Justin Knowles

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

2011-08-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

It's been an interesting 6 months for me on my moto. In February I took a tumble on a dirt road that left me pretty banged up. After a few months of tranquility I started having small accidents quite frequently. There was always some immediate cause- a dog ran out in front of me, someone cut me off, etc. I would hit my brakes and my bike would hit the ground. I wondered if other people were having accidents this frequently or if I was just having a run of bad luck (I knew my driving skills could not be to blame).

On Saturday, I had another incident. Immediate cause- someone veered in my direction on a bumpy road. Result- I hit the brakes, then hit the ground. This time my foot felt a great deal of pain immediately. I managed to drive home with an ice pack on my foot. X-rays revealed a fracture on my foot. It was the same foot that I had injured at youth camp in June. The foot just never seemed to fully heal, so when I had the accident the result was probably worse than it would have been if my foot had been healthy.

This accident caused me to consider why my bike kept sliding out from under me. I finally realized that my rear brakes were not functioning. Every time that I had to brake rapidly, my front tires would stop, but my back tires would keep spinning and the imbalance of force would make it practically impossible to stay upright. I then saw the connectedness between the condition of my moto and the condition of my foot (fracture to the forefoot). I was aware that something wasn't right in my foot or in my moto before the accident (though I hadn't considering that my brakes weren't properly working). But with the busy pace of life it just seemed to be a low priority to rest my foot or go find a mechanic to look at my moto. I figured I

would just manage, as I had been managing. The accident caused me to give attention to that which was broken. Now I have a walking boot and on Monday a mechanic fixed my brakes.

Sometimes we see this same pattern in other areas of our lives. We ignore this or that vice until it grows into a problem that we can't ignore. The consequences can be great. But it doesn't necessarily have to be that way.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But if it is broke, well...you know.

(Right-foot injured at camp in June)

Rain Jacket

2011-07-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Last night I was riding home with Jude from the Lucky Mall when it started to rain. We took shelter under the the awning of a Khmer restaurant. I had forgotten my rain jacket at home (Jude had his). I asked if I could buy a rain jacket there. I was told that they didn't have any for sale.

Surprisingly, the security guard offered to give me his. It was used, and was missing half of a sleeve, but otherwise was in perfectly good condition. I was humbled by this act of generosity by someone who had never met me before. He refused to receive compensation for it, but finally agreed to accept 500 riel from me as a deposit for his next jacket. That's about 12.5 cents, or 1/3 of the price of new jacket.

This is a situation where focusing on the financial details is akin to missing the forest for the trees. This was a very kind gesture. He could have gotten rained on when his shift was finished and he returned home. That kind of unselfishness, I thought, deserved a blog post.

Momentum

2011-07-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

I was driving my moto yesterday when a white dog ran out in front of me. I hit my brakes and my moto, predictably, went tumbling over. I've had that happen several times in the last year. This time was a little different, though. I let go of the handles instead of riding it to the ground. Somehow (only God knows, and I thank him for it) I managed to hurdle the handle bars as the bike was falling and land on both feet! I literally hit the ground running. I couldn't stop because of the force of the momentum and after 4 or 5 steps I ran head-first into a pole.

The Cambodians who witnessed the whole incident were peering on with a look of disbelief . Both the dog and pole were uninjured. Thankfully I was wearing my helmet and my only injury was a bit of pain and swelling in the toe that I broke at youth camp last month. The dog got a good rebuke from his owners at the roadside. He learned that you have to look both ways when crossing a busy street, and I learned a thing or two about momentum.

Fish added to our Fish Pond

2010-08-13T21:46:00.001-07:00

We stacked our two ponds at the end of July- one with tilapia and the other with tre pra.

Bridge to the farm

2010-07-20T04:04:00.000-07:00

With the wet season upon us, we have to drive our motos across this small wooden bridge to reach the farm. A lot of the sticks are loose so you have to keep moving and be sure not to drag your feet.

Wells and pumps added in Takam.

2010-07-20T03:32:00.000-07:00

We built Anyu's house (with the tremendous help of a team from Lee University's Business dept.) at the end of June. The photo above shows a well that was recently added to the property near Anyu's house for his family's personal use. He is the caretaker for the farm. The middle photo shows a second well that was added, in between the two fish ponds. A pump was purchased so that water can be pumped from the well into the fish ponds for aeration. The top photo shows water being pumped out of the fish pond by the same pump. The two ponds (each 10x15m; 4 m deep) are being prepared for tre pra and tilapia farming. All photos were taken July 20. Both wells were added and the pump purchased a few days prior.

Football Camp

2010-07-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

We organized the youth football team in the village with a 3-day camp from July 15-17. We had 4 practices in 3 days. Around 20 youth participated in the event. Here are a few pics from our time together.

Youth Camp

2010-07-20T02:38:00.001-07:00

We spent 3 days in Battambang province with about 280 young Cambodians. This is my 'small group' from youth camp. Small group times afforded us opportunities to get to know the campers better, pray with them, and reflect on the messages that been shared in the services.

Donna's bicycle

2010-07-20T02:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Donna's bike. She has had it for a few weeks. The basket up front holds her books on her way to teach English. Another big thank you to Grace Covenant!

New Moto

2010-07-20T02:19:00.000-07:00

Here I am on my moto. I bought it in early June. It only costs me about $4/week in gasoline, which is a big savings. Thank you Grace Covenant COG!

Fence Being Built in Takam

2010-06-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics of the fence being built in Takam around the perimeter of our farmland.

We celebrate our 3rd Anniversary in Cambodia

2010-05-29T05:11:00.000-07:00

The morning of our 3rd anniversary, I took Donna to the silk worm farm. It was fascinating, reallly. The worms spin the cocoon, which becomes the silk. They kill the worm by leaving it out in the sun (that will kill just about anything here in Cambodia). They unravel the cocoon for the silk threads. Then they boil the worms and eat them. They said it tastes like corn, and I tend to agree. It was my first silk worm. Not ready to add it to my diet yet. I definitely recommend this free tour to anyone passing through Siem Reap. (I also took her out for lunch and to a spa, in case you think I was just being cheap.)

