Elder & Sister Stone

Contracts!

After many months of interviewing contractors and visiting sites and working through emergency requests, we started writing contracts. Our office in Hong Kong had recently reviewed and rewrote the templates. Monday morning we dug in and by Wednesday we had 5 contracts prepared, printed, and ready to get signed. We work with the contractors who will do the work, as well as the recipient of the donation. In this case, we are working with the Chamkarleu Hospital, two elementary schools, 2 health centers in Kampong Cham, and 3 health centers in Takeo. Monday we will take care of some wheelchair business, and also get contracts signed by our contractors. Then we are off to Takeo and Kampong Cham to get the recipient’s signatures. At that point, we get our shovels and go to work!!

A gateway to the temple below. If you click on the image, you will see the detail of the workmanship.
A popular temple in Phnom Penh. Surrounded by thatched huts that serve traditional Khmer food. Very popular among the locals.

We have many more locations to visit and start the process again. We are excited that we can now move on. The work that is scheduled will bring clean water to hospitals and health centers. It will allow schools to properly dispose of garbage that is accumulating. It will continue to build the good will we have with our government friends.

Our travels this week have been limited due to our contract work. Friday we had our monthly meeting with the Doctors. Friday afternoon we met with the Cambodian director of WHO, and reviewed the results of two years of a three year partnership to help promote immunization in the country. Dr Hussein is from Bangladesh, Dr Samnang is Cambodian. Our visit was enlightening to see what is being done.

Donation of Covid supplies. The gentleman on my right is a high public official with whom we work with in the country. This school is on his grandfather’s property. Donated years ago for the school. Pictured above is the King and his Father and Queen mother. The pictures are found in all public buildings in Cambodia. Respect here for the leaders is extremely high.

Friday evening, we were delighted to learn that President Veasna, the District President of the East District in Phnom Penh has been called to be the mission president beginning in July. He is a wonderful man who is a faithful member and has a delightful wife and family. We wish him the very best as he begins to make preparations to lead the mission.

Saturday we traveled again to Svay Rieng to meet with the Director General of Cults and Religion who oversees a district there. The church donated Covid 19 prevention supplies to be used in the schools there. As mentioned in the past, this area is very near the Vietnamese border. I find it fascinating to be in an area that has so much history surrounding it. When I was a young missionary, the land was embroiled in war, and eventual invasion and bombing. The countryside is now rice fields, peaceful and quiet. It is sobering to think of being a 19 year old so far away when all of the terror was unfolding.

A visit to the silk farms here, these are the cocoons with which silk fabric will be made. Silk worms only feed on Mulberry plants. Mulberry trees are everywhere at the silk farm. Women at the farm sit at hand looms and create many varieties of silk fabrics. We met one who had done the laborious work for 25 years. The fabrics are exquisite.
Silk cloth in production!

Monday we have a busy day that starts a very busy week. We are excited and delighted! We love the work. We love the people. We also miss our family. The Christmas package arrived this week and we loved the treats and especially the family calendar!! We love using it and cherish every picture. To all who may read this. Please express your love to your family. Appreciate all the the Lord has blessed you with. We love Him. We are so happy to be His servants.

Love

Elder and Sister Stone