The most important part of the trip for me was Battambang and the Day Care Center. So I would like to recap the highlights.

Darla Shaw did teacher training for the "child minders" specifically geared to preschool education. A few of the things she did were to set up learning centers like those typically found in Montessori schools, explained the importance of attaching words to pictures and how to put this in practice, demonstrated learning games and songs, and wrote the script of the Khmer version of Cinderella for the children to perform. There are approximately 100 children in the Day Care ages 2-6. On the last day we invited the parents and villagers including the Chief to see the children's play. The child minders adapted the script and practiced for only a few days with a core group of children. They did a wonderful job even building a stage. The child actors wore some of the Halloween costumes that I brought in November. The rest of the children sang songs- their favorite is "Where is Thumbkin" which I taught them last year. All the children wore new outfits that we purchased for them. They looked so wonderful that we decided to make the clothes their uniforms. All children in Asia wear uniforms to school and it helps to keep them all on the same level. Some of the children literally do not have more than one outfit and no shoes. We also purchased shoes, towels, and the students brought school and hygiene supplies to distribute.Our main project was to paint the two main buildings and do a mural on the inside walls. It was rather unrealistic to think that we could accomplish such a large task in 5 days. We did however finish painting the main building and started on the mural. The mural was sketched on paper by Jeannie Hatcherson, Associate Professor of Anthropology, who was the instructor for this interim class. The artist-painter, Chanti is a former resident of SFODA an orphanage in Phnom Penh that I have had an association with for 7 years. SFODA was the first orphanage I visited in Cambodia.

The students helped with the daily tasks at the Day Care Center. They played games with the children, helped with bathing, lunch, taught them some English, and helped Darla with the educational instruction. I also put them to work painting. If you read my blog on painting you can get an idea of how difficult a process it was. For many of the students this was their first experience in a developing country. Jeannie assigned each of them to interview one of the children for our sponsorship program. They were also able to go into the village and interview the parents. I think it really hit home when they saw the abject poverty these children live in. The Day Care takes children from 5 villages surrounding it so some of the children have a long way to walk especially without shoes.

The students also bonded with the children. The children melt your heart. They were definitely overpowered by their beautiful smiles, energy, and joy at having discovered new friends. They found themselves covered with children. Many attachments were formed and they had no choice but to hug and play with them. Everywhere they went they had a least two children by their side or attached to them- on their shoulders in their arms or holding hands. It was a very typical sight for me. Children are the same everywhere. They want love and attention and they need positive feedback. The Cambodian children especially are hungry for this.

The Day Care is a tremendous opportunity for us to change the lives of not only these children but of the villages where they live. I think this is what impacted the students the most. They did make a difference by brightening the lives of these children even if only for a few days. The impact is felt because their future is a little brighter and they know that someone outside their world cares about them and that gives hope. Several parents expressed their thanks after the performance. They came dressed in their best clothes and were so proud of their children. It has a ripple effect. My hope is to eventually take the Day Care and expand into other village groups. Studies have shown the importance of early education- look at our Headstart programs. We need to take these young minds and give them love, care, and knowledge so that they can become Cambodia's future. Just looking into the children's faces as they sit at storytime or learn a new song you can see how they soak up new knowledge. This is the main reason I keep coming back to Cambodia and continue to work hard to fundraise.

I welcome taking groups and have found that the Day Care Center benefits tremendously from the support and supplies. I have noticed changes at the Day Care. The Child Minders have implemented many of the suggestions I gave them for teaching. Songs, fingerplays, and story time are now part of the day. They have a medicine chest and a basic understanding of first aid. They are learning English. Sophal speaks very well and is now teaching the others. The playground equipment we donated is used continuously.

The Director, Sophal is a wonderful woman. She gets little compensation and worked for the first two years for free. She does it because she cares about the community, and also feels strongly as I do that education is very important to Cambodia's future. She is a survivor of the Khmer Rouge and was able to tell the students what life was like for her during that time. She has alot of plans for the center and I am trying to help raise the funds. Hearts and Hands (http://www.heartsandhandsforcambodia.org/) has started a sponsorship program. It is $100 to sponsor a child in the center, $175 to sponsor a primary school student, and $225 to sponsor a secondary student- these are students that have graduated from the Day Care. It is very important to keep these children in school. They must pay for uniforms, school supplies, and after school tutorials. This sponsorship is for the year.We also need donors who would like to sponsor projects. Some of our future projects include, expanding an existing building into a dining room, extending the roof to give shade and cover from the rains during rainy season, cementing part of the play and bath areas, biogas for cooking, well for water- presently they buy it and use rain water, expanding educational resources and supplies for a library.

*Donations can be sent to me: 3652 Brisbane Dr. Marietta GA. 30062. Checks can be made out to Hearts and Hands for Cambodia. Hearts and Hands is a registered charity therefore donations are tax deductible.

World Education (http://www.worlded.org/ ) is a wonderful resource for the Day Care and they are sending video copies of the Sesame Street show- Sabai Sabai ( Happy Happy) for them to use and would like a copy of the video I did with Darla. The manager of the Maddox Jolie Pitt foundation toured the Day Care and spoke to us about their Millenium Village in Samlaut. They dont have a Day Care and are interested in ours. The students went to Toul Sleng the notorious prison during the Khmer Rouge and talking with Sophal made it more personal. It was a great trip.

* I would like to say thank you to WCSC for their monetary donation that made the painting possible and of course for their personal contributions of their time and talent.