Sad and tragic, yet hopeful day!

Well... I went to my first memorial in Cambodia. What a sad weekend and Monday at school.

Over the weekend a second grader's (at Logos) sister was killed in a moto accident. She was only 4; she was planning on attending kindergarten at Logos in the fall. Her Pakistani family are Christians, which made the memorial hopeful. Yet, even though we know, and the family knows, that they will see her again one day, there is immense pain, grief and sadness. The mother was also involved in the accident, but survived.

It was the first time I had to talk to students about a death this close to their hearts. My third graders know this second grader, and a couple of my kids are even close to this family that lost their little one. We talked, they asked questions and I answered them. We made cards for the second grader and his family.

Tim and I attended the memorial this afternoon. We can't even imagine, nor do we want to, what we would be feeling if we lost one of our boys, daughters-in-law, or grandkids to such a tragic death. What this mother had to go through that day was unmentionable, in this country where if a foreigner is hurt or dead, no one comes to help. No one is there, you bear it alone. Unthinkable...tragic...it can even make a person angry at the injustice or coldness (it seems) of people's hearts here. This truly is still such a backwards country.

But you go on...God has called us here to minister to these people, to their children, and we go on, daily praying, daily teaching, daily mentoring, daily answering questions. So many of our Christian Cambodian students have families/parents who are Budhists. Students wrestle with questions such as, what do we do when our parents want us to go offer sacrfices to our ancestors? How do we show respect for our parents and honor them, and not alienate them, yet keep true to our beliefs? (Khmer New Year is coming up) Believe me, you can't give them pat Biblical answers, you have to take into account their culture, their traditions, etc. Many of these students carry such big burdens for their parents who are not saved; knowing that any day their parents could die without knowing Jesus and the students don't have that hope that they will see their parents again in Heaven, that instead their parents will be suffering in Hell forever.

It tears at our hearts; it is so sad. Tim and I pray each day for Godly wisdom to teach these students, to answer the tough questions, but mostly to love them, to show God's love to these kids who so much need hope for their lives.

Those of you who are supporting us in prayer and/or financially, thank you!! We treasure your prayers, we treasure your committment to us, we treasure your communication with us. Keep it up! We love you! And God blessings to you!