After a tough day of deliveries yesterday, I was hoping not to be doing a double delivery day. But what I want and what I need are not always the same. We headed out and I was determined to focus on the good. We stopped for bag coffee and I was chatting with Den in the back of the truck about how close (near), close (not open), and clothes all sound similar but mean different things. When I looked up, there were 2 Asian people standing 4 feet away from our truck snapping photos of Den, our filters and me. I gave them a good glare down only to have 3 other people join in the impromptu photo opt. Not a good start to the day. In case I needed a reminder of why you don’t ... read more

Who knew rats...giant rats would be so helpful? Today we visited APOPO, an NGO specializing in the removal of landmines and live bombs/amunitions through the use of Giant African rats. The exhibit and demonstration were brief, but very interesting. During the civil war and Vietnamese invasion, landmines were a weapon of choice. The problem is after a war when the tanks and guns are done firing, the landmines still exist. The exact location of most mines are forgotten. Another problem is safe removal cost. The cost of the landmine was less than $10 but finding and safely disarming it now costs over $300. Considering there is an estimated 4 to 6 million landmines and other unexploded ordiances in Cambodia and Cambodia has the highest rate of disability inflicted from landmines (4 every week since 1979), the ... read more

Our first round of extended volunteers left this week. I was only given the opportunity to get to know them for a week, but like college or a job enviroment, people tend to get closer faster when they live together or share extreme/challenging circumstances (watch Speed if you don’t believe me). It has been interesting to watch people process through going home (back the the US and Great Britain) after volunteering or exposing themselves to a new culture and poverty for the first time. Alden was the first to leave. He finished college and is unsure of his next step. So much of his processing is around excess back home and enjoying small things that get thrown to the side when you get in the rush of life. He is convinced he wants to go home, ... read more

The war museum occupies a large area encircled by a fence giving it the feel of an isolated time. A guide is provided and all experienced some portion of the Cambodian civil war, Khmer Rouge, or the takeover of Cambodia by the Vietnam forces. The museum contains tanks, landmines, guns, and helicoptors as well as a written presentation the 30 year time period (1960 to 1991). Our guide was a child soldier during the Khmer Rouge period and fought against the Vietnam invasion. He recently had been written about in a book and been given the name the cat becabuse of the number of times he evaded death. As a young child, he left home one morning to run an errand, upon his return he found his entire family had been killed by the Khmer Rouge. ... read more

Another delivery day. It amazes me how during the week, I thought we had done a good job filling up the holding containers with clean sand, pebbles and gravel only to have them emptied between us and the drill team. It was a comparable feeling to how I feel about laundry, dishes and showering...they always need to be done again even immediately after you finished them. The deliveries themselves were pretty straight forward, I did get a promotion to being allowed to help lower the filters out of the truck. As Shelby's dad would say..."we're so fit!" I also came more prepared with a neck gator to pull up over my face while we are in the truck to block out the passing car fumes and the dust from the dirt roads. The highlight of today ... read more