Prayers for Tuscaloosa

Every Saturday all of the members of the Wat Opot family come together for a Buddhist service at the pagoda next door.  The children sit in neat lines and sing and meditate under the guidance of a monk.  Each week the service is dedicated to someone or something, and with past and present volunteers from all around the world there is always a cause for prayer.  In February, services honored the Christchurch earthquake after nervously waiting for news that Fiona was okay.  More recently, they have been for the many volunteers from Japan whose friends and families have lost everything in the tsunami.  We’ve prayed for those who have passed, like Wayne’s mother, my best friend Kristen’s Poppop, and the beautiful Kirsten Mergner; and we’ve prayed for friends with illnesses.  Today, we prayed for tragedy of the April 27^th tornadoes in the southern US. 

The heaviest damage was done in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, home of the University of Alabama where my sister went to school and is currently living.  I was beyond relieved to hear that she, her friends, and sorority sisters are all accounted for and safe.  Many people that Amy knows have lost everything.  Homes and memories are piles of rubble, and volunteers are scrambling to provide food, water, and medical care.  The pictures that Amy has sent are unbelievable.  It’s so hard for us to imagine what that would be like, without being there.  To experience the sounds, the feelings, witnessing the aftermath.  I can’t fathom what they are going through. 

I sit typing this, so thankful to have a roof over my head and to be safe.  I wish there was more I could do, but for now all I have to offer is my prayers.  Please consider making a financial donation to relief efforts, or going to give blood (click here to find the Red Cross blood bank nearest you).  If nothing else, please keep those who have been affected in your prayers. 

Tuscaloosa, Amy, Christine, and all of the Alpha Phis and Thetas… Wat Opot and I send our love and support <3 Roll tide

The Cambodian business trip

The Wat Opot Children’s Community is a project of the larger organization Partners In Compassion (PC).  PC was started by Wayne, an American Christian, and Vandine, a Cambodian Buddhist, who pulled the best of each of their philosophies and cultures to form an organization targeted at the rising HIV/AIDS epidemic in Cambodia.  Wayne now runs Wat Opot, and Vandine oversees the rest of PC including home care and community outreach projects.  I have had the opportunity to work a little bit with Mr. Vandine, and he is very determined to sign me on in a 2- year volunteer commitment working directly with him.  Given that the job is unpaid and my student loan deferment is running out at the end of the year, I politely decline- just about every day.  While I’m still here, he has me edit small things here and there, consult about ideas, and has invited me to a few conferences in other provinces.  I haven’t been able to go, but have wondered what that would be like.  When I picture a business trip like the ones my father frequently went on, there were plane tickets, nice hotels, and good food.  That’s the US.  What would a Cambodian business trip be like?


Today the PC offices at Wat Opot hosted a conference and so I of course spied and invited myself in to have all of my questions answered.  As I would have guessed, transportation to the conference, like anywhere else in Cambodia, was by motorbike.  A small moto parking lot outside the home care office this morning was my first clue there was something going on today.  If I went to one, however, I’m sure we would take Mr. Vandine’s car.  (Side note:  if I did have to take a moto, it would probably be okay.  Molly and I tried to convince ourselves we were true Asians in many ways, particularly via moto.  In Phnom Penh and Vietnam, we did long-distance rides, three or four people on one moto rides, two of us and a driver and big packages from the post office rides, two of us and a driver and loads of groceries rides… we did it all.  Experts.  Except for me driving a moto- I made it about 10 feet and almost hit two parked cars.)

The conference took place in this building, which houses the PC home care office and the Wat Opot admin offices.

Some of the many motorbikes lined up outside of the building.

After scoping out the transportation, I went in to say hello.  As again I would have guessed, the whole conference was in Khmer, and only one or two people there spoke any English.  Any other conference would be no different.  I’m not sure then the role I would serve at one of these things.  Maybe the same as when I volunteer at the local English schools.  I don’t really do anything; I’m just a foreigner, more like a decoration and something for people to talk about than anything else.  I’m the entertainment.  So I had figured out how I’d get to a conference and what I’d be doing there, but there was one thing I still wasn’t sure about.  The big question… where would I sleep?

As luck would have it, that question was answered tonight as well.  I was walking past Mr. Vandine's office to the volunteer house, when a large pink blob caught my eye.  Just when I thought nothing in Cambodia could surprise me anymore, that I’d seen it all, I found I was wrong.   The conference is resuming in the morning with early meetings, so naturally the participants are sleeping as close to the offices as possible.  Not in a guesthouse- too far away.  Not camped out nearby- too far away.  Not on sleeping bags on the floor- still too far away.  They are literally sleeping ON the conference table.  I walked by about 7 ladies all in matching top and bottom PJ sets hanging up a jumbo pink mosquito net over the conference table that they then proceeded to climb into.  

