Thursday, March 15, 2007

Man bites dog.

Tarantula, cockroach, scorpion, eel, turtle, frog, alligator, ostrich, goat, boar, water buffalo, and now dog.

Finally.

I’ve been trying to find a good time to sample some pooch, and tonight was my night.

Frankly, I was disappointed. I like goat much better. Anyway, now I can say I’ve done it and move on to cats, rats and maybe even people. Well, maybe not people. I could, however, become a vegetarian cannibal and only eat foods made from hufu, an environmentally friendly, soy-based human flesh substitue.

Mmmkay.

Nothing much else going on here tonight. I’ve had a pretty busy day. I spent the morning in discussions with our Cambodian staff, the afternoon at the orphanage and the evening with a guy we’re thinking of hiring as the manager for our coffee shop.

Tomorrow morning, I’m heading out to Prek Eng to visit the site of our new orphanage. It should be ready to accept children within a few weeks. Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll be visiting what may or may not be a coffee roasting place not far from our orphanage. If we can find a suitable roaster in Phnom Penh, we can contract with them until we’re profitable enough to start our own. Tomorrow evening, Allison and I are having dinner at the orphanage.

On Saturday I’ll be spending the whole day with the kids from the orphanage. We’re going to play outside at the local stadium grounds and have some sort of a picnic meal. I can’t wait. I really feel like I’m getting to know these kids better than any other children we’ve cared for in the past. I’ve had more time with them than any other group of kids.

On Sunday I’ll go to church with all of the kids. I’d better have something to share in case I get asked to preach on the spur of the moment. It’s happened before a number of times, and I get the feeling that this is the sort of place where this could happen. Frankly, I’d much rather just sit with the kids and watch them sing and pray.

What an amazing thing to be loved by a group of kids on the other side of the world. Apparently they pray for me and my family by name every night. Wow. I wonder what kind of disasters I’ve avoided thanks to their faithful intercession on my behalf.

Well, Jeff and Jordan are gone, and I’ve got the guest house all to myself. It’s mighty lonely. Allison is staying with the students, so she’s got some company. Maybe I should sleep at the orphanage for the next couple of nights. Dunno.

This is the first time I’ve missed television. What I wouldn’t give to have CNN or the BBC. Dang our lack of internet connection at the guest house. Oh, well. Perhaps I’ll watch a movie on my laptop.

I also miss my wife and kids pretty badly tonight. Thanks to all of you who have cared for them in my absence. You help the orphans by helping Kori and the kids. Really. Thanks.

Well, I think I’ll take a shower and pray for my family and for Jeff, who is traveling right now. He does badly on planes when he’s completely healthy – he’s sick tonight, so this could be really rough. Please take care of him when he gets home by giving him space and by asking Adrienne what you can take off his plate. You’ve waited for two weeks to get his pastoral advice, you can wait another week or so for him to get better, right?

Okay. Good night.

5 comments:

Coach Koruna said...

Erica, some of us prefer to observe Pi day on the more traditional July 22nd. Perhaps we should have some pie then, too?

John, we miss you here, too. You are living a life where, no matter where you go, someone, somewhere, awaits your return and misses you. That's a good thing, and a blessing.

Beth said...

No matter if you make it yourself, you're never gonna get me to eat dog. I can love the orphans and not eat dog, right? I'm pretty sure there's no Biblical mandate for eating dog. Thankfully.

John McCollum said...

Beth,

Dog, no. Tarantula, yes.

John McCollum said...

Erica,

Thanks for taking care of the family.

Anonymous said...

John, I am SO glad that my little Meggie is safe from your jaws!!!

Actually your grilled cheese sandwich sounds good about now, and I love and miss you...
MOM