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2008 Updates from Cambodia
December 2008
Dear Friends and Partners,
The time is fast approaching when we will celebrate our favorite holiday, Christmas. It’s a time to remember the birth of a child so long ago. A time to remember what the gift of life is all about.
The story of Jesus birth is not an easy story to hear. We learn of his mother Mary, a woman pregnant out of wedlock in a time when such things were not looked on with favor. Mary left her home and stayed with her cousin Elizabeth until Joseph married her. Not an easy story at all.
And yet – it is the story of so many women – women born into circumstances of which they have no control. One of our women is a woman called Men Kumlok. That is the name she was given. It is also the name she no longer uses. We know her as Srey Peu.
Srey Peu was born in Kompong Thom – when she was 14, she was sent away to live with her grandmother here in Phnom Penh. Grandma decided that she should be married and so she arranged a wedding with a man that Srey Peu did not know and never loved. The marriage was an unhappy one and ended when Srey Peu became pregnant with a child her husband didn’t want. Her pregnancy was a short lived and tragic one. The baby was an ectopic pregnancy and so she was operated on. It required several blood transfusions – blood that was not tested for the AIDS virus.
Several months after the operation, Srey Peu became ill. She had no money for doctors – she lived on the streets. A kind family picked her up and she was happy for a couple of years and then the illness returned. They brought her for tests – and then said, she could no longer live with them but could join a Women’s Association. Srey Peu fell into a deep depression – she didn’t want to do anything.
In 1996, she once again became very ill. Once again she was tested and the truth was finally told to her. She had AIDS. It was a time, when AIDS was not yet talked about and people with AIDS were scorned. She no longer wanted to live.
She ended up with other women living with AIDS and all of them did little else then take drugs and drink and gamble – they had no desire to do anything else – there was no help.
One day a Khmer doctor talked with her about AIDS – he asked her why she wanted to die. He said to her, come, work with me and tell others about AIDS. She agreed and overnight became a celebrity of sorts. Her story was printed in the newspapers and magazines, she appeared on TV. She told others about AIDS – she traveled to other countries and spoke of this illness. In these months of fame, her real family found her and she went home with them.. But they didn’t want her – she slept outside their hut and one night in anger, they beat her and broke her arm. Brokenhearted, she returned to Phnom Penh. Her fame allowed her to get a job with an NGO but it did not last long – she could not stay because people were afraid of her AIDS.
She married her husband – a man also ill with AIDS. Together they went from job to job but people were frightened of her. Finally she broke down and cried – and as she was crying, Father Jim found her. He brought her to Maryknoll and she learned how to sew. They gave her support for the house rental and medicines. She and her husband adopted a baby girl – HIV positive but later healthy.
And then 3 years ago, Maryknoll stopped the sewing program, and Srey Peu came to Tabitha. She believed her life was over yet again. Her sewing skills were not very good but she persevered. At first she earned very little money but her skills improved and now she earns $200 a month.
Srey Peu came to thank us today – she wanted to say how much she loved her life. She says, I have finally come home – you are my mother and Tabitha are my brothers and sisters. I have life again.
Christmas is about hope and love – about reaching out – it’s about acceptance – it’s about home. Srey Peu is just one of so many women that are part of our family. And each of you is part of this family for without each of you, we could not be strong.
On behalf of Srey Peu, and all our families, on behalf of Tabitha staff and my personal family, we want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas. May it be a time of homecoming for all of us!
Janne
October 2008
Dear friends and partners,
My daughter Miriam and I have just finished a mother/daughter lunch. It’s a special one because on Saturday, Miriam turns a double digit (10 years old) – which makes us a double digit family. For some unfathomable reason, it seems to be of great importance to her – for me, it just makes me realize how fast this girl of mine is growing up.
We were talking about what she would like for her birthday – her list was quite modest. Then she turned to me and said, mum, what would you like for Christmas? I said your love and a big hug. She got quite put out with this and said, you have that – what would you really like. She made be quiet for a minute – and said – think about what you would really like.
