Covid-19 has changed the world so much–our plans, our hopes and dreams, the way we work, the way we do business, and–at DDP—our plan for the future. Because of Covid, we had to suspend many of our projects and activities for almost two years, but the most painful effect of Covid was needing to reduce our staff because our funding was cut back.
The last day of June we had a gathering for our staff in Phnom Penh where eight of our colleagues were terminated. It was a simple event, just a lunch together, but it gave us an opportunity to say and show we care about each other.
At the start, Soknym, our program manager, and Charlie spoke to all the staff about the need to reduce our numbers because of lack of money.
Then we had lunch together.
Finally staff were given the opportunity to talk about the experience of all the changes and the terminations.
Yesterday I posted photos of our old Maryknoll office transformed into a therapeutic massage parlor. Today I ran across a photo of the office as it looked when we were there. At least the changes spared the jackfruit tree.
Six months ago Maryknoll Cambodia moved its office from this building on Street 320 because the rent was increasing at a time when the church income was minimal because we were not meeting due to Covid restrictions.
Today I went by the old place and it has become a high-end therapeutic massage center. Part of the cement wall bordering the street has been pulled down to provide more parking. The metal gates in the left photo are used at night to secure the compound.
Everyday this week the temperature has been 90º to 95ºF. That’s hot. But look at these women motorcyclists on the street today. They all have jackets with hoods–and the hoods are up, under their helmets. And three out of four are wearing gloves.
Of course, none of that is about heat. The jackets, long sleeves, and gloves are to keep the sun off their skin. Who wants to have dark skin?
Ravy has worked for Maryknoll in Cambodia for more than thirty years. During that time, in many different houses, she has cooked and helped keep the house and office clean. Now she has resigned to help care for her family and today was her last day with us, an emotional farewell after such a long time.
Whoa….. I’m way behind today. We drove 7 hours going to and coming from Kampong Cham Province where we had to say goodbye to three staff being terminated. Then I just finished (10:46 PM) a Zoom meeting of the new Africa-Asia Area in Maryknoll Lay Missioners. And now the camera won’t unload the photos…. More tomorrow!
After its last General Assembly, Maryknoll Lay Missioners (MKLM) has moved to introduce some structural changes in the organization. Because there is only one mission site in Asia now, it is being joined with sites in Africa to form an Africa-Asia Region. Today three of the MKLM members here met with Steve Veryser in Tanzania online to talk about how the new structure will work.
Perhaps the worst aspect of deafness is not the inability to hear. Deaf people say they can overcome that with hearing aids, cochlear implants and other technology, and can still communicate using sign language, gestures, writing notes, lip reading, and such simple things as acting out an idea or pointing to something.
For many, many deaf people the worst part of deafness is isolation. They are excluded from all that is going on around them because they do not share a common language with their society.
Here in Cambodia our deaf students do not know sign language when they come to us and their families almost never learn sign language. When our students are at home with their hearing parents and brothers and sisters, they are isolated. They may be in the same house, may eat together, but the deaf person has no communication.
Many young deaf people come to us at age 19-23 and they have never spoken to a human being in any language. All the things hearing children learn from hearing parents as they grow up, the deaf students have missed.
That is why it is so important for more hearing people to learn sign language. Then when they encounter deaf people at work or in a group or socially or just on the street, they can communicate and can include the deaf person in what is happening.
That is why the Deaf Development Programme teaches regular sign language classes.
The graduation ceremony this week for the latest class of beginner sign language students.
Six weeks after I left for Bangkok—and the unexpected surgery–the construction of the new St. Joseph Church has progressed to where the different floors are becoming visible.
