Temple Run - Imelda Greenough

On Wednesday we all had to get up at 4:00am in the morning, for most of us, that was way too early. We took tuk tuks to the temple, the sky was covered in a thick layer of cloud and the air was very humid. As we got into the temple, many people were already there, waiting for the sun to rise. As the clouds began to lift, no sun came up. Most of us were disappointed, hungry and wet. Then we were allowed to walk around the temple. I ended up buying a simple picture of two red elephants before entering the temple.

As we weaved our way through the dark and damp passages of the temple we could see many clipped and headless statues. Hearing the rain above me made me wonder just how the monks had lived in these temples all those years ago.

One of the major highlights, for me at least, was when Brooklin and Ash lost sight of me multiple times. Considering my dark skin, I blended in to the shadows and they thought I had just left. But when Ash would ask “where did Imelda go?” Brook and Ash would turn around to see if they could find me and I would just say “I’m right here.” Ash crashed against the wall a few times in shock.

However, the second temple was much better and dryer. This temple was called Ta Prohm, this temple was magnificent. Large trees were growing out of the stone and the ground. The trees would be about 20 odd metres in the sky, and when I looked up the leaves would fan out showering me in small rays of warm sunlight. But wearing those poncho rain coats were good and bad. They protected us from the rain, but they were hot and sweaty. I was smart and had one already in my bag while the others had to go and buy some. Our guide told us that if you go into the temple, try not to get lost because it is extremely easy to get lost. My small group of fishheads aka Ash and Brooklin and later Ben P, were smart and decided to go around the outside and we didn’t get lost. Whereas Josh and Will got lost in the temple and we were waiting for them for 20 minutes.

Despite the rainy weather and humid air, the day was very historical, educational and calming.

Language No Barrier - Madison Smith

On Sunday morning we had to wake up bright and early to begin an intense day of competition, injury and non-stop laughter. Today I really discovered my somewhat determined, competitive side. Cam had put us all in random teams for the Great NCC Cambodian Amazing Race. The race lasted about two hours, between our motel and Light of Hope. James, Will and I were on a team together and I was determined to win. We didn't win. We came last. But to be fair, the challenges were crazy difficult. We had a student from Light of Hope with us to "make sure we didn't go down any wrong roads". He ended up doing pretty much everything for us, even though he was told specifically not to... He was a legend.

Our first activity was a fishing challenge with a bamboo stick, a string and a hook (no bait). Me, being the professional fisherman I am, didn't bother finding bait and stood on the bank of a big puddle of water fishing for a good five minutes without it. But of course I realised and began to search for bait. No luck. I couldn't even catch a tiny baby cricket. A student from Light of Hope gave me a huge worm, which I had to pull apart with my hands and give half to Will. I almost puked. After no luck for 30 minutes, the ICC kids handed us a fish so we could pretend it was ours and leave. This is pretty much what cost us the race. The remainder of the challenged involved tuk tuk driving to cultural challenges between the school and our guest house.

We spent the afternoon at Light of Hope playing games organised by the older boys from the school. This involved intense games like Khmer Chinese whispers, tunnel ball and charades. We had three big teams of NCC and ICC students mixed. I copped a huge bruise and what felt like a shattered knee cap from falling onto the slippery tiles. The kids were ruthless and burst out laughing.

In the evening, we had the privilege of meeting our sponsor kids. My sponsor child is an incredibly shy little boy. We tried talking but it was a bit hard so we just played a game together. I can say on behalf of everyone in our class that it was so moving to meet the children whose lives we are changing with just a little bit of money each month.

The day was a good bonding day for us and the children. It created unexpected friendships as we bonded through laughs and fun despite the language barrier. It was a completely memorable day I doubt any of us will forget.

Stronger Connections - Will Bowman

Day 7 was the Sabbath day for the people living at Light of Hope. We kicked off the day with a church service. We were asked to sing some songs with the children before Kaitlyn, Hudson and I presented a sermon each. We told Bible stories relevant to our own specific topic. Even though we weren't doing any kind of physical activity, it felt like we were because of how much we were sweating. It was very hot! After the service we had lunch and headed back to the guest house and chilled in our rooms for a little while.

In the afternoon, we travelled to Phnom Santuk, a mountain with almost 1000 steps leading up to a local temple. We nearly fainted from heat exhaustion but everyone made it to the top of the mountain. And it was definitely worth it. The view was incredible - perfect for taking photos. Monkeys were also prolific and we had to be careful to avoid them. I also just generally don't like many monkeys, but we were all safe. After finally finishing the big climb and descent, we were all pretty drenched in sweat and ready for a quick change of clothes before the cultural night.

