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Showing posts from 2019

Women's Night

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 Monday, the 23rd, we had another Women's Night at our house.  Julie and I supplied the "gifts" of facial supplies. Then we proceeded to lead them through the process of cleansing, exfoliating, steaming, putting on a mask, and moisturizing. When we were all done, we made spiritual applications to each of these steps. Exfoliating.  Steam!  Let me tell you, this was a bit of a trick as I don't have any hot running water in my house.  So for 2 steps, I needed warm water and for this step, I needed hot steamy water for all of them. So we started hours earlier heating up water and dumping it in buckets with lids for the warm water and then heating up more water in big pots and crockpots for the steaming water.  And the mask. Finally getting it all rinsed off. We had 23 ladies come.  I think they all enjoyed it. On Monday, the 30th, we will take the students and go to Siem Reap for a multi-congregations New Years Eve party on the 31st. Many from

December update

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I just wanted to update you on the happenings here. Rich is currently teaching our new students an Old Testament Basics class in the mornings.  Then in the afternoons, he is teaching our 3 older students the book of Jeremiah. Monday, the 23rd, we are having a Women's Night.  Hopefully, I will remember to take a couple pictures. On January 6th and 7th, we have the graduates meetings.  Jerry Lundy, from the Broken Arrow congregation, will be here and teaching during that time.   January 8 - 17, Jerry will teach a New Testament Basics to our new students.  Rich will continue to teach Jeremiah to the older students through the end of the month. January 20 - 31, Rich will again be teaching the Old Testament Basics class in the morning to the newer student, to finish that up.  My parents are coming in February and Dad will be teaching I Corinthians during the month of February. That is a really quick overview.  I hope you all are doing well and enjoying the ho

New Students and Camp

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               Guest Blogger Rich here, as Ronda is in the USA helping our daughter Rebekah before and after she delivers our new grand-daughter (whose name I know, but can't tell you yet!)   Lots of exciting action here.  In September, we attended the country wide seminar hosted by the church in Battambong. Ronda posted pics of that, but I wanted you to see it on the map.  It's only 300 km=180 miles. It always takes us over 6 hours to get there Late in September, we had a gaggle of new students join our school - CBI. We expected 3-4, but they just kept coming.   We have ended up with 12 new students and had to turn away at least 5 more due to lack of room, resources, teachers and money. Wow!! Here is a picture of this class.  They studied MARK with Dale Lundy.  Many of you know Dale or know of him.  His parents are Jim and Betty Lundy. Those Lundys were worshipping at BA when we first moved there. Dale comes to Cambodia every year for 2-3 months. He usually teach

Come Before Winter and New Students

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As I mentioned in the last blog, I was able to attend the Come Before Winter Renewal in Chiang Mai, Thailand.   A sweet friend suggested (and provided the funds) that I go to one a few years ago in Australia.  Since this one was in the next country (similar to going from Tulsa to Houston), it was easy to attend.  The text this year was on Exodus, and the theme was "Will You Meet With Me".  The women in the staff of Come Before Winter prepare excellent Bible studies as well as other activities.  This year, we looked at different ways to study a text and different styles of applying those things to your life.    This renewal was the last week in September.  At the end of it, Rich met me in Chiang Mai.  We had a major holiday here in Cambodia, so the students were out of school.  And some of you gave us money when we were in the US, telling us it was for personal use.  So, thank you!  We enjoyed walking around the Old City of Chiang Mai, eating delicious Thai food.  The fi

Seminar in Battambang

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 The 2nd weekend of September, we took the students and went to a seminar in Battambang.  It was on "Seeking After God's Own Heart" .  The Battambang church hosted.  There were 10 speakers that spoke from Friday evening until Saturday at noon.  There were over 100 people in attendance. Here are some of the group.  And all of these  people stayed and ate at the building.  The Battambang group did a great job.  On the way home, I tried to take some pictures.  It is hard to take good pictures as we are going down the highway.  And about halfway home, it started pouring. I wish you could see the vibrant green rice fields; the pictures just aren't as good.  This is one of the many fruit stands beside the road.  She has some peanut there, as well as pomelos in the back and custard apples in the front.  This is our charcoal being hauled.  When you buy charcoal, it is just burnt wood that they chop up.  One of the markets on the side of the r
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 Whenever I start a blog, I am always amazed at how long has past since my last one.  I'm sorry that I am not a better communicator or at least a more consistent one!  Currently, Rich is teaching Bible Greek to our students.  Now, think about that....an English speaker trying to explain Greek grammar in Khmer (Cambodian language).  English grammar is much more complicated than Khmer.  And Greek is more complicated than English.  For example, in Khmer, there aren't plurals, verb tenses, or articles.  So it makes it difficult to try to explain when and how to use them, since they aren't accustomed to them.  Now, in Greek, Rich is trying to explain a bit about Greek grammar so they can understand the words.  It is quite the challenge. This picture is of Rich and Nakhin, Navy and Khermin's daughter.  She is 6 1/2 months and we enjoy getting to hold her during chapel every morning.  One of her "real" grandmas has been here for the last week or so, so I'

Family Retreat in Thailand

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 Rich and I were invited again this year to teach at the Family Retreat that the Watcharaporn congregation in Bangkok hosts. The flight to Bangkok is only an hour, and the retreat is on a long weekend, so it is easy for us to go. The place that the retreat was held at was about 2 hours out of Bangkok.  This is the place that we ate lunch on our way.  It is an organic farm and restaurant.  The atmosphere was great as was the food.  During the retreat, Rich taught 4 times to everyone.  He went over the 10 needs from His Need Her Needs on Saturday night.  Then on Sunday, he taught on Commitment and Spirituality in the Family.  Monday morning, he taught on Solving Conflict. He had 3 translators.  This is Yung.  He did a great job!  He made the same gestures that Rich did and moved when Rich did.  One of the Thai said it was like they were the same person! Lek also translated for Rich.  He and his wife, Ann and their son, Art drove us to and from the retreat.

Duck feet and Women's night

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 Something that we are seeing a lot of in the evening along the street are these big bowls of duck feet.  These are just a couple of the big bowls at one shop; there were several more bowls adjacent to these.  I haven't asked but it looks like they are marinated and then steamed.  Just piles and piles of duck feet. Obviously, they seem to enjoy them.  They eat the chicken feet as well.  When I have asked what exactly they eat on them (since there isn't much meat), they just tell me that you just kind of chew on them and that they are really good.   On Monday night, we had another Women's Night at our house.  We had a small turnout, mostly due to poor timing.  The universities here all go on different schedules and some of those girls have already taken their final exams and have gone back to their villages, while others have exams next week so this week of crucial time for them to be in class and review.  But we had a good time.  I decided to do something that w

Wonderful trip to the US

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 We had a great trip to the US last month.  We were able to see so many of you, and that is such an encouragement to us! We started in Plano, TX, with Rebekah, Evan and Jack.  (By the way, I have TONS more pictures, but am trying to keep it down) We also met up with college friends one evening.  Then we went to Richmond, VA to see Reuben and Emily, Ezra and Micah.  Randall is training in Virginia now, so we got to meet up with him 3 times while we were there. This is Father's Day.  From Virginia, we went to Collinsville, OK to see the rest of Randall's family, Kassie, Kenley and Ryah. We took Kenley and Ryah on a road trip to Batesville, Arkansas and was able to spend a couple days there. We enjoyed so much being able to see many of you at North Heights and appreciate the Rumans for putting up with all of us.  When we got back to the Tulsa area, we spent time again in Collinsville and trying to help Kassie get ready to move. We met with our sweet brothe