Phnom Penh is hot, dusty, and still trying to recover from the devastation of twenty years of civil strife. The conditions are pretty rugged with lots of poverty. We've breathed in more dust and diesel fumes than we want to remember. The thing that has really impressed us is the sacrifice, hard work, and dedication of our missionaries in bringing Christ to people who desperately need to hear the Gospel. Mark and Susan talked about wrestling with their inner desire to give compassionately to the people here.
Beggars are pervasive.
A very high percentage of the population is handicapped due to malnutrition, land mines, and the civil war. It would be easy to give directly, but in the long run not redemptive. Please pray for lasting hope, peace, and vision for the people. They need a hope and a future that only the Prince of Peace can provide. It was a beautiful, modern structure, complete with all the technological advances the West has to offer.