Christmas in Cambodia 2021 & 2022

I just realized that we never shared photos from Christmas 2021. I was wondering why until I looked back on the photos and saw my face – then I remembered, that’s right I had Chikungunya. So here are some photos from then, better late than never! I haven’t been immune to health issues this holiday…

Asia Leadership Team Meetings 2022

Last week, for the first time since 2019, the Mennonite Central Committee Asia Leadership Team was able to meet in person at the Regional Office in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We met with the International Program Directors from MCC US and MCC Canada, as well as MCC International’s new Security Officer, both sets of Area Directors,…

Run with Endurance

In this life we’re living there are certain verses that come up again and again. One of them is Hebrews 12:1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips…

Medical Emergency Update

I wanted to provide a quick update on our YAMEN participant, Disha, who had a catastrophic stroke shortly before ending her term of service and returning home to India. Last week Disha was able to return home to India on a medical flight and has been admitted to a high quality hospital that specializes in…

Two stories about gunmen in today’s news

Today there are two stories about gunmen in the Phnom Penh newspapers. The local story is about a ‘Phantom Gunman’ who – twice this week – has driven through different neighborhoods at night and fired 3 to 4 shots into the air before driving off. The other story is the horrific and tragically familiar school…

Youtube: Introduction to Mennonite Central Committee

Our Peace Coordinator shared a Youtube video from MCC that explains the organization’s background, work, and supports. I appreciate the in-depth look at the thrift stores and material resource centers in North America that support MCC’s work around the world. It also features a photo from me back in 2009 – the team here couldn’t…

Voltra Electric Motos

Last August I shared that MCC Cambodia was planning to purchase locally manufactured electric motos in a budget neutral by selling our old gasoline motos. The new electric are more affordable than gas motos and, additionally, being made in Cambodia do not have an import tax pushing the cost higher. So we were able to…

2021 YAMEN Class

Over the last month we’ve been welcoming our new class of YAMEN participants from around the world. These young adults will be living in Cambodian host families and serving at local organizations for 11 months. The participants this year come from Malawi, South Korea, Kenya, and India. Two of the participants will be living in…

PSEA, Jean Vanier & John Howard Yoder

As Crystal shared, earlier this year we were in a series of MCC Asia leadership virtual workshops on PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) that stretched over several weeks. I was asked to prepare a devotional for one of the workshops and I decided to read a passage from Jean Vanier’s book The Broken…

ធម្មយាត្រា | Dhammayietra

In traditional Cambodian village life the local Buddhist Monks served as educators, healthcare providers, and – along with the village elders and chief – meditators of local conflict. When the Khmer Rouge fully took power in 1975 they forbid all religious practice. By the time the Khmer Rouge were driven out of power only around…