A few years later

So what are we doing to help these people?
What have YOU done to help?

Angkor Wat written 29/01/14

Hi people! Today is the last day before we fly out. We were at Angkor Wat for sunrise yesterday and there are photos and movies coming. The upload speed here in the hotel is very slow so the computer is working overtime!

Wow... what can I say about Angkot Wat that hasn't already been said. All the superlatives have been used for the quite remarkable place. Great photographers have been before, fabulous travel writers, film makers, documentary teams and of course hordes of tourists from every country. 

From my own perspective walking on and through this amazing maze of ancient temples, it was like truly seeing the people behind this work. Seeing their markings, their carvings, their construction and their personal touches made me feel humbled. 

Here was a civilisation that hand built a giant moat around the whole complex using shovels and spades, who moved huge stones with precision, who carved intricate figures and amazing statues. 

The Angkor complex is stunning. It is still used today by Buddhists. There is even a monastery and school on site. Children ride their bikes past the monkeys and ancient monuments on the way to class.

I can't see the Cambodian people allowing so many tourists to keep clambering over this priceless UNESCO listed site. We as a group were extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to really explore the place. Sometime in the near future I suspect the experience will be sanitised. No longer will people be able to thread their way through corridors and along 800 year old stone paths. Steps that kings once climbed will be a no go area.

If you get a chance to come to Cambodia, absolutely do so! Visit Angkor and marvel in the atmosphere. But also spend time like we have in the villages. The people there are the descendants of the builders of Angkor. They too are amazing talented individuals. Poor they may be, but they can take a massive amount of pride in what their ancestors did.

Indeed, one of the wonders of the world in which we live.

Cheers for now... Peter

Adam's Story

Adam is a young man who is severely physically deformed from birth. Although he has no use of his arms and legs, Adam has a decent life. He went to a mainstream school, had the use of a special computer to study on and was extremely diligent in his studies. As a result he was well liked by his peers and enjoyed school life.

Adam knows that although he is disabled, he can lead a life of fulfilment and dignity. He knows that if there are hurdles he has to face, help will be provided. He knows that life has dealt him a cruel hand but that would never hinder his ability to find happiness. 

Adam’s community rallies around him to provide assistance when needed. His family is loving and supportive. They provide a strong environment in which Adam thrives.

Adam’s is loved and knows this.

However…

Adam is a dream. The person who dreams about Adam has the same disability. That’s where the similarity ends.

He lives on the streets on Phnong Penh outside the King’s Palace. He is like so many others who are maimed or disfigured in poor countries such as Cambodia. He has nothing. 

Could we not make at least part of that dream a reality?

Wishful thinking or not?

Your comments? Regards Peter 

To hell and back and ahead - Stan Stewart

We walked with evil. Two days later it still clings to us like a smelly shroud. Our visit to the Killing Fields and the high school renamed S21 left us shocked and speechless. In four years two million people - a quarter of the population, murdered. But, even more awful to realise that most of the murders were teenagers. How could this be?

This is how it worked. Families were broken up. Contact between children, siblings and parents severed. Communities were dismantled. Individuals were sent to different parts of the country so that they would be disconnected from family, community, religion, culture - in other words, completely isolated. In this new environment no one could be trusted. The only way to earn merit with your captors was to tell on your associates. Death was around you and followed you every day. The nights were full of nightmares and the days with terror. When you were asked to kill you killed. Again and again we heard of teens who murdered simply to stay alive. There was no alternative.

It all made me think that in our church and centre we are on the right track. Reaching out and welcoming in is a central concept. This is not just cutesy or sentimental. This is powerful. This is an essential if human life is to go on and flourish in the face of the challenges of the 21st century. Without it hell can come knocking at our door again. Ignoring and belittling this concept opened the door to the Nazis and

as we have seen, prepared the way for Pol Pot. 

Welcoming the stranger, befriending the migrant and reaching out to the refugee is doing battle with the forces of hell. We are to love our families, and our clans and culture, but this love must always be secondary to our love for, and commitment to the whole human race. In truth we all are brothers and sisters and we are called Ito live together in harmony and cooperation. This is the Jesus way. For this reason he lived and died and rose again that we might carry on his work. This is the kingdom of God, the kingdom of love and the forces of hell may have temporary victories, but in the  end will not prevail against it.