Highs and Lows

2010-05-20T04:56:00.000-07:00

Quite a contrast between the Siem Reap River at the end of the dry season (taken this week) and at the peak of the wet season (taken last October).

Thoughts on being back in Cambodia

2010-05-17T03:13:00.000-07:00

We arrived back in Cambodia on Friday morning. The trip was a million times easier than last year. No airport drama, no stays in the hospital, no border crossings, no head aches really. We thank God for that.
We took a taxi up from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap on Saturday. Sunday we visited the International Fellowship of Siem Reap. It was good to see some of our old friends. Looks like the group has grown in number since we left. We were sad to see that a few of our friends had left and to learn that a few more were getting ready to leave soon.
There's a lot of familiarity. I don't feel as much like I'm living in a foreign country as I did last year. I'm surprised that I remember a good bit of the Khmer that I learned. Then again, it's not all that surprising since I hadn't really learned enough Khmer to be able to forget a lot.
I started exercising today. Oh yeah, it's ridiculously hot again. I did a 3 mile run at 5:40 a.m. and felt like I was ready for a heat stroke by the end of it. I figure that if I can cowboy-up in this hot weather then I will be able to establish a routine that I can maintain throughout the year.
Oh, and my special moisture-wicking socks were a great investment. I looked like I had just gone swimming when I finished my run, but when I took off my shoes my feet were almost completely dry. Amazing.
We're hoping to stay here for 12-18 months, if it's the Lord's will. With that in mind we are both physically and mentally unpacking. Trying to get settled in here, and I think we're well on our way.

Wal-Mart and the Church...

2010-04-12T05:54:00.001-07:00

...have more in common than people realize. In the age of consumerism, people approach them in much the same way- searching to have their needs met in the cheapest, most convenient way. Because of this common thread of consumer appeal, they face a similar challenge from their detractors- boycott. I want to explore this topic a little bit here.

Wal-Mart has become the target of many due to its perceived unfair labor practices. I tend to agree with those who claim that Wal-Mart needs to make significant changes to treat its employees more fairly. Let's assume that such changes do need to occur to implement justice. The question is "What is our response?" Is it one of principle or one that seeks transformation, or both? I can think of three types of responses.

The first as I alluded to above is the boycott. This is a principled approach to be sure. I won't wear an abosolut vodka t-shirt if someone gives it to me because I don't drink vodka and don't want to be associated with it. Regardless of what effect my wearing the shirt has or does not have on someone else, I won't wear it on principle. Does boycott move beyond being simply a principled response into the area of transformation? Maybe, but not always.

The second approach I call the 'buy-in." That is, you continue to buy products and use your leverage as a customer to bring about change. You recognize that you are one of the 3 main groups with leverage in the situation (along with the stockholders and the employees). The employees can use their leverage, perhaps via a strike, only at the risk of unemployment. You don't have enough money to buy sufficient stock to sway ownership. By yourself as a customer, you have virtually no leverage, but if you can sufficiently mobilize other customers you can work together to demand change.

The third approach is the incarnational approach. It is to become an employee and to commit to using your influence to bring about an internal transformation. You recognize that it is a long road and that progress will come slowly, and perhaps never comprehensively. It requires the most effort and offers no guarantees. Still it holds out hope that transformation will occur one life at a time, one store at a time.

Now how do we approach the Church? There are certainly countless problems that can be identified in the Church today. Is our response to boycott- to withdraw from the Church on the principle that it isn't what God would have it to be, or else in the hopes that our absence will show the Church that it needs to change? Or do we commit ourselves to it and seek to bring about the transformation that we believe is needed, as an insider, as one with vested interests? The boycott may be an appropriate response in the world of consumption, but should the Church be approached in this way?

I personally think that boycott is not the appropriate response in the Church and is not necessarily the best response to the Wal-Marts of the world. I like the incarnational response to both. However, recognizing Wal-Mart employment is not a feasible response for everyone, I like the idea of pursuing a rigorous campaign of customer mobilization. Facebook page, youtube videos, all the best media sources and, when well coordinated, issue an ultimatum. If adequate responses are not given, then pursue the boycott.

One more month...

2010-04-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

...until we return to Cambodia. We've been traveling almost every weekend since mid- February. The last few months we've been able to speak at a Hispanic church in New York, a Brazilian church in Marietta, and a Romanian Church in Nashville. We've also been to churches in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Memphis. For Easter we went to Freeport, FL, and visited an old roommate and good friend of mine, Paul Deary. About two weeks ago the opportunity opened up for me to work in PCL's offices until we return to Cambodia, so we've moved back to Cleveland. It's really been a whirlwind, but things are settling down a bit because we don't have any more long road trips scheduled. This week we bought our tickets to fly out of Los Angeles on May 12. Between now and then we are trying to sell off a lot of our items that we have in storage. Hopefully in the next week or so we will post pictures of the items for sale.

Where we are...

2010-02-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

In case you're wondering, this is where we are:
We've been living with my parents since we moved back from Cambodia in December. We've spoken at a few churches and been to Cleveland a few times while I took a class and we celebrated Jude's second birthday.
Now we're getting ready for what we hope are our last two months in the States before we head back to Cambodia. In case you're interested, here is our schedule.
Feb. 21- Marietta, GA- Abundant Life COG (Brazilian)
Feb. 28- Aiken, SC- Grace Covenant COG
Mar. 7- Cary, NC- Bridgeway COG
March 14- Waleska (GA) COGOP (church my grandfather pastored for many years)
March 19-21- Charlottesville, VA- Covenant COG
March 28- Collierville, TN- (COG, near Memphis)
April 1-4- Freeport, FL (visiting good friends for Easter)
April 11- open
April 18- open
Depart for Cambodia (sometime between April 20 and April 27)

If you live in the area, come out and see us. We're hoping to be in Cambodia for 12-18 months on this deployment.

