Outreach

Our classes at LCDI have become quite large in the past few weeks, this being due to the fact there are new students to the school who are keen to hear about the Bible.  I soon discovered that most of these students had never seen a Bible before but were excited to learn so our classes have returned back to basics, keeping it simple and getting them familiar with the Bible and learning some of the main stories.  God willing the class of 15 to 20 will continue during our time here.

As most of you know, once a month the Outreach weekend descends upon the BEC and we usually bring back a tuktuk full of students from the LCDI each Friday afternoon after our Bible lesson.  This past Outreach weekend was slightly different and instead of squashing six girls into one tuktuk it was 20 students (boys and girls) from LCDI, meaning that two extra tuktuks were required!  We finally made it to the BEC after waiting a good hour for a bout of very heavy rain to stop.

Full House!

What a great weekend it was!  Our Bible topic was the book of Ruth which was a wonderful introduction to a story in the Bible that was easy to understand and one that has with many practical lessons to learn.

It was a weekend of firsts for many with quite a few of the LCDI students having never been to Phnom Penh before.

There was not a bed to spare in the BEC with the students cramming into the bedrooms – Vitou even had to go out and buy more matresses, pillows and towels to accommodate everyone.

After the Saturday night seminar at the Dorm we took the Outreach students to Diamond Island which is a showground that operates each weekend.  Luke and I had been there once before but had only watched the rides in horror as the words “Public Liability” screamed at us in our heads.  Diamond Island does not in any way recognise such words.

A group game of darts throwing at some balloons started us off and we had a great time popping as many as we could, claiming our prize of a few bowls to add to the kitchen at the BEC.

By coincidence, we then separated into boys and girls groups – the boys very keen to try out the rollerblading arena while us girls went on some rides.

Our first stop was a ride a bit like the typical Pirate Ship many of you are probably familiar with.  Instead of a pirate ship, our transportation was a huge chicken.  There were ten of us girls sitting on the ride, screaming our lungs out as it went back and forth for quite a while, my only moment of concern being when the boy manning the ride left us swinging and went to another ride to talk to the people there.  After a few minutes of such absence he returned to crank up the speed and away we went.

The Merry-Go-Round with a twist

The next ride was not for the faint-hearted and is one that I am never going to experience other than by watching it with my feet firmly on the ground.  A swinging carosuel which also rotates while going from side to side.  I warned the girls that it was not at all friendly but most of them had a go, to revisit the dinner that they had just consumed at the Dorm an hour earlier.  This was also one of the particularly scarier rides due to the fact the huge carousel swung over people walking underneath while making a very loud groaning noise.  Once again the "Public Liability" words loomed ...

We survived!  The few hours of fun  was very popular treat for all, many saying “I feel so happy in my heart” to us afterwards.  I fear that some were not only happy in their hearts but also quite sick in their bellies :)

So, a wonderful Outreach weekend was had by all, God willing to be repeated in the first weekend of September.  The topic of Ruth was ideal as many of these students really do need to forsake their home to follow God and this is something we will also see in Joseph, which is our topic for next time.

“Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you.  For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge.  Your people shall be my people and your God my God.”

J