27 Years!!!

Our wedding anniversary is in a few days.
Here's a few thoughts as I ponder our marriage.

After 27 years of marriage:
there is still love, much deeper and richer than in the beginning...
there is still laughter, mostly at each other (ha ha ha)...
there is still heartbreak, but you help each other through it...
there is still committment, "through richer and through poorer, in sickness and in health," through good and bad choices (my own words)...
and most important of all
there is still God, the creator of this glorious and sometimes difficult relationship, the "glue" of this marriage...

I can't believe it's been 27 years! I've been married longer than I've been single. I can't even remember what it was like before Tim! :)
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Tim and me!
I love you babe! You are my lover and protector.

Here's a cute picture. :) This was taken around April 1984, 2 months before our wedding day on June 2, 1984. We were 21 years young when we got married!

3rd Grade Year-End Pool Party

We swam in the beautiful school pool from 9 - 10:15 a.m.

And then went back to our classroom for our snacks :)

Logos Junior Senior Banquet

The view from the hotel where the banquet was

Tonle Sap River, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Everyone was provided with masks :)

The Juniors pretty much planned the banquet themselves. They did an awesome job! Below are pics from a fun game we played:

Mr. Weiss - Elementary Principal

Juniors singing a song to the Seniors - so sweet

New House - Before Pictures

Hi everyone! We are moved into our new (new for us) house and we finally got internet Monday night. So, I am able to post some pics.! Yay! :) Here are the BEFORE pictures of our lovely home. When we get back from the States, we are going to paint, decorate, etc. So, you'll have to wait a few months to see the AFTER pics.

Our move went smoothly. It was the best move we have ever done! We had a truck rental make 2 trips ($15.00 per trip). It was wonderful! They lugged all the stuff out of the house, over balconies, etc and then moved them into the new place. Tim dropped me off at the new house at 7 a.m. and I cleaned the kitchen about an hour and half or so. When the movers came with our stuff, I stood and directed - that's all!! It was the easiest move for me! I've always done the carrying, etc along with Tim and others and this was such a treat. This way I could concentrate on unpacking and cleaning...we also had Logos kids (from school) who live in this neighborhood show up to help clean, unpack, etc. It went so fast!! Of course, it helps that we don't have lots of things! :)

By Sat night late afternoon we were unpacked. That evening Tim and I arranged, made our bed, unpacked our clothes, etc. What a blessing it was to have the help after moving our stuff in! Some of the boys even cleaned windows for me!!!

We are just amazed how God opened up this opportunity and provided this home for us and we moved on faith that He would provide the funds for our monthly payment, which is double what the other apt was. But we believe God wants us here. Already, He is using us in this neighborhood. The boys' home is on the same street as we are. The boys and girls homes are ministries of Asian Hope, as is Logos School, where we teach. These are kids that are orphans or the parents aren't able to care for them. Each home has "parents" that live with the kids. We feel at home here and it feels like a community. It is so nice to have people around that speak English and that we know. Logos families live on the same street or the next street down. The students, and adults, walk by and yell out, "Hi Mr. and Mrs. Jones." So cool! :) We felt so isolated over at the apts. Oh, and there are no rats and no sewer smell here! When we get back after the summer, one of the missionary kids is going to live with us. Her parents live about 6 hrs from here. She attends Logos. The plan is for her to finish out her last two years at Logos and to live with us during that time. So, we'll have a teenager around the house again!! Scary...just kidding. She is currently one of Tim's students, but she won't be next year. She is such a sweet, easy-going young lady. :) There will be adjustments of course, but we are excited for this new ministry God has sent our way. We want this home to be a haven, a safe place for kids to come visit and to learn about His love and acceptance. We know this house will be filled with love and laughter, because as many of you know, if you have one teenager living with you their friends show up too and hang out! LOL

It is so quiet and peaceful here. Already it has been healing to my soul and heart. Tim and I just can't believe that God provided such a NICE place to live here in Cambodia!! We feel so luxurious. :) Sure there are repairs and things need fixing, but it's so worth it!

As you look at the pictures below, yes it's huge and beautiful. It seems like it would be sooo expensive. But it's only $450 a month. There is no way you're going to get something like this in the States, but it is quite expensive for here! :) There are 3 stories - 4 bedrooms (2 on the second floor and 2 on the third floor). Each bedroom has it's own connecting bathroom! And there is a half bath downstairs. Amazing huh?

So, here's the BEFORE pics. Below is a picture of the street we are on. Notice the CLEAN streets. No piles of garbage lining the streets. We pay a monthly trash fee for them to keep the streets clean and pick up garbage 2 xs a week.


Some of the pretty houses on the other side of the streets. These are bigger than ours. Notice the basket - that's what you put your garbage bags in and they empty it. :)

Below is our new home. It's a duplex, this is our side. Yes, there are 3 stories, including the ground level!! That satelite dish has been removed, it belonged to the previous owners. We still don't have a t.v. but may get one after we get back. We've been informed by the students who live in this neighborhood (most of them are Tim's students) that we need a t.v. so they can come over and watch it! LOL :)

The front patio/courtyard - don't you just love that Mexican tile?