Back in Canton, GA

2010-01-21T16:08:00.000-08:00

After spending the holidays with my family, we spent 10 days in Cleveland, TN. I took a Crisis Counseling course and we spoke at the New Covenant COG, our home church. We returned to Canton about a week ago and are getting settled in as we prepare our itineration schedule. We're hoping to go back to Cambodia in late April.
Living in Canton is interesting. I have fond memories here. It's changed in a lot of ways since my childhood. One thing I've noticed, and I guess it was here before, is the racism here. The city actually passed a law forbidding any kind of activity in city parks, and most people believe the law was enacted as a response to the growing number of Hispanics who were frequenting the parks. What a dumb law. No kickball, frisbee, tossing the football, or kicking the soccer ball in a city park. The Hispanics are no longer in the park, and nobody else is either. What a waste of beautiful park space. At least we can still walk on the sidewalks.

Back in Canton, GA

2009-12-27T16:57:00.000-08:00

We're back to Canton, GA, the city where I grew up. I lived in Canton until I moved to Cleveland, TN, for college in '99. We're staying with my parents, probably for a few months until we return to Cambodia.
Getting here was quite a journey. We travelled 6 hours by car and 20 hours by plane to arrive here a week before Christmas. Then jet lag. Wow, I couldn't sleep between 1 and 5am for most of the first week that I was in the states. I'm still not completely adjusted to my new sleep pattern. Christmas came and went so fast it was a blur. Then this morning, 2 days after Christmas, I spoke at the church of my youth- the Restoration COG in Roswell, GA. It was a nice homecoming. Now I'm ready to get settled into some sort of routine, even if that routine include travelling many weekends. I thank God for his grace with us the last 6 months in Asia and on our journey home. After spending the next week with family, we will return to Cleveland for a week to take a class, have some meetings, and catch up with friends. Then, Lord willing, our attention will turn toward fund raising and preparations for our return to Cambodia.

Sokha's memorial service

2009-10-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

Sokha's memorial service was held at the children's home a few hundred meters from Sokha's house. This is the place where our youth group meets on Sunday nights.
His family accepted the invitation to come. Most of the youth group was also in attendance. Sokha's sister quoted his favorite Scipture- John 3:16. We sang Shout to the Lord, one of Sokha's favorite songs, in English and Khmer.
Then three of his friends gave short reflections on their friendship with Sokha. We sang another one of his favorite songs- In Jesus Christ We Are One Family. Another missionary, Julie, shared condolences on behalf of our director, Dr. Fred Garmon. She also shared a few memories of her time with Sokha. Then the youth band played a special song as a tribute to Sokha. I had never heard the song before.
Then the slide show was presented. After the slide show I gave a message from Scripture. This was followed by a meal.
It's really too early to know what impact this service had on the youth or the family. Nonetheless we believe that it was an important experience for all who were involved. We knew we could not continue on to our preparations for baptism until we had acknowledged the significance of Sokha's passing to his friends and family.

Intense Week Part II

2009-10-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

The hours leading up to the death of Sokha and the day that followed seemed so surreal. It didn't seem like it should happen this way. I kept waiting for the outcome to change. I felt like this was supposed to end with a miracle of healing or resurrection. The resurrection will come, I know. But it just seemed like this should be the moment for God to intervene miraculously. A village would see the power of the living God. Many would come to know Jesus. It just didn't seem right. Tons of thoughts and emotions, too many to discuss here.
The day after the funeral the remants of typhoon Ketsana arrived. There was speculation that it would rain a lot, but nobody really knew what to expect. You can't get detailed weather forecasts very easily in Cambodia. It rained that night and the next day. Roads started flooding. They got worse. And worse. The market was swamped. The river was rising near the banks. It seemed inevitable that it would spill over the top and bring floodwaters into the downtown.
The next morning it did. Main streets were covered in knee deep water, some places higher. Getting around was really difficult. Motos would stall with regularity. I had to get off one and help push it to higher ground. The road to the village was swamped. Only one entrance- through the back side. Still it's flooded. My moto driver wouldn't chance it so I had to get off and walk the rest of the way. A deep pool of water covers the road, so I walk across the make-shift bride which is a couple of old wooden planks that had been placed next to each other. I have to see the family and speak with the friends of Sokha. We plan a memorial service for the next Sunday. With only a few days to plan and the continued flood, it's very difficult to collect pictures, deliver them to a place to get scanned, and return them.
Then on Thursday, after I finally have gathered pictures and begun to work on the slide show, my computer dies. I have a computer tech look at it. It has a serious virus. He needs to keep it over night. He's not sure what he will be able to do. The next day he tells me to meet him at 5:00pm at the coffee shop to collect my laptop. He tells me there's a delay. Around 7pm his assistant finally arrives with my computer. The bag's wet. His assistant had an accident in the flooded street. He's ok. The computer bag fell in the water. Will it work? Thankfully it does.
Back on the moto, back into the flooded streets, back to work on the slide show for the service.
How bad was the flood? Pretty bad. Main roads were covered in at least knee deep water for 6 days. The downtown looked like Venice. Stores on the sides of a canal, canals that used to be streets. Riding the dirt road to the village was a hazard. Tons of pot holes. Muddy water. You never knew when the bottom would drop out and you'd be wet. Felt like you were riding a bull. My driver loses his shoes in the water. Stop the moto to get them. Water in the muffler again. We're pushing the moto again. No easy trips any where all week. But at least the computer is fixed. Donna's bday is on Saturday. It just seemed like the wrong time to be celebrating. She said as much. We threw her party any way on Saturday night and it was a nice reprieve from a hectic week. More than that, in light of everything that had happened, it was a time of thanksgiving and celebration of the gift of life that God has given us. In this case, Donna's.

