Sopheak cares for the baby, his older daughter and the five children at the Children’s Home while Channa works in the city.
In addition, he oversees at least four home churches, while teaching and leading Sunday services each Sunday at the Home.
Funds provided to the Children’s Home are supplemented by the sale of mushrooms, bananas, and eggs at the local market. Everyone helps with these projects, allowing the children to learn life-long practical skills. The older children attend computer classes, and each one is learning English at some level.
Immediate Needs: In our last newsletter, we reported that Channa’s sister and brother-in-law, were living onsite, managing the accounting and cooking for the children. They have since moved to Phnom Penh, leaving the Home in need of house parents to help care for the children when they are home from school, as well as a bookkeeper who can manage the household account. Nan and Bernie have several Christian women in mind that might serve in a dual role. They plan to interview these potential candidates on their next trip, scheduled for late January or early February.
Future Needs: We would love to provide the funds for new playground equipment for the kids. Our slide is an old metal one with a huge rusted hole. The swings are rusty and old, as well. Additionally, although we know that Khmer children typically eat sitting on the floor, we’d love to build a long table and benches for meals and gatherings. By our next visit, we are sure they will need new mosquito nets, and perhaps new mats and new shoes. There are always maintenance needs as well. On the last day of our last visit, we discovered that the washing machine was broken.
Finally, and most importantly, please pray for these precious orphans. We long for them to see and feel the love that only God can give to them, a mother’s love times 50! Only our Father in Heaven loves that way; He loves unconditionally! Pray that they would know that love! Maly Srey, the oldest child at the Home, is nearly 16 and behind in school. She especially has our hearts, as we dream that she and the rest of the boys will go on to secondary school. Pray that she will have the study time that she needs and the desire to pursue her education. It is her way out of poverty!
Thank you for your continued support, and if you have any questions, please contact us at 828-577-1113.
Bernie and Nan Dykhouse
CCCO is a not-for profit 501(c)(3) organization in accordance with IRS regulations.
