One of the many great things about Cambodia is that you can get cheap, relatively nice, fitted clothes pretty much anywhere. After a few weeks here, Elder Quirante wanted to get his shirts cut so they would fit him better. We talked to a member who cuts clothes and she measured him and all that stuff. I took some of my shirts in as well and we got our stuff cut. Well, a week later we went back and got our stuff and were checking it out in the mirror and two of the girls there started making fun of me! After a few months of wearing the same 6 shirts in the rain and dust and mud and everything, shirts get pretty yellow. I guess when we stand side by side, my shirt looks a little ridiculous compared to his new stuff straight from America. I just told them I was being fashionable and that plain white wouldn't match with my skin.
We finally have had a little success with establishing a weekly youth activity. One of the youth leaders was giving a spiritual thought at our activity and he decided to share about the importance of humility. It was a very well prepared thought and very enjoyable. The word for 'to humble yourself' is bontiab kluen, or literally to make yourself short. During the discussion a question was posed, "Who all needs to humble themselves?" One of the young men suggested that we all needed to humble ourselves but a short young woman next to him had a quick retort, "What if we're already short?" I think I've been over this like 5 times but average height around here is really, really short. The girl who made that remark is probably about 4'11", if even that.
Something about Asian faces just makes them wrinkle resistant. You know, when we smile our faces crinkle up and stuff right? Well, some people think that's really funny around here. We were
at the church waiting for one of our investigators to come meet us when several of the younger kids that hang out at the church came over and made me smile and then took pictures and stuff.
Weird but true, Khmer faces don't really wrinkle up when they smile! At least 13-15 year olds don't. But white people smile and we are just wrinkly all over! Then they laughed and called me loke ta or grandpa.
We had a fun lesson that we were teaching last week where we likened the church to an umbrella. We drew a storm with lots of rain and wind and even hail and a poor little stick figure
weathering the storm. Most Khmers can relate fairly well to being caught in a storm. We told them that the storm represented life's trials and that when could find safety under the umbrella of the church.
We taught the lesson two or three times when one of our members unexpected disagreed with me. In fact, because he stated his opinion in English rather than Khmer, it came across as if he
was almost mad at me. Somewhat startled, I asked him why he disagreed. "Why is the church not an umbrella?" He said, "An umbrella is too small, it's weak." Well, I went with that and we redrew our umbrella as a large building with many many people underneath. The storm raged outside but those under the roof of the church were safe. I know that God has prepared a plan for us and that we can find safety from the storms of life in the church. That's it for me, love y'all! -Elder Vore
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| Me, Vanny, and Elder Quirante at the creation of the first stake in Cambodia! |
Me, Om Daly (the lady with the crazy Pol Pot story) and her son. If you look in the background you can see the rice powder we were helping her prepare and sell.
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| Vanny, his wife Dara, and myself making stupid faces at Vanny's internet shop. |
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