from Diana Hester

I John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

The Choice group of guys certainly live this verse. They buy and organize medical supplies, food, water filters, mosquito nets, etc. We met them on Sunday morning to load a huge truck that took a step ladder to get into. We headed out to the country to the 1st village. Supplies were passed out. Then on to the 2nd where the clinic was to be held.

We approached down a red, dirty road 5 or 6 feet above the fields. Trees formed a shady, green canopy overhead.40-45 stick huts were built out from this road on stilts over the edge of ditches or fields. As we neared the corner in the road a welcoming committee of children eagerly awaited us. When we stopped, they swarmed. Becky Roe began entertaining them with wedding bubbles and her bubbling personality.

Unloading was done with military precision. Part of the group went to help the doctors set up the clinic. They were very fortunate to have lots of people to help Rudi. an EMT from NY who lives here and organizes things: Dr. Mark Truax from Indiana, Emily, a pediatrician from Manhattan, a Cambodian nurse, and her cousin, a nursing student/ God knew they would be needed as this was an unusually large group of patients.

The rest of us loaded a wheelbarrow with food and passed it out to each hut that still had the water filter previously provided by the group.This motivates the people to use the filters, not sell them. Each received a grocery bag containing rice, Romaine noodles, 2 pieces of fruit, fish sauce, and detergent. They also got 1 mosquito net and 1 pair of flip flops. (Thank you Janet and Bruce Jones).

We headed back to the truck and loaded the wheelbarrow with 2 duffel bags of clothing Lisa Turner had brought. 5-6 items were passed out to each family, filter or not. I'm sure she is as happy to not longer carry them around as the villagers were to receive them especially the Cinderella Princess shoes.

Back at the truck Tony has a ball blasting the kids with cold ice water from an ingenious pipe water gun. He fires from the back of the truck and then climbs down and chases them down the road with it.

Cambodians are such warm, beautiful people. The babies could all be in Gerber ads. But the feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are overwhelming. Please pray for this country, for leaders with integrity and concern for the people, for the gospel to spread, for those working here on the front lines. Like Ruth and Brett here with the Love in Action orphanage, like the Kellys at the Sihanoukville orphanage, like all the guys here who pay for and make this trip over and over, and all those God uses to help them.

I John 4:21 And this commandment have we from Him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.