Giving Tuesday, for DDP

I’m not that familiar with Giving Tuesday (that started after I left the United States) but two weeks ago the Maryknoll priests group contacted me to say they wanted to feature the Maryknoll Deaf Development Programme here in Cambodia in their Giving Tuesday appeal. I made some videos for them and they were supposed to start posting them over this past weekend.

Here is the link: https://maryknollsociety.org/givingtuesday/

There was a still photo there when I checked on the weekend but I encourage you both to take a look at the videos (we were trying to explain more about deafness) and to make a donation. We are in a bad situation because of reduced donations to our funders because of Covid-19.

Thanksgiving Day 2021

Maryknoll Cambodia celebrated Thanksgiving on Wednesday this year. We normally meet every Wednesday and have a woman who cooks for us on that day so to fit everyone’s schedule, it was easier just to celebrate the holiday a day early. No one would notice here

We began with a simple liturgy. Each week we have five or six others who join us for a liturgy and meal after our meeting and they came for the American Thanksgiving also.
Supply chain issues hindered us this year but we finally got a small turkey, and it turned out that with all the dishes different people cooked, we had plenty of food.
We had fifteen people gathered this evening, and when all the eating was finished, there was an opportunity just to sit and chat.

A rodent problem

This is the dining room in the “new” Maryknoll office we moved into a week ago. This used to be the kitchen (see the water pipe still sticking out of the wall beside the microwave) but for some reason they moved the kitchen through the door and outside, under just a tin roof. We used to keep this window and door open but found rats can enter the outdoor kitchen and then hop through this window and door into the dining room and the rest of the house.

This is the kitchen now, outside. Notice the door with no glass or screen so that cats and rodents can easily come in. There is enough room for them to squeeze under the door if they don’t want to jump through the door.

This is a window on the side wall of the now dining room. We asked the landlord to put screens on the windows and he did. They are plastic screens and as soon as the first rat heard we had moved in, he chewed through the plastic (see the corner) and started going through the food in the dining room. As a consequence we now keep the windows closed and locked.

To try and reduce our rodent problem, I have set a rat trap in the now kitchen, hoping to catch whatever might come under the door in the background.

Moving Day

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.

Moving Day hiatus

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!

Almost moving day

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.

Preparation for moving

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!

Moving day is coming

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.

Two endings

Russ Brine has been with us as a Maryknoll Lay Missioner for five years and worked at the Deaf Development Programme. Now he is finishing his time in Cambodia and relocate to Kenya where he worked before. Tonight we said goodbye to him at a Maryknoll Cambodia liturgy which was also the last one we will have in our present office.