I would like to share my answer with all of you. What I would really like is that all of our families that we work with, would be at a stage of development that they too; could sit with their sons and daughters, over a lunch and talk about how good their lives are, to share a special moment of love, of caring deeply for each other.
I would love to see all of our families have daily work that resulted in satisfaction and earned enough to put food on the table and to put clothes on their children’s backs; that would keep a roof over their heads and enough water for all their daily needs; to be able lay down at night, content with the day they had and not fretting over where to get money for the next day’s needs. It is a desire of mine that burns strong – because you see, if all our families have this, then I too, can enjoy my own labour, and food and shelter.
This past program year was a journey towards that wish for so many of our families. 17,317 families were able to eat good food each day, 134,356 children were able to attend school, 1,311 families were able to have a sturdy home, another 8,270 families were able to achieve food security through buying of rice, 3,024 families were able to buy pigs, another 3,642 families were able to buy chickens, ducks, cows and fish to raise and sell; 6,119 families were able to buy rice and vegetable seeds, 4,695 families were able to pay for medical help; and the list goes on.
My wish is that this program year that we have just started may fulfill the dreams for even more families. The problem is that we can’t do this unless you help us. For all of our families to achieve the next step to a good life, it costs us $20 US dollars per year. Doesn’t sound like much to us – but it’s the difference between hunger and despair to hope and a full stomach for all our families.
Miriam gave me $20 out of her saved money from allowances – I will save and give you a second family present at Christmas – it can’t get better than that. On my 60th birthday I shared my dream with all of you and you responded in unbelievable ways – now I share my dream again – only this time, my dream is to help 30,000 families – if we can find 1500 partners at $20 each – then my dream of families living a life of dignity and of respect will happen.
My God has given me such a good life – I am so thankful. He has given me, all of you and I am so thankful. He has also given me the responsibility for so many families in this land of sorrow and I am so thankful. It can’t get any better.
Janne
September 12, 2008
Dear Friends,
Yesterday was another magical day. I went out to Tanong Village in Takeo to see the impact of our seven field wells. These wells service 28 families, families whom we were told two years ago by the commune chief "Don’t bother, they are very lazy and very stupid people". Just the words needed to challenge our staff as those words were used on them for so many years.
Last November we started to install the field wells. Our first stop was with 4 families who were desperately poor. What a joy it was to come. All of the families were there with big smiles, anxious to show me what they had done. They received their field well in January. Between them they have 50 small pieces of land. The average size is 10 meters square. The well had allowed these families to grow three crops of rice, and now their fourth crop of rice was growing. Out of every 4 pieces of land, the fifth piece was for vegetables: bananas, eggplant, morning glory, cabbages, and beans. For the first time, not all the land was for rice. It was their smiles and their health that touched me so. We have enough food to eat, enough food to sell each day – we are no longer hungry. I snuck a look at the chief but he said nothing.
We went to the other families. As far as the eye could see, we saw vegetables and rice growing, all grown because of field wells. These families all owned several pieces of land that averaged 50 meters by 10 meters. They received their wells last November. Since then they had grown 3 crops of rice, enough rice to feed their families and to sell a ton each. All of them had vegetable plots of cabbages, morning glory, beans and chili peppers. The one I liked most was the field of green peppers – I didn’t know they would grow in Cambodia. What was so amazing is that these families who were considered to be too lazy to work with, had fields of green while other fields lay fallow. One of the families had begun to turn his hut of grass into a house of strength.
As we traveled out of this community, we watched other families just begin to plant their first and only rice crop of the year. It was sad, for a number of fields the rice was flagging because there was not enough water since there was no field pump. I turned to Pon, our staff responsible for this area. "I’d like more field wells she whispered", afraid to dream in case we could not do. My response was immediate: "as many as you need".
Over the past several years, so many of you have responded to our dreams to turn our fallow lands into lands of plenty. We had a dream and slowly that dream is coming true. How good it is to see the health and vitality returning to the bodies of those for whom food was a luxury. How good it is to see the men and women who found it hard to move each day because of malnutrition, work with joy and thankfulness, how good it is to see what was once so sad become a place of fruitfulness, a place of contentment, a place of people with dignity and pride.