Mr. Vandine's office and conference room are on the far left.  The other two doors lead to the art and craft rooms where the kids paint and make jewelry.

Where the lights were on in the other conference room, I’m guessing the group of men were doing the same thing.  They had pillows and sheets, and they looked cozy but wow.

So now I’m very intrigued by the conference idea.  I may be there as a side-show, and I may have to bunk up with 7 strangers on a table, but I supposed I’m up for the challenge.  

Too many cooks in the kitchen

I had been warned last fall about how hot Cambodia is in April and May.  I thought I could imagine it, but I had no idea.  Some of the past few days have been so miserably hot, that when the electricity goes out and the fans stop working, I don’t even have the energy to be upset over it.  Even the children who never seem to slow down have become more irritable and lethargic. 

The next few weeks will have a lot going on.  A building stands on campus that used to serve as a dorm for the older boys.  With recent renovations of the other dorm, the boys have cleared out and the building will be transformed into the Wat Opot Creative Learning Center, a place for educational play and a home for all of the donated toys from friends and family at home, and that Melinda brought back from Kansas.  The new playroom will have a beautiful tiled floor courtesy of Dan and Gabrielle Isaak, recent visitors from New Zealand.  The new playroom will have a play kitchen with plastic food, dolls, puzzles and coloring, toy cars and other games, and the computers that were donated last fall, among lots of other things. We hope to go all out and get some dress up clothes as well for all of the little girls.  Check out Melinda’s blog on the Creative Learning Center to see pictures of everyone helping to clean it, I was sick so I wasn’t able to help, sorry guys!

Once the new room is finished, many other things will be switched around including the health center.  The clinic will be moved into a different building and be open for the children and sick members of the community.

I have also begun to work on a new project focusing on malnutrition in children in the surrounding villages.  Wayne came back from the US with a new goal to tackle the problem that kills thousands of Cambodian children each year.  The first step is to address the problem within a mile radius.  We will begin by touring the villages and performing health exams on the children to get an idea of the problem, and go from there.  I am really looking forward to helping get this new project off the ground.  

So while there are many things in development to stay busy, today I found myself wandering around looking for a purpose, and feeling sorry for myself for being in such heat and humidity.  I walked by the kitchen and thought Id go in and help get lunch ready for the kids.  

The Wat Opot kitchen building.

Inside where the food is prepared.

Lan Krome helps to stir the soup.

The lovely Pheup who works in the kitchen and lives on campus with her 3 children: Touris, Lan Krome, and Kunty.

Pheup assigned me to scoop rice into the bowls, which would then be handed off to be topped with vegetables and fish, a job she assumed I could handle.  I began serving rice into the many many bowls, when Pheup stopped me.  Too much, she told me.  I took a little bit out of the ones I had done and filled the next few up with less rice.  Pheup looked at me with disbelief and said, not enough.  Ok, at first I did too much, now not enough.  Come on Kate, this is your only job today, don’t mess it up!!  I tried a third time to put in the right amount of rice, but again I was doing it wrong.  Pheup yelled something in Khmer to her daughter, Kunty, and pointed at me.  Kunty paused for a minute, looked at me with disappointing eyes and said, “Ok, Kat, Bye bye!” as politely as possible.  I had been dismissed. 

As it turns out, the most difficult thing for me to do in Cambodia is not to leave my family and friends for months, not to get around on limited language, and not to grow attached to children only to leave them.  The most difficult thing is to serve the proper amount of rice.

Kunty and Srey Da, her friend from the village.

Me and Kunty, when I'm not disappointing her!

Some of the boys eating lunch inside the kitchen.

 Grumpy Virak eating his rice... then he took a nap and wasn't so grumpy anymore!

Wey and Chai

Ratana ususally takes a couple of bites then runs around throwing rice at everyone and feeding her vegetables to the dogs.

Pheup and I have so much fun together without either of us ever speaking a sentence that the other understood.  It's amazing to have such a great relationship without words.  It goes to show how much you can say without talking

I suppose I’ll stay out of the kitchen for awhile, and continue wandering around in the heat looking for ways to “help.”

A day at the lake

With many of the children visiting family for the Khmer New Year, we wanted to do something exciting for the kids who are stuck with us!  Caroline, a French nurse expat working in northern Cambodia, is a committed member of the Wat Opot family.  She visits frequently and the children love her so much.  She came for a visit with her daughter, Alice, and Alice's friend, Chiara who were on holiday from London.  Caroline had the wonderful idea to take the kids still around to Tonle Bati (Bati lake) for the day to get out of the April heat and have a little fun!  With the Anders family having recently donated money for occasions just like this, they and Caroline treated the children (and us volunteers!) to a great time.  There were 38 children, along with myself, Melinda, Caroline, Alice, Chiara, and Monica and Claire from Australia.

