Christmas Break/Vacation (Back Issue # 4)

Juliana had a three-and-a-half week break from preschool over Christmas/New Year's, and we took the opportunity to get out of town for some R & R. We decided to check out Kampot, a sleepy little town along a river that's become a tourist and vacation destination. We stayed at a place called "The Mango Trees" in French (I forget the translation, and we couldn't say it right, anyway!), which had neat bungalows right along the riverside, a lot of room to run and play, and good food. We enjoyed five refreshing days there - and coincidentally overlapped a few of those days with another missionary family who are good friends of ours from Phnom Penh!

We enjoyed time on the water in kayaks, and even took a night boat ride upriver to see some phosphorescent algae that glowed when disturbed in the water. There were also hundreds of fireflies in the trees nearby, so we had quite the show! It was so beautiful, but sadly we can't show you how cool it looked - so you'll just have to come see it yourself sometime. ; ) What an awesome display of the Maker's creativity!

Another fun treat was visiting the Baker-Evens family. They used to live in the house we live in now, but moved to Kampot in August 09 to work with victims of land eviction. Juliana especially enjoyed playing with her old preschool classmate and all the kiddos had fun climbing around on the trains at the station next door (a French NGO is repairing the track and refurbishing the railway).

Here are Chris and Sam(antha) Baker-Evens with sons Isaac and Patrick. (Patrick went to Hope before they moved.) Chris is Australian and Sam is from the US.

Ryan enjoyed playing some ping-pong at the resort with Kai and Juliana. No, Kai wasn't chewing on the paddle...

When we ate meals at the resort, we would eat on "piers" built over the water. Such beautiful scenery, and so fun to feed the fish while while eating breakfast!

This is Juliana doing Starfall (www.starfall.com; an educational, phonics website to which Nana Umble introduced us) at a yummy cafe in town. Juliana met her "twin" there (same birthday), and Bethany got to hear the owner's amazing testimony of God's faithfulness in rescuing her from trafficking, giving her loving foster parents, and a husband who became a Christian and now pastors a local fellowship!

Enjoying one of the swings at The Mango Trees resort. Juliana and Kai brought their own bikes and had fun riding around the grounds. It was a great vacation, although a bit too short!

After we returned to the city, we took another morning to go to a playground on the opposite side of town. Kai LOVED the rocking animals, and would probably have stayed all day if it were possible!

Here Juliana gets a great, big push on the swings by her Daddy, Swing Pusher Extraordinaire!

- Bethany