Stan Stewart

Reflections so far - Alan Jamieson

For me, Day 1 ran the full range from hope to the horrors and naked evil of mankind at its worst.  The visit to World Vision Cambodia and what we learnt and heard from the Operations Director and his colleagues was encouraging, reassuring and at times inspiring.

World Vision International is a Christian organisation and the commitment of World Vision Cambodia to Christian values is very evident; no mean feat in a country in which only 2% are Christians.  Their programmes for the well-being of children struck a particular chord with me.  The personal testimony of the Operations Director was a wonderful, but not isolated, example of good works flowing from a soundly based faith. Another aspect we learnt of practical help to those in desperate need is the IMPACTS programme, which provides support for the after-care welfare of children, both girls and boys, who have been victims of trafficking and sexual abuse. 

A visit to the Pol Pot killing fields brought the dreadful reality of far off events of indescribable human cruelty of the Pol Pot regime in 1975-79 home to us. This was followed by the starkness of the S21 genocide museum.  The starkness broken by a group of modern day children at play in the grounds was in itself a testament that the human spirit is powerful enough can to overcome the most gruesome of actions. But it was impossible not to be moved by what we saw and not to be determined that atrocities such as this must never be allowed to happen again.

Musings from Cambodia 1

(19/01/14 On the flight)

Well now…. sitting here on the aircraft…. flying over Queensland…. 10km above the planet’s surface. My wife at my side…. friends with us…. what could be better? 

We have it extremely lucky in good ole UnZud… Fred Dagg used to sing about this… remember his song? “We don’t know how lucky we are…..” We have beautiful beaches just a stones throw from our elegant door steps… parks with lot’s of area to play sport, walk the dog, picnic or a myriad of other leisure activities.

We can hop in our steel cages, on our you beaut pedal bikes, scooters, motorcycles… walk with safety… free of pollution, free of fear, free to express things the way we deem fit. We travel to far flung destinations, to our holiday homes, to the mountains and best of all return home once again to paradise.

Is this REALLY what living in Aotearoa is like for us?

Is this the truth?

Is it everyone’s reality in our small country?

Or do we have some real problems in our own backyard? Do we have a dark side in our quarter acre pavlova paradise? Indeed, perhaps there is poverty in Pure NZ… what do you think?

(22/01/14 On the road to Takeo) 

Poverty… it’s a word that stirs emotions, a word that divides opinion and for a great number of people is a stark reality of what they face every day. Like you I have seen the comments that in NZ many children live in poverty, and many families can’t afford to feed themselves.

Let’s compare it to where we are now…. Cambodia, and indeed Thailand where we have travelled in the past.

Cambodia from all accounts is a country that rates as the poorest in all of Asia. Families survive on a meagre amount, as low as $US600 per year. Granted, food is cheaper, housing cheaper if you can find it.

BUT…. there is horrendous true poverty, and a violent oppressive past. Children are exploited, used as sexual gratification for twisted people and often live dirty lives on dusty streets. Older people have disabilities from land mines, disease, and lack of medical care. There is a whole generation almost missing as a result of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge. 

So…  do we have poverty in NZ? Not if we compare the two countries. Cambodia is far more impoverished. We do have people in NZ who are living difficult lives and find it hard to provide for their basic needs. But unlike Cambodia we have safety nets in place. In Cambodia there is 25% of the population officially unemployed. There is no benefit, and pensions are virtually nonexistent outside of Government workers. 

We can’t ignore poverty anywhere it happens…, New Zealand included. However let’s thank God we live in a country where our basic needs and rights are set in stone. Let’s celebrate our freedoms whilst understanding the world’s problem areas. Let’s help where we can and try to be good citizens in the world community.

For me, this is THE most important thing we can learn from a trip like this… however learning is one thing, action is a quite different thing. 

Here therefore lies the challenge. 

From your blogger Peter Chatteris

Landmines

Catherine, Aimee and Lee visited a shop and noticed that there was a photo of Princess Diana on the wall. In the photo was the shop assistant. In enquiring further the assistant advised that she was in fact the shop owner and that she was a landmine victim in 1979. She came from a rural community and was walking with a friend when her friend stood on a land mine. Her friend was killed and she lost her right leg and some of her torso. She was 12 at the time. After going to a rehabilitation school she learnt to become a tailor and from there she has become an entrepreneur who now owns two shops that sell goods made by landmine victims. After Pol Pot Cambodia had a disproportionately high number of unexplored landmines but most have been cleared now.

Church before the trip

Hello to all at Church!!

