Today was our second day at Stronghold Cambodia and we split into groups to complete some chores at Stronghold. When we arrived around 8:30 am, Julie, Mary Ann, and Lindy jumped right into transferring Julie’s sketch for the first mural on the wall. Once it was outlined, the painting began! Meanwhile, Bruce and I painted some fresh white lines on the cement to mark out a volleyball court and Pastor Kempin put whiteboards up in the classrooms.
After Stronghold Chores, time to eat!
Students began arriving before we knew it. We helped serve lunch (rice, sauteed bok choy with pork, and fresh dragon fruit) before enjoying it along with the students. Fifteen minutes before English class started, Bruce shared a devotion. He used something he loves, fishing, to share the Gospel! Each student received a “Gospel fly” pin. The Gospel fly was made of different colors to share the story of our salvation in Christ. I led them in a beloved song by St. John’s students, “Shake Another Hand.”
ESL Classes at Stronghold
We then split the team up to head to ESL class and fluoride treatments. The fluoride team cranked through more patients in their clinic while we reviewed animals, colors, numbers, and letters thanks to the books made by Julie and Mary Ann’s students at Zion Beaver. Spending time in the classrooms has been my favorite part of our time here by far! I love getting to know the students and teachers. Of course, just like at home, other “fix-it” jobs are an essential part of life, so we also cheerfully complete our chores at Stronghold.
The rest of the day consisted of more ESL classes and fluoride treatments. We worked on painting murals during breaks between groups of students. We also got to experience a Cambodian delicacy during one of our breaks– durian! Durian is a fruit with a very…. distinct smell and
flavor. The smell was kind of fruity, garlic-y, and onion-y to me. The taste was pretty similar to the smell. Needless to say, I was not a big fan. Naomi, Jesse, and Pastor Kempin all love it! Julie was a fan as well. The rest of the team was not as enamored. 🙂
That’s all for today! Thanks for following along. To God be the glory!
Submitted by Anna Kruger on Tuesday, January 14, 2020
You must be logged in to post a comment.