Chinese New Year and new COVID happenings

For those of you who might not know, Chinese New Year started on February 11th.  

Many people were burning in these little metal burners all up and down the street.  These are 2 ladies that we say 'hello' to often when we walk down the street, so I asked her some of what they do.

They burn gold colored paper and other pretty paper.  I am not sure how much of what is done in Cambodia is for the New Year angel and how much is for the ancestor worship that they do.  

This is inside of their little house.  I asked them if they leave the food out all day.  They told me that they put the food out in the morning as an offering.  Then, when she is done burning all the 'gold' offerings, then they can eat the food except the fruit which is put up ont he wall on the spirit house. (I assume that it is like Khmer New Year and when they burning is done, that signifies that the ancestors are done eating.)

Many of the stores had offerings of mainly fruit, bread, cakes, and incense on tables in the front.  

This is a little shop that is a lighting shop, but at Chinese New Year time, sells anything you could want that has to do with the New Year.

This is something that I thought you might like.  Rich and I were going somewhere the other day and in front of us, riding on the back of a motorcycle is a guy with 2 bikes.

When you need to deliver 2 bikes and don't have a car or truck, you call your friend to take you on his motorcycle.

This is just a close up of the same.  I would imagine that his arms hurt by the time they got to their destination.

I thought this was funny.  I saw this hotel when I was walking.  

What does that say to you?  

This is a nice hotel...ok, maybe not great or "A" worthy, but certainly a 'B Plus'.  

And this is a restaurant that has been here for a long time.  We have never eaten there, but I love the name!

 Now for the latest in our COVID developments.

Four Chinese women, who were supposed to be in quarantine (at one of the nicest hotels in the city), bribed the guard and left the hotel.  They went to a bar area.  And yes, they all had COVID.  So, they, of course, infected a bunch of people.

They came out with the new restrictions and the main one is that 'no public or private schools are to meet for two weeks'.  Before, the restrictions were worded a bit differently, and we didn't really apply our situation with our school.  However, Rich decided that we should probably close the school.  

He had already made this decision, but the next day, we got a notification that the government said that any foreigner that doesn't comply with all the COVID rules and restrictions risks deportation without being allowed back into Cambodia. That helped make the decision stronger.

Try (pronounced 'Tree') gave his final in Historical Christian Evidences a couple days early.  We will start back on March 9th as it stands now.

This also cancelled the Women's Night that I had this Saturday, as well as they seminar that Rich and I were teaching on International Women's Day on March 8th.  

Please keep us in your prayers.  Pray that we will have the wisdom we need to serve God well in this place.

This is a picture that Borey, one of our graduates, sent.  These are kids that he teaches English and Bible to. 

Much love,

Ronda Dolan