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I wanted to thank everyone again for your generous contributions to raise $1,200 for a full time English teacher for the orphanage I was at. I will keep you updated on the progress as the project moves along.
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Archive for category Orphanage
We did it!
Jan 29
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My uncle Mike and aunt Kathy surprised me with a $1,000 donation for the orphanage after I had already reached my goal to raise $1200 for an English teacher at my orphanage. At the same time my mom came across a local woman with an adoped child from Cambodia that started Sustainable Schools International. I donated the money to her- check out what she’s doing:
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Success!
Dec 28
Just wanted to let you all know we’ve reached our goal of raising $1200 to provide a full-time English teacher at the orphanage for a year!
Thank you to everyone who donated. It is amazing to me to see even families who are struggling financially reach into their pockets to help those less fortunate.
I will email everyone who contributed a copy of the wire transfer receipt (your portion may be tax deductible-ask your accountant) and keep you updated on the progress of the project.
My heart is full of gratitude!
Quote for the day:
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. ~Mother Theresa
As many of you know I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to contribute to the orphanage to make sure the
money gets to the right place.
I trust the NGO that partners with the US volunteer organization who facilitated my work in Cambodia and they had the good idea of providing the funding for a full time English teacher at the center.
In a previous post you may remember me talking about the inconsistency and disorganization of the kids’ English studies as different volunteers come through. Speaking English is one of the best skills they can learn to ensure employment opportunities in the future.
My goal is to raise $1,200 to cover the salary of a full time English teacher for one year (that’s not a typo).
If you’re interested please either add a comment to this post or email me at liza_aslor@hotmail.com.
I’m waiting to hear back from my accountant on how to best handle this, so I will be in touch about collecting the 
money.
Times are tough, so of course I understand if you can’t donate right now. I know your good intentions go out to these kids.
There are also many of you who have contributed to me to make this trip possible (you know who you are) and I thank you for your generosity!
Thank you!
Mom (in honor of the Somerville’s, ‘lil Aslor’s, Cunningham’s, Beckmans, Barnes’, Jeff Geraets, Gillens, Katie Passman & Stouts’)
Cher
Margaret
Lynne
Renee
Anne
Kristi
Edie
Amber
Beth
Caroline
Danielle
Jeanie
Jean
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$1200
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I heart Cambodia
Nov 30
Another amazing week
My afternoon kids
with the kids! One day we talked about colors and the verb “to want”. I had a bag of balloons and we took turns asking “Do you want a yellow balloon?” They would reply with “Yes, I want a yellow balloon” or “No, I want a blue balloon”. I love to see how excited they get about small things like that and just the enthusiasm and
My morning group
silliness of kids in general. It’s unfortunate to realize that there isn’t a whole lot of consistency to their English studies- when a new teacher comes in, there is no guidelines to what needs to be done next, what the kids know already- no sort of organization. I wish I could’ve been there longer to help come up 
with some sort of system. Maybe next time…
On my last day we played games- “What time is it Mr. Fox”, limbo, duck-duck-goose and sang songs. They love to sing! I went to the gas station and bought popsicles for everyone which was exciting.
The kids love seeing pictures and videos of themselves. We spend many hours taking photos and videos on my camera, looking at the pictures. Often they would take off with my camera to take pictures and would come back with all sorts of funny pictures. I keep trying to upload a vidoe of them, but it doesn’t seem to be working…
A new volunteer came in that week and she has initiated getting some of the kids medical attention. She was actually able to get a doctor to come into the center and check
out the kids who were having some issues and get treatment for different things as well as HIV tests. I gave her $100 because she was paying for everything out of her pocket. I also gave the center $80 to finish the 2 new bathrooms they just built- to make doors and add plumbing to run water to the
New bathroom!
bathrooms. They were very appreciative. My mom, sister and my friends Margaret and Lynne have offered donations and I will be arranging supplies like tooth brush/paste, detergent, rice, etc… for the center. Thank you for your support!
One of the babies had an abcess on his bottom that had to be lanced and the doctor had to clean it out the next day because of course it had gotten infected. Later he was in the babies room just crying by himself (as he often is) and I was able to pick him up and calm him down. I cuddled him for about an hour, him leaning forward on my chest so as not to have to sit on his tender bottom and even got him laughing at one point. It is so tragic to me that a little one like that who is in pain doesn’t have a mama to baby him when he’s sick. I wish I could’ve stayed another week just to take care of the little guy.
It was tough to say goodbye to everyone, but I am so thankful for the experience. I hope to be able to do it again for a longer period of time someday. I hope to do some similar work in the States as there is a huge need there as well for community development and support for the poor.
Until next time,
Love, Liza
Love the nose crinkle
Wow. Ok. Where do I start?
CPCDO
I made it to Phnom Penh safely and have just started my second week at the orphanage. Let me just say these kids are AMAZING. The first day I walked in the gate 3 little ones ran up with hellos and hugs which was so cute made me feel so welcomed.
The baby room
There are 71 kids at CPCDO ranging from about 4 months to 17 years old. Typically I teach English to a young group for an hour, then an hour to an older group in the morning, play for an hour, then a 2 hour lunch break, and then I repeat the same in the afternoon with a
Lunch time
different group of kids. It’s funny as I didn’t get any guidance really- on my first day they said, “here you go, now teach some English!” But it’s great cuz you could do just about anything and the kids are happy- they’re very eager to learn English and just love the interaction. We
New toys!
talked about body parts one day and we ended class by doing the hokey-pokie. They had never done it before and thought it was hilarious- “…you put your nose in and you shake it all about…”
Their living conditions are hard to see. They only have 2 toilets for all of them (although they’re in the process of building 2 more); the kids sleep on wooden bunk beds with no mattress or padding; the building isn’t fully enclosed, so when it rains hard the whole place floods; many of the kids wear the same dirty clothes days on end; there is no soap for them to wash their hands; no diapers so the babies run/crawl around without bottoms and wee/poo wherever they are; and on and on… It was a bit disturbing at first, but I’m starting to realize that these are living conditions for many of the population here in Cambodia anyways, not just the orphans.
I have 2 especially special little boys there who I really want to take home
My boys
with me. One is probably about 1 and the other about 3 or 4 years old. They follow me around everywhere and want me to hold them all the time. When I have to put one of them down to go to the bathroom, they will usually stand there and cry at the door till I come back out. It is one of the most incredible feelings to walk in in the morning and watch their faces light up and raise their arms to me to pick them up. It brings tears to my eyes to think about having to leave them at the end of the week.
I’ve taught them duck-duck-goose, some “Sound of Music” songs (Do, a deer a female dear… and, raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…) and they really seem to love playing hangman. The stickers, books (thanks Margaret & Anita!), balloons, crayons, coloring books and bouncy-balls have been a big hit! I also bought some new school books with the money some of you donated already!
I feel very lucky to be here and definitely feel this has been the most intense, challenging experience so far, but of course the most eye-opening and fulfilling. I had my first wave of homesickness after my first day, but am feeling better now. I have to say though, as much as I’m enjoying my travels, I will be happy to come home! Although my tune might change when I’m bumming around the Vietnam beaches!
>See all my pictures from CPCDO on snapfish
>See some videos of the kids at CPCDO on youtube
More to come!
PS- If anyone is interested in donating to the orphanage, please contact me. I can arrange to get the money to them or arrange to buy supplies with the money (bikes, extra food, school supplies, etc…).
Love, Liza
