VBS - Cambodia style

I have so much to tell about my trip to Cambodia that it is overwhelming me. So I am going to break it down into little posts and post them as I have time. I am finally back on Central Standard Time as of yesterday and feeling much better. I even watched a TV show last night before bed instead of falling asleep before dinner...yay.

We went to Poipet to offer a Vacation Bible School type event for the kids that live at the center and neighbor kids. There are about 55 kids that live at the center right now and they told us to expect about 500 kids. We did advertise or canvas the streets like we do here in America. We didn't make an event on facebook. We just were ready...and they came. The first day we had 250 children and by Wednesday we had 750. If you build it, they will come :) We divided them into 4 groups and did game time, songs/memory verse time, craft time, and story time.  Some kids would sneak into whatever group they would benefit most from (aka...when they gave out snacks in crafts one day, many, many kids went to crafts twice) but for the most part, they made the rounds and had a good time.

I was so excited to be able to photograph all the kids and print their pictures on the spot for them. They got super excited over seeing their picture print out...moms especially! Some moms were taking their kids home, redressing them, and coming back for a second picture. The second day, one of our printers broke. We tried to take it apart but it was shot. So we started printing them two on a page to make sure to be done when it was time to go. I was praying for God to bless the paper and ink (we only had enough for 650 prints and I didn't know how many would come that day). I kid you not, I didn't have to open a new paper or ink set until we finally got the second printer working. God blessed it like the loaves and fishes for us! I was splitting the pictures between two memory cards so they could be printing two at a time but since one printer was broken, I had them all on one. That left me one (now working) printer just sitting there. I was able to then take pictures of some of the mothers and fathers that were there for a parenting class and family pictures too that I wouldn't have been able to do if that printer was working and I was running them through like planned. It was very cool to do "pictures that matter". I know that people treasure the pictures I take for my business, but if I wasn't doing it, they would just go somewhere else. These might be the only family pictures these people ever get, so they were very special to me to get to do.

Here are a few pictures from the time of VBS. I took WAY too many...so narrowing it down here :)

Starting the second day, we would pull into the center at 7am and there would already be a crowd waiting for us.

Lots of siblings holding little siblings. They seem to take such good care of them.

A group of boys in the back of the line (they line up from smallest to tallest).

Older brother was sharing his Silly Bandz with the baby to keep him happy during the lesson.

A couple of the beautiful parents that came. They have chosen to have their kids live at the center so they will have a better life. I can't imagine having to make that choice of seeing my kids daily or giving them a better life. These are amazing people.

Andrew climbed up the water tower to get an overview of the kids. I couldn't get them all in one picture from the ground. This was Thursday morning's group (we did two sessions a day.)

A few of the older kids weren't too cool to dance with us :)

Snacks bring out the smiles!

This is one of the little ones that their moms redressed and brought back. She is precious and lived right across the street from the center.

Using some Cambodia creativity to get the sound to the back of the tent :)

The flannel graph was a big hit. The kids were retelling the story to each other with it later that day.

*love*

I have so many more pictures. I'll put more on facebook too but wanted to at least get a start on blogging this. I journaled tons of pages during the week and have tons to share...just need time!