Opening The Flood Gates

We have mentioned before that we finally received permission last month to run the full self-reliance initiative here in Cambodia. Before last month we would occasionally get inquires from others about self-reliance and how we might be able to interact with other groups and organizations. It has been amazing to see the number of inquires increase, as if a flood gate is gradually being opened. Thankfully it is being opened slowly because even now we feel like we are swimming against the current.

This morning we had a Skype call with Chad, our Area Self-Reliance Manager, and a former Senior Missionary who has been doing charitable work here in Cambodia. He discovered several other charitable organizations that would like to work with us in teaching self-reliance. We are just exploring how everything will work, but this could be a very large increase in the number of people that are taught these important principles.

We felt like we were extremely busy today with several different Skype calls and meetings and special projects that we have been working on. We had our weekly Self-Reliance Group Skype call with the returned missionary, My, in Vietnam. It is a true joy to work with her. Sister Oveson worked more on the Romanizing of the Hymns and Children Songs that she is doing. Elder Oveson received the first of the training on being one of the 2nd Level Reviewers for the Perpetual Education Fund. Elder Oveson is also still working on the upcoming Stake Conference and was able to finally complete the agenda.

As we took our morning walk there were several interesting and unique pictures that we were able to get. The first is a man in a wheel chair being towed by a vendor cart being driven by a women. We wondered if he was just catching a tow, or if this was an everyday event. Also there is a group that does a graceful, slow, Oriental exercise in the park we walk around. This morning they had added decorative swords to their routine.