Author: Charles Dittmeier

It’s not my night….

When I tried to fire up my main computer a few minutes ago, it refused to cooperate.  I took it apart and tried cleaning all the contacts but the drive may be shot so I’m using my little netbook that I use for trips to write this.

Tomorrow morning I head for Siem Reap for a meeting of all of our staff.  I’ll be back in Phnom Penh on Friday afternoon, but should be posting from the retreat center where we are staying.  And I hope my computer will be working when I get back!

Christian Life Seminar

Couples for Christ is quite active in Cambodia—and throughout Asia–and today they had a Christian Life Seminar to encourage believers to live out their faith more fully.  I gave the open talk in the two-day program, about Jesus and who he is.

Still at work…

In the eighteen years I have been in Cambodia, I have seen this man numerous times over the years.  He is always dressed the same: shorts, no shirt, a hat, and flipflops.  He carries a large bag and picks up recyclable trash like cardboard and plastic bottles.  He can’t make much given the meager scale of his operations but he seems to get by.

DDP Partners

The Maryknoll Deaf Development Programme doesn’t work in isolation.  There is very little room to work with the government of Cambodia but DDP is always on the lookout for possibilities of working with other groups.  This past week Sokly (R) and I met with representatives (old friends) of the UNDP, the UN Development Program, to look at possible collaboration on projects.

Starting to plan….

At the end of December, the Maryknoll Seedling of Hope project will close and the Maryknoll Deaf Development Programme will move its offices and activities to the present Seedling grounds.  Our usage of the property will be quite a bit different from at present so we have been going to Seedling to look at the grounds and buildings to determine how we can best utilize them.

One part of the Seedling grounds that is currently underutilized is this adjoining property where we are going to house students in our education and job training projects. At the far end of the property, beyond the two figures, is a single-story building with six units where we will create dorm rooms with bunk beds.
We want to preserve most or all of the garden area in the middle of the lot and then at the other end renovate this garage building into some sort of kitchen with an outdoor covered eating area for the students and for the deaf community when they come for special events.

Vote to Love and Protect Our Neighbors!

Jim Wallis of Sojourners is a prophet for our time. Here he speaks to the midterm elections:

“The horrifying, traumatic, and tragic deadly violence against Jews in Pittsburgh and African Americans in Kentucky last week, and the attempted assassinations of national political leaders and private citizens who have been critics of President Trump’s vitriol, have been clarifying.  [These] elections are nothing less than a referendum on white nationalism in the United States….

President Donald Trump is deliberately and unashamedly using a political strategy of fear and hate — that can and has turned to violence. Without racial and hateful words of presidential political rhetoric with its anti-immigrant and refugee attacks, the Jews who are gone today might still be with us and their families.

Our faith is offended by these assaults that contradict the biblical commands to love and protect our neighbors. Our conscience is seared by the lies and strategies of hateful politics that will lead to more and more violence in this country and put the soul of our nation in jeopardy. Words matter and hateful words do lead to violence. Our commitment to our brothers and sisters under attack will lead us to pray, stand, act, and vote against the politics of fear and hate, because of our faith and patriotism.”