Intense Week part 1

2009-10-05T06:31:00.001-07:00

It's been an intense week. We got a call on Sept. 27 while we are at the international worship service where we attend on Sunday afternoon. It was a 3 year anniversary celebration for the fellowship. The call didn't give much cause for celebration. One of our youth, Sokha, was in the hospital. We felt like we should finish the service and then go see him.
Donna went with another missionary to see him after the service. I went to the children's home in the village to lead the youth service. When Donna arrived she learned that Sokha was in critical condition. He was not expected to live. Traumatic brain injury. Original cause unknown. Brain anuerism? Nobody seemed to know exactly what had happened, but he had fallen in his home and had bleeding in the brain.
At the children's home we prayed with the children for Sokha's healing. Less than an hour later an ambulance arrived at Sokha's house just a few hundred meters away. They had sent him home to die. I walked to Sokha's house with the children's home director, Matt. We were praying that God would raise Sokha to life.
Arriving at the home, we are led to the room where Sokha lay. Candles burning around his body. Buddhist family observing rituals that I don't fully understand. Still praying that God would do a miracle. Someone thought they felt a pulse. Sokha's body is placed back in the ambulance. Matt and I hop in the back along with several of Sokha's friends. It's really hot and stuffy. The sirens going off. We're praying for God to do a miracle.
We arrive at the hospital. No pulse is found. The body is taken back again by ambulance to his home. Mourning commences. Sister and mom are beside themselves. Dad is trying to be strong, demanding that the rest of the family do the same. Trying to comfort the family and still holding out hope for some miracle. God still raises the dead. Why not this guy? It just didn't seem like the right ending.
Sokha was the president of our youth group. He had just graduated from high school and was preparing to go to university. He was well loved and in many ways the hope of the family. Things had happened so suddenly that nobody got to say good bye to him in a way that would satisfy, if it ever could be such a way.
Grieving is in full force. Cries, wails. Soon the loud music would begin and be played round the clock. We return to our home. The next morning we learn that the funeral will be held in the afternoon. So sudden. Little time to prepare. We arrive a couple of hours before the funeral.
Sokha's family is Buddhist, I think more nominal than devout. But Buddhist customes are deeply ingrained in the Cambodian culture. The funeral follows such customes. Sokha's brother shaves his head and eye brows. He wears a white robe. Monks from the local pagoda are present doing chants. The body is washed to be ceremonially clean. It is brought out and placed in a coffin on a cart. The funeral procession begins on foot through the village, into the local pagoda. Three laps around the furnace. The door to the furnace is opened. The coffin is entered. Firewood is thrown in along with lighter fluid. The attendants pause for one last picture. The fire is lit. The door is closed. Good bye Sokha, until Heaven.

Get Riel

2009-09-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

The official currency of Cambodia is the riel. The U.S. dollar is the unofficial currency and can be used in most contexts. The exchange rate at stores, banks, and exhange houses is 1 dollar=4170 riel. The exchange rate is a flat 4000 to 1 when paying a moto or tuk-tuk driver, at small stores, or in the market place. If you give a moto driver a dollar for a ride that should cost 2500 riel, he will give you 1500 in change, not 1670. If your moto driver doesn't have change and you have to get change from the small store across the street, you will get the same 4000-to 1 ratio. It doesn't sound like much of a difference, but it adds up over time. The best thing to do is to periodically exchange a 10 or 20 dollar bill at the exchange house up the road and to use your riels only when paying for transport or when in the market. If you make your puchase with dollars at a medium-sized supermarket or at the mall, the computer will calculate your change in riels at the better exchange rate. So in those places you can pay with dollars or riel and you don't lose anything.
Moral of the story: Before riding the moto or tuk-tuk, GET RIEL.

Trust your instincts

2009-09-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

That's something that I learned on Saturday. Sometimes it's hard to differentiate between a prompting of the Spirit and just a gut feeling that we have based upon our observations in a situation. After all, the Spirit of God does give us wisdom. He expects us to use it. Maybe sometimes it's both our wisdom and the Spirit's prompting.
On my way to the children's home to meet some youth for football, I hop on the back of a moto near my house. The moto drivers who I usually ride with are gone for the holiday weekend. I don't know this man, but it's not uncommon to get on a moto with someone you don't know.
But as I got on, I noticed that he wasn't wearing a helmet. Most professional moto drivers wear helmets. YELLOW FLAG.
As we start down our road and prepare to turn onto the main road, he pulls out an already-lit cigarette and starts smoking it. I stay on thinking he'll toss it in a second. I was already thinking about hopping off. But most of the moto drivers were gone for the holiday. I figured I would suck it up (literally, the cigarette smoke) and endure the ride.
As we're riding down the main road, he honks his horn. No big deal, horns are used frequently to warn nearby traffic. Except where is all the traffic? It's a holiday and the town is half-deserted. Who does this guy keep honking at? He honks again and waves at someone. Does he really know this many people? Or is he just randomly honking his horn and waving at people? His driving seems unsure. I wonder exactly what it is he's smoking up there.
Ok, we're less than a mile away, just finish the ride. We turn out into the dirt road that leads to the village. It's always a bumpy ride. This time is no exception. We turn off onto another dirt road that leads to the children's home. Finally. We're there. I hop off the moto and begin to pay him (should be around 2500 riel). I offer him 3000 riel just to get him on his way. He demands 5000 riel. Way too much money for this ride. No respectable moto driver would demand 5000 riel for that ride. I offer him 4000. He finally takes it. I'm relieved and ready to go into the children's home. But the gate is locked and myseriously no body is to be found within the compound.
The moto driver sees that nobody is there. He sees that I'm stuck. I motion to him 'goodbye.' He's not leaving. RED FLAG.
The village is very quiet because of the holiday. I know some youth down the street, but I don't know if they're home. I'll walk to their house. The moto driver still won't leave. He's driving slowly beside me, motioning for me to get onto his moto. I keep refusing and motioning for him to leave. He's not going anywhere. I start calling out my friend's name from a distance hoping the guy will get the point- I know people around here. After walking about 150 meters I arrive at the house of one of the members of our youth group and cut off the road to his house. The driver finally leaves.
Fortunately I knew people in the area. Fortunately it was broad daylight. Trust your instincts. Heed the Spirit's prompting. A bad start doesn't always foretell a bad finish. But sometimes it does. Don't travel to the village on a moto unless you know the driver. Especially during holidays when much of the village is gone. Lesson learned.

