It’s 5:30 in the morning. And I really wish I was asleep. But jet lag doesn’t work that way. So I thought I’d take a couple minutes to write a quick journal entry.

Since hitting the ground in Phnom Penh less than 48 hours ago, Kori and I have been on the go almost nonstop. This trip is, we acknowledge, going to be a whirlwind. Even though we have seven weeks total, we don’t really a lot of time to spend at each home, each project.

On previous visits, we’d take a day or so to relax upon arrival, to get over jet lag before digging in to our time with Asia’s Hope staff and kids. But this year, we’re jumping right in, and as I lie in bed contemplating the day, it occurs to me that we might have overscheduled. 

Yesterday we were joined by a friend from our home church – John Reed – and I really wanted to take him to see Angkor Wat. I mean, what first-time visit to Cambodia is complete without a day at the country’s most important cultural and historical site? So that’s going to take a day or so out of the middle of our time here as well. It’ll be worth it, but we’re not building in much margin for any mishaps, missed connections or minor illnesses.

Before we picked up John Reed from the airport – we got up early, grabbed a quick plate of pork and rice at the little streetside restaurant across the street from our hotel and headed out to our campus to participate in a commencement ceremony for our Prek Eng Elementary School. It was quite an impressive little shindig, attended by dignitaries from the Ministry of Education, and our keynote speakers, the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Cults and Religions.

I’m thankful for the way Savorn, our national director, has forged excellent working relationships with the government here, and I’m grateful to the government of the Kingdom of Cambodia for providing us the support and latitude we’ve needed to build a world-class orphan care ministry in this country.

After breakfast this morning and a quick tour of our neighborhood for my buddy John, we’ll be heading back out to Prek Eng for an evening with the kids. I’ll be sure to post photos from that time in the next few days.