Difficult times are also opportunities for people to come together to find solutions and build up community. COVID-19 has presented many challenges to MCC’s operations around the world. I wanted to share one of the most straightforward actions we’re taking in response – some old ‘Friends’ will be subleasing a room at the MCC Cambodia…
Author: Charles
Holding Grief, Holding Hope
The last weeks have been sad ones for me. I haven’t been able to talk publicly on why until now. MCC is, like the rest of the world, weathering the economic impact of COVID-19. This has forced MCC to make significant program changes. It’s important to note that MCC is celebrating its 100th anniversary this…
Clivia Dione Avila
In March, Cambodia banned entry of foreigners from Italy, Germany, Spain, France and United States to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our new Connecting Peoples Coordinator, Clivia, was in Pennsylvania for orientation and flew to Cambodia arriving just six hours before the travel ban went into effect. Clivia is a fourth generation Mennonite from Honduras….
COVID-19: First Project
In March, MCC Cambodia partnered with 11 local churches to provide food relief to 150 poor households (approximately 600 people) as our first COVID-19 specific project. The primary goal of this small scale initiative was to provide these households with enough nonperishable food to enable them to shelter safely in place during a three week…
Kampuchea Testimony to the Power of Life
In December 2019, Fred Kauffman suddenly passed away from a heart attack. We wanted to do something to commemorate Fred and, as I went through his writings, I thought that Testimony to the Power of Life held a powerful message for Easter 2020 – which is the 30th Anniversary of Christianity being legalized in Cambodia….
COVID-19: Because they feed the poor
In my last post on COVID-19, I suggested that perhaps we are in our positions for such a time as this. I ended that post by sharing photos of generosity from North America that I’d seen on social media. “Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.” Proverbs 22:9 (NLT) Since then…
Lotus Imagery in Hanoi
The national flower of Việt Nam is the lotus. On my trip to Hanoi the first weekend in January there was lotus imagery everywhere. But what special meaning does the lotus hold for the Vietnamese? What can be more beautiful than the lotus in the pond? Green leaves, white flowers, yellow stamen. Yellow stamen, white…
6th Birthday
Charlotte turned six last month. Per her request, she had fried chicken for her lunch (at school) and spaghetti for dinner. The Area Directors were in town for our first country program review and joined the festivities. As parents, we enjoyed that Charlotte asked for birthday gifts like yoga mats and bean bag chairs. (Okay,…
COVID-19: For such a time as this
What a whirlwind the last weeks have been. It feels like the world has been suddenly and fundamentally changed. The disruptions. The cancelled plans. The disappointments. The uncertain future. The distanced relationships. The livelihoods interrupted. The fear of disease. The fear of death. We don’t know what the world will look like after this. Indeed,…
COVID-19: Outline & Update
The first diagnosis of COVID-19 here came in January. Cambodia made news around the world later in February when it allowed the MS Westerdam cruise ship to come to port here after four countries turned it away. Initially, the official response to COVID-19 here was to focus on maintaining a positive relationship with China. There…