Another view of the front patio - that's our side wall dividing the duplex on the other side and that's our front metal gate which rolls open if necessary and if we had a car, which we don't. :)

Huge, wide front door (with a screen)! and front windows

Living room, you can see the front door. Those are marble tiles - yes, big 24" marble tiles! Beautiful!

another view of living room with barren walls. We'll paint and decorate later.

I love the ground floor; it has a great room. The living area is off to the left there - you can see the back of the rattan couch. That's the dining room in the background. You can see the start of the kitchen to the left of the dining room, see the black and white tile?

The kitchen. Those are lighted balls which I need to properly stream still...working on that...

Look at this staircase!! Isn't it absolutely amazing?!

Here's a close up of the staircase. See the balls. They will light up when I find an extension cord and plug them in. Those colors are what we'll be painting and decorating with. We decided to go with Mexican/Carribean colors - it fits the house. Bright, bold colors - lime green, bright medium blue, bright orange.
Here's the master bedroom. Umm...the curtains are orange striped - these are in all the bedrooms. Not thrilled about the colors, but hey they are free, came with the house and they are nice and thick to help keep the hot sun out!

Our huge bed (which we already had). We found a mint green cotton comforter at the market. It's comfy and light enough not to be too hot, but warm enough for me, cuz our new aircon is terrific and blasts out cold air!! :)

Here's our wardrobe closets. Everything looks so small, cuz the bdrm is sooo big! Obviously we have some painting and decorating to do in this room too! :)

Here's the master bdrm bathroom - notice the bathtub, a luxury here!! Don't you love our colorful towels? Those are what we used before it's all that we have right now...:)

oops...see correction on the States side address

please see our previous Team Building letter.
There was a mistake on our states side address. I have corrected it.

Team Building Letter

Matthew 6:33 "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need." (NLT)

To Our Dear Praying Friends & Family,

Cambodia: A Forgotten Nation of Forgotten People
As I write this I am sitting in my office which is about 90% humidity and 90 degree Fahrenheit. Strangely enough this feels normal. A fan is blowing and I am content and happy in a way that is unique to the circumstances surround me. My heart is filled with joy after spending another day encouraging, teaching and showing God's love to my students. They respond with joy and eagerness to very moment that I am with them and I am able to simply let them know how special they all are, and how much God loves them and has wonderful things prepared for them. So many of them operate in the realm of innocence that you would see in a young child, but have the intelligence and dedication of someone working on their graduate degree. It makes for the best of heart and mind for a teacher. I am overwhelmed at how God has led Cynthia and I to this precious mission field.

You're probably wondering, so just how did God choose us for His work in Cambodia?
If God leads us somewhere of His choosing, do we really believe that it will be the place we will find the greatest joy and contentment? It took years of preparation to get where we are, and many of our friends have walked parts of the journey with us. Why Cambodia - "the forgotten nation?" With most of the population under 25 years of age, due to the slaughter done by the Khmer Rouge, there is great need here for people who love children. May people have asked us, "So how did God speak to you? How did you know it was God's will, I mean there are so many other 'safer, or better places' that need Christ, aren't there?" We answer the question this way, "There was a need, and God needed someone to go...we were available and equipped, so there was no reason to say no, so it was clearly God's will that we go." Some say I oversimplify God. So be it! Guilty as charged. Cynthia and I just know that we could have come up with many reasons not to go, and we would have lost out on the indescribable joy we have when our students mob us as we show up each morning. Each one with a story, a dream to share, an aching heart to pour out, tears to cry, laughter that won't be silenced until you share in it. It's all here, blessings untold, and to think that we had the choice to tell God "no."

Those of who know me well, know that if there are kids around, especially teens, we will quickly find our lives intertwined and you will probably have to pull me away at the end of the hour, or day. It is who God hardwired me to be. Ask Cynthia how many times she has had to drag me out of a church, event, concert, or game night, etc, where there were kids that needed Jesus' love, joy and hope. Many times kids just need to laugh until their sides ache. This is who I am, it's what I do, it's what I love doing.

What will we be doing the 2011-2012 school year?
This year Cynthia taught 3rd grade at Logos International School and will do so for the coming school year. She is also considering teaching one or two education classes on the weekend at an International University in town. She is interested in educating the young adults of Cambodia to prepare them to go out and teach their own future generation. She is like the Rock of Gibraltar in the classroom. Steadfast, organized, tender, yet firm. She is my hero in many ways. She is also the woman who watches my back and gives me perspective, and loves me in spite of myself. She is my partner in this grand adventure.

For the past year I have been teaching grades 7, 8, and 10 also at Logos. As a first year teacher it has been...a learning curve of epic proportions. I am a natural story teller and History is nothing but one huge story. I couldn't be more in my element if I had planned this myself. However, my role will be changing a bit for this coming year. I have been asked to step into the Middle and High School counseling position. This is quite a bit different than a school counseling position in the States. Here it is more about relationships with the students, parents and community. Yes, I get to spend even more time building into the lives of these wonderful young men and women. I have also been asked to develop a weekly devotional theme for grades 7-12. In addition, I will help out with chapel (music, skits, speaking, etc) and teach History to grades 8 and 10. Thirty years of preparation by God has plopped me into just about the most perfect job description in my life. This just confirms my understanding that wherever God leads you is exactly where you will be the happiest and most content, even if it means going 12.000 miles around the world.