Drive it like ya stole it

2009-09-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

I don't know where the expression originated, but I think the meaning is pretty straight-forward. If you're an auto thief, you don't casually stroll off with someone's car, especially if the owner or the police are in pursuit.
The expression has come to mind a few times when I've ridden on motos here in Siem Reap. If I believed in reincarnation, I would think that one of the moto drivers on my street was an auto thief in his previous life. Every time I get on the moto with him, he drives it like it's stolen. Does he want to pass every car and moto on the street? Are they a personal challenge to him? Maybe he's just a free spirit who loves to ride his moto wide open. But when I'm almost falling off of the back of the moto when he accelerates, it's too fast for my comfort zone.
But he's open to change. At least with his passengers. Lately we tell him "slow" and make a hand gesture. He chuckles and nods, "slow." He is slowing down. It feels safer. I would certainly rather ride with him than the guy I rode with on Saturday...

Left Turn

2009-09-22T02:30:00.000-07:00

Driving in Cambodia is interesting. At times it seems like organized chaos. The one-way streets are by far the easiest ones to navigate. Of particular interest to me has been how people make left turns. It's not always easy, and it's done differently depending on the situaion.
If you're riding a bike or motorcycle and need to turn left onto a busy road, you will probably turn left onto the far left side of that road. If the place that you need to visit is on the left, you may just drive down the left side of the road. You will have to dodge oncoming bikes and motos in what feels like a game of chicken. But if you need to cross to the right side of the road, you will probably just drive on the left side until it's convenient to merge with the traffic across the street.
If you are at a traffic light (there aren't many, but there are some) you will do like we do in the U.S.- when the light turns green you will yield to oncoming traffic and wait for an opportunity to turn left. If you are in a car though, you will not yield to the oncoming traffic. Your car is bigger than the moto, so you will use your size to your advantage and cut across the traffic. The downside for the person driving the car is that if there's an accident with a moto, it's almost always deemed the fault of the one driving a car. However, the person driving the moto is concerned about safety and will avoid the car that is making the left turn. (You won't get rich off of lawsuits here).
If you're driving a moto down a road and need to turn left onto another road at a small intersection, you will cut the corner sharp. It's dangerous because you're doing it blindly. By taking a sharp turn, you are essentially in the lane of oncoming traffic. If a building blocks your view, you could hit someone. I've been riding on the back of a moto many times when we turned a sharp corner and someone was there. We always were able to avoid them, but sometimes it's been close. Why cut the corner so sharply? It's usually in an attempt to squeeze in before oncoming traffic arrives (on the main road that you're driving down).
So the lesson is, be careful when you're turning left. And be even more careful when you're turning right.

A Holiday in Cambodia

2009-09-22T02:20:00.000-07:00

It's a holiday in Cambodia. Or it was over the weekend. It's called Pchum Ben. It's a time when Cambodians reverence their ancestors. How does it affect life here? What does it look like? Well, in Siem Reap, the city where we live, many of the residents return to the province of their families. Because Siem Reap has drawn a lot of pepole because of its employment opportunities, there was a much different feel to the place during this time. It looked like a ghost town at times. Normally busy streets were practically deserted. Businesses closed, almost all of them, for at least 2-3 days. Some people travel for an entire week. Thus my English class was cancelled last week.
Most of the people who do stay can be found at the pagoda on Saturday, burning incense before the idol in honor of a deceased relative. The smell of incense is strong, apparently strong enough to stir the nearby bats in broad daylight. People come wearing white shirts.
Many of the Christians celebrate the holiday in a different way, perhaps the way that we celebrate Thanksgiving. The Christians do not worship their ancestors but do travel for several days to visit with family.
For a foreigner, it's kind of boring. Really I couldn't connect with the meaning of the holiday or the way it was celebrated. Not to mention that my family is too far away to visit. Stores are closed and our normal routine is altered. I tried to organize a soccer game since some of the youth were off were work. But they wound up doing something else instead. I learned that people don't like to play soccer during Pchum Ben even though they have free time. That was interesting to me because my Hispanic friends in the U.S. would always play soccer on a free day if invited.
The holiday is over. The markets are full, the streets crowded. Shops are open and classes have begun. Time to regroup and refocus for one more course before our furlough.

Incense

2009-09-02T23:41:00.001-07:00

Riding down the road today there was a smell of incense. In front of a number of businesses, small fires burned along with incense, apparently in a build up to the Pchum Ben festival, which starts in two weeks. I'll have to ask someone if it is in preparation for the festival or if there is another celebration being held today.

Converstion with Khmer Rouge Survivor

2009-09-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

I met a man in the Common Grounds coffee shop yesterday who iniated a conversation with me as I was waiting for lunch. He is an architect. However, his road to become an architect was not an easy one. He was nine years and a resident of Phnom Penh when the Khmer Rouge came to power. He was separated from his family and forced into the country side. We did not even talk about that time period. He said that when the K.R. fell he returned to the capital and learned that the rest of his family had been killed. At the age of 14 he was taken into an overcrowded orphanage. He stayed there until he was 20, when he was selected along with 29 other Cambodians to study architecture in Germany. The program was scholarshipped. He graduated a few years later, along with 4 others from his group. The other 25 did not finish the program. There's much more that can be said of the conversation I had with him. Let me just say that I was grateful that he took some time to open up about his story with me and I sense that the Spirit of God is working in his life.

Jude's Crib

2009-08-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

At long last, we have completed Jude's crib. Simon did most of the work but I did help him out with some sanding and sawing. I think it turned out pretty well.

Waffle Fries

2009-08-21T19:58:00.001-07:00

After going two months without Chick-fil-a, Donna found me some frozen waffle fries in a grocery store. It's the closest thing to Chick-fil-a in Siem Reap.

