The Queenwood

While in the capital city, we choose to stay at the Queenwood Hotel because it's cheap and centrally located. It provides cold A/C, existent wifi, reasonably convenient egress — and it's next door to the best coffee shop in Phnom Penh. But its centrality also means that it's crawling with sex tourists, guys who travel to Cambodia to get drunk, get high and get laid. The prostitutes here are plentiful, beautiful and cheaply bought. And if you llke them young, well, you can get 'em as young as you like if you're willing to slip your cabbie a few extra dollars.
    Like many of her residents, Phnom Penh's captivating nighttime beauty conceals a profoundly dark and hopeless reality. From a distance and at a glance, you can appreciate the gorgeous classic bone structure and the sparkle of fancy new baubles, but if you get close enough, you begin to suspect that hellfire itself glows inside the neon tubes.
    I'm not sure how much longer I can stand staying at the Queenwood. I'm sure I can budget an extra fiver a night and I can drive a little further for a great cup of coffee. I'm not sure I can endure  many more nights filled with the trade's squeals, screams and thumping basslines that fade somewhere between midnight and dawn.
    
Needless to say, we're not here for the nightlife, and we spend as little time at the hotel as possible. Most mornings are for correspondence with home, errands and eating. After lunch we head out to Prek Eng — which now takes about an hour thanks to some truly heinous road construction — where we arrive before the kids get out of school. 
    A few of the high school kids are already home when we get there. Pheaktra, for instance, goes to school from something like 6am to noon. Others have similar schedules. So when we arrive, it's pretty laid back. We hang out with the home parents, play Jenga or throw the Frisbee with the kids and relax. But around 3pm the Asia's Hope School on our campus lets out. The neighbor kids filter back to their homes and the Asia's Hope children return to theirs, change out of their uniforms and take in some light recreation before chores, homework and dinner (which is followed by homework, chores and devotions). Sometimes we stay and eat at one of the homes. Other times we return to the city around dusk and eat at one of the many excellent restaurants. So far on this trip we've had Cambodian, Thai, Chinese and Indian food — all excellent.
    
Last night we left around 5:30 to give Jeff, Peter and Conrad a chance to shower before leaving for the States. They checked out of their rooms in the morning, and so we all hung out in Curtis' and my room until it was time to go. I'm so glad I had the chance to connect with those guys on this trip. Jeff Cannell is my pastor and apart from my wife, he's probably my best friend in the world. Peter Shumaker is a dear friend and a mentor to my two teenage sons, and Conrad Esh is a pastor at the Marysville (OH) Vineyard, and is a new friend that I've loved getting to know. Curtis West is a new friend who is moving to Cambodia to teach English among minority communities outside of Phnom Penh.
    What a motley assortment we were, the five of us at the airport surrounded by a dozen beautiful Asia's Hope kids and a handful of staff who had gathered to say goodbye. After a hundred hugs and a couple tears, Jeff, Peter and Conrad tore themselves away from the giggles and embraces and passed through the sliding glass doors into the land of airport lounges, canned air and seat cushions that can, in the unlikely event of a water landing, be used as flotation devices.
    
Tomorrow morning I'll check out of the Queenwood and drive to Prek Eng to pick up a half dozen staff members who are joining me at the dedication of the Battambang secondary school. We'll drop Curtis off at an undisclosed location and embark upon a moderately epic road trip: me, Narun, Sopheng, Ravi, Savong, Samnang and Anh — in a van, dodging cows, bikes and various homemade vehicles on our way to a massive celebration that will culminate on the 31st as we cut the ribbon on one of the most ambitious projects we've yet to launch.

But today, we're running a few errands, grabbing a light luch and then heading out to Prek Eng to spend the balance of the day with some of the sweetest kids you'll ever meet, in a place that is at its heart a million miles from the Queenwood.

John McCollumComment
Tiger Eat Cow
Tiger Eat Cow

What a joy to attend church with the staff and kids from our Prek Eng homes. And what an honor to teach from Luke 15, the Parable of the Lost Son and the Running Father: in a culture where shame was often met with rejection — a turning of the back, a closing of the eyes — Jesus promises a different kind of family, a different kind of kingdom. One where unfaithfulness is met with embrace, not rejection, where the father runs toward you, rather than locks you out of the house...

After church, we ate lunch at Prek Eng 2. Jeff and Peter stayed behind to hang out with the PE2 kids, and Conrad and I spent a couple of hours at our newest home, Prek Eng 6. Even though the kids have only been with their new parents for a couple of months, they already feel like a family. Thank you so much, Vineyard Columbus, for your generosity to these wonderful kids. I can't wait to tell you all about them when I return!

