School on the Mat

Today was day 1 of the schedule. 4 of us were partnered with the 6 girls on the gap team and Jim was training 8 preachers in preaching sermons. The Cambodians were complaining this morning that it was cold - 21 degrees. It's not cold anymore - up to about 30 this afternoon. Hot, hot, hot! 

School on the Mat is exactly what it says. The teacher does basic literacy and numeracy and safe health. We visited 2 villages, O'Beychan in the morning and Tul Pongro in the afternoon. These are on the outskirts of Poipet. By the time we arrived everything was set up and the children were all there.

We told the story of David and Goliath using the doll and home-made pictures. Then we mixed the pictures up and the children had to shout us back into the right order. They did it really quickly! We sang songs with actions - Our God is a great big God - and played games, including some with the parachute! Finally, we re-read the story  and handed out some biscuits and sweets and a prayer. 

Most of all, we were taken by the children: their enthusiasm and excitement, their ability to pick up the songs and the game, and their ability to put the David and Goliath story back into the right order. Some of them having absolutely nothing, but their faces lit up when we started and when they were singing our songs.

Tomorrow's blog will tell you about Jim's preaching seminars; he is also leading devotions tomorrow morning and we are going to Siem Reap in the evening to visit Angkor Wat on Friday. Thanks for reading!