The ride to the lake was only about 20 minutes, but the children never ride in cars or buses so for some of them who discovered car sickness it was a LONG drive.

The bus didn't leave until 9, but everyone was up super early SO excited to go! 

The kids put on their best clothes for the trip.  Some of the boys who have 2 nice shirts wore both,  and the two of the little girls wore a nice skirt over a dress.  When they dress up, they go all out.  Of course they ALL wore their new TOMS!!!  What fancy outfit is complete without them?!

When we arrived, we rented 2 huts on the water and inner tubes.  I've never seen kids strip down and jump into water so fast!  We had just given out new pairs of underwear so everyone had something to swim in.

Baby Ratana wasn't too sure at first, but eventually got in and had so much fun

As soon as a child would get out of the water to take a break, they would put their TOMS back on.  It's so sweet how much they love them.

Srey Nith, 4, decided from the first minute she was NOT getting in that water!  Always the lady, she most likely didn't want to get her plastic pearls dirty or mess up a new coat of nail polish.  She made herself busy though, folding and refolding towels, arranging and rearranging bags and water bottles, and doing and redoing my hair.  In this photo, I caught her with a few pairs of underwear/swimmers as she was dipping them in the water to wring out and hang up.  Once she had finished the row, she would dip and wring them again.  She must have done each pair 10 times.

The Cambodian speedboat

Lunch time.. we brought our own rice and purchased fish, beef, and soup there.  I'm always amazed at how much these little bodies can consume.

Srey Nith ready to go home after she ran out of busy work on the huts.  

Socheat

Chanthol

Sister and brother, Kunthy and Touris

Srey Nak and Vinat

Chaney

Lan Krome, brother of Kunty and Touris, had a wonderful time.  He had been very sick with tuberculosis and had a terrible reaction to the medication.  He lost a lot of weight but is bouncing back nicely.  Being in the water and moving around was so great for him. 

Srey Lec

Phanya

Nak and Somnang

Chai takes a nap on his tube

Virak gets some coconut water from Melinda

Me and Srey Lec

The boys negotiating a boat ride.  They got to ride it to the other side of the lake for about 25 cents each.

Kimseck

Rong

Monica and Chaney

We got Kunthea a tube so she could take a nap.  Her hip was hurting her a lot and she wasn't very happy :(

They convinced me to get in after lunch.  It was very refreshing!

Packing up to go home.  Everyone was exhausted.

Srey Nith

Somnang put on an impromptu dance and rap performance on the way home.  I have no idea what he was saying but everyone was clapping and laughing.  It was so funny, he is such a character :)

We got back shortly before dinner and then everyone PASSED OUT.  Thank you Caroline and the Anders family for our amazing day!  The Anders have donated enough that we'll be able to do another trip sometime in the near future... Cora, we'll wait for you to get here so you can go too :)

"Modern" medicine

After I graduated from nursing school last year, I didn't stick around long before I was off volunteering for 2 months in Cambodia.  Those 2 months turned into 5 months, which is now turning into over a year here.  I didn't have time to take boards before I left last summer, so returning to the US and taking them in February was a challenge.  I hadn't touched a textbook in 9 months and had only been working with a few skill sets.  As I did practice questions before the exam, I had to remind myself that, no, the first step in inserting an IV is NOT to remove your shoes at the door, and I had to study terms that had become foreign to me, like "gloves," and "sterile."  Medicine in Cambodia and medicine in the United States are two very, very different things but still I am learning so much every day, and today was no exception.

Little Kunthea had fallen and hurt her hip before I even arrived 3 weeks ago.  She couldn't walk and has been in excruciating pain that seemed to get better one day and double back the next.  She was taken to the local clinic twice for an X-ray but the first time a doctor couldn't see her (still not sure why), and the next time a district-wide power outtage meant they couldn't do anything for her.  I've been doing my best to care for her, but as she quickly went back downhill we decided it was time to do more.

Kunthea rests in the Wat Opot health center.  I spoiled her with special treats and DVDs on my macbook (shh don't tell the others).  Here she is visited by her brother Chanthol (seated) and Vandy. 