The Batmobile

2009-08-21T19:36:00.000-07:00

Bats in the Park

2009-08-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

Birthday Celebration

2009-08-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

I see that I haven't posted in almost 2 weeks. Since the last blog was on culture shock, some might wonder if any thing has changed in that regard. And the answer, thankfully, is yes. I am feeling much better in that regard. Physically I am also feeling much better. I have been exercising regularly and am thinking about running a half-marathon here in December.
Last weekend we celebrated my birthday twice! The first time was here in the house with family and a few friends. We had great food and had a good time singing karaoke.
Then the next night some of my English students took me to one of their favorite Khmer restaurants near the Angkor Wat temple. The food was good and I was humbled by their insistence upon paying for my meal. I also received a board game called "Game of the Generals" as a birthday gift from my mother-in-law. It's a strategy game like Stratego. That's probably why I didn't post this week. I've been trying to beat my father-in-law and so far have been unsuccessful.

Culture Shock

2009-08-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

I realized this weekend that I've been dealing with some culture shock. Culture shock is a funny thing. Not everyone experiences it. Those who do experience it differently. No two cases are the same. Yet there are of course some similarities in both the causes and the effects. Culture shock usually follows what's known as a 'honeymoon' stage. This is the stage where people are just really excited to be there. Everything is an adventure. The honeymoon stage can vary in length depending upon the circumstances and the individual. Many people on short-term trips are not gone long enough to experience the end of the honeymoon.
But if and when the honeymoon stage gives way to the culture shock stage, the person feels disorientation. You just can't connect with thought patterns or understand the language. Your daily routines have been altered. You're struck by the lack of familiarity. The food that you're used to is not here. There is no Chick-fil-a to get waffle fries and a chargrilled sandwich (seriously, I've had two dreams about the Chick-fil-a in the last week). It's not uncommon to feel depressed and some trouble sleeping, or to sleep all the time (I tend more toward the trouble sleeping). You might begin to romanticize where you came from, thinking that back home everything is perfect. Cleveland, TN, was nice, but I remember being happy about the prospects of leaving it. It couldn't have been as nice as my mind would want to make it out to be. That's the result of culture shock. I've had a lot of the above experiences lately in varying degrees.

How does one respond? The temptation is to withdraw and stay at home. A more healthy solution is engagement with the culture and continue learning the language. Establish a daily routine, get exercise and find fellowship with others. It's ok to find fellowship with the expatriate community that you might feel that you connect with more easily. But don't rely on this community so much that you don't engage the culture. Of course you should continue to rely on the Christian community and continue with daily devotions, etc. This is some of what I've learned so far about culture shock, and I'm trying to implement it. I'm also learning to play the guitar as another healthy outlet. It's important to remember that culture shock is just a phase. Endure the challenges and learn from them. In the end it's likely to be a source of great growth.

Jonah and the Whale

2009-07-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

There is an international worship service that meets on Sunday afternoons in Siem Reap. The service is English, but the members represent a diverse group of regions and cultures. In this picture Jude is up front listening intently to the story of Jonah and the whale. He sat still for the whole message (5-7 minutes) and was the last child to leave. He also got invited to the birthday party of one of his classmates.

A Song to Sing

2009-07-22T22:11:00.000-07:00

I think I've already said elsewhere that youth camp was a stretching experience for me. For starters, my voice was mostly gone before the camp even started because of a bad cold. It was a struggle for me to communicate. I tried not to talk any more than I had to. It's not that I didn't want to, I just felt so limited by my voice. But then one night in a service it struck me that although my voice was quite small, I still had a song to sing. No, it wasn't easy to sing. I couldn't sing very loudly. But I still had enough of a voice to sing, and I had a song to sing. I decided that no matter how small my voice was, I would sing because I have a song to sing. So long as I have a voice and the strength to sing, I will sing because I have a song to sing. There are many who have a voice, but have no song to sing. I have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb and because of that I have a song.
"Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" Revelation 5:13
That is not to say that I always feel like singing. Sometimes it's hard to get started. But when I think about what God has done for me and I think about the above scripture, how can I not sing? I have a song to sing. It's the song of the redeemed. I'm grateful that I can say that. It makes me want to sing.

Youth Camp

2009-07-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

I was a counselor at the youth camp. This is me with my group, "Micah." I really had a great group of kids. We would have small group time in the morning after the service, which gave us an opportunity to discuss the message and answer questions that the campers had. One young man asked how to pray and it gave us a chance as a group to discuss what prayer is and how we do it. One day I met a young man who is a Bible student on the campus where the camp was held. He told me that he remembered me from last year when I prayed for him and told me how much that time of prayer meant to him. I was humbled and reminded that we don't know what kind of an impact we're having in these young people's lives.

New Feeding Program

2009-07-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

Like any good missionary, we recently started a new feeding program. Ours operates around the clock and is based out of our dining room, where we are giving out warm meals to over 200 ants each day! The ants here are small and they're faster than any ants that I've ever seen. They don't say much, but when they do speak they say "kinyom cling" which means I'm hungry in Khmer (the Cambodian language). Kinyom cling is one of the first phrases that I learned in Khmer. It's probably one of the most useful, too.