We then headed over to Prek Eng 4 where got thoroughly perplexed by a game called "Tiger Eat Cow." It's something like a mix between tic-tac-toe and Othello. The kids were very gracious, but it was clear from the start that Conrad and I had no idea what was going on.

John McCollumComment
(Mostly) Live from Phnom Penh
My welcome team. Savorn, not pictured, is holding the camera. Great to see you guys!

My welcome team. Savorn, not pictured, is holding the camera. Great to see you guys!

Well, I survived the 40+ hour journey to Phnom Penh (via Chicago, Doha and Saigon) without much drama. Didn't miss any flights, didn't lose any baggage. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, or maybe I'm coming down with something, but I emerged feeling pretty beat up. It's not the "quick pop across the globe" that it used to be.

Usually I arrive in Phnom Penh late at night, go straight to the hotel, pop a couple Ambien to jump start the jet lag recovery and get my first taste of Cambodia the next morning. Yesterday, however, I arrived at 2:30pm. I was greeted warmly by all of the parents from our six Prek Eng homes, got dropped off at my hotel, given a set of car keys and told, "See you tomorrow at church. You're preaching!." I guess I'd forgotten the "tomorrow is Sunday" thing. No worries.

At the hotel, I met up with Jeff Cannell and Peter Shumaker from my church, Central Vineyard (Columbus, OH), Conrad Esh, from Vineyard Marysville (OH) and Curtis West, a young many who is moving to Cambodia to minister among the Cham Muslim minority population. I attempted a brief nap, but was unable to get any shut-eye. So, we gathered up the crew, jumped into the van and headed off to dinner. On the way, I stopped to get a sim card (so now I'm reachable — use Facetime or Whatsapp if you need to call me), and get measured for a couple shirts.

We ate at Sam Doo and had a passable assortment of dim sum-style dishes, and headed back to the Queenwood Hotel. It's central, it's cheap, but it has deteriorated since my last visit. The water isn't quite as hot, the rooms aren't quite as clean and the sex tourists who frequent the hotel make even less of an attempt to hide the nature of their activities. I think it may be time to look for a new hotel.

Anyway, I slept poorly despite the assistance of pharmaceuticals, and finally gave up on sleep at about 5am. I'm a bit achy, but excited to get out to our Prek Eng campus to see all of the kids and staff. I've not yet written my sermon, but I have a couple of hours to do so. I want to teach the parable of the Prodigal Son and focus on the figure of the father who, despite all of the cultural expectations surrounding his relationship with a son who had shamed the family, went out every night and searched the horizon, waiting for his return. And who when he saw him on the edge of his field, hiked up his robe and ran to him, weeping...and welcoming.

Or something like that.

I'll be sure to take lots of pictures. But for now, you'll just have to imagine it.

John McCollum Comment
Why are Asia's Hope kids succeeding where so many are failing?

At Asia's Hope, we have a group of kids who, according to conventional wisdom, should be doing much worse than their peers. Most of them experienced severe early childhood trauma, and many of them were significantly behind in their studies when they first arrived at Asia's Hope. One might expect that these kids would tend to fail at extraordinarily high rates.

But as we take stock of the first generation of kids who have grown up at Asia's Hope, we see that they've achieved at significantly higher levels than anyone could have predicted. Our kids in Cambodia and Thailand, for instance, are dramatically more likely to graduate high school than their peers. 

In Cambodia, for example, the national high school graduation rate is 12%. And among the poorest Cambodian children, only 2–3% make it out of grade 12. At Asia's Hope, however, more than 87% of our kids are on track to graduate. Many of them are at the very top of their class, some of them are competing in athletics at a national level, and most speak two or even three languages. 

If only a handful of our kids were "making it," we could write them off as exceptions. But we're seeing the vast majority of our kids succeed in school when, statistically speaking, they should be failing. Something very powerful, very significant is going very right.

As pastor and leadership guru Andy Stanley says, "If you don't know why it's working, when it's working, you won't know how to fix it when it breaks." Something is clearly working at Asia's Hope, and we're committed to analyzing, articulating and applying our success factors across our organization and among others eager to duplicate our results.

When people ask me the "secret of our sauce," here are two key ingredients I always reveal: 

1) A stable, nurturing family environment. Kids at Asia's Hope enjoy the benefits of living in a family, not an institution. The adults caring for them see themselves as moms and dads, aunts and uncles, not nurses or nannies or wardens. In this environment, our kids receive comprehensive, holistic care. Beyond just physical needs, their emotional and spiritual deficits are systematically and lovingly rebuilt. This gives them an advantage not only compared to kids in institutional orphanages, but even to kids in a general populace beset with grinding poverty, poor education and inadequate or nonexistent healthcare. 

