then, for the rest of the day, it’s building.
Car parks, fences…
By the end of the day, I am tired and pretty much every part
of my body is sore.
of my body is sore.
But when I see the piles of bricks that soon will be a fence
at the home stay, the car park that just went up at the café, or the ground
that’s been raised to create room to extend the car park that just went up, I
know it’s worth it.
at the home stay, the car park that just went up at the café, or the ground
that’s been raised to create room to extend the car park that just went up, I
know it’s worth it.
Because a car park means less of an excuse for people to
drive past on their way up the road and find somewhere else to go to eat.
drive past on their way up the road and find somewhere else to go to eat.
And that means more money in the local economy.
And a means for people to do better than barely survive.
You know that saying that goes “Give a man a fish, and you
feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you’ll feed him for a lifetime”?
feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you’ll feed him for a lifetime”?
That’s what Esther, our contact here, is all about.
Teaching people skills they can use to and giving people
with skills a means to climb out of the cycle of poverty that exists here in Cambodia
(because you know it’s an impoverished nation when 4,000-4,300 Riel is
equivalent to $1 USD).
with skills a means to climb out of the cycle of poverty that exists here in Cambodia
(because you know it’s an impoverished nation when 4,000-4,300 Riel is
equivalent to $1 USD).
The Solar Café is up and running, and construction crews are
hard at work building a store for local women to get creative and sell their
work.
hard at work building a store for local women to get creative and sell their
work.
And the cooking classes, taught by a Singapore-Canadian
missionary whose ministry here in Ba Ray is to give young people finishing up
school in the village skills to find a part time job in Phnom Penh so they can pay for school and
continue their education.
missionary whose ministry here in Ba Ray is to give young people finishing up
school in the village skills to find a part time job in Phnom Penh so they can pay for school and
continue their education.
Then there’s the home stay, where we’re staying, which can
house as many as 100 people and brings in groups from Europe, Japan, Singapore,
and other countries to see more of rural Cambodia.
house as many as 100 people and brings in groups from Europe, Japan, Singapore,
and other countries to see more of rural Cambodia.
So this building, teaching sentence structure, and
everything else that comes with it, is juggling a lot of hats, but if it’s the
life of a World Racer, then who am I to complain?
everything else that comes with it, is juggling a lot of hats, but if it’s the
life of a World Racer, then who am I to complain?
