Author: Luke Smith
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Things Along the Road… Fried Crickets
Yes, that is right! Fried crickets. There are many food carts along the streets here in the city. Most of the food is fairly typical dishes that one would expect to see here and an assortment of fruits and vegetables. However, when I see the food carts with crickets and a variety of other bugs,…
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Tour of Angkor Wat
My roommate Daniel’s thoughts on the trip: Five hours drive led us to Siem Reap, where the Angkor Wat is located. As expected, I fell asleep through half of the drive there as the droning sound of the tires rolled through the streets. Whenever I’m awake, I’d stare out the window watching as we pass…
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Please Describe the Weather
… in Khmer that is. A couple days ago in language class, our lesson was about the weather, and it came at a good time. The past couple weeks have been a transition from the hot season to the beginning of the rainy season. The hot season has drug on a bit longer than normal…
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Beseeching a spirit…
I am always fascinated when I see something here in person or read about it in a local newspaper that gives insight into the religious mindset of the people here. Here is another example from the Wednesday, May 19, 2010, Phnom Penh Post newspaper: More than 15,000 people came out for an annual ceremony in…
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A trip to the “Holy City”
May 13th through May 15th was a national holiday to celebrate the Cambodian King’s Birthday. During the holiday, I had the chance to see Angkor along with Daniel and Dale and Nancy Knutson. The literal meaning of Angkor is “Holy City” or “Capital City.” The temple ruins in this area represent an era when the…
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Speaking at Logos International School
On Thursday, April 22, I had the opportunity to speak at the chapel of Logos International School. The mission of the school “is to provide a quality, Christian education to their orphans at the Asian Hope boys’ and girls’ homes, to the local Cambodians who may or may not be able to afford it, to…
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Panel Discussion with Journalists from the Khmer Rouge Era
On Thursday, April, 22, the Overseas Press Club of Cambodia hosted a panel discussion with journalists who covered the Vietnam and Cambodia conflicts in the 1960s and 1970s. It was very well attended with about 1,000 people in attendance. Most of the people in attendance were foreigners making it the largest gathering of foreigners that…
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Cambodia Field Team Members’ Biographies
Updated – February 18, 2010 ON THE FIELD Melkie and Flor Boniao Village Ministry Mentoring/ Training House Church Leaders Flor will be involved in Education Ministries Melkie and Flor are both natives of the Philippines. Melkie has served in various capacities in the local church in the Philippines, preaching, teaching, and counseling. He has degrees…
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Another New Year and Language Study
Greetings from Cambodia, The Cambodian New Year started yesterday. It is a three day celebration where most people return to their hometowns to celebrate with their families. The first day of the celebration is used to welcome new angels who will come for one year periods of time to take care of the earth. People…
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Cremation and Buddhism
The traditional practice of Theravada Buddhism, which is the majority religion in Cambodia, is to cremate the dead body. In an article on burial practices in Cambodia, Rosemary Shewry writes, “After death the body is kept in the home in a closed coffin for three days, on a block of ice and with copious tea…