2) A credible hope for a rewarding future. Most kids born into extreme poverty have no hope for academic, social or economic success. They know that no matter how smart they are or how hard they work, they will attend school only sporadically as a child, and will have to enter the workforce before graduating high school. 

Many orphanages forcibly "age out" children at 16 or 18 years old, regardless of their academic progress or readiness for adulthood, and many of those children end up in a situation similar to that which orphaned them in the first place: homelessness, substance abuse, trafficking, crime, incarceration, disease.

At Asia's Hope, however, we don't force children out at an arbitrary age. We want all of our kids to go as far as they can in school, and we encourage them to stay with us until they complete their education. All of our kids know that if they finish high school and qualify for university or a vocational training program, we'll pay for them to attend. 

Despite these successes, we've no intention to rest on our laurels. That's why I'm thrilled to announce the near-completion of construction on the Asia's Hope Secondary School in Battambang, Cambodia, which is scheduled to open for classes in 2016. At capacity, this middle and high school will provide the city's finest education to more than 200 Asia's Hope students and up to 100 needy children from the surrounding community.

We're also intensifying our efforts to bolster our scholarship funding so we can continue to fulfill our promises to future generations of young Asia's Hope scholars. In 2016, we hope to raise an additional $100,000 for university education and vocational training.

If you've ever prayed for, spoken well of or donated to Asia's Hope, thank you. Together, we're making a real, measurable difference in the lives of hundreds of kids whose potential would otherwise be wasted.

If you're interested in finding out more about our scholarship program, visit http://www.asiashope.org/scholarship. Make sure you click on the videos featuring Chhem and Kakrona, two Asia's Hope university students who are working hard to make their dreams come true for themselves and for the poor and underprivileged in their community.

John McCollum Comment
Diane Tirakis and Team Hope: "What more can I do?"
Runners of all ages and experience levels gathered to raise funds for orphaned kids at the first ever Team Hope "Sock It To Child Trafficking 5k" in Wooster, Ohio.

Runners of all ages and experience levels gathered to raise funds for orphaned kids at the first ever Team Hope "Sock It To Child Trafficking 5k" in Wooster, Ohio.

People are often astonished when they realize that Asia's Hope has only 3 full-time staff in our U.S. headquarters. How does an organization with such a huge impact — 31 children's homes, 2 schools, more than 140 full-time indigenous staff providing loving families for more than 750 orphaned kids — operate without a huge staff and complex bureaucracy?

At the risk of oversimplifying, I'd say the answer is "volunteers." We don't have a "development department," and we don't hire expensive fundraising firms to help us pay our bills. But we do have an incredible network of pastors, churches and advocates who work hard every day to fill the roles — for free — that other organizations have to shell out huge bucks to replicate on-staff and in-house. 

At Asia's Hope, "simplicity" is one of our organizational values. And because we have so many supporters who are willing and able to work hard on our behalf, we're able to concentrate on other matters of vital importance, most importantly, encouraging and supporting our indigenous staff and advocating for our unique model of family-style, indigenous-led orphan care.

Diane Tirakis, founder and director of Team Hope International

Diane Tirakis, founder and director of Team Hope International

One such volunteer is Diane Tirakis. Along with her husband Ed and some of their friends from Wooster Grace Church (Sponsoring congregation of two Asia's Hope homes in Cambodia and two in Thailand), Diane founded Team Hope in 2009. 

According to Diane, "Team Hope funds organizations that are on the front line, identifying, rescuing and restoring the lives of orphaned and abandoned children who would otherwise face a life of exploitations and abuse. And we do it by helping ordinary people enroll in endurance events — 5ks, 10ks, half- or full-marathons, triathlons, and cycling events — and raise money that goes directly to kids who are in desperate need of our help."

"God simply asked me to do this. A few years ago, He moved me to action when I listened to a sermon about the poverty and hopelessness of orphaned children in Cambodia. After hearing the sermon and hearing that our church was going to build and support an Asia's Hope children's home, I asked God to show me what more I could do. He just began to open one door after the next."

"As a mother of 2  children, to think of my little ones living a life of forced prostitution or labor is incredibly overwhelming. No child should live this way. I have always hoped that God would allow me to do something for Him and His kingdom. I believe that the first time I went running was the beginning of His plan."