My God has said to me; give a cup of cold water. So many of you have given so much more than a cup. My heart overflows this day because of the privilege of being a part of this. I praise my God and I thank each of you for this gift of life, for this gift of restoring life. It is so very good.
Janne
August 2008
Dear friends and partners,
This is the month that marks the end of another program year. With endings come evaluations – what have we done and how well is it done. Last week, we took a couple of our partners with us to see. We went to Chantrear District in Svay Reing. Our first stop was to see a village where we have just begun. Once again, it was painful to see how some people live. Houses that measure less than 2 meters square made of thatch that provides very little shelter and housing children that know nothing of a safe home or full bellies.
Then Ponluck took us to another village where we have worked for the past two years. There we met a family headed by Pok Rouen, a man in his late 60’s, his wife, his son and his wife and their three children. Pok Rouen is a man who has lived through much in his life. When Tabitha began to work with him in July of 2006, he had little except for a thatch home and a couple of small fields. When we met last week, he was a man who stood proud. Over the past two years, Pok and his family rebuilt their lives. He proudly showed us his pond, where he raises fish, and grows vegetables. All around his home were more vegetables, chickens, ducks, pigs and his very own water buffalo. He showed us his rice field and the well which pumps abundant water to all. His income when we met was an average of .25 cents per day. Today his average daily income from his vegetables only is $1.50, but he gets $1000 every 6 months from his fish, $400 every 3 months from his chickens and ducks, $1500 every 3 months from his pigs, $200 from his bananas every 2 months and on and on. He eats well everyday. But what really struck me the most as he posed with his family in front of his new house, which they built, was his sense of quiet dignity and contentment. He spoke quietly as he told me, I teach all my neighbours to save and to change. I want to teach everyone how it can be good. Nine of his neighbours now raise chickens and ducks, they have pigs and they all have a water buffalo. It cannot get any better.
Then we traveled to Prey Veng and met Ban. Ban started with Tabitha in February of 2003. He was a motor bike driver and earned $1.25 a day. His house was a small thatched hut and his small piece of land was barren. Over the past 5 years, Ban saved. He began with 2 pigs which he sold to buy more. Over the years to was able to get a well and changed his land to a fish pond. He raises 1000 fish and sells them every six months for $1500. Ban bought another piece of land across the road and there he started a piggery. He raises 16 pigs every 3 months and makes $2000 profit after he pays his expenses and buys more piglets. Ban has built a house of tin, he has built a toilet that even we westerners can use, and he has built a cement wall around his house. Ban grows vegetables and sugar cane. He no longer drives his motorbike. His land and his home is where he spends his days with his 3 children and his wife. I asked Ban how much he sold his sugar cane for. "Oh", he said, "I don’t sell it. I give it my neighbors for free. I want to teach them all how to save and to have a good life like mine."Again, his quiet dignity and his desire to help others improve their lives touched me deeply.
You and all of us at Tabitha, we reach out to help others. There is no greater success than when those we touch reach out to touch others. I thank my God that He has touched all of us. I pray that all of us with quiet pride and dignity understand what we have done.
Janne
July 2008
Dear friends and partners,
Well it’s been almost 2 months since I wrote to all of you and what a two months they have been. Miriam and I traveled to Australia for a fundraising tour. We caught up with good friends, shared meals and wine with people whom we’ve learned to call family – Miriam had a number of firsts in her young life: she went shopping all on her own with her own money in a mall while I got my hair cut and promised God all kinds of things if He would keep her safe – 20 minutes felt like forever and all kinds of horror thoughts went through my mind. Miriam helped light fireworks – a wonderful mix of anxiety and joy – she learned to kick a Footie ball and developed a crush on a young man with curly hair and a delightful personality – the two shopped in a dollar store and they acted like an old couple – discussing the virtues of a mood ring. Miriam had a memorable day with Hansa and Sally at Luna Amusement Park, she went to a movie with these two teens and had – as she says – a best day.
