May and June have been full months. We've taught, we've hosted visitors, we've celebrated teammates that are leaving, and we've found great joy in being parents. We hope these pictures gives you a peek into our world.
This semester Ryan taught English to faculty at his school, some of whom have been at the school for 25 + years. They are a great group, and like us they enjoy fellowship over food.
Ryan's school organized a service project for their senior students to do at a high school in the province. It was largely used as an advertisement for the school; during the trip Ryan was even featured in a TV interview!
A photo from the high school where the service project took place.
Last month we started something called Coffee Break where we serve up instant 3-in-one coffee once a week. Most of the students are quite busy and have to work jobs outside of school. Coffee Break provides an informal way for us to hang out on campus between classes.
Coffee Break
Team Cambodia 2016
This photo was taken during our team's retreat in May where we focused on debriefing the year and preparing for what's next.
On June 2nd we welcomed a team of 14 for Cambodia's first ever 4 week Engage Culture program. Pictured above we are eating traditional Khmer food family-style.
Engage is a program designed for university students to go overseas to learn more about another culture and get involved in teaching partnerships. We also have summer programs for adults to go overseas and teach. Please let me know if you happen to be interested! This year our organization is sending around 300 folks to countries to serve.
Oliver is such a good baby going along with all our stuff! Here he is hanging out with the Engager's during their orientation.
Engage Cambodia 2016
We hosted a big party at the student center to mark the end of the Engagers' time here. We had games, dancing, snacks, adult coloring pages, and so on. We probably could have had a station called take a selfie with Oliver because there was a lot of that happening, too.
At the Factory Block
Ryan and I have been working with our friends who have a ministry to garment factory workers. During the Engagers' stay, we took them out there to see the living and working conditions. Some of them said it was one of the most impactful things they saw during their trip here.
The biggest highlight from the month of June was having Ryan's sister and her husband come visit us! This was their first time to meet Oliver.
This little guy's first time at the beach. While Ethan and Kari were here we took a long weekend at the Cambodian coast. We don't make it down there often, but it is definitly a perk...cheap hotels, nearly deserted beaches and fresh air!
PC Kari Hillman Photography
While Kari was here she did a photo shoot for the girls of the Women of Hope dorm. They had a blasts and so did I!
PC Kari Hillman Photography
Aunt Kari with Oliver in front of the Royal Palace.
Ryan doing his thing!
While Ethan and Kari were here we went to an ancient temple right outside of Phnom Penh. These seniors were so interested in Oliver and had lots of questions. I asked them if they had any grandkids. One of them said she had 30 and the other said she had 40!
PC Kari Hillman Photography
Cookie baking with some of the ladies from Women of Hope, my teammate Audrey, and a couple of the Engagers. It was our Khmer friends' first time to bake cookies.
On a boat ride with one of Ryan's classes.
PC Kari Hillman Photography
Thanks for keeping up with us!
Much love to you from Ryan, Melissa, and Oliver
Thanks for sharing! Looking good!
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