Time is winding down for us in Battambang

 Greetings from Battambang!!

The weather is warming up here! But that is  Cambodia!

This picture is one of our Conversation Class in session!! We had a wonderful time with this group of young people!! They were great participants in the class, each week preparing a speech to present! We all learned much from their presentations!

Spending time with friends is a great joy in our journey, reconnecting is important to us and them!
We want to know how their journey is... how they are... what are their dreams... what are their goals

This year it has been fun having a home to entertain in  while we are here! A big kitchen to cook in one that has a window and door for ventilation!!

Having students, former students and of course all have become friends over for Spaghetti and games has been awesome!!


The Team from our Bridge Church in Ottumwa, Iowa, USA!!

The Bridge team came for a week! Pastor Marty and son Toby, Dr Ryan and Amy with their two oldest AJ and Joe, and Callie and Mike comprised the team this year! It was amazing to have them here, mornings generally started with devotions, then off to do a clinic at a village or other adventures! It was such a joy to have them in our home for a week and to go and serve and share times of fellowship with them and YWAM staff here in Battambang!

We had another guest also Abigail Drollinger who was the Mighty Girls coach here in Battambang at Salt Academy for two years!!
Abby blessed us with the opportunity to teach some of the girls, now young women English! Abby came for two weddings and of course to keep in touch with "her girls"!

One of the weddings was one of "our girls" as well, so all of us attended Samphos wedding on a very Hot day!! It was lovely and we had a great time!!

Abby had her birthday while here so of course that called for another party!! Ohhhh but we did have tooooooo much sugar that night! Way tooo much!!

We have a short month class of Pronunciation we are currently teaching a fun group who are eager to learn; and when we are healthy we are helping two young Chinese women learn to speak better English... but the best part is we are building relationships with these amazing young people! Getting to know them, getting to learn about them, who they are, what makes them happy, what makes them sad. Who God made them to be, letting each of them know God made them perfect in His image, for a purpose!!

After all our guests left Ed and I both had a few days of being sick, which never works in anyone's schedule! And yesterday Ed had to have a tooth pulled... life is the same whether in Cambodia or in America, stuff happens!  But we are both thankful to be feeling great again and finish out strong the last few weeks here!

There is much to do and many to see...one more time before we leave!!

God has placed so many people in our lives that we have truly come to love and it is pure joy to share life with!!
Relationships with these people have blessed us beyond anything we could comprehend!
Hopefully sharing the love of Jesus in and around Battambang can lighten their life's journey as it does ours!
Whether it be where we teach or in and around town in the shops we shop in, or the cafe's or ice cream shoppe... we have been blessed with relationships, we will always treasure!!

Thanks for traveling with is on a bit of our journey! We encourage each of you to reach out to those around you, get to know them... let them know they were created by our amazing God for a purpose!

Blessings,
Ed and Mary

Cambodia 2018

Cambodia 2018

We have been back in Battambang almost a month already! Time goes by so quickly! It is good to be in our second home city, with people we have grown to love deeply! God sent us on a mission trip in 2011, one that changed our hearts and our lives! We were sharing that story with a former student today, it is good to refresh our memory of how God called us to spend time here in retirement better called refirement!

Each year we come and say ok God it's up to you, what plan do you have for this year? We have spent a lot of time teaching English and English conversation; this is one way we build relationships and make friends! We thank God for opportunities He has given us, the people we have been blessed to get to know and share life with. These dear people have made our refirement so" life rich", no price tag can be placed on this amazing experience!

The last few weeks we have been able to connect with former students, this warms our hearts; it is so good to catch up and see what is going on in their lives!  Some are so stressed and worried their English is not good enough, but it is soooooo much better than our Khmer we remind them and after a time they relax and understand it is them, the student we care about not their English or pronunciation of English! Sure we will help them refresh and say that S or V correctly but each person is our main focus!!

It is not only the students we have grown to love and care about, but those in the local restaurants, Ice Cream Shoppe, Stores, Market, Salt Acadamy Staff and players, and of course the Staff and Students at the YWAM Base here in Battambang!!

Our days vary but we are acquiring a schedule as God gives opportunity. We teach Conversation Class at the YWAM YDC (Youth With A Mission, Youth Development Center), we babysit, and we will be teaching morning classes of conversational English at a local coffee shop to the staff so they are better able to converse with the English speaking customers. These classes open doors to relationships and relationships open opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus!

We have attended the Community Light Church while we are here we as a church have been praying for the City of Battambang, for hearts of people to be open to the gospel of Jesus! Not just to add another god to their spirit world but for people to come to know the One True God! The Creator of Heaven and Earth! The Savior of those who put their trust in Him!  Also the YWAM Base is praying for the City of Battambang and the Country of Cambodia! For all to know Jesus as Savior!



See the rice field representing the coming harvest? The harvest, the people of Cambodia, of Battambang are plentiful but the workers are few! Pray with the us for hearts to be open and workers plentiful and willing to go!

God bless each of you and thank you for taking the time to read our journey!

Ed and Mary