How Many Fruits Have You Never Seen Before?

Today we have a couple of hours here at the Strong's home, so I thought I'd post an update. We've stayed so busy, I haven't even had time to log onto the computer!  I'm pretty sure I've never seed this group of kids really tired, but they are actually going to bed between 8:30 and 9:00 every night, it they haven't already fallen asleep in the lobby chairs!  They are working so hard and have such great attitudes.  They've dealt patiently and gracefully with hard work and incredible heat.  They've been flexible and cooperative, and still have had energy to encourage one another.  They're an amazing group of kids!! 

We went to the market in Battambang this morning where Josh M. and John went dress shopping, and we have been helping with processing the moringa leaves we picked on Monday.  The Khmer have been so welcoming and patient with us.  I (Patty) was also able to go along to the local orthopedic hospital this afternoon so that Matthew could have his cast removed. It was like stepping back in time to the 1960s.  Please pray that his arm will continue to heal and become stronger and that God will protect him from re-injury.  As you might imagine, dangers for children abound here.  

Yesterday was probably our hardest work day ... we transplanted rice for one of the Khmer families. We spent the entire day (except lunch and one break) in the tropical Cambodian sun, calf-deep in mud.  Our group went through 100 bottles of water in the heat, but sunburn was minimal, despite the protests about wearing hats and sunscreen (I won).  We praise God that the worst of our suffering were some headaches at the end of the day, all of which were cured with Gatorade, ibuprofen, and a good night's rest.  We were honored by being the first guests in the new home of our hosts, a lovely Christian lady named Omleup and her non-believing husband.  Their part-brick home is not finished (without a floor), but they still invited us to picnic in their living room/dining room/bedroom.  After we finished, we cleaned up in the pond with only about half of our kids "falling" in. For snack, Omleup made us delicious sweet rice with coconut milk and sesame.  I think the Garden of Eden probably resenbled Cambodia, as whatever direction you look, you see another tropical fruit just waiting to be picked and eaten.  Our group has tried jack fruit, dragon fruit, banana (large and small, green and yellow), green papaya salad, pineapple, oranges, and quite a few more. Cambodia is definitely a land of contrasts; we are constantly seeing the old and new.  In one of the photos above you see Om wearing his traditional Cambodian krama with his cell phone clipped to his belt!  The other photos show our group planting rice.