With the Khmer New Year this week, the country has shut down to celebrate, including the local clinics and referral hospital.  To get Kunthea seen, I took her to Takeo hospital about an hour away with Long Dy, an 18 year old Wat Opot resident, to translate.  When we got there Kunthea was examined by the doctor.  First thing I learned: health histories and chief complaints are really irrelevant.  They didn't care about anything except that she had trouble walking and it was her left side that hurt.  6 years old, HIV positive, medications she's taking... does anyone want to know?  Nope.  Okay that's fine, moving along.  Next we were lead into the X-ray room where I had to lay her down.  At this point she was scared and in a lot of pain so I sat next to her on the table to relax her.  The technician moved around and did his thing and disappeared for a second behind a curtain. Second thing I learned: X-rays are like photo booths, anyone who wants to be in the picture, can!  He had taken the X-Ray with me on the table, and my leg in the picture, and didn't say anything.  "No sir, I'm not pregnant, and lead shields were never my thing so thanks for not asking me to wear one," I thought to myself.  Maybe I'm being dramatic, it just really caught me off guard!  Third thing I learned: radiation is an urban legend.  It worries me that the technician takes no precautions.  The only thing separating him from the machine was a linen curtain.  I had Long Dy tell the man that he needed to protect himself from the X-ray machine but the technician looked at me like I was crazy.  We said something to the doctor as well but nobody seemed too concerned about it.

I carried her back to where she had been examined to look at the images.  The doctor decided she had bruised the bone and prescribed her paracetamol which we had been giving her anyway.  Next came time to pay.  I had brought $100 and my credit card in case it wasn't enough, not having any idea what it would cost.  The grand total including the exam, X-ray (they only charged us for 1, I guess mine was free!), and medication was a whopping, bank breaking $5.00.  I couldn't believe how cheap it was.  You can't even park at most American hospitals with $5.00 and here, the whole thing cost that.  Unreal.

The whole adventure was wild.  The people in the village around Wat Opot are used to me and the other volunteers, but in Takeo hospital I provided a great deal of entertainment to the locals.  They were so curious as to what I was doing there, and kept asking me if Kunthea was my daughter.  I finally started saying yes just to give them more to gossip about.

I'm hoping that Kunthea starts to do better soon.  I've been trying to get her to move her legs as much as possible because she's so stiff and sore.  I hate seeing her in so much pain.

Her trip today was covered by a generous healthcare grant provided by the McConville family from Damascus.  With their contribution, we have been stocking up on new medications, replacing expired supplies, and treating the strep throat outbreak.  A big result of the McConville's donation is the resolution of chronic ear infections of two of our little boys.  Nak and Wey were started on a new ear drop course recommended by Deb, an American nurse who volunteers at Wat Opot each year.  I'm happy to report that their infections have made big progress and look great!  Thank you McConvilles :)

Wey is so happy to have clean ears :)

On a sadder note, today two volunteers left Wat Opot after a 10 day stay. Monica and Claire are sisters around my age from Australia who had been volunteering and traveling through Indonesia and Thailand.  I really enjoyed meeting them and hearing their incredible stories.  Wishing you girls a safe trip around Cambodia and back to Australia!  Can't wait to see you again some day!!

Wat Opot gets TOMS!

TOMS shoes have slowly been making a big mark on modern American fashion.  Men and women around the world have been wearing TOMS brand since 2006 when a man traveling in Argentina wanted to give back.  He started TOMS with the promise that for every pair of shoes purchased, they would give a pair of shoes to a child in need.  We read about and see things like this all the time.. but are they ever real?  In TOMS case, they are!!  This weekend, Wat Opot got in a shipment of TOMS shoes for the children and they have been a big hit.  With Khmer New Year at the end of this week, our children have one by one been going home for the holiday with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.  Before each child left, they got a new pair of shoes.  Everyone else who will stay behind got theirs today, and I took lots of pictures.

Anxiously waiting in line for their shoes.  As soon as these guys got theirs, the news spread quickly and the office was swarmed with excited kids.

Thy

There were all sizes ranging from the little little ones to the teenagers.

Virak's TOMS.

Virak was so excited to get his new shoes.  His feet are turned out, so having these shoes will be huge for his walking and foot development.

He's so happy!

Such tiny shoes :)

Samnang modeling his new TOMS

Rith and Chai

Socheat, Rith, and Chai

Srey Mao

So many people in my hometown wear TOMS.. maybe one of them contributed to this pair

Off to play in their new shoes

They were small enough even for baby Ratana

We gathered a bunch of kids for a group pic.  Nak on the left just wants to go playyy!

Srey Mao and Ratana

Ratanas itty bitty shoe fit in the palm of my hand, and I have little hands!

Thank you TOMS :)

Spread the word about TOMS and help other kids around the world get shoes.  Check out their website to learn more and purchase a pair of your own.  Thanks TOMS!