Charlie Dittmeier's Home Page
Things are not looking good these days in Cambodia in connection with Covid-19. The last three days have seen about 1,000 new infections per day with an accompanying increase in the number of Covid-related deaths. [This graphic comes from the VOD website.]
A lot of things are different now because of Covid-19. The big wet markets around the city have become hotbeds of infections so they have been shut down. All those selling inside the markets have now moved out onto the street. This woman sells to two different groups, those wanting flowers and those wanting fruits.
A woman stands at her cooked meat stall outside a big market in Phnom Penh. Normally this block of food stalls is crowded but with Covid-19 alarming people, the woman probably waits more than she used to for hungry customers.
Normally every year a week or two before Easter, the bishop blesses the holy oils used for Catholic sacraments. This year, because of Covid-19, certainly hasn’t been normal and we didn’t have the chrism mass until today–and with just fifteen representative priests rather than the whole presbyterate as is the long established and revered custom. Here three large silver containers filled with the oils wait for the blessing.
Last week I posted some more ordinary photos of Bishop Olivier in what would be more familiar poses. Click here for some less traditional pictures of a bishop.
On an inspection visit of our hostel for deaf students, a team from the Ministry of Social Affairs didn’t like that there was no ceiling above the dorm rooms but rather open space up to the metal roof twenty feet above. From my understanding, that design allows the hot air to rise well above the living area and also keeps the hot roof above the humans. They wanted a suspended ceiling, though, so now they are getting one. It will be interesting to learn from the students, when they return, if the rooms are now hotter or cooler.
