Cambodia Program Update.

For some time now, Touch A Life and Place of Rescue (our ministry in Cambodia) have been partnering to build new homes for children in need. Marie Ens, the director of Place of Rescue, just provided the following update regarding the exciting advancements being made in Cambodia:

"In northern Cambodia a few years ago, there were several churches who had each taken a few orphans. The hearts of the believers were responding to the needs of these children but because of their own poverty, it was very difficult for them to find the resources to care for them. Soon the number of children requiring assistance from these church groups rose to 45. A volunteer gathered them together into one central place, rented a piece of property, and built two shelters for them. The shelters were made of bamboo, thatch, and tar paper, and were very inadequate. A toilet block was built and someone else provided a well for drinking water. The children bathed beside the pond that was on the property, boys on one side and girls on the other. Food was scarce and became scarcer as the number of children rose to 60. The were lovingly cared for by caregivers who served for months as volunteers because there was no money to pay them. 

In October 2008, Place of Rescue responded to the need and went in to investigate. We found a well-organized group of people under the leadership of a Bunchhouy, a man who said that he had longed to run an orphanage for many years. The day we were there, the children and caregivers shared a soupy topping for their rice. It was made of chickens, green papaya, and fish sauce. We saw that the children had no mats, nets or pillows, and were additionally lacking other essentials. Providing new supplies was our first gift. We also provided a little money for food. We met with the orphanage's committee and discussed the possibility of Rescue taking over the orphanage if we could raise the funds. The children even offered to pray over us as we worked on making this dream become a reality.

By January 2009, we decided to provide all the money the orphanage would need for food, which came out to about one dollar per day per person. I also began seeking funds for the purchase of property and for the houses we wanted to build for them. We envisioned building ten houses for 100 children, which is how we began with Place of Rescue.

Soon we had enough to start the process and then one donor offered to give us all we needed to finish the purchase of the land and buildings. As if this were not amazing enough, Pam Cope called to tell me that a donor was offering a large enough sum of money which, along with some sponsorship, would provide the operating costs for Place of Rescue II for an entire year."