Random Thoughts on the Philippines

2009-07-14T03:59:00.000-07:00

Now that we've arrived in Cambodia after a long journey, I wanted to do one more blog to wrap up my thoughts on our trip to the Phillipines. The next blog will start a new chapter on our life here in Cambodia.
Manila is crowded with tons of traffic and billboards. It also has some very pretty areas. I enjoyed it more on our second time through.
To lessen traffic, cars can only be driven four days during the work week. Your 'idle day' is determined by the last number on your license plate.
Service is more friendly than in the U.S. People seem to take pride in their work even at places like McDonald's.
Everyone is a sir or ma'am.
I loved the Jollibee, the Philippines' most popular fast-food chain.
There seems to be more qualified workers well-paid jobs. Stores have the luxury of over-hiring. It was not uncommon to see 5-10 employees for every customer in some retail stores.
I didn't see as many Americans as I thought I would. Even in some of the larger cities, I would be the only white/westerner that I would see.
Life was very laid-back. As I waited for the mall to open, the security guard told me at 10:15am that the mall would open at 10. These things frustrated me at times, yet it was also a refreshing change of pace.
The Filipino people are extremely hospitable. After you befriend someone they would probably sleep on their couch and let you move into their bedroom if you needed to.
Security guards are everywhere, at the entrance of almost every store or restaurant.
The worship services were energized with people who were obviously passionate about serving God.
Cebu-Pacific airline is cheaper than its competitors, but this benefit is partially negated through hidden fees and unreasonable or inconsistent policies.
A lot of places washing with water is preferred to using toilet paper. The mall sold toilet paper in the bathroom for about 15 cents.
Basketball seems to be by far the most popular sport.
There is a really strong sense of community and high value is given to family life.

Pigskin

2009-07-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

In the U.S., when someone talks about pigskin they're probably talking about football. In the Philippines, it's the favored part of a delicacy known as lechon, which is a roasted pig. Yes, I tried the skin. It was pretty good.

Brain Food

2009-07-13T23:19:00.001-07:00

The Philippines, being a tropical country, has a lot of exotic fruits that I've not seen elsewhere. This one, called merang, gives new meaning to the idea of brain food.

Out of Eden

2009-07-06T02:27:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Eden a few hours ago. Saw a green serpent but ran from him before he could tempt me. We were in the Eden Nature Resort for my sister-in-law's wedding. It was beautiful up there and since since we were close to 3,000 feet in elevation, the weather was quite pleasant. The wedding yesterday afternoon was wonderful. This morning we took advantage of the opportunity to go Skyriding. It's a 200 meter zip-line about 75 feet above ground. The view and experience was fantastic. Check out Facebook for wedding album.

Welcome To Tagum City (Doctor's Hospital)

2009-07-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

July 2, 2009
On Tuesday, June 30th we arrived in Tagum City, Donna's birthplace. Donna's sister's wedding will be near here because much of the extended family resides in this area. When I arrived in Tagum, I liked the city. I just didn't get to see the parts of it I really wanted to see.
3pm June 30: Arrive in Tagum
5:30pm: Stomach pains lead to vomiting.
7:00pm: Donna's cousin's husband, a doctor, recommends I go to e.r.
7:30pm: miserable in the e.r., taking medicine to control vomit. almost black out
8:00pm: already admitted to a hospital room; medication having positive effect
1pm, July 1: hoping that I will be released, doctor tells me that potassium is low and I must stay another night.
2:30pm July 2: released from hospital. doctor gives me blessing to play in the b-ball game that night.
6:00pm: I play in basketball game with Donna's cousins and the wedding party. I hit my first jumper- not bad since my hand is swollen from the i.v. But I can't offer enough to help my team win the game. Another loss. I'm 0-for-the Philippines in basketball right now.
The hospital? It was clean. Staff was competent and caring. The price was very affordable. Not a place I'd like to return to anytime soon, but I would recommend my experience to a friend. Kind of.

Home Court Advantage

2009-07-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

I played a basketball game with some of Donna’s friends our first week in the Philippines. I was on the team with Donna’s friends and we played against another team that plays together on this basketball court all the time. I came on to the court and noticed that everyone had on flip flops and I had on tennis shoes. I asked them if it was fair for me to wear my shoes and they said it was. I thought I was about to dominate like Lebron. But when we started playing, things weren’t as easy as I thought. The court was very slippery even with my shoes on, because of dust. If you try a cross-over, you might be the one who falls on your rear instead of your defender. The sun shines right into your eyes on one side of the court. To score, you almost have to know where the goal is without looking at it. The rims were really loose and bent slightly forward. It took me an entire game to realize that if the ball hits any part of the rim, it’s probably not going in, even if it would have on another goal. I gave a good effort and played better the second game, but it wasn’t enough. We lost both games. I learned a lesson in humility and was reminded about the beauty of home court advantage.

Gettin' Around

2009-07-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

June 28, 2009
There are several land-based modes of transportation in the Philippines. The most famous is probably the Jeepney. The Jeepney is like a converted army Jeep that provides transit in the cities. They are covered and have a bench on both sides. They usually cost 7 pesos to ride (about 15 cents). You can also find people riding a bicycle with a small seat attached to the side. This is a slower way to get around and it is very tiring for the driver, especially given the heat here. It usually costs about 5 pesos to ride. I met a guy who said that he earned between 150 and 200 pesos a day doing this type of work ($3-$4 per day). Not an easy way to make a living. Finally in another city I saw another mode of transportation.. It’s like the bicycle, but instead uses a motorcycle. They call it a tricycle, since the passenger seat is attached with a third wheel.

Nose Bleed

2009-07-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

June 26, 2009
One of the first things I learned when I arrived in the Philippines is that Filipinos get a lot of nose bleeds. Not the kind of nose bleeds that you get when you buy cheap seats to the Braves game. Nose bleed is a Filipino expression for when someone gets stuck in conversation with a native English speaker. Another Filipino who is listening to the conversation will be quick to point out that their fellow Filipino got a nose bleed. They sometimes rub their finger under their nose when they say it. Apparently it’s a light-hearted way to excuse oneself for running out of English words to say. I told them, “Don’t worry, Americans get nose bleeds all the time.” I think I have one right now.

