After our elephant ride, we went into Bayon Temple (one of the many temples in the Angkor area). We assumed this was where our children would melt down…looking at ancient ruins can be a bit boring for little ones. However, as soon as we realized the temple complex was a free for all, the fun began.

Exploring the temple was like being in a large playground or going on a secret adventure to find a lost treasure. Becca and Isaiah loved running through the halls of the buildings. It was an adventure story come to life.

People still use parts of the temple for worship.

We all enjoyed exploring the temples: Bayon and Angkor Wat. Our adventure was more children than adult oriented, so we didn’t have a lot of time to take in history, but we all made memories.

When we returned home, our kids wanted to build their own Angkor Wat complex. We even included the elephants.

One of the many benefits from having children is the many books we get to read to them. During deputation I started reading some chapter books during our drives and stays. Since moving to Cambodia I’ve continued reading longer books to the kids before bedtime. Josh reads to the kids while I meet with my tutor in the afternoon. Here’s some of the longer books we’ve read: (I’m including some Wikipedia links for books that might be unfamiliar.)

During Deputation:

Charlotte’s Web ( E. B. White) – we’ve read this several times and also have it on audio read by E. B. White.
The Trumpet of the Swan (E. B. White) – this was our first time reading this and it has some wonderful dialogues that I would later reread to Josh. Love what the Cob says to his wife and kids.
Stuart Little (E. B. White) – we enjoyed the first half, after that it got a little weird.
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Magic, Hello Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Farm (Betty MacDonald) – her cures for children’s behavior problems will make you laugh!
The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie the Pooh ( A. A. Milne)
Uncle Wiggly Stories (Howard R. Garis) You can get most of these free on the Kindle. They are great short stories to read before bed.

Our kids love playing with the neighborhood puppies.

Bedtime Reading in Cambodia: I love watching our kids act out these stories after we read them. It’s so fun to see the stories come alive for them.

The Wind in the Willows (Kenneth Grahame) – this was a lightly abridged versions published by igKids. It omitted three chapters and shortened two others. Difficult words were simplified and longer sentences were split. Both kids really enjoyed the story.
The Dragons of Blueland (Ruth Stiles Gannett)
Chitty, Chitty, Bang Bang (Ian Fleming)
Rabbit Hill (Robert Lawson)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl)
Caddie Woodlawn (Carol Ryrie Brink)
Sarah Plain and Tall (Patricia MacLachlan)
Black Beauty (Anna Sewell) – We read a short version first and then I asked Becca if she wanted to hear the unabridged book. We loved it.
A Little Princess: Being the Whole Story of Sara Crewe Now Being Told for the First Time (Frances Hodgson Burnett) – We enjoyed this since Becca reminds of us Sara.
Heidi (Johanna Spyr) – This is my first time reading Heidi. I was amazed at how much theology it contained. Two more chapters left…

Afternoon Reading by Josh:  Becca really enjoyed listening to Focus on the Families Radio Theater dramas. When I realized she wasn’t catching everything in the Chronicle of Narnia, I thought it would be good father/daughter bonding for Josh to read to them all to Becca. I’m not sure who enjoyed it more. And now their reading time has become an afternoon tradition.

The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)
The Lion, Witch, and the Waredrobe (C.S. Lewis)
The Horse and His Boy (C.S. Lewis)
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (C.S. Lewis)
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (C.S. Lewis)
The Silver Chair (C.S. Lewis)
The Last Battle (C.S. Lewis)
The Story of Doctor Dolittle (Hugh Lofting)
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (Hugh Lofting)

Happy 13th Months to Anna Grace. This week we found her doing this…yikes!

Josh and Amy Read Alouds: Josh continues to read to me before we go to bed. A nursing baby always increases our reading time, since we can’t just go straight to bed. Here’s a few of the books we’ve read in the past year:

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: The Wingfeather Saga, Book Two (Andrew Peterson)
North! Or Be Eaten: The Wingfeather Saga, Book Two (Andrew Peterson)
The Monster in the Hollows: The Wingfeather Saga, Book Three (Andrew Peterson)
The Warden and the Wolf King: The Wingfeather Saga, Book Four (Andrew Peterson)
Boys of the Blur (N. D. Wilson)
The Bark of the Bog Owl: Wilderking Trilogy (Jonthana Rogers)
The Secret of the Swamp King: Wilderking Trilogy (Jonthana Rogers)
The Way of the Wilderking: Wilderking Trilogy (Jonthana Rogers)
The Charlatan’s Boy (Jonathan Rogers) – in progress

Last month during Khmer New Year we observed a Trot Dance being performed at our neighbors’ home. This traditional dance is typically performed before the start of Khmer New Year. It’s believed to ward off bad luck from the previous year and prevent evil spirits from entering into the home for the new year.

Over our past 10 months here, we’ve seen our neighbors perform many religious rituals. The Buddhist belief Do good, get good. Do bad, get bad, is their prime motivation. We’ve watched them give gifts of food to over 50 monks on two different occasions, burn incense, offer food to the spirits, anoint their house with water, have monks bless their home, wash themselves with water—they do and do and do.

Several weeks ago, something happened. The wife of the neighbor family is experiencing some sort of depression and now rarely leaves the house. We’ve seen a change come over the family. When we watched the Trot Dance, we saw her for the first time in many weeks. I was shocked at how much she’s changed. Her face and eyes were expressionless. It was a face of totally hopelessness, so different from the happy lady we used to see performing rituals to do good.

When I saw our neighbor watching the Trot Dance being performed for her home, I wanted to run over and shake her and say, “Don’t you understand? This isn’t going to change anything. This isn’t going to help. Jesus has already paid the price for your bad and He can rescue you.” But as I looked at her hopeless face, I felt hopeless. Is there any hope for this women, for her family? They are entrenched in the religion of their country, their government, their family—it is everything to them. What can I say to change their hearts? Nothing. I’ve tried. To my Chinese friend, my Indian friend, my Albanian friend, to a Khmer neighbor. They all say the same things. They can’t change from the religion of their family and they believe every religion is right. It’s hopeless.

Yet I am regularly reminded of the catechism we teach our children: Who can change a sinner’s heart? The Holy Spirit alone. We can do nothing on our own. I cannot convince our neighbors or friends of their need for Jesus, that faith in Jesus is the only way. But the Holy Spirit can and will to those He calls to Himself. We must live with the hope that He can use our words, our lives, and our prayers to call people to Himself.

We live here in Cambodia by your prayers and support for our family. Please pray with us that the Holy Spirit will change the hearts of the people here and call them to Himself.