I talked at schools and at multi nationals. One of my best moments was the Screening of the Tabitha Movie – To Speak – It was an evening when I was surrounded by friends – and we rejoiced together in what Cambodians can do together. Another special moment was having dinner with the Tabitha Foundation Australia Board of Directors – what a formal name for people who are so very much more to me – friends and colleagues.
We returned at the end of June to start a frenetic 3 weeks of volunteers and housebuilding. 178 houses were built in those three weeks – homes for families for whom the rains no longer cause sleepless nights – homes for children who get to sleep safely with parents near them – homes for children whose parents have passed away - now feel secure at night and during the day. I would like to say that it was all accident free but there were a few bandages for cuts and scrapes – and a much bruised back and rib. We also shared good food and a few bottles of wine – I even went so far as to play basketball with some young people – scored a basket much too to everyone’s amazement.
This week, well, this week tensions have risen. National elections will occur on Sunday and the government has ordered a mandatory closure of everything for a three day period. The staffs have requested their salaries be given early so that they can buy extra food. Border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand have increased and at the moment, no resolution seems to be in sight. Both camps have military stationed there and everyone is wondering what will happen next. People are worried – it would only take one soldier firing his gun to start of something no one wants and yet – everyone talks with strong words. So, keep Cambodia in your thoughts and prayers this week – that wisdom and peace will prevail.
I thank each of you for your continued support – I thank my God for His continued Grace in our lives .
Janne
May 2008
Dear friends and partners,
This month we celebrated Mother’s Day – I still think of it as a bit of an anomaly because every day should be Mother’s Day – Miriam is coming to an age where she likes to take this day quite seriously so I ended up with a very big diamond ring and pendant - very valuable at a cost of $6.50 cents but precious in its intent. As I enjoyed her outpouring of love, I thought of our many mothers in our projects – of other mothers in the world.
My heart is in pain for the mothers in Myanmar who have lost their little ones in the storms and other moms who are trying so hard to care for their little ones and are struggling. I think of the moms in China, who like me have only one child – how horrifically sad that must be to lose your only child. I don’t think I could bear it. I think of one of our Cambodia House children who lost his life in a fire – I think of his mom, left bereft at the death of her only child after just recently losing her husband in death.
I reflect on the moms in our programs – of the moms who are struggling to feed their children yet again – in this time of high inflation – I rejoice with the moms who have wells and are growing food and whose children go to bed full – because of you moms who support us.
I reflect on our moms who are living with AIDS – some of whose children are also infected – and I reflect at their joy and pride as some of these moms have full time work sewing beautiful items from silk – I reflect on their pride as they have their children with them again, sporting new clothes and going to school – because of you moms who support us.
I reflect on our moms who for their lifetime eternity lived in mean shelters – forever ill because they cannot get a good night sleep for fear of robbers – for fear of rain – I reflect on some of our moms who can now rest in new homes – because of you moms who support us.
I reflect on our moms who work for 12 hours each day and receive a beating for not earning more – whose children cry themselves to sleep because they are ill and there is no money to buy medicine – and I reflect on our moms who have found so many ways to earn extra income through the raising of chickens and pigs, of growing vegetables and of developing 4 or more sources of income – because of you moms who support us.
I reflect on our moms who cannot remember the last time they clothed themselves in a decent dress – whose children are sometimes naked – not out of custom but because there is no clothes – and I think of the moms in our program that has a new outfit – whose children are no longer naked – because of you moms who support us.
Miriam’s diamond is huge and it’s difficult to wear – it brings stares of amazement – and gasps of wonder – but it’s a diamond I wish to share with all you moms who support us – for you are the moms who makes such a diamond a possibility for so many moms.
I pray that my God may bless each and every mom that supports us.
Janne
April 2008
Dear friends and partners,
Happy Khmer New Years - next week is a big week for all of us in Cambodia - we
celebrate Khmer New years - a time when all Cambodians return to their birth
homes, to family and friends - its a time of renewal - a time of reflection -
a time of remembering those who passed on with special ceremonies - a time of
eating and playing - a time of new clothes and new dreams - its a time of rest
with a week long holiday. Well almost, April 17 is Pol Pot day – a day
now being remembered – so what is new is celebrated and what is past is
remembered.
