In the “new” Maryknoll office, I live upstairs. It’s not fancy but basically clean and certainly meets all my needs. It looks like the landlord recently replaced the sink faucets and shower heads in the bedrooms.
Look at the water coming out of this new faucet! It sprays in all directions, even over the edge of the sink so that your front gets wet while washing hands. The spray comes out with force and wets not only the sink and the person but even the wall behind the faucet.
I took off the spout of the faucet thinking there was something lodged in the opening to make it spray so wildly, but, nope, that’s the way it was designed!
From the graph, it looks like Cambodia is on the road to recovery. Not exactly. The government admitted this week that the sum of new infections in all the provinces is greater than the total for that day announced by the Ministry of Health. Thousands of Cambodian migrant workers have been coming back across the border from Thailand day and night, legally and illegally. Anything after the official announcement time of 6:00 PM just isn’t recorded.
Finally the big moving day arrived. We recruited our motordupe and tuk-tuk drivers to help out for the day, and then all that rattan furniture went on to the big of a rented truck.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 25th, there may not be a posting here on the website because I’m not sure how soon and how easily I will be able to set up everything in the new place. Also, although we ordered in advance, I don’t know if the wi-fi will be installed and ready to go. See you Thursday for sure!
Tomorrow is moving day for Maryknoll Cambodia. On Wednesday we move from our old office on Street 320 to a smaller building. So far this week we have been packing and gathering furniture. It’s interesting to note how much of our furniture is rattan, the choice of foreigners because it’s light and easy to move and not so expensive.
Phnom Penh is the most vaccinated capital city in the world. More injections were given here than the official population of the city, and it is estimated that 99% of the population has received their shots. Now, in addition to the people in the rural areas, the government is focusing on teenagers, those between 12 and 17. Here young people are going to a neighborhood health center which happens to be across the street from a large secondary school.
For all the years since we started having a Sunday mass at St. Joseph Church in Phnom Penh, every time Fr. Bob Wynne and I would leave by the back gate of the compound, we would look into this recycling hub where trash collectors would bring in and sell the recyclable rubbish they found while making their rounds. Their open front and the church gate were opposite each other.
Then after an absence caused by Covid-19, I came back and found a difference. The recycling hub–just an area under a large metal roof–was gone and there was a “For Rent” sign on the gate.
Because we have not been able to have masses at the church because of the prohibition on in-person gatherings, it was a while before I again went back to St. Joseph. When I did, I saw that something was afoot: a new metal roof had been put up.
And then a month later we now have a typical Cambodian drink shop. If you look closely, in the back corner inside the shop there is a wooden structure where the new proprietor lives. Around the house part is plenty of space for parking the family motorcycles inside. And up front there are the drinks and snacks for sale. The open area on the right, behind the umbrella, used to be a wall but that was removed to give more access. We’ll have to see how this new establishment develops.
Preparation for moving continues: Today I worked on the bookcase in my room (the door behind me). I went through all the books and sorted out those I want to take with me, those that I will give to the seminary here, and those that will just be given away or discarded (as much as I hate to throw out books). I have a dream (fantasy?) that some day I will actually be able to retire and read some of the books I’m taking with me. It’s HOT upstairs where I’m working!
Next Wednesday is moving day for Maryknoll Cambodia, when we move from our present office to a new and smaller one. Sr. Regina has been organizing and overseeing all the activity that can be done in advance, and today our office manager and guard boxed up a large-screen television we can use of meetings, presentations, etc.