The cultural experience at Light of Hope was a little late starting so we had an opportunity to play with the kids. The little ones in particular seemed to be pretty comfortable with us by this point so a lot of the younger boys were keen for a wrestle. I felt like this night in particular was what helped us build such a connection with the kids at Light of Hope. We had the opportunity - when asked - to attempt the cultural dances with the young people who were putting on the experience. We made complete fools of ourselves, and even the teachers danced as well. We were all included in what was a really memorable night. 

Giving and Receiving - Amy Rankin

Friday had us again teaching English and working on the mosaic at Light of Hope. It is an extremely eye-opening experience I'm sure has humbled our whole class. The nice weather unfortunately did not continue from yesterday; instead we were struck with intense heat and humidity, making for a more difficult day.

During the lessons, some of us struggled immensely to control the young kids, who wanted to yell and run around rather than sitting still and listening. We were told this was because we'd played with them the previous afternoon and now that was all they wanted to do.

Throughout the trip everyone has been impressed with the food and today was no exception. Every day at lunch and dinner we are served fresh tropical fruits and cultural dishes.

We were able to hand out the textbooks and stationary that we purchased with fundraising money to all the children today. We hardly felt as if we were donating materials as the smiles and thank you's from all the kids were more than enough payment. 

The afternoon was again filled with games and sport with the kids. Our class has learnt most of the rules and clapping actions. The struggle now is trying to keep up to the Cambodian children. They also tried to teach us some Khmer which we struggled with way more than they did during our English lessons. 

After saying goodbye and driving back to our hotel in the 'bus' (truck), we ended the day with an affirmations worship that left us all feeling warm inside.

Light of Hope - Ashleigh Spicer

Day 5 was how must of us eased into the teaching experiences we will be facing here. In the morning, we took a truck to Light of Hope village, where ICC funds help educate and support children. Some of the children don't have parents and are cared for in family-like situations so that they still receive the same opportunities. 

We were rostered to complete either a mosaic or teaching in the morning and afternoon. I was teaching in the morning with Madi and Will, where we taught the young grade 1, 2 and 3 children. Personally, I found teaching very nerve-racking, but playing games with the little kids, and laughing along with them helped me feel more comfortable.

In the afternoon I helped work on the mosaic which was really fun until the liquid nails got stuck all over your hands.

When the classes were over we had the opportunity to give the children some sport equipment, purchased with the money raised through the soup and garlic bread days on Fridays at school. After the kids received the equipment, we got to play soccer with them. It ultimately ended with everyone splashing water and mud around until white shirts had turned brown and happy pants had been ripped. Meeting the kids and playing games with them was a really amazing opportunity. They have so little but are grateful for what they do have. 

When we had to wave goodbye for dinner I was sad to see them leave but I look forward to going back tomorrow!

New Experiences, and More to Come - Bayleigh Santiago

We began the fourth day by travelling to the Royal Palace on tuk tuks. When we entered through the walls we were faced with a sign that said, "no shorts are allowed". so the majority of the boys had to pull their shorts as low as possible, as if we were 'wannabe gangsters'.  This resulted in a slightly uncomfortable tour but it was nothing compared to the unbearable heat. Despite the heat, it was interesting to view and learn about the intricate architecture and the symbolism that was embedded into the design. A lot of it involved Hinduism and Buddhism, with many statues said to bring things like rain and protection. One of the rooms we entered had a floor made out of silver and a statue made out of about 90kg worth of gold and plenty of diamonds.

Once we finished the tour, we grabbed our bags from the Billabong Hotel and went in a van to get lunch. We wet to a cafe called Sugar and Spice. It is part of an inspiring organisation called Daughters of Cambodia, which rescues women and lady boys from the sex industry and gives them employment in hospitality and textiles to support themselves. 

After lunch, we got back in the van to travel to Light of Hope. However, on the way we made an interesting stop that is a yearly tradition, the spider village. Once the van stopped we were forcefully greeted by a lady holding a bucket full of live tarantulas in one hand and a plate heaped with deep fried spiders in the other. At first I was freaked out but I decided to eat the deep fried spider... Why not? But I still didn't have enough courage to hold the live tarantula that the lady kept holding right up to me, insisting on my holding it while saying, "you eat dead spider, you can hold alive one". I eventually held the spider in my hand but I couldn't stop shaking, afraid it would avenge its friend and attack me. I was disappointed I didn't have enough time to try some crickets.

Once we left, we travelled to the guest house, dropped off our bags and went to Light of Hope for the first time. I was excited to return the next day.

A Solid 11/10 - Kaitlyn Carnie

Our third day was big culture shock for me. In the morning we headed out to the provinces to visit the small community called Flourish, a sanctuary for women who are HIV positive and their families. What struck me the most about Flourish was that the women who ran Flourish were women who had been neglected by their former communities. Here at Flourish, they use their talents make bags made out of old, donated jeans and other materials which they sell to support the community. It was inspiring to see women who had come from a state of rejection and being an outcast, to creating a fully self-sufficient business. They were so driven and motivated and had so much faith.

