Some slow down time in Seim Reap

Hi everyone! We've just finished our time in Battambang at the youth centre and the orphange. Things were finished well in terms of relational ministry. However for the gardens we weren't able to complete our second water tank at the orphanage due to time constraints. It was difficult for me to be unable to finish however Seang (our cambodian contact) was right in desiding that we should not begin the base of it- better on something like that to just build it all or bless with the finances to do so! At the YWAM base there is a leak in our other tank, so when Seang goes back to Battambang that's an odd job that will be waiting for him!

Wednesday we offically left Battambang and have landed ourselves in Seim Reap for 2 days, we are staying in a beautiful guest house with hot water showers, TV with Olymipics coverage free internet and a tiny pool. Yesterday I've been shopping and dining and having my feet exfoliated by tiny fish that are kept in a pool on the sides of the streets. (sketchy? Kind of!) and today I was up at 4:30 to go to angkor wat and surrounding temples to watch the sunrise with 5 other team members. It was a wonderful morning- we took HEAPS of photos and saw monkeys. After we came back to eat and then I was off for a 7$  One hour full body Khmer massage- it was heaven! I came home and showered and then slept in my air con room until It is time to eat again and go to the night market. It has been an absolutely magical 2 days of vacation- something I haven't had since I was with my parents in November. Tomorrow we leave for Phnom Penh for 2 days to see the holicaust museums and the killing fields before we go on to our final stretch of ministry in Ratinakeri. I am grateful for this time and feel very rested and (almost) to take on the next 3 weeks.

Loves
laura

last days in Battambang

we have come to the end of our time here in Battambang- we leave to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap on Wednesday. the 12h of Feb is exactly 4 weeks before we leave for New Zealand. A month is a long time and it isn’t. We will be traveling quite a bit- hopefully to get a good sense of Cambodia’s history and an understanding of it’s spiritual climates. God has been very kind to our team. Everyone is in high spirits even though they are exhausted. We are 99% finished our model garden at the YWAM base; and with a little help from another outreach team from the Philippines we will be very close, if not able to complete all that was required for the garden at the orphanage. They kids there have worked hard for the garden., they have almost built the fencing themselves and helped with the leveling of the garden beds. All that remains is the soil prep, water tank and drip line.



We have done a kids carnival at the orphanage, as well as a valentine’s party coming up this Sunday at the YWAM base. Some students are very sad to leave their classes that they’ve assisted in. It’s bitter sweet, but I’m thankful that we are leaving at this time while people still don’t want to leave. We are definitely leaving on a crescendo, believe is very important for short term missions. Leave with a party! Our team has come together remarkably well over this last week. They are all hopeful as I am that we will finish this project on time. All of them are committed to this and to one another. It has been a highlight for me to see us all come together. Please pray for this to continue, for God to give me wisdom and insight and for continued protection and health in Cambodia.



God bless and HAPPY WINTER OLYMPICS- GO TEAM CANADA!



Laura Yemen

Heat is up in Battambang

This is our last official week here in Battambang. The Blakley family left this Wednesday and although sad, it has been a real team stengthening event. We have finished work on 2 of the 4 gardening commitments and will be using this last week to complete the remaining two. Team morale is up as they see the end in site. All of them have really taken ownership of the classes that they teach in the afternoon and are committed to the team. On our day off (Saturday) I have finally found the City Cafe! It's air conditioned and has free wireless! It's very hot right now- maybe 36 degrees and it can get to you after a while- a coconut shakes does help though! I am very excited with all of the ministry opportunities we've had here, this Sunday we're taking the service at the orphanage and doing the parable of the seeds, after the kids will start seeds of their own for the garden we are helping make. We get to teach and minister and build. It really is a perfect combination of service and relational ministry. God has really been teaching me so many things, and I am seeing more and more how much I need His Spirit to live well every day. Besides an emergency trip to the clinic for one of our students things have been going very smoothly. Please pray for our final weeks, It will have been 5 weeks in Cambodia, we have five more to go, and we've been on the move since dec. It has been the longest I've lived outside of western culture, I do enjoy the differences, but some things can take their toll. The language barrier has been keeping things on a surface level for 5 weeks, and that can be frustrating. Please pray also for our team dynamics- we are rounding up here and some relational patterns have not been so inclusive, I really am asking God for wisdom on how to encourage the team out of this. I trust everyone is well. Being on the extremes of both hot here in Cambodia, and the freezer of New Zealand, I have concluded that both are miserable and that everyone should live on the west coast. :)



All my love,

Laura Yemen





ps. Shout out to my Dad for being so awesome! Happy Birthday fasha!

