Blue Screen of Death!!!

Hello again dear family and friends,
This past Monday was yet another holiday in Cambodia. We opened our office at 8 in the morning as usual. I suspect the many "rich people" that stayed home for the holiday had their air conditioners, lights, televisions, washer machines and whatever else drains from the power here in Cambodia on. As a result the power in our building would go on and off and on and off. This happened at least six times in less than two hours. Power outage is common here but not in such a chain of hits. What we have experienced suggests that our office computer has taken a lot of abuse during the years the PEF program has been operating in Cambodia. Monday's power failure was "the straw that broke the camel's back". The blue screen of death raised it's ugly head and our surge protector died a sudden death. This event was not a welcomed part of our day or week. Our first thought was that we lost all our information since we had not backed it up. Dale tried his hand at trouble shooting. After a tense morning we called a tuk tuk and transported the computer tower to our "neighborhood" computer fix it shop. Dale purchased a "magical" piece of equipment to assist in retrieving information and within a day the fix it guy was able to get our computer running. In the mean time we relied on my little pink laptop. It does not have all the information that the main computer has but we were able to create a payment requisition for one of our PEF students, Sok Chem. He has come to our office several times in the past month to get his loan processed. Each time the Internet or power has been down. Monday, he showed up just about the time we were face to face with the blue screen of death. He said that Cambodia gets its power from different countries. He showed me on our map where three hydro power plants are being constructed in the countryside. The target date for there availability is 2015. This will be a major change for the people outside of Phnom Penh where there is no electricity.

The end of the week...Saturday we were still dealing with computer glitches from computer memory loss. Salt Lake has changed some passwords, etc. and Dale can't get at some of our much needed information. The time difference between Cambodia and the USA is a problem. There needs to be a 24 hour call line where you could get help when needed. That doesn't mean someone has to be at an office at all times, but like doctors there needs to be someone to contact when emergencies arise. Dale's newest frustration was when he was creating the Priesthood reports. He couldn't get them to print. Two hours later he figured out that Salt Lake had changed the Khmer font. Dale inquired of me as to what other couples without computer knowledge would do if the problems we have been having happened for them. All I could think was that if I were them I would PRAY that someone like Dale would come to the rescue.

Meas Sameth just moved to an upstairs room in our building. He was the Employment Resource Center Manager for Phnom Penh. His position has been changed and he is now manager of the newly created Self Reliance Center. He works directly with us. He will be learning the PEF Program. We are volunteers and he is the paid employee for PEF. He is our boss. We look forward to being team members with him. He is a real blessing for PEF. He is working to discern what the real jobs are in Cambodia. He is also researching the best trade schools and colleges and universities for our students. Having someone to work with that speaks the language and knows the country and its customs is a real plus. We have been working with the Church Seminaries and Institute personnel here in Cambodia. The problem is that PEF is not their top priority and so we had to hope for translation help, etc. but it was not necessarily on our time line. Working with Sameth will be wonderful, because our focus is the same. Sameth is a big positive for this week.

Wednesday South District was in charge of  a Young Single Adult Activity for all the districts in the city and outlying areas. This was for young adults ages 18 to 30. It was a real success. Each branch did a traditional dance or a skit. After the entertainment they had some games and the evening ended with a dance. I really was looking forward to the dance, but by the time the entertainment was over and people were eating their hamburgers we just needed to get home. We had been at work from  sun up and it was close to eight in the evening. The computer drama of Monday and Tuesday had taken its toll.

This gives you an idea of all the people that came. There were lots on the stage and back stage and in the parking lot and throughout the building. It was a real success. The Khmer really enjoy getting together and having fun.

This was one of the skits. Which missionary from the states taught these people this hilarious slap stick skit??? I wish I could understand the language because the audience was roaring with laughter over what was being said. They did a good job with this skit.

These young adults represent one of the Vietnamese branches. In the morning I saw about six young women sewing these outfits.I did not realize until I saw them on stage that they were making costumes for the evening performance. Too stressful for me.

Dale had to go to our office which is down this hall. He took the opportunity to snap a shot of some of the dancers backstage.

This was transfer week and release week for many of our young missionaries. Two young men were going back to the states. Once again we taught Career Work Shop.

Elder Humphrey's on the left was flying home to Utah Friday evening November 2nd. He is planning on returning to the University of Utah. Elder Meier in the center is just an all around good guy not planning to go home for another 296 days. Elder Ott on the right was awaiting his mother, father and grandmother to join him in Cambodia to do some touring before heading home to California. He plans to return to BYU in Provo. It was a real pleasure to work with these young men for the last two days of their missions. Elder Humphrey's served the Vietnamese people in Cambodia and Elder Ott served the Cambodian people.

On our way to church today we saw a fire station. I had recently mentioned that I had seen police cars and ambulances but had not yet seen fire trucks.Dale took this picture just for me. Is he a great guy or what?

Today we attended a baptism at Tuol Tom Pong Branch. The little girl in the center is the adopted sister of one of our PEF students. Her new father is an older man (70's). I imagine Him Sophea (age 24) will eventually be this little girls guardian. Him Sophea's mother died when she was a young girl.

Him Sophea's father, adopted sister, and Him Sophea

Elder and Sister Rhyne had us over for a games and dinner night with some of the young people that work as Family History consultants in the area. Several of them are our PEF students. Sister Rhyne served spaghetti and meatballs as requested from Sister Han. We were also served rice with vegetables, french bread and a tomato salad. Dessert was a pudding parfait  made with coconut milk and layered with bananas and Oreo cookies. The best part...I didn't have to cook!

From left to right: Nen Pichmonyroth, Khlot Chan Pisey, Him Sophea, Chhun Kimlang

The girls love to pose for pictures. We were playing PHASE 10 and Elder Rhyne wanted to take a picture of two of the girls that were sharing a chair. He said look here. Bui Mai instinctively struck a pose using her cards as a fan. In the process she showed all of her cards to all of us.

Right to left: Chhun Kimlang, Khlot Chan Pisey, Bui Mai, Keo Chhorvin,Nen Picmonyroth, Sister Han.

It was craziness as the girls wanted to all help with the dishes. Have you ever seen so many people congregated around one little sink? Too many in the kitchen for me to get involved so I took pictures instead.

Nice plate Dale. Yes, we see it is empty. You will get your turn too. Indeed there was plenty to eat and it was oh so good.

We were on our way home when we saw this little guy hanging out near our neighborhood construction sight. Unfortunately he saw Dale's camera and decided to be really shy. He started hiding in his mother's skirt so we never got a really good picture. 

Nope...

He just won't let us take his picture.Believe me when I tell you that he is really cute.

We will have Family Home Evening Monday with the Senior Couples. We are going to take a sunset cruise on the river. Pray for a sunset and not a thunderstorm.

Have a great week... and remember to do your patriotic duty and vote.