Deaf – Welcome to Cambodia, and…..

Living Mission #35

Every two months I write a column for The Record, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Louisville, about life in a mission context. Here is the latest column which appeared last Thursday. Click here.

Receiving the give away…

Last night when Sambath and I arrived at the Deaf Development Programme, the hostel students were waiting to start supper and came over to help us unload–much appreciated!

This morning our DDP staff went through all that we had received to determine how all the different items could be used in our hostel program.

Give away….

Expat families are constantly coming and going in Phnom Penh. Navern is returning to the Philippines tomorrow and today she invited us to take a lot of her household goods for the Deaf Development Programme hostel.

Sambath is a tuk-tuk driver known to Maryknoll for more than twenty years. He knows us, knows where we want to go, and we know that we can totally trust him. And on top of that, he can pack whatever you have into his tuk-tuk.

With lots of rope and tape, Sambath managed to get more than I expected into his tuk-tuk–a smaller model than I remembered his having. Here he pads a large TV for a ride on the top rack.

Singapore Deaf Group Visit

A group from the deaf program of the Wesley Methodist Church in Singapore paid another visit to DDP today and offered a short workshop on the environment. Afterward they prepared several tables full of foods and drinks they offered to the DDP students.

Some of the DDP students examining the contents of their gift bags from the Singapore Deaf group.

Finally the Singapore group and the DDP management team met for lunch and a short discussion of future collaboration.

Women’s Day

Today we celebrated Women’s Day at DDP. I was there for the first hour before heading out to prepare for this afternoon’s mass for the English Catholic Community.

Some of the first arrivals just enjoying the opportunity to be together and use sign language.

Narith and Mano began preparing for lunch yesterday but then began the hard work this morning.

The first event is always singing the national anthem in sign language.

The emcee started things off with a recognition of those who had contributed their efforts to this day’s celebration.

Women’s Day Preparation

Saturday is DDP’s celebration of Women’s Day and our staff has been busy making preparations. Here Mano checks the wording on a display.

Sophy asks about the meaning of the words on this display which will be photo backdrop.

Some students get into the act also, putting together another display in their classroom.

DLTP Graduation

26 February was the official end of Phase 4 of the Deaf Leadership Training Program and there was a graduation celebration and lunch together for the DLTP team and their trainees and the DDP management team.

Early in the morning, at DDP, the DLTP team prepared materials for the end of this phase of their training.

At a restaurant, Colin Allen, the advisor/trainer for DLTP, welcomed all the participants and noted their commitment and work that has brought them to this point.

Then after the DLTP participants received their certificates, there was a group photo.

Deaf Member of Management Team

Today we had a graduation ceremony and lunch for the deaf people who participated in the yearlong Deaf Leadership Training Program. Before giving out certificates, we invited Chum Narith to speak about his new role as the first deaf member of the DDP management team.

ANM Day 5 (February 21) #2

Today’s meeting focused on finalizing a work plan for 2026-2029. Here Vanna offers his comments.

We have frequent breaks for the benefit of the sign language interpreters. Interpreting is very fatiguing because of the concentration required. Here Julie Lawler talks with the DLTP deaf staff during a break.

At the afternoon break, the students brought out a birthday cake and fruit they had prepared for me for my birthday tomorrow. The best part of my job is interacting with the students but I don’t have much opportunity for that now.

After the cake, I said goodbye to Katarina and Rebecca and then headed for the airport. the Phnom Penh traffic is terrible now and it took an hour to go the four or five miles. These are some meat vendors along one of the major streets near the airport.

ANM Day 5 (February 21) #1

I’m in Bangkok, just arrived, for a trip to get a new visa. We had ANM meetings all day in Phnom Penh and then at the afternoon break, the DDP students brought out a cake to celebrate my birthday. These young people are such a delight! Then I hastened to the airport to fly to Thailand.

More tomorrow…