Along with the women, came all kids from the local houses. You could see their beaming smiles and friendliness, even before we introduced ourselves. They were filled with energy and enthusiasm, which made me think about how they have the ability to create so much joy and delight in spite of their needs. We split into two groups; one group taught kids how to brush their teeth, and the other taught them to wash their hands. Through the chants, games and repetition how to brush their teeth. We used biscuits to teach when they needed to brush. We also gave them soap bars, toothpaste and toothbrushes to help them maintain good hygiene. After we taught them, and had lunch (best food) with the women of Flourish,  we said our goodbyes and thank you's, and headed back to the Billabong Hotel After a swim, we quickly headed out to a restaurant for dinner and had the chance to go on a cruise along the river, and admire the city from at night. 

The day we spent at Flourish opened my eyes to the immense difficulty that people are placed in, and how they emancipate themselves through God's help. It also taught me how important a sense of community is, not only for physical, but mental health. I will hold a long-standing respect for all the contributors to Flourish, and wish the families all the best.

P.s Would rate the day a solid 11/10

Our First Taste of Cambodia - Ben Powell

Today was our first taste of the confronting nature of our trip. We visited the killing fields and Pastor Nupich's feeding program. The Killing Fileds were a very quiet place, and although the area seemed peaceful and lush, more and more of the atrocities committed there were revealed throughout the visit. We saw first hand evidence such as the clothes of the people buried in the mass graves, and the 4,000+ skulls collected in the main memorial. We learnt about the brutal details of the killings, including the weapons used (everyday farming utensils) and how the prisoners were transported and buried. The whole place was filled with silent reverence.

After the Killing fields, we visited some local markets where we bought stationary items for Light of Hope and some souvenir's (think cheesy t-shirts, bum-bags and sunglasses).

In the evening we headed to Pr Nupich's. He shared about his work in Phnom Penh and how it all began. Pr Nupich and his wife Ravi lost their daughter to dengue fever 7 years ago. Not long after, Ravi and Nupich were in the city and saw a girl in a rubbish dump collecting items to sell for food. Ravi told Nupich that she wanted to start feeding children from the rubbish dump. Today, more than 70 children come every night, picked up in tuk and trucks from the rubbish dump, to be fed. Pr Nupich says that although he lost one daughter, God has blessed him with many children.

We sung 'Father Abraham' to the kids and then served them dinner. It was an encouraging but also sad experience. The children living living in rubbish dumps and scavenging for recyclable items to sell were more happy and selfless than many western children who have much more given to them. 

After Pr Nupich's, we went out for Mexican, then returned to our hotel. Overall, the day provided some serious reflection as well as some funny and enjoyable moments.

It's hard to believe we haven't been here for a week already.

A New Adventure - James Wilson

This is my first international flight. I thought I would be more excited, but it is more like a kind of intrigue that reveals itself as I see more things.

We started our day at the Melbourne international terminal and it was quite confusing. I didn't know where I was, where I was going or how to get out. There were so many people going both directions. 

Every part of this trip so far has been a new experience and it started at customs. I forgot about the 100ml liquid regulations for international flights and had two things taken off me. We all made it through very quickly and had lots of time before our first flight.

The food was surprisingly good on the plane. The first meal was my favourite - a cheese ravioli with pumpkin and baby spinach, served with a fruit salad (watermelon, rockmelon & honeydew) and a dinner roll. I would rate it a 4/5.

There were two interesting signs as we went through the Vietnamese airport terminal. The first said, "If you are not in a rush, why not sleep? Sleep boxes next to gate 27, 2nd floor". I thought, "hmm, that's interesting - we don't have those in Melbourne". The second said, "smoking room 5.2". This made me cover my nose, laugh and think of the old Red Rattlers.

Right now, there is a plane fuelling up and having maintenance work done. It is only about 50 metres away with no fence between us. I could walk right up to it!

We have about two hours to wait until our next connecting flight to Phnom Penh.

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We arrived safely in Phnom Penh and met Sherree, from International Children's Care (ICC) who will be looking after us on the trip.

It was 10:30pm (1:30am Australian time) before we got to the hotel, found our rooms and after a 'Fatboy Sub' (Cambodia's Subway), got some much needed rest.

Today we visit the Killing Fields and markets in Phnom Penh. Tonight we will also go to Nuptich's feeding program, which is always a highlight!

Boarding!

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New Year, New Opportunities

It's 2017 and we can't wait to travel to Light of Hope Children's Village again.

We're working hard to reach our fundraising goals and you can help too!