Christmas in Siem Reap

Breakfast on Christmas morning:

Titus and I, and our best friends, Vandy and Tess, a Cambodian man married to a filipina woman.


Unlike the service in Takao, the service in Siem Reap took place inside the church. The sanctuary was decorated beautifully with balloons, large oragami stars, running and flashing lights, a tree covered in colorful garland, and a large Christmas banner.


The order of service included much singing and dancing; the men sang, the women sang, the men and women sang together, the children sang, the pastor's grandchildren sang, the youth sang, the youth danced... it was all wonderful! There was even a guest appearance of Santa Claus himself, dressed in a velvet coat, hat, pants, a fake white beard, and nike sneakers.


Missionary Tim Gallant concluded the service with a powerful Christmas message. He shared a story of a king who fell in love with a village girl; knowing the village girl would never have the confidence to love the king, he humbled himself and moved into the village, where he worked as a peasant and earned the love of the girl. The illustration was a powerful depiction that put the story of Christ's humbling birth in a context that was more understandable in the Cambodian culture, and I know many hearts were touched.


Following the service, everyone gathered outside the church at beautiful tables under a colorful tent, and we enjoyed a delicioius three-course meal and wonderful fellowship.


After a restful afternoon -- ie. watching National Geographic Underwater in the hotel -- we returned to the church and joined Pastors Banyen and Malachi for delicious goat and rice, and the pastors took advantage of the opportunity to share with us about their joys and struggles of serving and pastoring in Siem Reap.


At the conclusion of the meeting, the six of us traveled to the nearby mall (Siem Reap is a tourist city) and had Christmas sundaes in celebration of Jesus' birth.
It was a beautiful day with wonderful people, and I will certainly never forget my first memorable Christmas in Cambodia. By the way, my next post will feature our full engagement story, including pictures. :)

Love love love, Jewel

Christmas Eve in Cambodia

Having only returned last Thursday, it's difficult to know where to start in briefing you about my last trip to Cambodia, but I'm going to start on Christmas - Christmas Day and all the Christmas celebrations.

I arrived on the 23rd, and attended my first Christmas service on Christmas Eve. Pastor Poleak is one of my favorite pastors, and I am so glad that I was able to attend his service in Takao. The service was not in his church, but at a nearby property that was larger and could accomodate a much larger-than-usual attendance. It was my first experience celebrating Christmas away from home; it was an emotional day, but the joy of the people made me glad to be there.

What was a simple property was beautifully transformed by a colorful tent, balloons, flowers, and a large banner. Simple plastic chairs were covered with gorgeous slip covers, making them suitable for a wedding or a Christmas service.


The service -- almost four hours long -- consisted of hymns, carols, children singing, dances, a long Christmas-story skit, testimonies, and a message. It was dramatic, colorful, loud, and worth the extreme heat and time committment. Following the service, we shared a meal of spicy Cambodian curry, bread, and cokes.

I had a great time meeting and getting to know Bernie and Nan Dykhouse, visitors from N.C., and of course, being in Cambodia to celebrate Christmas with my new fiance!

Love love love, Jewel

Greetings from Cambodia!

I arrived safely in Cambodia on Thursday afternoon and it has been a whirlwind since then. I was very warmly greeted at the airport by friends, and with flowers. So so so good to be home again. I surely missed my family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but I am happy to be where I am.

On Friday I attended Pastor Poleak's Christmas service in Takao. Note: Everyone was apparently kidding when they stated that it's cold in Cambodia now; no one was kidding when they stated that Christmas services are very long. In Takao, the service was almost four hours long. The young members reinacted the entire Christmas story from the time of Mary and Joseph's betrothal up to the point of their leaving for Egypt; it was 45 minutes long! After the service we shared a meal, and then made the one-hour drive to Phnom Penh, and left shortly after for the five-hour drive to Siem Reap.

I passed Christmas in Siem Reap, and we're leaving here tomorrow morning. I traveled here with Titus, Vandy, and Tess; missionaries Tim and Tiffany Gallant, and another pastor's family (Arun) came also. We attended a Christmas service at Pastor Banyen's church on Christmas Day. It wasn't quite as long; the music and games were almost 3-hours long, and Tim Gallant gave a powerful 15-minute sermon (translation time included.) After the service, we shared a meal, and returned to rest at our guest house for almost 2 hours before visiting some other pastors and church members, then returning to Banyen's church for dinner and a meeting. Friday night we walked through the night market, and last night (on Christmas) we went to the mall for ice cream and stopped at a carnival and threw darts and balloons and won our evening snacks.

The concept of Christmas in Cambodia is very different. Except for Christians, which is about only 1% of the population, the day continued on as normal. People were still sweeping the streets, they were still shopping in the malls, and still going to work.

I have big plans for this upcoming week and I look forward to sharing with again soon! Thank you for your prayers and support. I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.

Sinking Realization...

I'll be in Cambodia for Christmas.

And while I am so so so excited to finally be back and visit my cherished friends there, and teach the children and see all their smiles, and encourage the pastors, who somehow always end up giving me more than I could even offer them, I'm sad to leave.

I'll miss baby Mal's first Christmas.

I'll miss Christmas Eve with Dad's side of the family.

I'll miss staying up all night to play games with my friends at church on New Years.

I'll miss those 3 cherished weeks at home with my family.

I'll miss seeing everyone open their presents on Christmas morning, and reading the Christmas story, and eating cinnamon rolls for breakfast while I open my stocking with Jessie, and having peppermint ice cream, and playing Scrabble.

And that's just Christmas. Will it even feel like Christmas?

But, like I said, I'm so so so excited to return. This trip is significant for many reasons, and I can't wait to see everyone.

Love love love, Jewel