WEDDING IN CAMBODIAN VILLAGE

 

 We felt so honored to be invited to Piseth's Wedding in the village of his wife, about 2 hours from the Best Center.  It was a very interesting experience.  Cambodian traditions were much different than we experience at home.  We all hold these ceremonies in order to wish the couple a long and happy life.  Cambodian weddings lasted about 7 days not so long ago, but now only 1 long day.  We got up at 3:30 am to leave at 4:00 am.  Arrived about 6:00 am and not long after that the ceremony began.  Each guest was given a plate of food.  There were 2 containers of each food and guests walked by twos with matching plates.  The parade, lead by the groom, marched down the road and returned to the wedding tent to present the 'gift' to the bride and her family.  As she accepted the gift it was a confirmation that the wedding would continue. 
The bride was attended by 3 ladies (2 of which are Dorm students at the BEST Center).  The groom also had 3 attendants. 

 

Piseth presented the Bride with a beautiful floral arrangement.   This ceremony included the family of the bride.

At the conclusion there was a break in the ceremonies and the bride and groom changed their clothes.  Each ceremony presented different clothes for the Bride and Groom (at least 5 each) and the attendants changed 3 times.  Each were color coordinated.

Another ceremony involved asking guests to "cut" the grooms hair, then sprinkle their heads with water.  This symbolized the new beginning for the couple.  They sat silently during this ceremony.  This also was done by 'couples'.  Phyllis and Sheila are seen in this photo.  Helen and Tom also participated.  You will notice their costumes are different than the first costume.  This took place in the large beautiful tent that had been constructed on the village home property of the Bride.

By the way, the grooms hair was not actually cut.

Some of the ceremonies were held in the highly decorated upper room of the bride's home.  This ceremony involved guests (2 X 2) tying a red string around the wrist of the bride and the groom and putting an envelope with a gift in their hands.  Guest do not bring gifts as we do in my culture, but do give money to the couple.  An envelope for this purpose is included in the elaborate invitations to the wedding.

The last ceremony involved fruits.  The bride and groom fed each other bananas much like our tradition of feeding each other cake.  This symbolized dedication to each other as long as they could bite.  This ceremony also included fireworks sparklers and silly string being shot across the room.  It was a fun event.  I wish that I had a photo to show but I was involved in the activity.

There were other ceremonies.  It was a long day with waiting times between ceremonies.  Three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) were served to the guests in the big tent.

 

The homes were built on stilts about 10 feet above the ground.  There was one small room on the ground floor which was the bathroom and areas for people to rest and visit.  The enclosed upstairs had rooms for sleeping and living.  Animals are housed below the houses as well.  The homes are good for a warm climate and give shade for their animals. 

In the photo to the left the 'hills' are burial sites.  Since this area floods in rainy season their ancestors are buried deep in these hills to protect them from washing away.  The trees in this area were banana trees, palm trees, mango trees, fields for vegetables and rice  and grazing their cattle.  Cattle are primarily used to work and plant the fields.

 

BEST CENTER PHOTOS

      

We can usually tell how many people
are inside by the number of shoes outside.

Thursday evenings the downstairs room
is full for meal before singing session.

The courtyard welcomes our students and
guests and where the guards keep watch.
The patio above is a comfortable place to
sit and study, pray or dream.
There is also a large patio on the 3rd floow
that has been used for large gatherings.

The van provides transportation
for staff, teachers and guests.
English Bible Studies with Foreigners
takes place in the upper room.  The patio
is also good for studying and relaxing.

Bicycles and motos are a primary means
of getting around for dorm students.

Avy prepares our Khmer meals.
We are blessed.

Try teaches English to Khmers who do
not know enough English to study with
foreigners.  He is also a minister for the
University Church.

Piseth guards, teaches Bible to University
Dorm students and many other duties.



Sheila with one of her students.  Busy but
always room for more students.

Tom with 2 students.  Sometimes teachers
are one on one, sometimes more.