January In Battambang

This has been a month full of learning and ministry. This last week my team has been gardening every morning and teaching english every evening. It's been full on and really fullfilling. I have learned so much about tropical agroculture and gardening in a developing nation. My role continues to be more pastoral as a leader however when the Blakelys leave this wednesday it will be a bit more involved. I'm looking forward to what lays ahead. We have several oppurtunities at Battambang, and in Ratanikeri. We have six weeks remaining however we will be taking about 5 days transition from battambang to Ratanikeri. We will hopefully see Angkor Wat and go to Phnom Pehn again to see the holicost museum and the killing feilds and then take the 10 hr bus up to the hills and forests of Ratanikeri. I am enjoying the new challenges and really feel more confident in my role here. This group of students are really going for it! They put so much effort in everything they do! They are mature and kind to everyone and to one another! Thank you so much for your prayers and e-mails! I LOVED my post card Gram y, it's in my journal! The base is slightly annoyed that I'm getting SO much mail! It means the world to me! Loves
laura

hey fROm cambodia

hi eVeryone i'm typing fRom a boy's laptop in a  cafe aboVE the stReets of battambang. it's been a cRazy few weeks of teaching and ministRy. afteR a long pRocess ouR school leadeR and his family aRE going home 4 weeks eaRly due to his health. they will leaVE us on the 4th of febRuary. it's a good decision i think, this place is not much good if you need a quiet place to just be in. things aRE going well heRE, we haVE much oppuRtunity to woRk with the local oRphanage and will be assisting with 4 pROjects to set up gaRdens. VI'm VeRy gREatful foR all the suppoRt we haVE heRe. VJenny's been amazing. RJust a thankyou again foR youR pRAyeRs. it was an amazing week inthat we had 3 days of cool weatheR and RAin. VExtREmly unseasonable, and soREfREshing. we got to see so many pRojects that local NGO"S and woRld Vision aRE doing. oit's inspiRIng. i'm  gReatful foR an exposuRE to all this. it isn't an easy place to liVe. it is hot and dusty. it's easy to get tiRed and discouRAged. some of the long teRm woRkeRs heRE haVE so much joy, it's contagious, but it seems eVeRy day is a battle to choose to hope and choose to loVe. this is a stRuggle. it's also been haRdeR to  REly so heaVily on our contact.

REnoughfoR now
loVe lauRA

Banana Shakes and Bicycles

hey everyone! It's going to be quick. I bought a bike. EC lectures and ministry are going well. Jan 14th to Feb 14 we are still in Battambang. Loves and misses and shout out to Jackie's 21st b-day! all my love
laura

From Depuslar to Phnom Penh and Beyond!

Hey everyone! I've finally got a chance to write to you from Battambang Cambodia. Things are going as well as they could- half the team was down for the last few days with the running poos and chunders. It's hot, but there is relief when the wind blows down from China. Bali was amazing- a true paradise- fruit falls from the trees, mountain streams, friendly people, it was a christian haven in Hindu chaos. In comparison, Cambodia is quite literally a waste land. I have never ever seen such extreme poverty. There is a recession, but it is fast and cheap, no labor laws, no unions. Many sweat shops lined the 5 hr bus ride from the capital of Phnom Penh to Battambang, but they were the nicest looking (and sturdiest) structures around. If you ever wonder again how you got such a good deal on hand crafted furniture, know that it was made on the dirt streets of south east asia. There is always red dust blowing and coating the trees.

However, while I can see hardly any reasons to come to this place besides ankor wat and the delicious and SUPER cheap food- the missionaries here GLOW with the joy of the Lord. There is no other draw to a nation then the heart of the Father for his lost children. Cambodia is primary Buddhist but was founded in Hinduism. the Khmer people are beautiful and polite, we've been to a 4 square orphanage in Battambang and will commit to that one over the next five weeks. The next two weeks will be dedicated to earthcare teachings on how to restore site specific land in Cambodia. We're closely tied to YWAM Battambang and they are off the charts amazing! Our house is secured with  big gate and 2 sets of locks. Despite sickness and heat, our team has done so well and has made a major break through just mid week. I hopefully will be writing regularly now that internet is avalible! All my love
laura