Arrival in Philippines

2009-07-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2009
We're in the Philippines, visiting with Donna's family and getting ready for Lois' wedding. God really blessed us on the journey.
Here's a timeline:
June 21, Father's Day, 9pm Pacific: Arrive at airport in L.A. for check-in. Airline moves us to a bulkhead seat with bassinet in front of us. Huge blessing.
Midnight, June 22: Depart LAX for Hong Kong. Jude sleeps almost 10 hours of the 14.5 hour flight.
June 23, 5:30am local time: Arrive in Hong Kong.
8:00 am: Depart Hong Kong for Manila. Jude sleeps most of the 2 hour flight...
10:00 am: Arrive in Hong Kong, Donna has to meet with a nurse because she indicated that she had a cough on a questionnaire- H1N1 precautions. After going through Customes, we get picked up and taken to the house of a family friend so that we can repack our bags and get under the domestic flight weight limits.
2:30pm- Arrive at Manila airport again. Thunderstorm. Power out. Can't go through security. Lights back on and we go to the gate.
3:30pm- Plane running late, flight delayed one hour.
5:00pm- depart Manila for Iloilo. All three of us are exhausted, sleep most of the 1 hour flight.
6:00pm- Arrive in Iloilo, greeted by Donn'a sister Lois.
7:30pm- Arrive at our hotel for check-in. Hotel is nice. Not fancy, but clean and the people are very friendly.
Father's Day had been a long day for us. I spoke at the church in the morning and we had a full schedule that day, getting ready for our departure. We were wiped out before the trip even started. Considering that we were traveling for about 30 hours, I just thank God that our seats were changed at the last minute (I had tried changing them earlier in the week with no success) and that Jude was able to sleep in the bassinet most of the first flight. If we hadn't gotten a few good hours of sleep on that flight, I don't know how we would have made it. Thanks to all for the prayers.

Destination Utah

2009-06-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

After several months (ok, almost two years) of fund raising and preparing to leave for Cambodia, our journey is right around the corner. When we leave Friday morning we don't plan to return until December. But we have several stops planned on the way. The first is Salt Lake City, Utah. We'll be sharing about our mission at the Orchard Valley Church- the only English-speaking Church of God in Utah. I've never been to Utah. Neither has Donna. This should be an interesting visit. I can't think of a more fitting place for our mission to begin than Utah.

New Year's Resolution

2008-12-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

New Year's Day is just around the corner which means that the soon millions of people will make resolutions that won't last more than 2 weeks. It happens every year. It's because new year's resolutions almost never work. Why? Because it usually doesn't reflect any real desire for change. If there is something that I need to change in my life, why am I going to wait until January 1. The resolutions that people keep are the today resolutions. Today I realize I need to make a change in my life. Today I make the change. Perhaps there are those times when someone comes to a realization on New Year's Day that he/she needs to change something. Most of the time we know what we need to change, but New Year's gives us one more excuse to put it off another day. If I'm not willing to make a change in my life today that I know needs to take place, a new calender will not give me enough drive to follow through until the change 'sticks.' I will not be making any resolutions January 1. I would rather start today, now, and not put off any longer that which I know that I need to do to change my life for the better. I think God honors those types of commitments and gives us the grace necessary. But what is it that I need to change? Am I really ready to be honest about that? Perhaps that is the root of the dilemma.

Repentance

2008-12-26T12:47:00.000-08:00

I've been reading through the birth narratives of Christ the last few days because of the arrival of Christmas. I continued reading through Luke this morning into chapter 3. A few things are interesting to me.
First, John is introduced in much the same way as the prophets of the Old Testmament. The word of the Lord comes to him, and Luke goes into great detail to describe when this happens. Also, John's message is a baptism of repentance. Today we've come to think of repentance as a prayer that we pray after we've sinned in order to have our guilt removed. Repentance is a prayer prayed. I think this is an accurate, though partial view of repentance. This idea is reinforced in a similar passage in Acts 2 when Peter preaches the sermon. In both passages the people are convicted and ask what they should do. Peter tells them to repent, but he doesn't tell them how. John tells his hearers what repentance should look like. Repentance may be a prayer, but it is more than a prayer. It is a turning. John exhorts his hearers to repent by implementing justice. Don't extort money. Give to the one that doesn't have. So often repentance is made into a personal experience between us and God, and the social dimension is neglected. It is interesting to me that John the Baptist of all people is the one lifting up the social implications of repentance. The one who ministers in the spirit of Elijah to 'turn the hearts of the fathers' shows that repentance (literally, a turning) of the heart leads to a changed lifestyle.

Merry Xmas

2008-12-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! Or is it Merry Xmas? Many Christians point to the trend toward replacing Christmas with Xmas as an indicator that Christ is now mysteriously absent from the celebrations which apparently are supposed to be remembering his birth. I understand that originally xmas was an abbreviation for Christ, using the greek letter "chi." However, that meaning has not become far removed from the phrase. Merry XMas seems to be the clearest example of our attempts to celebrate the holiday without mentioning Christ. Maybe its political correctness, maybe its neglect. I remember visiting a mall in a suburb of L.A. two years ago. It was a part of town where there's a large Vietnamese community. It was December and in the center of the mall was a large Buddha, a large Santas, and a Christmas tree. Christmas has become so devoid of the message of Christ that persons of all faith can celebrate it, and perhaps celebrate it in a very similar manner.
On a similar note, I don't like the fact that the NBA schedules its biggest game of the year on Christmas. I really wanted to see the Lakers-Celtics rematch, but strongly object to it being showcased on Christmas. I resolved not to watch the game on principle. However, in my foolishness I decided to check the score when there were only a few minutes left. I wound up watching a couple minutes of the game. Maybe that makes me a hypocrite. I wish I hadn't watched a second of the game. I realize that if I want the true meaning of Christmas to be remembered, I have to look to myself first...

Into the Blogosphere

2008-12-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

I've been planning for a few months to start up a blog. With our plans (my wife Donna, son Jude) to move to Cambodia next year, I figured it would be one of the easier ways of staying connected with people. We are hoping to move to Cambodia by June of 2009, and if that happens I plan to use the blog as a means of helping people understand what life is like for us in Cambodia. Until then, I will periodically post blogs on a variety of issues- from faith to sports to politics to family life. Hopefully others will join me on this journey into the blogosphere. Otherwise, it will just be therapeutic for myself, and I'm ok with that too.