We have been in Sihanoukville and already it has been such a good time of rest. It is also great to spend so much time with the Holbeches, and to even feed off their hunger and passion for God. Coming up, we have some meetings with NGOs and we are also going to attend a conference for married couples in the ministry. Keat Kove is actually putting on this conference, and it will take place next week.

      I do have the worst blistering sun burn that I have ever had. I wasn’t trying to tan or anything like that, but I obviously spent too much time hanging out under the sun. It looks like someone took a red paint brush to my body. I’ve been lathering myself in some ‘after sun’ lotion which has Aloe Vera in it. It will be okay. If I want to see some people with actual real problems, I don’t have far to go.

      The children are relentless in trying to sell souvenirs to the mass amount of foreigners lounging at Serendipity beach. It is highly doubted that most of these kids even attend school, though they say that they do. Girls as young as fourteen years old are approached for sex by old men.
     Today I saw one of the most disturbing sights in Cambodia that I have seen so far. A frail, trembling woman carried a stick-thin man who looked like he could die any moment because he was so small and so sick looking. She walked him along in front of her as she staggered along the beach, begging. I find that it’s not so black and white when it comes to responding to beggars. Of course, our first thought is that we should give money, but is that really the right way to help them? Are we just contributing to a ‘begging mentality’ that helps the Cambodians stay bound to the idea of the white man coming and solving all of their problems with money? It is a difficult situation. I would like to learn more Khmer so that I can talk more to the beggars and listen to their stories and ask them what they need.
    
     Love and compassion is needed, but not a kind that we try to formulate. We need the very burning love of God who sent His only dear son to a people full of sin and hatred toward Him. I think that as we spend time in His presence and as we surrender our plans to the desires of the Holy Spirit, we can be led by love and everything we do can be for the benefit of others. I don’t imagine too many Christians venture into Sihanoukville, and so I pray that we will continue to make the most out of our time here.

The children try to talk the Holbeches into buying fruit salad and bracelets.