This report was sent to NJT-Ottawa in June. Apologies for taking so long to post it! NJT-Ottawa has supported this safe house through sending medicines and medical supplies:
Life at the Safe House is really getting organized and the facility is looking more and more like home every day. The security guard / gardener plants and cleans and has made our yard a real home.
The counsellor is meeting daily with the girls and we are seeing great progress in their lives. They are settling into their new routine nicely.
Every morning they get up at 6:30am and do their exercises with the house mothers and get ready for school. They put on their school uniforms with crisp white blouses with shiny buttons up the front and pleated deep blue skirts that go down just below their knees. They love their uniform and it makes them feel normal as all children in Cambodia wear this uniform to school every day.
They love to do fun things with their hair and so I am always surprised with their "creative" hair do's. (I told them we have "Crazy Hair Day in Canada").
Then at 8am they are ready for their morning classes of Math and Khmer and Science and History. In the afternoon they have art and dance and of course their very favourite thing right now ... knitting. Yes ... knitting!
Each girl has a bicycle and they go riding a couple times a week down by the riverbank which is cool and very beautiful and peaceful. The house mothers also love to take them for walks after dinner just before the sun goes down. It is cooler and you can smell the cooking that is happening all over the city. hmmm!
Usually in the afternoon each girl visits the counsellor is our amazing counselling room for about 1 hour. This allows them to share their feelings, hopes, dreams, and fears and we are able to guide them through them all.
The smaller one was plagued with nightmares of her perpetrator but we have seen much change and peace come into her life. She is now more peaceful and content. Her mother is coming to our city to visit her next week so this is an exciting time for the little one "Sreyv". Her mom will stay for the day. We oversee the visit and will have lunch and snack together as well as a ride to see the monkeys together which is the Sreyv's most favorite thing right now.
I visit the Safe House daily to make sure all problems are solved and everyone is on track. Yesterday the older girl "Sreyl" told me that she wanted to learn how to work the computer. I asked her if she wanted a Khmer or English computer. She said "Both". I smiled and told her that if she wanted to learn the computer she would have to cut her nails which are very long. She told me that if I got a computer she would cut her nails and smiled and laughed.
We try to get the girls out of the Safe House a few times a week for walks or bike rides and Sunday church. They love the outings but are happy to get back "home" where it is safe and familiar.
Life at the Safe House is really getting organized and the facility is looking more and more like home every day. The security guard / gardener plants and cleans and has made our yard a real home.
The counsellor is meeting daily with the girls and we are seeing great progress in their lives. They are settling into their new routine nicely.
Every morning they get up at 6:30am and do their exercises with the house mothers and get ready for school. They put on their school uniforms with crisp white blouses with shiny buttons up the front and pleated deep blue skirts that go down just below their knees. They love their uniform and it makes them feel normal as all children in Cambodia wear this uniform to school every day.
They love to do fun things with their hair and so I am always surprised with their "creative" hair do's. (I told them we have "Crazy Hair Day in Canada").
Then at 8am they are ready for their morning classes of Math and Khmer and Science and History. In the afternoon they have art and dance and of course their very favourite thing right now ... knitting. Yes ... knitting!
Each girl has a bicycle and they go riding a couple times a week down by the riverbank which is cool and very beautiful and peaceful. The house mothers also love to take them for walks after dinner just before the sun goes down. It is cooler and you can smell the cooking that is happening all over the city. hmmm!
Usually in the afternoon each girl visits the counsellor is our amazing counselling room for about 1 hour. This allows them to share their feelings, hopes, dreams, and fears and we are able to guide them through them all.
The smaller one was plagued with nightmares of her perpetrator but we have seen much change and peace come into her life. She is now more peaceful and content. Her mother is coming to our city to visit her next week so this is an exciting time for the little one "Sreyv". Her mom will stay for the day. We oversee the visit and will have lunch and snack together as well as a ride to see the monkeys together which is the Sreyv's most favorite thing right now.
I visit the Safe House daily to make sure all problems are solved and everyone is on track. Yesterday the older girl "Sreyl" told me that she wanted to learn how to work the computer. I asked her if she wanted a Khmer or English computer. She said "Both". I smiled and told her that if she wanted to learn the computer she would have to cut her nails which are very long. She told me that if I got a computer she would cut her nails and smiled and laughed.
We try to get the girls out of the Safe House a few times a week for walks or bike rides and Sunday church. They love the outings but are happy to get back "home" where it is safe and familiar.
Yesterday we
drove to the fish store to buy some small fish for their new fish pond
which is outside near our hut. They viewed all the pretty fish and
just like children tried to convince me to buy an indoor tank with more
fish. Just goes to show you how children are the same all over the
world ... even those with Big Problems. I didn't buy the fish they
wanted but I did by them a treat on the way home :)
Good healthy food, rest, love and stability and lots of guidance brings hope and assurance to these young ones. They lap up the love and as I leave I hear their little voices filled with joy and laughter staying "Goodbye Mam, see you tomorrow. I lub you". I smile back as I put on my shoes to leave and say "See you tomorrow. I love you too".
Good healthy food, rest, love and stability and lots of guidance brings hope and assurance to these young ones. They lap up the love and as I leave I hear their little voices filled with joy and laughter staying "Goodbye Mam, see you tomorrow. I lub you". I smile back as I put on my shoes to leave and say "See you tomorrow. I love you too".
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