What is new – well, we opened in Battambang Province in a District where
the killing of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge was severe. We have started in one
commune where 2100 families live – less than 100 have a decent home – no
one has water – and hunger is seen too frequently. Srie taught them
how to look for water with a divining stick and just two short days later they
have discovered that there is water – they are looking forward to the year
that lies ahead.
Last Monday, Ing Kantha Phavi, Minister of Women’s Affairs came out to
a housebuilding team. Phavi is a delightful woman and we walked from house to
house and well to well. We both bought vegetables – delicious in their
freshness. Then we drove to an area that we are graduating. The changes are amazing – houses
we built 4 years ago – are now painted and have cement walls on the bottom – there
are several toilets – built sturdy and strong – everywhere there
is food growing, cows and chickens. Several of the older women came and hugged
me – thank you they said – we have been reborn. Phavi laughed and
hugged me as well – and then the women compared skin color – I took
the hand of an older lady, burnt almost black by the sun – I kissed her
hand and said, you have the most beautiful skin – her eyes grew huge and
she looked around – she kissed my hand and said – we both have beautiful
skin – it can’t get any better.
What is new – our sewers and weavers are laughing – in this time
when inflation is hurting so very many – they are laughing – we have
a constant stream of orders and their income is very high – they can eat
and they can share with others who are not so fortunate. Miriam and I are looking
forward to traveling Singapore for the Khmer New Years – we are celebrating
with so very many volunteers in Singapore as we have another Silk Fair – with
new products and new hope.
What is new – Nari’s son got married two months ago and now she is
going to be a grandmother – a renewal of life – she looks so young – to
be a grandmother after all these years of wondering whether or not she could
survive. And Pisette, our very first sewer and then later staff, gave birth to
a much desired daughter after three boys – this past weekend. She so much
wanted a Miriam in her life – she is overjoyed and we are so thankful.
What is new – I turn 60 on the 22nd and I had a dream – I had a dream
to share with others that they would have the gift of life – water – and
so many – so many – have blessed us so richly – you have given
237 wells – and from what I know – each foundation has not yet told
me how many were given in their respective countries – it is to be my birthday
surprise.
How rich my life is – how good it is to be so blessed. How great my God
is that He has given me each of you – together, you and I and everyone
involved with Tabitha – we are celebrating Khmer New Years in style. It
is so very good.
Janne
February 27, 2008
Dear friends and partners,
A second newsletter in one month – a bit of a record, even for
me, but yesterday was one of my golden days in Cambodia and I want to
share this with you before I lose the impact with the busyness of everyday
life.
Yesterday, I traveled to communities in Svay Rieng and
in Prey Veng with staff from the projects and Srie and Nary. We went
to visit projects that we had first looked at 2 years ago. In Svay Rieng
we stopped in 2 villages in Svay Chrum District. The poverty was appalling – people
lived in houses less than 2 meters – everyone was tired, all had
aches and pains. There was no laughter, no joy. It hurt to see this.
The village chiefs in both communities arranged for families
to receive a larger plot of land – we had promised wells for the
families. With the wells is the promise from families that they would
grow vegetables and/or raise animals. Our staff Ponluck and Tula would
often talk about how very hard it was to get the people to do. Poverty
does that to people – it makes them tired, physically and emotionally.
And the people told them, no one grows vegetables in Svay Rieng, it’s
unheard of.
Yesterday, I saw a younger family with a fish pond – full of fish,
a garden that gave them an income of 10,000 riel everyday ($2.50) – I
saw mango and banana trees planted, I saw land being prepared to build
a house – but most of all I saw a young family smiling with smiles
that wouldn’t quit. Next door I saw a garden full of special herbs
for soups – a staple in Cambodian society – I saw a middle
aged couple – standing proud. And then I met an old couple – they
had been full of aches and pains the last time – I had given them
all my aspirin then. This time, the old man was acting like a child
of ten – running and jumping to show me his fish, his garden,
his fruit trees – it was hard to get him to stop but I did – we
are not sick anymore he chortled.