Diane didn't start Team Hope with lots of fundraising experience or a lifetime of competitive racing. She was just a self-described "ordinary person" who believed that God might use her in the lives of suffering children.

Over the past few years, Team Hope has raised more than $150,000 for orphaned kids at risk of sexual and economic exploitation. The funds we've received from Team Hope have been a real blessing, and they've always seemed to come at exactly the time we've needed them most!

Last weekend, Team Hope hosted the first Annual "Sock It To Child Trafficking 5k" in Wooster, Ohio. More than 400 people showed up — an incredible turnout for an inaugural event. Avid competitors and first-time racers alike registered and raised funds to support orphaned kids. Senior citizens, middle-agers, high school students and small children all had a fantastic time crossing the finish line on foot, in strollers and even wheelchairs. In the end, they raised more than $25,000 for some of the poorest, most endangered kids in the world.

It was an special privilege to meet Daniel Pasteur, an 8 year old boy who raised more than $1,500 for Team Hope! Daniel's father, Drew, is justifiably proud of his son!

It was an special privilege to meet Daniel Pasteur, an 8 year old boy who raised more than $1,500 for Team Hope! Daniel's father, Drew, is justifiably proud of his son!

One 8 year old boy, Daniel Pasteur, ran more than 50 miles in preparation for this race, and personally raised $1,500 for Team Hope. It was an honor to stand next to Diane and offer a special "Team Hope Hero" trophy to a young man who represents the newest generation of world-changers.

Diane's is only one of many stories of dedicated volunteers I could share. And she's probably a little embarassed for all of the attention she's getting. But I wanted you to know about Diane, hear her story, and maybe encourage you to ask yourself the question that transformed her life, "What more can I do?"

If you have ideas about how you can help Asia's Hope, we'd love to hear them. Email me, and I'd be happy to brainstorm with you. I'll introduce you to Diane and others who are using their passions and talents to help orphaned kids at high risk of sexual and economic exploitation find a safe, loving, permanent home at Asia's Hope.

And if you're a cyclist of any age looking for an opportunity to ride on behalf of Asia's Hope, register today for next weekend's EduGo Road to Success Ride in Dublin, Ohio, an event organized by Jeremy Slagle and Stacy Keyerleber, another two of our many dedicated supporters!

To all of our volunteers, thank you! We quite literally couldn't do it without you.

John McCollum Comment
Relaxation — but not necessarily rest — in Darjeeling

Kori and I are are relaxing — though not really resting — in chilly Darjeeling before heading to Delhi and then home. Our time in Kalimpong was brief, but lovely. We enjoyed spending time at all five of our children's homes, and felt encouraged not only by our staff, but also by the leaders who joined us on the trip. 

I already miss the kids in Kalimpong, but I'm enjoying a couple of days with Kori. This is a great opportunity to regroup before heading back into what is sure to be a very busy year at the Asia's Hope office.

It really is cold here in Darjeeling, much more than I had imagined. As no hotels here enjoy the benefits of central heating, I may have erred in reserving one of the cheaper ones in town. When we checked into our room, we could see our breath. The tiny, portable heater is doing its best, but it's never quite enough to keep us warm. 

I'm certain that this hotel lacks even the most basic insulation, and the large windows that dominate the main wall in our room do not close completely. They do however provide hot water bags for the bed upon request, and we've requested them a number of times already. We also bought ourselves some long-johns last night. I'm not sure we would have been able to sleep without them.

This morning we got up to find the entire town shuttered. A beloved local politician has apparently died, and nearly every restaurant and shop has closed for the day to honor his passing. We were lucky enough to find found one small place that consented to make breakfast for us, although they made us walk through the kitchen, and they kept their front doors blocked and locked so no one would think they were dishonoring the dead.

After a decent breakfast of toast, eggs and hashbrowns, we decided to walk the town. We traipsed about the neighborhood for around two hours. Despite the cold, this would not be particularly strenuous at home. But at 7,000 feet above sea level in Darjeeling, where every road is a hill, it was pretty exhausting. Thank God I'm not suffering from altitude sickness (I had it last year and it was not fun at all), but I still feel like my lungs are wrapped tightly in an ACE bandage.

We did find one other place that was open for business, the bakery at Glenarry's. We shared a pot of tea and a couple of cookies before returning for a rest to our hotel. The hotel is still very cold, but we've cuddled up together with some hot water bottles, and we're trying to decide if and when we should search for some place to serve us lunch.

Despite the fact that the mountains are shrouded in clouds and we are a bit cold, Kori and I are having a really nice time. This is an amazing country — every dish is delicious, and every street is filled with sights, sounds and smells that we can't find at home. 