Phyllis is teaching English to Theary,
one of the University Dorm Students.
 

Helen with a new student.  Just beginning
our introduction.




There is parking for motos and bicycles
in the courtyard as well.

Teaching is a joy with these students.  They have a strong desire to learn English and many are very receptive to learning about the Lord and His Son.  Teachers can take from one to four students at a time for one hour sessions from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm with breaks for lunch and supper.  Each Monday students can come to be tested for English skills to know if they can study with a foreigner.Bible
English             Center
Study
Training.

Today has been a good day.  Two new students have been accepted to study with us by passing an English test.  Two others will be studying with Try.  They will study Bible with him and improve their skills to study with a foreigner.

WHAT A GREAT DAY

Worship at the University Church which meets at the Best Center.
We sing (English along with Khmer when both are in our books).
Many of the songs are written only in Khmer so we listen.
There were about 60 adults in attendance yesterday. 

 Sunday was a busy and joyous day.  We first got up and went to the Phnom Penh Church of Christ where we have attended in the past.  They meet from 8:00-10:00 am.  The minister from that congregation also spoke at the University congregation for the afternoon worship period.  The young man (Try) is the minister for the University congregation.  There were also 3 from the Ship of Hope in attendance.

Baptisms take place in this stainless steel tub.  This lady will
join her 2 sisters as Christians.

With her decision to be baptized this family will be united
in Christ.  Her husband has been a believer for 2 years.



Potluck, or any meal, always includes rice.  Fruit is a dessert
of which there is an abundance here, many we don't recognize.
The breads were filled with different things.



The Christian Dorm Students taught a children's class during
worship period, then helped the children during potluck.
The responsibility they take is so impressive.

 

 

Two ladies had indicated that they wanted to be baptized today.  Several came some distances from villages to witness their decision.  It was a joyous day for many.

Everyone gathered in the courtyard and rejoiced with these families.  It is a big decision for Cambodians to make as it changes the traditions of families. 

There were about 75 gathered who ate the potluck meal following the baptism.  There were sandwiches, rice, vegetable/meat 'soup' to put over the rice, fruit, breads and a hot bean/tapioca dessert.  It was a good time for fellowship.

Children of members and neighborhood guests were present for a Bible class.  It was good to see the College Dorm students teaching these classes.  They spent hours preparing worksheets, along with pictures to show from a projector.  They had centers set up to teach.  These are new Christians who are not afraid to share the Bible.

STUDY HAS BEGUN FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY

Welcome Gate.  Foreigners are ready to study.

Phyllis Hogue, Sheila Tandy, Helen and Tom Norris are ready to read with Khmers who want to work on their English speaking skills and read from the Bible.  This new location is a great place to work, socialize and make new friends.  It is a joy to be here in this wonderfully warm weather with the beautiful people of Cambodia.  Our studies have begun, beginning at 8 am and ending the day by 8 pm. 

We invite our former students to stop by and study or merely visit.  There are still study spots available in our schedules.

BEGINNING THE MISSION

Tom and Helen were joined by Sheila Tandy and Phyllis Hogue to begin the flight from Wichita, Kansas to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  Long flight with a long layover in Seoul, South Korea.  That was not all bad as we were able to visit with Terry Gibson who has recently moved there.  That meant that we did not leave our coats in Wichita.  They felt good in Seoul.

 

 We arrived in Phnom Penh about midnight and wondered where our box of Bibles ended up.  Turned out they were still in Wichita, but have arrived at the Best Center the 2nd day after we arrived.  We are now ready to study.  Our

 

students have been assigned (about 10 for each of us).  We will be reading with them each for an hour 5 days per week.  The study is an overview of the Bible and God's Plan from the beginning.  We are excited for classes to begin this morning (Monday, January 12).  I will include some photos of the Best Center in my next blog.

 

We look forward to keeping in touch with our friends through this blog and hearing back from you.