Monthly Archives: July 2010

Papa Steve

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Steve Jessup 1

The Wat Opot Children’s Community gets many people coming through it’s gates… most are on Journeys that started long before they arrived. Steve Jessup is one of those who came to us in search of finding meaning to life. Unhappy in his work and his marriage and not satisfied with the advice and council he was getting from his Christian community he came to Wat Opot looking for sanctuary from a world that was caving in on him. He asked me one day what I thought of divorce and I told him that it would be better to ask me what I think of marriage. A short time later he started the divorce process and moved from Australia to Cambodia.

Steve Jessup 2

Although he had been a successful business man, his love was teaching and so he took a job teaching English here in Cambodia. That led to opportunities to teach in Viet Nam, which took him away from us but gave him much satisfaction. He was a frequent visitor and the kids all knew him as Papa Steve. I remember on one of his visit, he showed me a note written by one of his students. It simply read, “Mr. Steve, You are the best teacher I have ever had.” I could tell just by looking at him, that this note was more important to him than anything else he had accomplished in life.

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He came to visit us about two weeks ago, just on the spur of the moment. He has built a new home in Ho Chi Minh and wanted to invite me there for a visit. He was also excited about a new school he was getting started there. I asked him if he felt he had done the right thing in getting the divorce and he replied, “Yes, because it has given me the opportunity to rediscover myself… and I am beginning to have a new appreciation for my wife and family that I don’t think I could have had, if I had stayed in the relationship as it was.

Steve died of a heart attack while at work on the 24th of July. He will be greatly missed by all of us.

Wayne

Final update on Ann Marie

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Ann Marie funeral 4

She gave us a scare after developing the fever and the doctor said she would have to be hospitalized for IV therapy. They had started her on heavy doses of antibiotics and ARV medicine when she tested positive for HIV and that started a fungus infection in her mouth. We had lost other babies in the same way and for that reason we were all very happy to have her returned to us on Tuesday afternoon… back to her old self. In the evening she had difficulty taking her ARV medicine and vomited four times but calmed down when given her bottle and had a good nights sleep. In the morning she did much better taking her medicine but than an hour later she slipped into a comma and quietly left us.

Ann Marie funeral

The children were called from school and Luak Phos led us in the funeral service… it has been awhile since our last death but everyone still knows the routine. They stop being children, for just a few moments, and take on the role of adults… praying one of their own through to that which lies beyond the veil.

Ann Marie funeral 2

They accompaied her on the final steps of her journey to the crematorium… and then ran off to be the children that they are.

Wayne

Ann Marie Update

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I don’t usually share negative things but would like to bring you up to date on the condition of Ann Marie. A few weeks ago she tested Positive for HIV and so the Doctors started her on strong antibiotics which resulted in her developing Thrush. This is not uncommon especially in HIV babies, however yesterday some of the children developed a fever and this morning Ann Marie also had a fever, and so we took her to the hospital in Takeo where the Doctors have decided to admit her. It has been a long time since our community has faced the possibility of losing one of its members and so I ask for you remember her and us in these next few days. Twenty Five of our children are HIV Positive and so when something bad happens it effects all of them.

Wayne

Thank Goodness and You

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We recently received a small grant from the Khmer HIV AIDS National Authority (KHANA) who funds our Home Care project. It was for extra education and so we used the money to send 6 of our older girls to beauty school here in Baty. They have just started and are really excited about the class.

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Each was given a professional make up box with tools of the trade… and when they have finished the training they will get a certificate that will allow them to work as hair stylist and make-up putter oners, which is a good trade to know in Cambodia, as any one who has ever been to a wedding can tell you.

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As you can see by this picture, they have already learned a lot and they get plenty of practice working on the children.

A few months ago we applied to the Douglas A. Campbell Foundation for the operational funds to start an auto and small engine mechanics school for some of our children who are not interested in advanced education. Within the proposal I included a second proposal for the building to house the school. We were actively looking for another donor for the building but just received word that the Douglas A. Campbell Foundation has decided to fund both the building and the operational cost of the school beginning in January of 2011.

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This is a very rough drawing of the proposed building that will house the mechanics school, craft room, sewing room, and gift shop.

We have also just received word that the same Taiwanese group who built our dormitory has agreed to erect a brick fence around our property, which is several hectares and twice as many acres. The primary reason for the fence will be to keep out the community animals, especially the cows, which eat just about everything we plant. This will allow us to plant gardens which in the long run will bring us much closer to being self sufficient.

We are so grateful to Goodness and all of you who are supporting the work here, especially those who continue to support the General fund. The big grants are nice and with them we can do many things for the future, but if we can’t feed and clothe our children, they would do us little good.

Wayne Dale Matthysse