Signs of Life for Teams
We know everyone is aware that international travel has been all but completely shut down during the pandemic. That has meant that teams have not been able to travel here to Cambodia. The Cambodian Government released a statement (click here to read the news article) that says there is a plan to let tourists come back to Cambodia. Although it will be a process and we'll have to exercise patience with the "how and when" it happens, we're excited to see "signs of life" in the general conversation about allowing visitors to come back to Cambodia. Early in 2020, the government suspended visas on arrival and the requests to get a visa took quite a while. In addition, later in 2020, a two week quarantine at a government designated facility and paid for by the passenger, was instituted for all people arriving on international flights.
The hit on teams has taken a toll on FCOP Cambodia. The maintenance needs did not slow down at all. Our Cambodian staff has done the best they can to pull resources and make temporary fixes, however, FCOP runs a shoe-string budget as we leverage resources to help those in need throughout the country. Some of the projects we've been able to accomplish include building fences, establishing new gardens, and other small home repairs. The loss in teams does not only have a financial impact. When teams visit and do a service project, they are a practical demonstration of God's love. This is a witness to the surrounding community. The most consistent long-term impact is the impression on the children living in our Church Refuge Centers. Culturally, they grow up with a stigma that they were discarded and therefore less valuable as humans. When teams come to Cambodia, they are perceived as tourists, visiting for their own enjoyment. However, when they "get down and dirty" doing a service project for the children in the home, and the entire surrounding community sees it, the question inevitably comes up, "Why would you help these unfortunate children?" The pastors in our churches are always ready to answer about how we all have value in God's eyes. Our children have a mountain-top experience of emotion and social well-being that helps them build self-esteem and understand their value and dignity. This process starts long before the teams arrive and continues long after they leave, but teams offer a spark that helps reaffirm what the pastors are telling the children everyday.
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