Our Role in Cambodia and Another Senior Couple Outing

Recently when we were speaking with one of our leaders in Hong Kong we were told that we are Moses for the Perpetual Education Fund in Cambodia.  That could be taken several different ways, but we will take it as meaning to lead the Cambodians to the promised land of education.  Our reply was, if we are Moses, then Sameth and Phanna are Aaron.  That is so true, they are truly the spokesmen, they know how to share with the members what they need to know in a way that they can understand.  We are here to help Sameth and Phanna if they have any questions and to strengthen them.  Lately we have been counseling them on a lot of different issues, we feel like we are making a difference.

Our first Sunday in Cambodia we met an American named Rainy Riding. She is part owner of a company that ties flies here in Cambodia and in Thailand.  We met her partner, Ellen Clark, at General Conference with the International Branch and then with the Special Multi-Stake Conference a few weeks ago.  The Public Affairs Senior Couple, Elder and Sister VanBrocklin, are a lot braver than us and asked if we could go and see their operations here.  Originally it was planned for May 6th, but she forgot that they would be closed because it was the Plough Day holiday.  Last week did not work because of the King's Birthday holiday, and the YSA Conference. After our patient waiting we were invited to go today.

The Hollenzer's have a fifteen passenger van, so they volunteered to drive again today.  There were only three couples that could go (the Hollenzers, the VanBrocklins and us). It was a fun group to be with.  The manager at Fly Works is the president of the Phnom Penh North Stake, President Eng. (We need to get to know him better.)  The Cambodia factory is only a year old, so it is a new venture for the main company.  The main company is named Rainy's Inc. after the one owner and who has designed a lot of the flies.  Their manufacturing plant in Thailand has been operating since 1999 and they have been the owners of it since 2002.  They have a beautiful catalog with over three thousand different flies that they tie and sell, you can see them online at Rainysflies.com.  They sell to some major retailers, like Cabela's, and small individual shops.  We got to take a tour of their entire facilities, which was very interesting and enlightening.