After lunch and shopping with the SEAPC staff, I came back to the office to wait for the kids to arrive. I am so grateful to Pastor Soly, their pastor and houseparent, for making the very long trip in a taxi to bring the children to see me. The poor kids were not used to being in a vehicle that long and they got carsick.
When they arrived, they both smiled and gave me a big strong hug. They don't know much English but they must have been taught two words because they looked up at me and said "thank you".
We went inside where I gave them the gifts I had for them. Seyha, a ten year old boy, got a soccer ball, a truck and a car, and a fingerling toy.
His sister Nika, four years old, also got a fingerling toy that can talk to her brother's, and some hair clips and a pretty doll. She loved the dolls and after we put some of the hair clips in her own hair, she put some clips into her doll's hair.
The four of us went to get dinner and the kids wanted to try pizza. We went to a mall in Phnom Penh and it was so cute, Nika tried to eat her pizza with a soup spoon.
While at dinner, I was blessed by my conversation with Pastor Soly. He is a very busy man. He pastors a church, runs a childrens home with his wife, and coaches sports - in addition to having meetings and such. My respect for him increased tremendously. I am hoping to one day be able to visit his childrens home in Preah Vihear.
After dinner, we walked through the mall to take the kids to an arcade. The best part of the evening is when both kids took my hand and walked hand in hand with me. They had never been on an escalator before and they were enamored with it.
The kids do not speak English and I do not speak Khmer. Our conversation was limited to me asking a few questions and Pastor Soly translating.
However, the language of smiles, hugs, and hand holding was all the language we needed.
There are many people who sponsor children, whether through SEAPC, Compassion International, World Vision, etc. But very few people have the immense blessing of meeting their sponsored children in person. I was given that blessing. All the people who donated to finance my trip, and the SEAPC folks who arranged the meeting, and Pastor Soly who took the time from his busy schedule and took the long journey here and back home - all of you gave me this precious gift of time with the children. A thank you will never be enough.
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