Two more sleeps!

This is the group travelling to Cambodia this Sunday 

We leave Sunday afternoon and fly into Bangkok.. then Monday morning to Phnom Penh. This blog along with the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StHeliersChurchAbroad will keep you informed and up to date with our adventures! Cheers all... Peter

Introduction - Peter Chatteris

Hi... I am your blogger for the Cambodian trip. Most of you know me but here's a quick intro.

I have been associated with St Heliers Church since being baptised there in 1959. The font is still the same one... how cool is that!

I teach music and hire out Remote Control Cars for a living... yeah kinda a boy thing huh!

I am married to Sharyn and have three stepkids, 4 cats, 2 dogs and ... various strays from time to time...

Cheers!

Cambodia Trip

Only a few weeks until we are off to Cambodia. This is the source for news of the trip

Alice's post trip chat!

Hi it's Alice here.  I'm home from Thailand and Pakpingai now but I wanted to write about what the trip has meant for me and tell you about some of the highlights for me.  

It was very hard to leave Pakpingjai because all the girls were really sad and it had been such a wonderful time there.  I loved taking the kids to the zoo because they enjoyed it so much and we got to see animals that I have never seen before.   The girls were all so happy all the time and friendly to us and they made us feel welcome and special.

It was fun trying to teach people English at the school we visited and they were all so excited to see us.  I thought it was sad when we went to the hill tribe because the houses are really small and made out of bamboo.  Life there looked hard.

Travelling to the river Kwai was also sad because we knew that people from our country had been prisoners there and there were lots of deaths  while they built bridges.

The trip was good for me.  I learnt that you don't have to have everything to be happy.  I enjoyed helping people and seeing the smiles on the children's faces.  I liked that we have helped and that the children enjoyed our visit.

I'm really thankful that I got to go to Thailand and have this opportunity to visit the children of Pakpingjai and learn from them.

Alice

20 and 21st January

The last couple of days have been so busy and so full that we haven't had a chance to write much! However the youtube channel and the web album have both been updated... I will write some thoughts later today but meanwhile have a look at this video for some personal views on the trip to daye..


Cheers


Your Blogmaster Peter


(Posted when home meant for the dates)

From the plane!

OK.. on the plane now... what has happened to the past few days (daze)?  Well... it's been full of life changing experiences and full of exhaustion... must keep this short so to ALL of you that have taken the time to be part of our adventure from afar .. a huge thankyou to all of you and may God bless you and yours..


We will see you soon... I'll be behind those drums on Sunday and there will be much to share


Take care and all the best


Your Blogger


Peter Chatteris

From the Kwai

we are off now from the Kwai River area...  off to begin our long journey home.. thanks for viewing our pictures videos and updates... see you all at home... we have so many stories to tell.. take care!

Pete Speak 19/01/12

I am sitting here with 20 people who make up our group. We are sharing photo albums and learning about each other. It's interesting to me that we ALL have a story to tell. 


Then my mind wanders to the pooir and needy of Thailand...


Do they have stories to tell? 


Without a doubt these people have enough to fill a book several times over. If we could somehow tap into the life stories of the Thai people, we could learn a huge amount of wisdom, a huge amount of knowledge, and a way of enjoying life despite having little.


I know I have mentioned this so many times but it seems to me that there's very little difference in the smiles or frowns of the supposedly "have's" and the apparently "have nots". There is sadness amongst the "rich" and happiness amongst the "poor". There is also happiness amongst the "rich" and sadness amongst the "poor".


So where does that leave us? Should we feel guilty? Should we feel as though we should change our ways completely? 


I don't believe so... but I do believe in education and I do believe we can learn from each other.


Cheers


Peter Chatteris
Blogmaster!

The Last thoughts of the day with Peter

Well...it's 11pm and tiredness is setting in. I am quite emotional about various things at the moment... This trip is different in many ways from the previous one in 2010. The team is great, we are working well together and no major anger eruptions have happened.


However, there seems to be a faster pace, there seems to be so much to do and so little time to do it in. I am far more tired than last time, and yet at the same time have more energy. Strange, but perhaps we rise to the occasion when stressed.


Tomorrow will bring new challenges.. new things to face and new experiences. For example we are visiting a Buddhist School and many of the team are going to have their first taste of this way of life. I hope they see what I and the others saw in 2010.... a way of life that whilst very different from our Christian traditions, has also many of the same aims.