I saw a man who could not walk last time – a man who lay ill for
the last year and a half. He took my hand as we walked through his garden – the
vegetables, the fish – I am not sick anymore – look I have
new child. Starvation no longer haunted his frame. His lameness was
a direct result of lack of vegetables and fruit – just a bowl
of rice each day.
The village chief took me to his new home, his new garden
and pointed at the jackfruit tree – it never bore fruit in all
my life, he said – now look – a tree bursting with fruit – some
so big they bent the boughs of the tree – his children were clothed – his
wife and him had put on weight – their eyes and skin glowed with
health. We walked carefully so that I did not step on one of his 60
chickens or his 30 ducks.
And then we went to Mesang District – an area infamous for selling
their children to avert starvation – an area infamous for begging
on the streets of Phnom Penh. 2 years ago, we watched helpless and angry
as a child was sold. It is a poverty that was too stark to comprehend
and to difficult to understand.
Pat and Choeun our staff there, worked so hard to change
things – it took so long. Finally, in desperation, Pat bought
seeds and put in a well. Yesterday, I saw a woman I knew well – she
often begged on the streets of Phnom Penh. Before me stood a woman transformed – her
garden bore vegetables too many to mention. Her excitement about life
was contagious – look at this, look at that. If I had a pump,
I could do twice as much. You know, she said, people come from miles
away to buy my vegetables – look at me – I am strong now.
Her neighbor next door showed us their garden – we have 500 bitter
melons we can sell right now – everyday people come to buy - we
used to be beggars the man said – I have eight children – this
month, 4 of my children have started school.
Eight families in Mesang have shown the way for others – we were
surrounded by hundreds of children and adults – all begging to
have water and a pump so they too, could live. Pat said softly, one
step at a time.
It was a day of miracles – a day of blessings. We have a new motto – Tabitha
goes green – our desire is to make all these fallow fields burst
with food – our desire is to see all children to live free – never
to be sold again – our desire is to see the middle aged to have
hope- never again to beg – to see the fruits of their labour – our
desire is for the aged to run like gazelles, their aches and pains forgotten – our
desire is to see the lame walk – and the ill to become strong – our
desire is to see people work and to receive just income from their work.
To give a cup of cold water – my God has promised blessings – what
a privilege it is to see those blessings. Thank you for being that instrument
of grace.
Janne
February 14, 2008
Dear friends and partners,
Happy Valentines Day – my office smells of flowers given by staff.
Makes me feel guilty that I didn't buy them all flowers for they are
people close to my heart – people who enhance and fill my life
with so very much.
The past few months a number of friends have celebrated
various special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. A number
of these people chose to have people give them wells for our families
rather than receive cards and gifts. It has touched my heart – what
a wonderful way to celebrate – to share one’s joy by giving
joy to others.
The impact of these gifts is immeasurable in some ways – measurable
in others. Last Friday Von came and gave me pictures of 10 families
in her area. They live in Chong Ou – an area we have worked in
for the past 4 years. Often when I visit our project areas – I
am dismayed with the sight of fallow fields – lack of access to
water means that the one resource all our families have, which is land,
is unused for 9 months out of the year. Their main source of sustenance
is their land and the rice that they grow. The three month growing season
is not enough to sustain their families for the whole year.
The installation of wells encourages the use of this
land. Von had pictures of families who have learned this lesson. We
insist that families must grow vegetables if they receive a well and/or
raise animals such as pigs/chickens and/or develop fish ponds – all
of which provide additional income. These ten families had grown vegetables
in increasing amounts over the past year. In January they harvested
enough vegetables to clear $250 US dollars – doubling their annual
income.
Initially, their vegetable plots tend to be very small – enough
for family use. Vegetables that are planted are enough for family use
but not enough to earn an income. The next cycle the plots get bigger
and so is repeated every six weeks – for these families, the income
averaged $250 US dollars for the past several cycles. How very good
that is! They bonded together and their latest purchase is a gas driven
rotor tiller – at a cost of $1310.00 – but will save them
endless hours of backbreaking labour and enhance their ability to do
even more. It is so very good to see these families move from despair
and hopelessness to a state of hope and vitality.