I find that I'm not taking many photos on this leg of the trip, so you'll have to take my word for it: India is beautiful, it's people are amazing, and Darjeeling is a place you really want to visit. You may, however, want to find a warmer time of year to do so.

John McCollumComment

I really enjoyed the Leadership Conference. It was a real joy to meet new friends and colleagues from around the region. But I have to admit that there were times during the sessions — especially those sessions given entirely in Nepali — that I couldn't help thinking, "I'd sure love to be playing with the kids right now."

Over the last couple of days, we've made up for lost time and jumped into the playing, the dancing and the laughing — with gusto. Monday was Republic Day, a celebration of the country's full independence from British rule, which was finally achieved 66 years ago when India's first constitution took effect. We spent a couple of hours in the morning attending a parade at the town's stadium.

School children join in a parade to celebrate India's Republic Day.

Later, we capped a full afternoon and evening of home visits and playing by attending a concert given in our honor by our kids. We gathered in the upper room at one of our houses, and enjoyed a full two hours (maybe more!) of songs, skits and dances, prepared by our kids for our enjoyment. 

You would not believe the beauty, the skill, the joy — but you'll have to, because my camera battery died right before the concert, and I had somehow failed to charge my backup. I took some iPhone video, but the room was dimly lit and the footage looks like it was smuggled out of cold war East Berlin, shot with a 70s-era CIA-issue potato-camera. So, about an hour or so into the concert, I committed to not stressing out about the lack of a decent camera, and I just threw myself into enjoying the evening.

After the concert, we ate a delicious dinner prepared by our staff. Our team assumed that we would leave for our hotel shortly after dinner. We had no idea that the staff had prepared a bonfire in the front yard — perfect for the chilly mountain evening — and had set up speakers for a dance party.

And so we danced. From the oldest — Dr. John Campbell — to the youngest — tiny two-year-old Sabina — we all twisted and shouted, boogied and bopped. After more than two hours, with our hearts full and our strength emptied, the moms and dads turned off the music and sent us stumbling back to our hotel.

I regret not having good pictures and video from the evening, but I wonder if I would have had as much fun if I'd been trying to capture it all for posterity. Some moments are best lived only once. Perhaps this was one of them.

Yesterday was more relaxed. We walked around the town and did a little shopping in the morning and then headed out to visit home 2 in the afternoon. We played cricket, carem and badminton and shared tea and prayers with Pastor Sunil, his wife Punam, their wonderful daughters, the staff and kids.

Today will be more of the same. I have a little bit of work work to do — new headshot photos of each of the kids, some strategy discussion with our national director — but I expect to have plenty of time for fun and games with the kids.

John McCollumComment
Old and young, from near and far.

Our first-ever Himalayan Leaders Conference is finished, and the hundreds of leaders who attended are now making their way back home. They arrived and are leaving via planes, trains, motorcycles, buses and taxis. Some came from three days away, as far as Thimpu, Bhutan.

It was a special pleasure to be joined by Savorn Ou, director of Asia's Hope, Cambodia. He spoke on "Renewing Our Vision." Pastors Jay O'Brien (Scarlet City Church, Columbus, Ohio) and Brad Isch (Narrow Road Church, Columbus, Ohio) also shared encouraging and inspiring words with the Himalayan leaders in attendance.

We invited and expected around 250 delegates: around 450 arrived. No one was turned away, everyone was hosted and fed. Our main auditorium was packed; we had to open two overflow rooms — at one point, there were more people watching via closed-caption TV outside the auditorium than in the seats we had originally expected to be filled. 

The logistics of this sort of endeavor escape me, but our staff and a small army of volunteers made it work, seemingly without stress.

We were led in worship by an excellent gospel ensemble, the Hallelujah Choir from the neighboring state of Sikkim, and by our own Asia's Hope kids. And we were honored by the presence of many notable pastors, church planters and movement leaders.

I believe that, for a number of reasons I could share with you in person, this is a crucial time for our movement. Many changes are underway in India, and the relationships we have invested in will prove invaluable as we face rapidly a changing political and social climate.

I was encouraged both by the number of young, dynamic leaders in attendance and the mature — even elderly — leaders who are still working hard every day.

Despite many challenges the future is extraordinarily bright for the Himalayan region and the nation of India. I look forward to seeing the kids in our care grow in confidence and experience and take leadership positions in their society.

There are many more things I could share about our time at the Himalayan Leaders Conference, but those will have to wait for a face-to-face opportunity. Thank you for your prayers and support.


John McCollumComment