A family affair
It’s about 4:00 in the morning, and I really should try to get back to sleep, but my heart and mind are so full, I’m not sure that’s going to be possible.
The last few days have been a whirlwhind. We met my sister, her husband and their two children in Siem Reap, spent two days with them there, drove to Battambang, spent two days here, and now in about 4 hours we’re driving back to Siem Reap where we’ll catch a plane to Chiang Mai, where we will spend 4 very busy days seeing all of Asia’s Hope Thailand before they head off to Koh Samui and then back home to Florida.
They’re on the last legs of a two month round-the-world trip. They’re visiting some of the many charity organizations they’ve supported over the years, including Asia’s Hope. Their blog is very entertaining. At least I think so.
I can’t tell you how excited I am to host Julie, Sam, Ethan and Anna in Cambodia and Thailand. They have supported Asia’s Hope logistically, strategically, prayerfully and financially since the very beginning. Now they get to see firsthand what it’s all about. And boy, that firsthand view is important. As Sam said last night, “All you need to do is to get a pastor over here and his church will support Asia’s Hope.”
The staff and kids at Asia’s Hope are also thrilled to have my family visit, and have been very welcoming. Upon arrival at our hotel in Battambang, we were met by a large group of kids, our national director and his wife, and all of the directors of the Battambang homes. They had flowers and a banner with Sam, Julie, Anna and Ethan’s names. And, as they are with all honored guests, they’ve showered the family with affection every moment they’ve been together.
For those of you who don’t know my brother-in-law Sam, he’s an entrepreneur par excellence with a shrewd, aggressive mind. It’s been great to have him over here. I can almost see the gears behind his eyes spinning as he talks strategy and finance with Savorn, our national director. Even better, though, is watching Sam play with the kids. He’s got a mean game of steal the bacon, and despite his shiny head and devil’s beard, the kids seem to think he’s a big teddy bear. They also love Julie – they cling to her and call her mom. And of course they like Ethan, who they think looks just like Justin Bieber. Some of the older boys were disappointed to find out that, yes, Anna’s too young for them. Back off, Bunheng.
So, as hard as it is to leave Cambodia, I’m excited about showing off Asia’s Hope Thailand to these guys. I really do hope I can convince Sam to kill the pig at Wiang Pa Pow. Ethan fed a live duck to a crocodile in Siem Reap, how difficult can it really big to spear a sow through the heart?
I guess we’ll find out. Stay tuned.