In April, I celebrate a big birthday – I turn 60 years of age – my
life is full of goodness, full of grace. I too would like to share the
gift of my life with others. So I would like to ask each of you to help
me. Instead of birthday cards, wishes, flowers and the like, I would
like to ask for wells – 60 wells would be wonderful – 300
families would begin their road to hope – but 600 wells would
be a true measure of the grace that has filled my life – 3000
families would be touched because you and I know each other. You are
my grace.
If you would like to do this – contact the Tabitha Foundation
nearest you – just say that you and I are celebrating my life
with the gift of a well.
I thank my God for His grace in my life – I thank my God for each
of you.
Janne
January 17, 2008
Dear friends and partners,
Happy New Year to each and every one of you. May this
year be full of the blessings that you given to so
many here.
Our year has started out with some deep soul searching.
For the past 6 months, we have suspected problems in
our project of Siem Reap. Our questions to staff were
answered as normal – when we checked on groups
or on finances they appeared correct – yet – the
monthly reports didn’t sound quite right. We
began a full investigation and our worst fears were
confirmed. Our female staff in Siem Reap was participating
in a systematic practice of corruption and theft – too
small and too varied to be found out right – but
quite in-depth and quite ingenious when investigated.
What to do?
There is a perception amongst all staff that I am strict
but very fair. They believed that if they could explain
their behavior – all would be forgiven and life
would continue as normal. In some ways, that perception
is correct – the questioning had gone on for
the past 6 months – and no one was caught outright.
I was loathing finding out the truth – for these
were women whom I love and trusted – women with
whom we had gone through so much. As usual, I talked
with my God for answers and I came across the parable
of the talents.
In this parable – a man had given money and responsibility
to three of his staff – to one he gave $10,000.00 – to
another $2000.00 and to another $1000.00. Then he went
off on a trip – the first two staff used the
money wisely – the third one hid the money in
the ground. When the man returned – the first
staff presented him with $20,000.00 – he said
come and see what I have done with the responsibility
you gave me. The man replied well done – I will
give you more responsibility. The second staff came
and he too had doubled the boss’s money. The
boss replied as he did to the first. The third staff
came and he gave back to the boss the same amount of
money that was entrusted to him – he said to
the boss – you are a hard man – you expect
us to work hard and to earn money for you – I
didn’t want to lose the responsibility you gave
me – so instead of using it – I hid it – and
now I return it to you. The boss’s reply was
succinct – he said, you wicked lazy man – you
blame me for your laziness – get out – and
give this man’s responsibility to the man with
$20,000.00
When the ladies were questioned on their responsibility – the
answer came back – you are a hard woman – and
we were afraid of what you would do when you found
out – so we hid the truth from you – my
response – we will close down the project. That
process is almost completed – my heart is heavy
for I love these women – my heart is heavy for
I trusted these women – my heart is heavy because
the two male staff never wavered – in fact they
doubled their work – my heart is heavy for they
do not want to transfer to another project.
Despite the heaviness – there is also thankfulness – Srie
and Nary are designated to follow in my footsteps should
anything happen to me – I gave them the responsibility
of finding out the truth and then to act. They have
done and are doing a remarkable job – their findings
have horrified them – the trickery involved has
been enlightening – the recognition of their
task in supervision has strengthened – they have
learned to love despite the hurt – to be strong
when others are weak.
I apologize to each and every one of you for failing
to discover the problem sooner – for failing
to use all your gifts to us as wisely and as faithfully
as I should have. I could say that it will never happen
again – but I can’t do that – one
of the staff was instrumental in setting up Banteay
Meanchaey Project – this project will be investigated
in depth as well. All the other projects are directly
under Srie’s supervision – there are no
problems reflected in the reports.
A friend of mine asked if I would change my ways after
what happened in Siem Reap – would I no longer
trust as much. My answer is I can’t live that
way – trust and faithfulness – love and
compassion are my strengths – it is the way I
choose to live and will continue to do so – but
we have learned how to check out answers to questions
in a better way.
Thank you for all your support and your faith in us.
I pray that this may continue in the years ahead. Janne
