Orphanos Foundation

The Big Picture - Cambodia

posted by Jennifer Ekedal — March 8th, 2010

The days are quickly turning into weeks, and the newness is quickly turning into rhythm…well, sort of. But even though I am still without a set schedule, I think it is safe to say that I have moved past my first impressions of Cambodia. Now it is all about going deeper…to really experience LIFE here.

I feel happier and more thankful than any other point in my life. Not that it is easy here…actually quite the opposite. Battling 103 degree heat with no air conditioning, not being able to communicate with others, and tying to feel at home are all things I am confronted with daily. But the verse where it talks about when you lose your life for Christ’s sake, you find it. I feel like for the first time, in a physical sense, I have found my life. I never, ever pictured myself living here and working with an NGO. Yet, as I am here, I can’t even explain how this fits me so much better than my plans a year ago. I felt this way before I left, but it is even more apparent living it rather than just planning it.

As to making Cambodia home, I never realized how much of a “nester” I was until this trip. I cringe to think how bad I will be nesting when pregnant someday. But I moved into my new place this last week, and couldn’t unpack fast enough. It was so nice to finally unload my suitcases and set up home. Already, I have been hard at work scouring the market for the needed essentials for my new place. One of the more difficult aspects of living here is finding things. This is especially true for opening the shop. It takes three times as long as I think it should just to pick out a paint color. And the same has held true for setting up my apartment this week. But I am almost there! To give you an example of what I mean- it took me at least half an hour wandering around the market close to my house just to find notebook paper. So simple, but somehow not at all…especially when you have a long list.

So to help you understand my life here a little better, I will try to describe a typical day. Since every day is different, this is difficult, but I will do my best…

Waking up early here is so much easier. I usually get up around 6 or 7 with no alarm. (For those that know me, I know…shocking!) Once up, I spend some time reading my Bible and praying. This is so essential for me here. I cannot be here on my own strength and I am plainly aware of this. I am also excited as I put up a hammock on the roof today so I can start going up there in the mornings when it is nice and cool.

After eating breakfast, I head outside the gate in search of a moto, because whatever I am doing, I have to find transportation. Three weeks in and I actually feel like I can direct someone where I need to go. I am honestly shocked I don’t feel lost anymore, but it has been fun to learn a new city. Last week, I was especially excited as I directed a moto only in Khmer for the first time…and I actually arrived at my desired location. Sadam, chawang, trong, and chop. Those are the most important words in my vocabulary. (Right, left, straight, and stop) Well, that and thank you (ah-gwhoon) which was the first word I learned. I figured I should keep up my polite, Southern upbringing.

Most days I head to the shop and have to navigate there since most motos don’t know where it is and also don’t read maps. Searching for that bright pink exterior, I tell the guy to stop and then hop off. Once at the store, I begin the challenge of trying to check things off my master to-do list (which is about 5 pages long). We are definitely in the overwhelming, middle of a project stage right now. I am just hoping and praying it will all come together soon. Some days I just don’t know. I am also realizing my leadership skills need some work. Add to that culture and gender issues and I definitely have my work cut out for me.

But work is work. Although, design here is also full of challenges I wouldn’t face at home…like switching to centimeters instead of inches or working with very, very unstable structure. I have to be inventive in my approach due to budget, time, structure, and also finding things in the city. They want this shop open as soon as possible. Some of the top things on my list this week are: working with some shops to create two custom bamboo mannequins, finalizing some signage to take to the printers, and trying to find a hardware store. I know my dad may be shocked, but of all the stores back home I wish we had a Home Depot here the most.

My work day wraps up between 5 and 6 and I typically try to have dinner with someone here or do something fun and social. Although, something different about this culture is women typically don’t go out at night. So I try to keep my nights early (like 10 at the latest) but I am pretty sure that still doesn’t count. Compromise though, right? Eating is definitely the social activity of choice here…which I love, especially as I have been pleasantly surprised by the wide selection of food in the city. I have even eaten Italian food while I have been here. I never would have hoped, but that made me SO happy! I definitely can’t complain about the food. Plus, I really love traditional Khmer food too. Lok lak and fish amok are both amazing! Also, finding pools here is another fun thing to do. Today is a holiday for Women's Day and I have the day off. (Cambodia has more holidays than any other place!) I have spent it lounging by a pool with a new friend here in the city. She works for Nomi Network and basically has my dream job. It has been so fun learning more about what she does and how she works together with organizations like Daughters.

Anyways, I always seem to miss the memo for the purpose of these trips. My last cross-cultural experience to the Philippines ended up with a focus on building relationships with the girls at the home where I stayed. I went there thinking they would put me to work only to find out that wasn’t at all what they needed. Thinking I had learned from my last trip, I figured this one would be full of great stories of these girls as I got to spend time with them. Yet, I arrive and they put me to work, clear across the city from the center. Sometimes it is difficult knowing that I am missing precious time with these girls as I work, but it could not be clearer that I am exactly the type of person they need right now to get this store open. This trip just seems to be more about the big picture.

 And that is…what this store will mean to ALL these girls.

 Not only will it help their individual lives and their business, but they will gain so much confidence from seeing firsthand people admire and buy their own work. I feel like I got such a small taste of this before coming as I started knitting and sold scarves to raise some money for this trip. Having just experienced that, I know how important opening this shop will be for them. And the exciting thing is that I won't just be helping one girl here, but every single girl at Daughters!

 Also, I am being reminded constantly that God doesn’t just work on an individual level. He absolutely does that, but also sometimes so much more. He changes nations. He feeds the multitudes. Sometimes I just see him as the God that has changed my life…and stop there. Yet that is only the beginning. He has changed some of the girls’ lives at Daughters. I have seen glimpses of that. Yet he is also working against human trafficking at a much greater level too. So I am starting to think differently than I normally do. Why not think huge?! 

I know that my time here is a small part of what is happening. I arrive exactly at the right time to help them open the store. A few weeks later and it would have been too late. Also a few months ago, a cook came to teach the girls how to make different recipes. Perfect as they are now opening a cafe above the shop. The way that people come in and out at the perfect time cannot just be written off as coincidence. There is just no way! These connections have been happening the whole time, and I see them as pieces of the big picture. I can't wait to discover more of what God is doing here in Cambodia on a large scale...and I am so humbled that I get to be a part of it!

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