Not just a lack of formal education, but also of the kind you would normally get passed on to you by you parents. Things like how to stay healthy and what to do if you are sick. How to grow a vegetable garden so you have something to eat along with you rice and sell in the market. Many of the Cambodians in the outlying areas are still very poor and lack even simple vocational stills to make a living with, other than toiling in the rice fields. But fortunately there are organizations like New Life offering many opportunities to learn skills to make a better life for yourself.
The organization that we are working (New Life) has put in place several different programs to teach people some of the basics. The have programs where someone can sponsor a child that would normally be put to work out in the fields as soon as they were old enough. And by sponsoring them and their family with the money they need to survive, allowing the kids to go to school instead of having to work to feed their family. They have another program that teaches the family how to build a small family business. Such and growing vegetables and selling them in the market or building a cart to sell sticky rice snacks out of. All of the programs focus on getting the people to a point were they will be self sufficient and not rely on support from the outside. These are just a couple of the many things that New Life has their hands in. They are doing a great job of meeting people where they are at and showing them that they care and want to help them regardless of there religious affiliation. And as they spend time with them showing them how much they are loved by God.
We have been working in the city this week teaching English to students from a near by collage. We are offering free classes three times a day all week long and the turnout has been great. About 15-20 students per class. We use stories out of the bible to teach the lessons, introducing the students to God as they learn English. Its
