Written by Benjamin Kitching
After an extra hour of sleep and a delicious breakfast, the team headed out to Bos Bob Middle School. This school boasted a STEM program, an extraordinary rarity in Cambodia. Classrooms were filled with posters detailing formulas for chemistry and mathematics. The school even had a robotics room, a stark contrast to the schools we have previously visited.
The team also talked to the students, asking questions such as what career they would like to have. The top answers were police officer, doctor, teacher and member of the army. Only two other students had different career ideas which were researcher and engineer. We also asked the students if they could guess how old we were. A noteworthy guess being a teacher, Miss Rowlison, as age 15 and a student, Blake Allen, as being 30.
After a lovely lunch, the team headed out to Pchet Primary School. The students normally do not have class at the time of our visit, yet they had class anyway just to show us what they have learnt. The students were extremely excited to learn, with answers being happily shouted left, right and centre.
After watching a traditional dance performed by a few students, the team played games with the students. These games included hand games, circle games, and soccer. The students were full of laughter and joy while playing, which spread instantly throughout the entire team.
After an extra hour of sleep and a delicious breakfast, the team headed out to Bos Bob Middle School. This school boasted a STEM program, an extraordinary rarity in Cambodia. Classrooms were filled with posters detailing formulas for chemistry and mathematics. The school even had a robotics room, a stark contrast to the schools we have previously visited.
The team also talked to the students, asking questions such as what career they would like to have. The top answers were police officer, doctor, teacher and member of the army. Only two other students had different career ideas which were researcher and engineer. We also asked the students if they could guess how old we were. A noteworthy guess being a teacher, Miss Rowlison, as age 15 and a student, Blake Allen, as being 30.
The team then visited Busbov Health Center, which is a maternal ward and birthing centre. When compared to an Australian maternal ward, the health centre we visted is of much lesser quality. There are no machines to aid childbirth such as heart monitors and IV drips. There is no anesthetic and the room is lit and cooled by windows, allowing amounts of dust into the room. Despite this, the health centre has benefited the community greatly as there is no other place for the community to birth a child except within their village and there is a severe shortage of doctors throughout the entire country. The health centre gives free accommodation, food and water to mothers, detect warning signs, and gives information on how to raise a healthy child.
After a lovely lunch, the team headed out to Pchet Primary School. The students normally do not have class at the time of our visit, yet they had class anyway just to show us what they have learnt. The students were extremely excited to learn, with answers being happily shouted left, right and centre.
After watching a traditional dance performed by a few students, the team played games with the students. These games included hand games, circle games, and soccer. The students were full of laughter and joy while playing, which spread instantly throughout the entire team.
The team then came back to the hotel, went out for dinner, and then came back to the hotel ready for a debrief and good nights sleep.
The places the team has gone to today is a physical representation of Cambodia's recovery from times of war. Everyday the situation gets better and better, and creates hope for the future of Cambodia. This recovery is bolstered through the work of NGOs such as Samaritan's Purse, which the team has had the privilege of travelling with and serving for.
Tomorrow the team will visit churches and hand out Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes. I look forward to more shared experiences of laughter and joy.
Thank you for sharing a little of your adventure with us. I love reading the students' thoughtful reflections on the lives of Cambodians and how these have been improved through the care of outside organisations.
ReplyDeleteBless you. You are doing good things. I pray you never forget all you have seen.