Day 4

Today we were woken up at 6:30am to start off another massive day on site. Firstly, some members of the group went to buy stationery and others visited the market to purchase things for the family such as pots and pans, rugs and mosquito nets as house-warming gifts. We then made our way to our building site, where we headed straight back into work. Today’s jobs consisted of; finishing the floor boards, the internal and external walls, sawing and filling the ground level with soil. Of course there was plenty of time to spend playing with the village children. We played hand games, jump over the rope and tickle chasey. At the end of our building time, we gathered all our gifts together with the village and presented them to the family. They then proceeded to perform a ceremony where they walked with the gifts around the outside of the house 3 times as they burned incense and clapped and sang along. The ceremony concluded with a presentation of our donation plaque and photos with the villagers. After that, we made our way to a nearby school  where we were privileged to sit in on an English Lesson and donate stationery to each of the children at the school. It was incredible to see how we could make such a big difference to these children's lives with such simple things that we, at home, take for granted. After a quick stop at another school where we donated even more books and games and stationary, we headed for a refreshing swim. After dinner, we walked to the Siem Reap night market to bargain and buy lots of fake stuff and things we think are really awesome at the time, but never use again! Overall, it was a fantastic end to Siem Reap and we are really looking forward to visiting Phnom Penh next.

Rachel, Timmi and Maya

The heat and humidity of the day did little to stifle the enthusiasm of the kids, many of whom had to be dragged away from hammering to have a drink.  It’s amazing that in two and a half short days, the kids developed a beautiful connection to the adults and the children of the village, to the point that during the hand-over ceremony, there were very few dry eyes amongst all of us.  We are all so privileged to have taken part in this life changing experience.  

Day 3

Day 3 began with an early start. We made our way to the village at 9:30 to kick start our second day  of building the house. It was 37 degrees and the sun was scorching, that never came in the way of 100% effort and efficiency. We started by hammering down the foundation of the house. The floor boards were put in place and later on nailed down. While the local builders were placing the metal roof on, the team was helping hold up the tin. Fortunately the injuries were kept to a minimum with small cuts and hammered thumbs. Nothing was more satisfying than hearing the laughter and smiles from the village children. We taught the children simple games like rock, paper, scissors and basic clapping hand games. Seeing the children go off and entertain themselves by playing the games we taught them was rewarding in itself. After a challenging and accomplishing day we went back to the hotel and splashed around in the pool cooling down from the blazing unbearable sun. After a very hard days work the boys helped the chefs create a very delicious dinner. Off to bed now, ready for day 4 were we will finish the house. 

From Ashlee and Tayla. 

Day 2 - tourism and hard work

Dear Readers

The morning started early with a trip to Angkor Thom and Angor Wat – the building and the stories of their construction were awe inspiring.  At Angkor Thom we took elephant rides around the perimeter of the temple and the view from the top of these gentle giants was fantastic.

After a brief drive and lunch, we arrived at the village where we are working Yous Sar shared the story of the family whose house we are building.  The father of the family is a coconut farmer and he recently fell and broke his leg.  Unfortunately his leg couldn’t be repaired and it was amputated.  Whilst he was in hospital, the injured man’s father, who was cooking in the house, left the cooking fire on and the house burnt down, leaving only the frame and roof.  The mother of the family and their children have been homeless ever since. 

When Yous Sar finished speaking we were introduced to the whole family, bringing the reality of their desperate situation to life.  Romy Miller put it beautifully – she said that hearing the story and meeting the family was inspiring and made her even more motivated to do what ever she could to give the family back their home. Her sentiments were echoed by the other kids.

And so we began – we had to demolish the existing structure first, but many capable and enthusiastic hands make light work.  From there we cleared the area, we nailed the frame together, we dug holes for the foundations, we shifted concrete blocks and the final, most satisfying act for the day was raising the 3 frames which we had built and lifting them on to foundations.  To give readers an idea of the weight of each frame, it took all of the kids and teachers, plus more than 10 of the village helpers to lift each frame into place.  But we did it and the kids were so excited to see what they had achieved in only 4 hours.

Tomorrow we have a full day on the construction site. Stay tuned - see our progress in the photos at the botoom of the blog!

Day 1 - Siem Reap

Things are beginning to wind down now at 8.30pm as some very tired children settle in for the night.  The day was exhausting but the group hung in as we waited in airports and tried to sleep on aeroplanes.

The flights were thankfully uneventful, and the kids met the required deadlines when required to meet at various checkpoints.  

Coming off the plane in Siem Reap, we were blasted with 38 degrees which was a real shock to the system.  Our guides, Sunny and Yous Sa, are instantly engaging as they describe the local area on the way from the airport to the hotel.  

The hotel is lovely and comfortable and we were quickly assigned our rooms before heading off to visit the local Artisan handcraft school which teaches local students, some deaf and mute, to become skilled artists in the areas of silk painting, ceramics and sculpting.  They produce simple yet beautiful pieces.

Before dinner we made a trip to the supermarket to purchase fresh food for dinner which was delicious. During dinner we were privileged to meet staff and students from a local village school who inspired us with their descriptions of the hardships faced by everyday Cambodians.  We are very much looking forwards to day 2 which begins with visits to local places of interest, but finishes with our first afternoon of construction.
Sandra Katz

Changi Airport

time to stretch the legs...

Time to go

Bags are packed and we are on our way. The fundraising is complete. The lessons have been learned.
Team 2015 is ready to make change happen.

Let the adventures begin..

Today was the last day of school for the Cambodia team members.
Rabbi Kennard came to the Year 9 level assembly to officially farewell the team.
He reminded us that the purpose of the trip was to learn and make a difference to the lives of others - and of course have fun!
Everyone has been given a tefilat haderech card for a safe trip and safe return.
Next stop:  Tullamarine!