What are our physical and spiritual needs?
Logos International School provides us with enough of a salary to live a the standard of the local people. As we get older though, our sense of adventure seems to lose that luster when we are up at 4:00 a.m. drowing rats in the sink.
1. Prayer: Safety from the spiritual and emotional attacks of Satan on our marriage, and in our personal lives.
Physical safety on the roads as we travel around the city on our moto (small motorcycle scooter). Wisdom for
Cynthia and I to rightly divide the Word of God as we teach, counsel, love, and encourage these precious students.
God's continued and gracious mercy on our health; to date, we have been spared the more serious health concerns,
such as dengue fever, malaria, cholera, etc...
2. Air Fare: Air fare back to the States each summer to see our family, our church family and our dear friends. Two
round trip tickets are about $3,400.
3. Renewal Time: We are also in need of some financial flexibility to meet our needs for keeping our marriage alive
with times of renewal. I heard the other day that Cambodia is called the missionary graveyard, because so many
missionaries who come here leave the ministry. It is just a very intense environment spiritually, physically and
emotionally. You are always running at 110% in all areas, so breaks for refreshment and rest are something that is
taken very seriously over here. Don't get us wrong, we love our job, but every day life here is so unique and
challenging that the school "highly encourages" their staff to get away for rest and relaxation.
4. Mentoring through Music: I have a passion, and a vision for developing students who are creative musicians,
but have very little in the way of recording or production equipment, instruments, etc...that will take funds to make
this vision a reality, but I have done it before and seen God do wonderful things through this creative avenue, and
with God's help we can do it here in Cambodia.
5. New Housing = New Ministry: God provided a wonderful 4 bedroom, 4 bath home just minutes from school.
This is a big answer to prayer. Not only for our health (we were looking for a house that was not overrun with rats,
mold, and sewer smell), but this "happened" to occur at just the right time that an urgent need for housing became
apparent to our Logos School community. Cynthia and I applied our "is it God's will" question and then we ventured
forth in faith to meet an urgent need for both short and long term housing. This summer we will make our house
available to 5 summer school teachers. In addition, another need became apparent for a student that will need long
term housing, love and care over the next two years. Yes, it looks like we are being called by God back to the
wonder and privilege of helping to support and build into the life of a very precious and wonderful teenage student
who will be living with us. We are trusting God to find us team members to stand with us as we add this opportunity
as a blessing to our plate.
6. Wisdom in counseling and mentoring: I have not even officially started my counseling position for next year
and am already meeting with different students after school three times a week.

Cynthia and I are committed to giving our lives away for the sake of others that they might know the Lord and spend their lives for Him. God has placed a huge opportunity to impact kids, but it is going to take many more resources than we currently have available. We are asking if you will prayerfully conisder partnering with us as part of a team, to bring Christ to these kids. We absolutely love doing the front line work here in Cambodia. This is an opportunity to make a daily and lifelong impact on so many lives. As we sow into the lives of the students and families here in Phnom Penh, would you pray about sowing into us so that we may reap a harvest together? Please take some time to pray and ask the Lord what part He would have you play.

If you have a church that is interested in missions and are in need of a missionary to partner with, we would love to come speak to you and share the vision that God has for the youth here in Cambodia. We will be in Tucson, Arizona from June 7 - 21, then off to Killeen, TX approximately June 27 - July 15 and then in Wichita, KS approximately July 16-25. After that, we'll head back to Tucson for a few days before leaving to come back to Cambodia July 29.

Your partners on God's team,

Tim & Cynthia Jones

States side contact:
Tim & Cynthia Jones
c/o Bill Jones 316-393-1119
615 South Lorraine Avenue
Wichita, KS 67211

Online contact:
keeping up with the Joneses: http://www.cambodiablend.blogspot.com/
e-mail: jonesworldwide@hotmail.com
You can also find us on Facebook.

Tax deductible money gifts can be sent to:
Innovo Christian Fellowship
P.O. Box 75112
Wichita, KS 67275
(please designate: Tim and Cynthia Jones Cambodia)
Contribution statements, for tax purposes, will be sent out at the end of the year.

Easter Chapel

He Arose! He Arose! And he lives today :)
We sang this song during the 3rd gr. skit
My 3rd gr. class performing our silent skit

Pre-K 4 singing a song for our Easter celeberation chapel last week! They did an awesome job!

3rd gr leading in worship and praise. The back drop was not ours; that's for the Joseph Technicolor Dreamcoat play coming up next weekend - the MS and HS putting it on.

3rd, 4th & 5th grades choir for our Resurrection celebration!

Easter Choir

Here's the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders singing during our Resurrection celebration in chapel last week. :)