Charlie Dittmeier's Home Page
The Cambodian government is having a difficult time dealing with the coronavirus. Last night, without any warning, they closed all the markets where the ordinary people buy their food. Families typically go to the market every day to get fresh meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables. It’s just part of the culture and they don’t have refrigerators. It’s going to be difficult for them.
Recently–as I foresee that the current lockdown in Phnom Penh is going to be extended beyond the initial two weeks–I started wondering about food for the future because it has become increasingly difficult to be out for anything. I asked Maria (L) if she and Kila had any experience ordering groceries online and she told me what she had done. And then today they surprised me with a food supply! I didn’t think they would be able to get out on the streets but they managed to get all the way to the Maryknoll office, where I am now living alone, and fortified me with enough basics for the next couple weeks. Thanks, Maria and Kila!
Last Thursday the government imposed a lockdown on Phnom Penh to control the spread of Covid-19. We won’t know for a while whether it is effective or not–and the government has implemented it very clumsily–but at least this morning our neighborhood was basically shut down. The street above is normally very busy at 8:00 AM in the morning.
The street was not totally quiet, though. Pong, a simple little bakery, was open with their guard outside. And the woman in the stainless steel shop may not have been on duty–she lives above the shop–but put out a few wares just in case someone desperately needed a drying rack for clothes.
When the government suddenly imposed a lockdown without much time for people to prepare, many were left without adequate food and other necessities. Bishop Olivier establish an emergency relief committee and they have started distributing needed supplies to poor families like these two in the photos.
Three days ago the members of Maryknoll Cambodia went to get vaccinated against Covid-19. It was a relatively simple event although it took a long wait and a lot of confusion to get to this day. Click here to see the process. #CatholicCares
Pope Francis has been vaccinated against the coronavirus, calling it a lifesaving, ethical obligation and saying the refusal to be vaccinated is suicidal. A coalition of Catholic groups, including Maryknoll, support the pope’s emphasis on being vaccinated. And just this morning, the Maryknoll Cambodia community received their first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine. https://catholiccares.org/resources #CatholicCares
