Travel to Khampon Chneang

We were invited to go with the Curtises (Country Directors for LDSC) to the Closing of the Rice Mills Project. This is a big deal in this province (like a state) because now they do not need the backing of LDSC nor the NGO. They are independent and on their own. They also have a kind of co-op and this is some of the produce from the local farmers. The man is showing us that he has made palm sugar out of the sugar cane. It is a thick granule brown sugar, but not as sweet. He has put them in little patties about 6 to a bunch and put them in the sugar cane leaf to sell for 3000 rial. That is about $.75.
Sister Curtis is with me here.


Organizing us to meet the Minister of Agriculture. He is in the green outfit and shook our hands several times. The lady to the left is the governor of this province. They both spoke. He spoke about being self-reliant and she spoke about being morally clean and moral and then turned to us 4 Missionaries and said that they still could use the Church's money here in this province because there is still alot to be done!

The Minister of Agriculture cutting the ribbon signifying their independence from LDSC and NGO's. Scott also got to cut part of the ribbon, but the one taking the pictures for us, I guess didn't get him doing it. The outfits are typical Khmai for special events. I have one of those skirts but I had it made to the middle of my calf.

AFter the talks, people were awarded certificates. Scott is giving the certificate to people he doesn't know and he doesn't know why they are getting the certificates. The woman is wearing a typical Khmai dress that people who don't have much money wear, meaning the skirt is the same as others but the blouse is different. I think this woman is a Muslim. There is a large community in this province of Muslims and several were to this event.

More of the produce close up. I can tell you a few things. On the left is rice unhulled, then the palm sugar, then the produced rice, and there is some water lily next to the round fruit that we didn't know what it was and the long things are huge green beans and they are delicious. The books have the information about the project and the program.

After the program which lasted from 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. we went to eat. The Minister talked about 50 minutes and the Governor talked about 40 minutes. Scott and I were fighting to stay awake because it was getting really warm up on that stand! These are black ducks. Never seen a black duck before. They were at the home where we parked our vehicle.

We walked down this lane to a little country store. You can see our vehicle parked at the top of the picture. The moto was donated by LDSC and has that insignia on the front. The moto is used for the rice mill business and that is why the church donated it.

This is in front of the little store. To the right of Sister Curtis is a big wooden slatted bed with a mat on it that they let me sit on. Sister Curtis made us chicken sandwiches because we didn't feel comfortable eating what the Cambodians ate that this family fixed for them. It was rice and then fish, and then quinine and a purple flower. They all put it on their rice and ate away.

On our way back to the car, we saw this woman drying out the rice. It takes about a day and then they bag it and take it to the mill.

On our way home we noticed how dry everything was. If you remember my pictures right after we got here, everything looked like one big golf park. But now it is the dry season and there will be no rains until about May. Cattle are grazing on old rice stalks. It's still pretty though. Just dry.

More scenery of the drive. We drove on this road for about maybe 10 miles. It took about 1 1/2 hours to get home from here. Scott got sleepy after we had been on the asphalt road a bit and wanted to know if I could drive until we got to Phnom Penh and then he would drive. I said, sure. The traffic wasn't too bad. I only had to dodge around a few motos, tuk tuks, and people. No cattle on the road this time. Well, he kept sleeping and I even let a little oh! when a moto dodged around me and he didn't wake up so I didn't have the heart to wake him. By the time Scott woke up, we were in Phnom Penh and so I decided that I could handle the rest. It was crazy and bumper to bumper, streets were closed, cars were all going on the same road because of that. I must have shifted gears, well, I don't know how many times . . . but a lot. But I made it throught the Phnom Penh traffic and pulled into the mission home, much to the surprise of the guard and a worker there. So, I am getting more confident driving. But I still think I need someone with me. I"m not ready to solo yet.