Yesterday was interesting to say the least. I could not get access to wi-fi to save my life, and was only able to get to my laptop for very small periods of time. I was pretty tired once the day ended, so I decided to make today's blog post cover the last two days.
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As we left Chilliwack, we noticed that Leah was being very quiet and reserved. We were notified by her billets that she seemed to not be feeling well. Since it was Leah, it was difficult to know if she was actually sick, or being her stoic self. We kept an eye on her as we set out.
We had lunch at a roadside picnic stop that was an hour and a half outside Chilliwack. The kids had difficulty adjusting to the cold, since it was much more windy than any of the places we had been before. A few of the kids had already lost their jackets, but thankfully the good folks at Chilliwack donated some jackets for them! They also made us delicious sandwiches which the kids greatly enjoyed.
Unfortunately, Leah could not keep her lunch down, showing us that she was genuinely sick. I was nervous that I was the one who got her sick, but she hasn't been coughing or sniffling, so it seems to be some kind of stomach-bug.
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Before we arrived at Vernon, we swung by Kelowna. More specifically, we went to the Kelowna International Airport, so that we could pick up the newest member of the team, Sarah Braun! She has worked at Rescue before, and she is going to be part of the team going to Cambodia in November. I'm glad to have her on the team, as it gives the kids someone else to harass other than me. She is also taking a photos and videos which she plans to release at the end of the tour!
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When we arrived at Vernon Alliance Church, Leah threw up again. It was obvious that she would not be able to perform for that night. Sany quickly gathered the kids and had them rehearse the dances with slight alterations since they would be missing two dancers (the dances required an even amount of boys and girls, meaning one boy would have to sit out if Leah could not dance).
Vernon Alliance was the first church we attended to have a balcony, making it much easier for me to get photos and videos of the performance. Despite being down a performer, the kids did a great job before a very large audience turnout. It was a little difficult for me to get behind-the-scenes media, since the dressing room doubled as the stage entrance for the kids.
After the show, the kids were more devoted to crowding my cash-booth than usual, making it difficult to finish transactions. Thankfully, Sarah and Thavin aided me in getting them to disperse, including teaching me how to say "go away" in Khmer. The kids found this rather humorous, giggling as they went back to their dressing rooms.
I also played a bit with Moses
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The night marked the first time that I billeted with two of the kids, Kapriel and Yusvae. They both immediately went into their assigned bedroom and climbed into the sleeping bags while still clothed. The next morning saw them explore the billets' home with great curiosity before eating breakfast. They also watched about 12 minutes of the Loki television show intently, even though they likely did not understand what was going on.
It was also a fun billet experience for Marie and Shelly, as they got to stay with Leslie, who is Marie's niece and Shelly's cousin! They have not seen each other for a very long time, so it was good for them to catch up.
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We left Vernon to travel to Golden. Leah was still not feeling well, so we tried to keep her hydrated as best we could. We stopped at Revelstoke's Woodenhead park to have lunch, where we encountered a large amount of crows. It became a game for us to feed them, as they all tried to get whatever we could give them.
The park also had a set of monkey bars which the kids played on. To my surprise, they were joined by Sokthon, who proved to be surprisingly nimble. Vernon had prepared us wraps which were very good, with a variety of different kinds available.
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When we arrived at Golden Baptist Church, I could tell that the night's performance would be different. The church was smaller than the ones visited previously, meaning that the kids would be doing their dances on the floor directly in front of the audience. This created a more intimate atmosphere, as the kids had a smaller and closer audience then usual.
The one unfortunate incident was that two of the boys got in a scuffle. I was slow to act, as the language barrier prevented me from knowing that a situation was escalating. The boys quickly moved on from the fight, although it did make me realize that my idealistic view of them may have been a bit naïve.
The audience for the performance was a mix of Golden Baptist and Golden Alliance church members. The stage set up meant that the kids had to enter from the back of the room, giving the audience a good look at their outfits. When the show ended, the lobby got crowded rather quickly, where the people gave generously. The team then split up to go with their various billets, ending a whirlwind period of two days.
God bless & Jesus saves.
Thank you so much for a great performance. And for keeping us updated with all the pictures and videos. Pray the Lord will strengthen Marie and keep all the rest from sickness of any kind. God bless you all. And provide many more sponsors for the dear kids. Judy Shaw, Vernon
They did a great job of adapting! Praying for Leah that she will feel better and also that no one else gets sick! Thanks for keeping us updated, Adam!!