If only we could learn one thing from this trip... to have peace in our lives and in our hearts... would that not be a fantastic outcome...


Have a great day... and may God bless you and your families..


Your Blogger


Peter Chatteris

Cherry Chats!

It's me, Cherry again :)


I can't believe how exhausted everyone is right now.. Didn't expect it to be a tiring trip along with everyday being 15 hours long! IM SO TIRED. Every morning, we wake up at 6am, get ready for the day and have breakfast at 7am then we leave to our destination by 8am and start our full-on day until around 6pm so we come back to the hostel, then we have dinner which is at 6.30pm and after that (when we're completely knackered and nearly falling asleep on our beds) we have the girls knocking on our door wanting to play or dance! sounds like a long, tiring day doesn't it? It's now our 6th day following this daily routine.. Oh my gosssssh. I feel like we've done so much since we got here! Going to heaps of different markets, a zoo with the girls, a few Buddhist temples, other villages, and we've even taught English at a school... 


Today was quite an emotional day for us all. We visited the Hill Tribe Village in Phu Him where the houses are made of sticks and rope, the village people don't have very nutritional food to consume, the dogs limping around are weak and diseased. For me, the dogs made me sadder than the anything else. With the passion I have for animals, this made me very emotional that these dogs have nothing to eat or drink and they don't have any vet check-ups, vaccinations or medication. They are left to breed, then the puppies aren't under any care so they are to catch diseases easily while they're very young. There was one skinny, weak puppy on a hunt for water (probably only a few months old) that had a broken paw which the bone was completely detached and was only hanging onto the outer skin and flesh! Seeing this was very emotional for a lot of us :( I just want to bring all of them home and treat them!!! But unfortunately, I can't do anything about it right now.. Anyways, the happiest part of the day definitely was the waterfall trip! On a hot, humid day, that's exactly what you need.. Nature is SO amazing :)


Yeah... So, it's 10pm now and I'm already half asleep. KEEN TO WAKE UP AT 6AM! YUSSSSS... :/


That's me for now :)

Natalia Dunningham's Blog entry

hello all Natalia here :)

The day begun with another early morning start with a full meal breakfast of noodles fried banana and fresh fruit breakfast was soon followed by an exciting long car ride with amazing scenery dry shrubs and red dirt . two hours later we finally arrived at our detestation witch was the hill tribes. the hill tribes was a different expedience seeing how the other halve of life lives witch is much different then back home. we went into there homes witch were pretty much bamboo strips as the walls and a timer roof the whole house was about the size of my bedroom with was sad to think about but that is all they have and that's home to them right ... ? we did do a good dead by giving them noodles and candy for the kids we all so gave them bags of clothes to the diffident family's and sung songs . the people were quite nice we talked to 16 year old girl who had a 1 year old child and her 15 year old husband was working in the fields witch hit me pretty close to home because that could be me next year ! we soon greeted by the preschool children and there smiling faces lit up when we gave them gifts like pencils and rubbers. after visiting the hill tribes we then hoped in our mini vans for another bumpy car drive but this time to amazing waterfall that we were all exiting visit and have a swim in the fresh waters it was another two hours to get there but it was defiantly worth the drive when we got to jump off a rock into the depths of the cold water. every one got involved taking pictures and swimming and just enjoying the day! most of us had a sleep on the way back to hostel including myself. soon after we came back it was time for another meal witch consisted of rice, curry, fish and egg. after dinner it time for some teaching english to chidren witch is allways a chalnge and our last challenge for the day was learning thai dancing .

 bye for now Natalia

Pete's early moring views

How can a person be so tired and yet so energetic? I am unsure but here at PPJ.. it seems to be the norm. 


This morning I was up at 6:30 after bed at 1... off to deliver supplies to the Hill tribes. Two hour road trip either way. I continually am amazed at how this place energises you. To watch the children work so hard and laugh so much is contagious. It rubs off on you to the point of being like a medication. I think this is the same as the old adage that "Enthusiasm breeds Enthusiasm"!  In our society there seems to be a lot of false enthusiasm, from salesmen to over zealous self appointed bishops. These people could never be like the children here. They could never do the work the with the enthusiasm  the children show here in PPJ.


Real enthusiasm comes from doing tasks with pride and a heart that is true.  That is one of the most important lessons our group could take from Pakpingjai. It is the gift that we must hold onto if we are to change lives.


Cheers and blessings...


Your blogger
Peter Chatteris