cambodia and vietnam

D went on a medical/dental volunteer trip to Cambodia and Vietnam for four weeks last month. Here are just a few of her photos with her commentary in Italics.







Traditional Cambodian costume.



Buddhist monastery - lovely colors.









Naked baby monk on the loose!



In this buddhist monastery/orphanage, they wake up to hear crying all the time. People leave babies on their doorstep during the night.



Sad. A lot of the orphans didn't have shoes. The ones that did had them on backwards, and never two matching...



We worked in a different village every day, and everywhere we went, crowds like this would await us... daunting work days, but so worth it.



Typical work day - check out the toenails on this Vietnamese farmer.



Very shy girl, product of Vietnam War chemicals (webbed feet, mental retardation). I found her later curled up holding another little girl in the corner during nap time... so sweet.



Another product of chemical warfare. He had the best personality ever - so joyous. But he kept roaring; it was cute, but I think someone must have told him he resembled a little dinosaur.



Lunch.





Perfect little patient. Her t-shirt cracks me up: "Sniffing glue won't keep families together."



Jackfruit.



So many babies raising babies in third-world countries.





Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Lara-Croft-Tomb-Raider-World, Nathan!!! What are the chances that you would show me the video game, and I would go there a month later!





D, that pic of the Vietnamese farmer and his toenails will haunt me all the days of my life. Bleeeehhhhhh.

On a serious note, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we fast the first Sunday of each month, which means we go without eating or drinking for two consecutive meals. We use that period of small sacrifice to commune with our Heavenly Father, and we contribute monetarily an amount equal to or more than how much we may have spent on those two meals to the Church. Those fast offerings contributed by millions of members around the world each month are used for one purpose and one purpose only: to bless the lives of those in need.

If you are like me, you may wonder, How can I possibly make any sort of difference in the world? Most of us are not always free to go globe-trotting, and while volunteer work is so desirable, it is not always easy with small children at home. I would venture to say that paying a generous fast offering would be one way. One very good way to make a difference.

p.s. Aud sent me an email today. The Boston Globe had a front page article this week on the LDS Church and its bishop's storehouses.

Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure...