Sharvin In SE Asia

LA Vietnamese Orphanage Fundraiser 8/14/10

2010-07-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

If you are in the Los Angeles area, please consider supporting the launch of The Mulligan Project on Saturday Aug. 14, 2010 in West Hollywood. Many of you know of my continuing efforts in SE Asia to bring opportunities to disadvantages children and young adults. The Mulligan Project is specific to the region of Central Vietnam, but it is special since all the children suffer from various disabilities.

Here is the link to the party launch:

http://themulliganproject.org/mulligan-project-launch-gala.html

Here is the link to The Mulligan Project:

http://themulliganproject.org

Hope everyone is having a productive summer. My travel plans to Vietnam for the balance of 2010 are incomplete at this time, but I will be sure to start posting as soon as the details get clearer!

LA Koreatown Rotarians Visit Haiphong for Operation Smile

2009-11-22T23:50:00.000-08:00

8 members of the Rotary Club of Koreatown in Los Angeles recently returned from a humanitarian trip to the town of Haiphong, in Northern Vietnam. The trip was part of a larger group in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Operation Smile, which provides cleft palate surgery for disadvantaged children around the world for free. I hope to get Mr. D.J. Sun to come and speak to us at the Century City Rotary Club in the early part of 2010. I will post photos and additional information about their recent trip to Vietnam as soon as possible.

I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, and am truly thankful for your friendship and support of these efforts to ease the suffering of children around our world.

Home Again!

2009-07-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

What a great day to start July 4th in Saigon, stopover in Tokyo, then land in LA the same day. A bit overwhelming, since I arrived at noon LA time, and did not miss any of the holiday celebration!

Concluding the evening with fireworks could not have been better!

Now my task is to get over this jetlag and 14-hour time difference and celebrate my birthday Monday. Fantastic brunch at Trump National Golf Club, watched Tiger win his AT&T National tournament, followed by hitting balls at Los Verdes G.C..

Looking forward to my trip debrief and a look ahead at what might come out of this trip in the months ahead. Thanks to all for taking time to read this blog periodically. I intend to continue writing in this blog, so keep it bookmarked and please stop back to see what is posted.

Visit to Maison Chance in Saigon

2009-07-03T02:34:00.000-07:00

Made it back to Saigon after arriving at the Hanoi airport, only to be informed that my plane ticket was for a flight today from Saigon to Hanoi, not the other way around. And tourism is a university major here?? I left Mike, Tina and Mike P. in Hanoi, where they will soon head to Thailand and China for the last legs of their adventure.

Anyhoo, made it only an hour later on another airline (the refund adventure will be another story I am certain), and was picked up in the trusty Army Jeep again (joined by Tim and Jill, less than a day arrived from America) and headed to Maison Chance, about 20 min. away, through an utter maze of roads that foreigners rarely traverse.

We met Miss Tim Aline at the Take Wings Center and had a nice discussion of the progress of the new Maison Village, where there will be space for up to 150 people, all in wheelchairs. When we started to discuss the specifics of wheelchairs, she explained how important it is to have not only lightweight chairs, but chairs that fit the small frames of Vietnamese people, both as children and adults. So our marching orders (excuse the bad pun) are to locate a manufacturer that can make a chair in the 10-15 kilogram range.

I will post lots more upon my return, but for now, I just want to wish everyone back in America a very Happy 4th of July, since I will be traveling during that time. Especially visiting here in Vietnam, I am blessed to be the benefactor of everyone who has fought for our freedom. The price has always been steep, but freedom is truly priceless. Every trip I make outside of America, that vision is clarified evermore.

Catch you back in the States.

Back in Hanoi

2009-07-02T03:53:00.000-07:00

We just made it back to Hanoi from a trip out to the beautiful Halong Bay. To get there, we took an adventuresome 30 hour train from Saigon, followed by a 4 hour bus ride until we got on the boat (like a Chinese junk).

Great trip, but more later tonight after I shower.

Tomorrow I fly back to Saigon, where I will go visit the orphanage and vocational training center called Maison Chance. Really looking forward to it.

Hanoi and Northern Vietnam is markedly different from Saigon and the South. More on that later too.

Hope this finds everyone well.

Pasta Party in Saigon

2009-06-28T18:33:00.000-07:00

Fellow Rotarian Sue McKinney hosted us at a pasta party at her home in Saigon on Sunday. What a great way to spend the afternoon! (Photos posted when Mike done printing from my SD card) Thank you Sue! We got to meet some people who moved to Saigon only 5 days ago, as well as others who have been residents for years, so a great mix of personalities. Networking in Saigon, who'd a thunk it?

We also enjoyed a dip in the pool, which is so refreshing in this heat. The young boys that attended enjoyed having us to throw them around in the pool.

Mike, Paulucci and I did a guys night out on the town, but not with USA outcomes. First we took a taxi to this nice restaurant a long way away, only to find out the kitchen was closed (11 pm and we thought everything was open, which it is, but not always for food!). So we ended up walking back to District 1. Essentially we paid for a taxi to take us away so we could walk right back where we started from. Ah, Saigon...

Today finds us leaving for Hanoi tonight on the night train. Another strange event for a Midwestern boy to be taking the train from Saigon to Hanoi. Postings might be sparse for the next few days, since I seriously doubt there will be internet access on the train!

Before that, I will finish this posting, and head up to Nha May Man (Maison Chance), the orphanage here in Saigon I am establishing connections with for my Rotarian wheelchair project.

Hope this post finds all of our family and friends back in the States in good health and spirits. Cherish that which you can never buy, and consume only what you need. We are stressing out this wonderful planet and her resources.

More Random Photos of Saigon and Di An Area

2009-06-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

Change of Plans!

2009-06-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

You might have noticed I changed the name of my blog to 'Sharvin in SE Asia.'' It originally began as relating to only Cambodia, then Cambodia/Thailand, and then for this trip I changed it to Cambodia/Vietnam. To me it all is collapsed into SE Asia, and this is more descriptive, so this is what I am changing it to!

Also, we just changed our plans and are not going to Cambodia. Mike, Tina and Paulucci all got single-entry visas for Vietnam, and it was going to be a big hassle to change them just to go to Cambodia and then return to Vietnam to head up to Hanoi. As much as I would enjoy heading over to Cambodia and showing them those sights, they really made a good common-sense case for me joining them on the trip up to Hanoi and on to Halong Bay.

I am Mr. Flexible, and thought it would also give me more time to arrange things with the orphanages here in Vietnam, and to visit a glass factory that is for sale here in Saigon. All that said, we are taking a 3-day, 29 hour train up to Hanoi, stopping at various places along the way. We booked passage on a 4-person 'soft sleeper' cabin that is AC and all the luxuries of Vietnam! Then we will make our way to Halong Bay and then back to Hanoi, where I will fly back to Saigon and on to Tokyo, wheer I still hope to visit with Koy and Yoko.

Oh, and we are invited to a 'pasta party around the pool' at Sue McKinney's house today here in Saigon.

Should be a very interesting day!

PJ Party

2009-06-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

Learning about other cultures is so interesting, and it is the small things that often pop out the most. Hydee and I took the kids to Boston a few weeks ago for a family university graduation. We went by the famous Cheers bar, where I told Benjamin and Hannah that's the place where 'Éverybody knows your name!''

Here in Vietnam, in fact much of SE Asia, so many of the things that define Western status are here, like expensive cars, clothes and fine dining. But other things, like how to present one's self in public are so different. Women and children largely wear what we would call pajamas all day long. At first glance it may seem strange, but when you reflect a bit, it seems very logical due to the loose fitting of the clothes. It is just so darn hot and humid here, that practicality has overtaken fashion. This is not to say that they don't like to dress up when a special occasion presents it self, but comfort is the trump here!

Another quirky difference is the use of the dining table. Many families here have very nice and expensive furniture, albeit a bit uncomfortable. However, when it is time to eat, the preferred place at home is on the floor, on a mat NEXT to the table! It is functionally how they have always done it. The actual furniture is more symbolic of wealth than anything else. Makes you think about how and why we spend our money around this globe.

Come visit Vietnam and its people. Where everybody wears pajamas! :)

Photos from Di An Charity Center

2009-06-26T18:01:00.001-07:00

Orphanage in Di An, Vietnam

2009-06-26T17:46:00.000-07:00

Finally got to visit the orphanage that is outside of Tina's family town of Di An. A very charitable woman started this tiny orphanage in 1987, and slowly grew to the point they needed land. In 1999 they purchased a plot and by 2001 were moved into the present location.

However, this is not just another orphanage. This orphanage if full of children with all manner of illnesses and disabilities: HIV, Agent Orange, blindness, mental illness, polio and you name it. In Vietnam, I am impressed by the number of women silently competing for the Mother Teresa Award. Really good-hearted and determined to help. New babies are dropped-off weekly.

Her business card is in my backpack, so I don't have her correct name. But she has breast cancer herself, and is in Saigon getting treatment. She is worried about the future of this charity center and the 323 loving souls here. They can REALLY use supplies of diapers, milk, soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Is there anyone out there who has contacts in the dental world so we can start getting a shipment together? I will talk with COSTCO when I return to see if we can get some bulk supplies of the other personal products and the things for the babies.

As always, holding them just melted my heart.

What's the harm in a few drinks among friends??

2009-06-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

Staying with family presents many more opportunities versus a hotel or guesthouse, not the least of which are more opportunities to drink. Vietnamese men particularly, like to drink. Every drink is a 'bottoms up' event, and rounds rapidly follow each other.

Take yesterday for example.

After it was apparent my Blackberry was history, we were sitting around the house doing nothing in particular (except for drinking beer with Tina's 84 year old grandpa), when Saat appeared with a bottle of Vietnamese whiskey-sort-of-drink. Food appeared out of nowhere, and we were now eating lunch! Then we proceeded to drink the entire bottle of the home-made whiskey! Mike made the mistake of asking where he could buy a good bottle of American whiskey, and was promptly whisked away by Tina's aunt-in-law to her house. He returned with a gift box of Johnny Walker Red...and we started drinking it! Yikes!

Needless to say, everyone was ready for a nice nap in the shade. With the hammocks full, I found a small pad rolled out and snoozed in bliss. Tina remarked later how nice it is to drift in and out of sleep while all manner of sounds and voices bounce around in your head. To borrow a phrase from Rob Robol, "Indeed!"

I felt as if I could have slept for a few more hours, but awoke to Viet (Tina's mom) telling me to "wake up Jeem, we go to party now!" Great, more drinking.

The short version is this: we took a minivan to Antheem's house to get his family, then set out for the restaurant, which was tucked away in a nearby town. More people arrived, and before long, the table set for 22 was full. Immediately, the birthday boy grabbed a chest full of Saigon beer and began pouring and toasting to each man. Then came the wine, to which fruits and some type of sweet berry were added, making Vietnamest Sangria 2009 vintage! They have yet to learn the art of drinking wine slowly. Each drink was 'bottoms up' again. Somewhere inbetween there was fabulous food. Squid, prawns, soups, beef, and things I was told not to ask about the ingredients! My stomach, only 24 hours past my gastric attack, was surely being tested!

Correctly answering the question "Do you like to sing karaoke Jeem," we drove to a club and rented our own room to sing and dance in...and to drink in! The American songs that were available, are re-mastered versions. Some of the tunes are off, sped up or slowed down, or altogether butchered so the only recognizable element is the title. Or maybe it was just me and all the drinking!

Hours later, the sillyness of the songs and the fun of scoring a perfect 100 as part of a duet, the party was finally over and time to go. I barely could hold my head up to brush my teeth before drifting off to sleep, accompanied by Pink Floyd on my ipod.

I was the first to wake up, prompted by the unmistakable feeling of a cockroach crawling on my leg. It's a new day in Vietnam, and I am loving it!

More Friends Join the Adventure!

2009-06-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

Mike Paulucci arrived in Saigon last night around 11 pm with great fanfare! There were about 500 people crowded around the exit doors, and he thought Tina's village turned out for him, minus the marching band. However, the small crowd of Tina, Mike and me provided a loud greeting.

We are now in the small town of Di An, about 30-45 min away from the Saigon airport. This part of Vietnam is almost a carbon copy of the small towns that dot the Cambodian countryside. We were all exhausted by the time we got to her grandfather's house, so we hit the sack almost immediately. But not before turning down an offer to feed us! Everyone loves to eat here.

Luck runs in unpredictable streaks for me. Bad luck has arrived in just the past few days. Yesterday I got sick withsome intestinal curse, and spend the day trying to find the International SOS clinic. After walking in the heat halfway across Saidon, I found the address I printed out from the Internet. The building was now a small market. Seems they moved without updating the web. After calling, I was able to find out where it was, which was a short walk from where I began the day!! Oh well, the wonders of Cipro and Immodum AD are curing me.

This morning was a bit more of the bad luck. Somehow, I either left my phone at the restaurant, or it fell out on the moto ride, but it is gone for good. So if you are reading this expecting a call, you will need to wait. I will see about a replacement while I am here, but good phones are expensive here. Oh, and to finish off the morning, I burned my leg on the moto exhaust. Ouch!

Hey, life's a box of chocolates, right?

Saigon Photos

2009-06-23T03:39:00.001-07:00

My Saigon Ride

2009-06-23T03:34:00.000-07:00

I have to admit it was a bit odd to be riding around Saigon in this surplus Army Jeep. Apparently, having one of these is really hip and it was no secret that it was a coveted item. And I thought all the girls were staring at me...

Rewriting History?

2009-06-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

Take a look at a map of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. What is the first thing that jumps out at you? Seems that Vietnam got 99.9% of the coastline, which includes all the best fishing grounds and fabulous beach areas for tourism. It is not a stretch to imagine combining Vietnam and Laos and forming VIETLAONAM, and then combining Vietnam and Cambodia into VAMBODIA..

Apparently, this is how it all started out, when Cambodia ruled everything around here. Now it's Vietnam's turn, I guess!

Off to the tunnels now...

Father's Day: Part 2

2009-06-21T23:46:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the 14 hour time difference, I was able to wake up this morning and catch the end of the US Open coverage, followed up by phonecalls to both David & Johnny back in America. It was still Sunday there, so I got to make contact with all 3 boys on Father's Day! Priceless.

Saigon Rotary Connection

2009-06-21T23:30:00.000-07:00

A small world indeed. I have become fast friends with a Rotarian here in Saigon named Sue McKinney, an attorney formerly from the SFO area that moved here over 15 years ago. Tori over at the District 5280 office put me in touch with Ted Wendorff of the Redondo Beach club. He gave a\me a list of contacts relating to Vietnam and various projects Rotarians have been indirectly involved with. One of thse was Sue. Officially, she is both an attorney and businesswoman. She operates a furniture import/export business here called the Red Door, which is just stuffed with the most elegant, unique and desirable furniture and accessories from this area. Unofficially, she is a champion for Rotary here, and while it is not yet 'legal' to operate a Rotary Club, there are still a number of great humanitarian projects Rotary can participate in.

Sue invited me to her home in the north of Saigon, far from the tourist areas. In fact, she is the only expat in her neighborhood. She is in the middle of staging her home for a Vietnamese architectural publiction, so I lent a hand at helping move furniture around as well as my non-pro interior design skills. By the end of the day, it was really taking shape, and I look forward to seeing the final staging both in person and in print.

We did take time to look at some of the projects available for Rotary Clubs to participate in, via another ápproved'operation in country. The most encouraging of these was the assembly and distribution of prosthetic hands for a total cost of $50 USD. I will publish photos and the YouTube video link so you can get an idea of how these work. Whether it is 1 hand or 100, there are other helpful hands here in Saigon to assemble and fit the prosthetics here. I will be pushing this both in my Rotry Club in Century City, as well as others within District 5280.

Thanks to Sue here in Saigon for befriending me and opening up the Rotary door to all these opportunities here.

Saigon Summer

2009-06-21T22:59:00.000-07:00

June 21. The first day of Summer. Saigon. I think it is always summer here, so nobody celebrates the Summer Solstice. It may have been the longest day of the year, but being this close to the equater, every day is just about the same length. So basically, it was just another day in Saigon!

Except for the fact that I got to celebrate Father's Day here with Mike! Pretty much on Vietnamese time, they showed up outside the hotel in the very busy District 1. We got them checked into the hotel and then went out exploring. Night time in Saigon is a bit on the sleazy side: twice while I was walking with Tina, Mike was solicited for sex just a few steps in front of us! Oh, and the full complement of drugs were being offered every 30 feet or so. We ventured around the area, and then stopped for some very expensive coffee at an outdoor cafe to people watch. A blast for sure.

Mike & Tina were a bit tired from the 8 hour bus ride from the beach city they had been visiting, so we called it an early night (midnight). Mike's sense of humor and adventure is a welcome addition.

Good Morning Vietnam!!

2009-06-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to say that from here! :)

What a strange sense it was for me to fly into Saigon late last evening. Growing up in Indiana in the 60's and memories of endless Vietnam War stories in the papers. Always the daily count of the lives lost...at least on our side.

What I suspected is reality: the people of Vietnam are its soul and always have been. Even through the conflict with America. I am finding everyone cheerful and helpful. Saigon has the feel of Phnom Penh, but a bit cleaner and slightly more orderly. We will se how daytime goes, but there was less traffic on the roads at 1:00 am that there is in Phnom Penh. The the sounds and the smells are very similar.

Now that I have finished my hotel breakfast, I am headed out to explore the surrounding area, and walk over to the big market: Ben Thanh. I have my Blackberry working with a new Vietnamese SIM card and can communicate with my local contacts. This afternoon will bring me to the Maison Chance orphanage. That's where I will meet up with Mike & Tina.

How cool to celebrate Father's Day with him here in Saigon! Happy Father's Day to all you other fathers out there.

Heading Out

2009-06-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

Morning trip butterflies. Always a good sign in my travel book! Our little Hannah got up early to fix me her signature gourmet breakfast of fruit, scrambled fluffy eggs, toast and her version of a margarita!

I really can't believe I was able to pack everything into one medium backpack. This is truly a monumental accomplishment for me. My first trip to SE Asia saw me lug a hockey bag, duffle bag and backpack halfway around the world. I do not recommend this in any way shape or form.

Finally made contact with Mike and Tina in Vietnam. All is well. Mike had a minor gastric set-back (or maybe I should say sit-down!). Tina's family has welcomed him with open arms and are constantly feeding him. The village where her family lives is less than an hour away from the Saigon airport, so meeting them will be easy.

How awesome it will be to celebrate Father's Day with Mike in Vietnam! Adding to the fun, I drove down to San Diego yesterday to have breakfast and lunch with David. He is there for the weekend with Phil and a few more of his Vanderbilt fraternity bros. We re-created last year's opening day of the U.S. Open, just minus the U.S. Open.

Was able to connect with Koi in Tokyo, one of our Century City Rotarians. Trying to adjust my return flight so I can stay overnight in Tokyo to visit. It is going to be a bit strange flying to Tokyo today. Last time I was there was almost 38 years ago to attend the 13th Boy Scout World Jamboree on the slopes of Mt. Fuji.

Mike said power in Saigon is reliable, but the village power is hit or miss. Therefore, postings will most likely come in batches. In addition to the Maison Chance orphanage I am visiting on Sunday (http://www.maison-chance.org/), Tina is getting us in contact with an orphanage near her family's village. This one has over 1000 children living there, and I will find out what specific needs exist there.

At a LA charity event I attended last evening for Boys Town (http://www.boystowncalifornia.org/) I met a woman that is getting me in touch with a low-cost wheelchair manufacturer in Orange County. She indicated the wheelchairs, made out of bike wheels and lawnchairs, are a thrifty alternative to the more expensive ones. Depending upon where and how they are used, it sounds like a great additional resource for these projects!

OK...the July bills are all paid/scheduled, clothes packed, final emails sent and poor Vietnamese language skills on the tip of my tongue. I reviewed my Cambodian phrases, and suprisingly remembered most of them. I'm sure my pronounciation stinks in any language!

Thanks for all your support. It kinda feels like the little white feather Dumbo always carried with him to help him fly better. Comforting.

4 Days And Counting...

2009-06-15T23:06:00.002-07:00

Getting ready for this trip, I took some time to look back at some photos from the last two trips to the orphanages. So much has happened in my life since this photo was taken... I am married now, I moved from Ohio to Los Angeles, I have a new family and the ravages of our broken economy have hit home.

But what about the lives of the kids? What changes have occured in their lives? Have they been healthy? Have they stayed in school? How many are still back at the original orphanage? Have they been loved? Like anyone who makes the trip to the other side of the world to visit those less fortunate, I made promises to return often so they would truly know they are not forgotten. Did pretty well by going there two years in a row, before life back in America took over. Now it is four years later, and I am FINALLY making another return visit.

I am a little apprehensive that so much has changed. The Asia's Hope orphanage model has drastically changed from a large facility to multiple smaller homes. The leadership of Asia's Hope has gone through some drastic changes. But I am hopeful that one constant has remained changed. The children. Their smiles. Their songs. Their hugs. Their laughter. Their energy.

I can't wait...

Orphanage/Vocational Training Centers in Vietnam

2009-06-11T10:27:00.003-07:00

Thanks to my contacts with Rotary International and my Vietnamese friend Terin Vu in LA, I have been put in touch with two well-deserving organizations in Vietnam. Nha May Man (Lucky House) is an orphanage & vocational training center near the Saigon airport, established by a generous woman visiting from Switzerland 15 years ago. Please take a look at their website (www.maison-chance.org) and you will be as amazed at the good works going on there as I am.

I will be visiting there while in Saigon, and am planning to make this place the recipient of my Rotary project while club president in Century City for 2009-10. My hope is to provide a container of wheelchairs for the new residential facility being built, Village Chance, as well as anyone else in need of a wheelchair. We will be partnering with Rotary International so the net cost for me to raise should only be $100 per wheelchair. More to come on this!

The other orphanage and vocational training center is located in Hue on the south central coast of Vietnam. Please take a look at their website as well: www.friendsofhue.com
They are much smaller, but their needs are not, so we will see how we can help then as well, although it may not be with wheelchairs.

Hope to pack up this weekend. Finish my typhoid series, and wrap-up some work projects in advance of my departure on the 19th.

We heard from Mike & Tina in China, and they are having a blast. They are especially loving all the new foods. Rob has even cooked for them! Go Rob!

Back to SE Asia in 12 Days!

2009-06-07T16:35:00.004-07:00

Wow, it seems like ages since I not only last posted, but actually set foot in SE Asia. Time to correct all that!

I head first to Vietnam on June 19, where I will meet up with my son Mike, and his girlfriend Tina, and her brother Tam. Mike P from CMH will make his arrival a few days later. We will spend some time in her family's little village outside of Saigon, and try to find a new orphanage I have learned about from friends here in LA. After a week in Vietnam, we will head over to Cambodia, where I will finally get to see the new orphanages operated through Asia's Hope. Even though AH has moved away from the large-scale orphanages, it is my hope to visit the first one in Phnom Penh that is still being operated by another organization now.

It will be great to be able to see Graham & Seda in PP, along with Debbie Gray's brother Michael & Bonnie. At some point, we will make it to some of the historical sites, and then up to Siem Reap for a day at the temples of Angkor Wat. When all that is concluded, they will venture to Thailand and then back to Vietnam to finish up their 8 week adventure, while I head directly back to Saigon for a flight back to LA a few days later.

Please put this blog address in your 'favorites' and check back often over the next three weeks for updates. This is all being made possible in connection with Mike's first overseas trip. I am truly blessed with a loving wife and family!

The adventure is rumbling underneath......

Cambodia Trip Reunion This Weekend in Columbus!

2005-08-17T18:02:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to remind everyone coming to Columbus for the reunion cookout to PLEASE remember to bring your photos! Preferably, bring a CD for everyone!

If anyone has forgotten the directions, just email me and I will resend. To date, here are the people attending: Meesta Jeem, Jen, John McCollum, Graham, Terri, Jesse, Sherrod, Johanna, Lindsey a DVD appearance by Clint! Pastor Dave and Joyce have to attend their daughter's college graduation, Dr. John and Bobbi Campbell are getting an unexpected visit from their son playing drums at a nearby county fair, the Canadians are being Canadian and staying away (just kidding), Mary & Shane are going to Kent State for his sister's graduation, and a few people have just plain not been heard from!

This one is sure to be fun, and we will follow-up with a repeat gathering up in the Wooster area later this Fall.

Since we will have many photos to share after this weekend, I will be sure to post a bunch on this blog in a short time. More good news to come regarding Asia's Hope and what we are doing in SE Asia.

The Water Is Flowing!

2005-07-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

Drilling the Well
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

Click on the photo to get to my photo page and see the latest uploaded photos from Thailand and Cambodia.

I have been back in the States for 10 days now, and the jetlag seems to be gone, which is a good thing. I think the longer you stay in a different time zone, the more permanently your body adjusts to it, and 7 weeks pretty much got to me!

Some good news to report for Asia's Hope: First, if you are trying to access the AH website, there is a problem, and someone will be working to correct it so access resumes.

Second, the new newsletter will be coming out in the next 10 days, and will feature information on our recent trip, including the miracle of the water well in Thailand.

Third, the Ohio Society of CPAs is doing a feature profile on me and my work with Asia's Hope in the September issue of our trade publication, which reaches almost 200,000 professionals!

Fourth, I was asked by the OSCPA's to speak at a seminar in Cincinnati on Aug. 13 on how professionals can learn to volunteer their time and skills in the communityand globally. Great opportunity to get more people involved in all aspects of volunteering!

I plan to keep this blog open, and would like to see some discussions concerning current issues, and how they impact each of us. In addition, I want to continue to bring you the current news from the children in Cambodia and Thailand.

So PLEASE, start commenting and speak out! It is a glorious day and the weekend should be perfect! Get outside and enjoy the weather!

Kids Pay For Well!

2005-07-24T06:55:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to report that the new well in Thailand is operating perfectly! Even more exciting is the news that the children at the VBS at All Saints Lutheran Church in Worthington, OH presented me with a check at the closing program on Friday for $1300. That makes for a two-week total of $2300! Add to that the $1000 of matching funds I was able to secure from Thrivent Financial and we raised 100% of the cost of drilling the new well!

This past Thursday, I was able to visit two of the classrooms and found out how these kids went about raising the funds. Amazing how these kids "get it" when many of the adults just don't. They made a number of personal financial sacrifices because they were comitted to getting the orphanage a new well. Some of the kids contributed their birthday money, some their allowance and one young boy gave half of his savings account!

One little girl who attended the first week's session was so moved by the needs of the orphans of Asia's Hope, spent the weekend running a lemonade stand. She came back to VBS on Monday and contributed all of the $30 she raised!

These children know they can make a difference, and what a wonderful thing to learn this at such a young age. If the future of the world depends upon children like these at All Saints Lutheran Church, good things are sure to happen!

God Bless you and thanks to EVERYONE who has contributed to the orphans in SE Asia in any way! Stay tuned!

The Water Is Back In Thailand!

2005-07-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone's efforts, especially the children attending this summer's VBS at All Saints Lutheran Church in Worthington, OH, a new permanent well has been drilled at the Asia's Hope orphanage in Chiangmai, Thailand!

Seems all the children took the inconvenience as an adventure, getting water trucked in and taking showers at another orphanage nearby (Brianna's House). Director Tutu Bee reports the children took great interest in watching the workers drill the well, and cheered when they struck water!

It has been such a blessing to see how loving children from one side of the world can make a direct impact in the lives of children half a world away!

On another positive note, I have made it home to Columbus, OH safe and sound, albeit weary! My 32 hours in 5 planes took me from Phnom Penh, Cambodia to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia then to Amsterdam and on to Berlin. My plane from Germany to New York was delayed, and I missed my connection to Columbus. 7 hours later, I finally landed in Columbus and was happy to see my son John at the airport. David arrived in Columbus yesterday and it was great to see 2 of the 3 boys. David is heading out to LA next week to see Mike, who dropped his cell phone in the pool and is out of contact until further notice!

Today, it is back to the office and back to work. I am refreshed and fulfilled and ready to serve my clients. What is next for me? Stay tuned!

I will keep updating this blog for news of all three orphanages, etc. Another content suggestions, please feel free to voice your comments!

I really miss all the orphans........................

Back From Thailand....Again!

2005-07-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

New Friends in Thailand!
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

OK folks, back from another trip to Thailand. This time to recharge my batteries and relax for a few days before heading home tomorrow. I found the most tranquil little island called Koh Sichang that most people have overlooked....but it was just what Dr. Sharvin ordered!

I am ready to leave and go home. As much as I love these countries and the people, I still need to get myself back home. From there, I can create a better perspective on how to serve these countries in the years to come. It is cool that we now have two natiopns to work with and yet the children are needing the SAME thing...our love.

Now what I want all of you readers out there to do is start thinking about making a personal journey over here. It is the only way to get the true understanding of the huge need over here. You also get the side benefit of feeling the enormous capacity these little kids have to love back!

The water well in Chiangmai will be completed tomorrow. The drilling equipmant was so heavy yesterday that they need to bring in steel plates for the trucks to drive across to keep from sinking into the ground. The directors are going to take photos of the drilling, so we should have some photos posted soon after I am back in columbus on July 20.

Be safe and God Bless!

More Photos From Thailand

2005-07-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Smile For The Camera!
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

I have received numerous email from the Team 2 members, all reporting their safe arrival in both the USA and Canada. For that I am both thankful and a bit envious. I am missing my boys alot, my friends and co-workers.

But I can report that I did go to Starbucks in Thailand! Pretty darn good approximation of the USA versions! They do try hard to be authentic over here. Sometimes they come close, and many times they are so off the mark that you don't know if you should laugh or just shake your head in disbelief! Especially in the area of music and American fashion.

Oh, and get this: The kids at the student centers in PP love to sing. And they sing with all their hearts. It's just, if they learn a song wrong from the start, it is almost impossible to correct. I spent 45 min. the other night trying to get them all to correctly pronounce the word "rescue." They can get the "res" and the "cue" parts ok separetely, but when they put them together, they invariably come out as "recuse." Then I spent another 20 minutes trying to get them to get the correct downbeat on the song "THIS is the day...." instead of "This IS the day...." But that is the beauty of working with these wonderful people here in Cambodia and Thailand!

Also, if you find I am repeating myself in these blogs, it is ok. I get 15 free passes to mess up and I sometimes can't remember if I said something to one of you in a private email or on a post here.

I am on a little fishing island SW of Bangkok called Ko Si Chang. Trying to beat this cold and cough before returning to Cambodia Sunday and heading home to the USA on Monday. More thoughts and photos to come.

Don't forget to click on the photos to go to my photo page and see the 12 new photos I posted!

Be safe and God Bless!

All Saints VBS Kids Making A Big Difference!

2005-07-13T22:20:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Thailand, again! I am so happy to report that the VBS kids from All Saints Lutheran Church in Worthington, OH have already raised $957 in just the first three days of the two-week vacation bible school! It is just incredible to see what combined efforts can produce! Just think what a luxury it is back in the USA to think nothing of flushing the toilet, taking a long, long shower or just washing your hands is! Soon, the kids at the new orphanage will have access to water....just not the way we are used to consuming it! Next time you brush your teeth, try turning off the water until you need to rinse.......

Production drilling for the new permanent water well at the Asia's Hope orphanage in Chiangmai should begin on Friday. The gound is very rocky and most of the water is 100-200 meters deep, and they must use diamond bits to drill.

I am at a Thai post office using the internet, but the pc's do not have a cd-rom installed, so I cannot upload any photos. I will keep trying to find one (another luxury we enjoy back home!) but it might have to wait until I get back to Cambodia on Sunday.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS: There are many Americans in Thailand....most headed south for the pure white beaches....but also a large mixture of other foreign travellers. The Bangkok airport is so totally not Port Columbus....even on a OSU-Michigan fotball game weekend!....... Thai food is very spicy hot, with smells that can turn your stomach, but not to fear, there are so many Western food outlets here, like Burger King, McDonald's, KFC, etc. Everything but Taco Bell, which is what I am currently craving...... Childrenjust love to play all over the world, and they don't know if they are poor or not. For Westerners visiting and trying to help them, we just want to help improve their lives so they don't ever feel poor.............. All the kids in both Thailand and Cambodia wear uniforms to school, which is a great equalizer and lessens the need to want so much in the way of fashion. I personally think it is a great thing, and wish the public schools in America could adopt some simple dress coded: you know, white or blue shirts shirts and dark pants. The kids here are really proud of their schol uniforms, as they usually are their best6 set of clothes they own. Even the university students all have uniforms..... imagine THAT at OSU??? EVERYONE wearing scarlet and gray?? Yikes! Maybe K-12 would be best.

The head and chest cold that Team 2 left for me has firmly established itself, trying to make me miserable, and doing a nice job of it! My ears will not pop from the flight, and itf it is like any other time I have flown with a cold, it will take three days for the pressure to equalize, just in time to fly back to Cambodia! I am looking forward to ending my trip with these four days in Thailand, on a little tiny fishing island SE of Bangkok in the Gulf of Thailand. The name of it is Ko Si Chang. I need the clean air to heal my lungs, which are full of the dirt and grime of Phnom Penh. The stuff I have been coughing up the past few days reminds me of what the coal miners must go through working in the mines for so many years. Since you don't need a prescription for anything in Cambodia, it was very easy to buy an inhaler, which is helping. Please pray for my health! Thanks!

I'll be back in Columbus on July 20, the 36th anniversary of Niel Armstrong's first walk on the moon (a Purdue graduate, I might add!). I think I'll just make one giant leap off the plane and into bed!

God Bless and be safe!

Team 2 Packing Up....

2005-07-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

Glenn Kelly- Olympic Athlete
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

Today is a day of relative rest for the team, as they head home to much anticipated hugs! I just wanted to be sure to get a few photos posted of the day in Thailand we took the kids to the pool. You will notice that Glenn Kelly had more energy in the pool than all the kids combined. He even tossed one kid in without thinking, when he noticed how well the boy sank! For the rest of the day, the poor boy fled the pool any time Glenn looked his way!

A group of the team is now at the Killing Fields. I did it last summer, and elected to stay and blog, phone my sons and do some shopping. The Killing Fields are a must to visit, but they are so totally shocking, that a repeat visit is not necessary. I am still haunted by my memories and photos from last summer. The epitomy of evil.

Seems I am the last one to catch the Cambodia Cold....in the middle of 94 degree heat, no less. I am trying to keep it from becoming the respitory infection I brought back last summer. Dr. John is feeding me a steady diet of meds.

I am happy to report that Pastor Dave is making a slight comeback with his health. His fever broke last night, and he could stand and walk unaided! He is even up eating his daily diet of only rice and toast.

My flight home is not until next week. I will stay behind and wrap up some things with the schools and orphanages. Plus, since it looks ilke we have a great start on raising the funds for the new permanent well, that will need coordinating as well.

Being sick, missing family and loved ones, I want to be on the plane home tomorrow. I would come back as soon as a month, but the body and spirit need a boost. It is amazing how much you can miss someone....it makes me think of our soldiers over in Europe, Iraq and around the world, and all the long-term missionaries. I don't know how they do it. To me two months is a long time, and to endure such separation for a year or more is hard for me to imagine.

But at least I can keep in some form of contact with all of you through this technology. Can you imagine what it would have been like as a soldier in any of the past wars....stuck in a trench is a foreign land....and your only connection to home is a worn photograph and a perfume-scented letter from your sweetie? Nope. What I am doing now is the direct benifit of the freedom they all fought for (and still are). I know this is a little sappy, but until you are in my shoes (sandals actually), it is easy to overlook. I guess that is another benefit of freedom.

OK....off to the market to find a few things to fill the last tiny spaces in my luggage....I am sure they will be essential items for life!

Be Safe! More soon!

New Orphanage in Thailand

2005-07-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

New Orphanage in Thailand
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

WOW.....back in Cambodia from Thailand, and just had to share some GREAT news and photos. (Turns out NW Thailand is no better and possibly worse for internet connectivity!).

In my last post, I explained about our CRITICAL need to drill for water at the new orphanage. The old well on the site dried up after just the 3rd day the orphanage was open, leaving the 20 new children without water to drink, bathe or use the bathrooms. The next 40 new kids will be arriving over the next few weeks, and we need water! Problem is it costs $3000 to drill for a new one....plus there a host of other needs as this new venture of love gets moving full speed ahead (like a used pickup to transport the kids, and more cooking supplies...).

Anyhoo...I get to the internet cafe around the corner from our guesthouse, and there is an email from Lisa Brooks, the Children's Ministry Director at my church. She had just read my blog for the FIRST time, and offered to make the Asia's Hope well drilling the mission project for this summer's VBS, which starts TOMORROW! The kids will do various things over the next two weeks to raise funds, and with their pledge of $1000, maybe we can get some more people in the congregation and community to match them and we can get this well drilled SOON! I am not leaving SE Asia until I know we have raised enough to pay for the well.......

What a blessing....and all I can say is that God DOES answer prayer! We were all talking on the plane from Thailand tonight about how bummed we were that we had to leave without resolving how in the world we were going to get the well drilled. Then came Lisa's email.....

I am hoping we can convince the contractor to start drilling in the next day or so, with the promise to pay with funds soon to come..... cross your fingers and say a few prayers!

I am just totally wiped out, and need to get to bed.

London Update: David and John arrived home safely from London, and I am just waiting to connect with then via internet phone. I just need to hear their voices!

Be Safe and click on the photo to see the 7 NEW photos from Chiangmai, Thailand!

Everyone In the Pool!

2005-07-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

There is something special about taking kids to the pool....and our orphans are no different! We had to go to the street market to buy all the new kids swimming suits. None of them had ever been in a swimming pool before.....they pretty much all sunk like rocks.....even the ones that weigh like 20 pounds! Bus you should have seen their smiles of joy! And you will....as soon as we get to Bangcock tomorrow and find a high-speed internet where we can upload photos.

We spent today in the details o the orphanage and tried to solve a pressing emergency. The water well at the new orhanage ran dry yesterday, and the kids are totally without water to bathe (the main reason we took them to the pool!), or flush with. We have had two companies come out to give drilling estimates for a new well and they range from$1500 to $3 or $4 thousand.....and that is in USD, not Thai baht! We are at somewhat of a loss, since we did not bring that much extra cash, and they don't take cc's! If you are sitting on the other side of this screen and have the answer, just let me know!

For the second year in a row, I have ended up at a new Asia's Hope orphanage just 3 days after the new kds arrived. And it is very very cool. Dave had warned us they would be shy......but just the opposite. And by tonight, they were all over us and missing us in advance! Can't wait to return soon

We did end up dedicating the new orphanage tonight, and the kids really understood what we were doing, and that made it all the better. More photos soon!

LONDON UPDATE: The boys and the rest of the Thomas Worthington HS kids arrived in Columbus safely, and I am looking forward to talking to them after I return to Cambodia tomorrow.

Speechless in Chiangmai, Thailand

2005-07-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

Well.....not completely speechless, but for me to almost be at a loss for words to describe the new orphanage in Thailand says a lot for those who know me well! We arrived this afternoon (Friday) and went right out to the new orphanage and were greeted by 20 jubilant kids and one shy brand new orphan. We actually brought her to the orphanage for her first day.

These kids are simply fabulous, and the stories of their struggles that led them to this new home are equally mind-knumbing. One little girl was in aautomobile accident with 11 of her relatives last December. She was the only survivor! She was staying with her only living relative, her 21 year old sister, who just could not work full-time and take care of her. Her smile is like a laser beam!

I am already reserving one to bring home sometime! Choosing one or all will be the hard part!

Chiangmai is nestled in the mountains in far northwest Thailand, just next to the border of Myanmar (Burma). These kids all come from various hill tribes that the director has been ministering to for the past 30 years. Today, they all sang and danced their traditional tribal tunes, and the girls were all dressed in their traditional colorful costumes. Very colorful photos to follow in tomorrow's post.

Glenn Kelly, from Montreal, has done a superhuman job of getting these new kids sponsored and the bamboo huts constructed. Glenn is like the twin brother I never had, and we are having a blast, eh? Wait 'till you see the photos.....that should bring you back to read these posts!

Tomorrow we are taking the girls for their first trip ever to a swimming pool....after we go out and purchase swimsuits! We are learning much from the director of the "sister-orphanage" Brianna's House, just 5 min. away, and housing all girls from hill tribes. The same directors of that orphanage are running the Asia's Hope orphanage. The girls there have been resident for a few years already, and act like the big sisters to our new orphanage! Way cool! Brianna's House was built by a family from Atlanta who lost their daughter in an auto accident in 1998. She had a passion for Asian orphans, and her dream was to one day adopt an orphan from Asia. Well, now she has a family to keep watch over from heaven!

LONDON UPDATE: The airport in London is running, but slow, so the boys should be able to depart from London. I just received an email that said the boys and the group from Thomas Worthington HS were staying just 3 blocks from one of the blasts. God's shield was surely strong yesterday..... Again, please pray for their safe return.

More soon.......

My Sons Are Safe in London

2005-07-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

I just learned of the terrorist bombings in London. David and John are still in London with their tour group, and everyone is safe. They were still at their hotel and had not left for their day of sightseeing. Please pray for their safe return, along with all 100 people in their group.

I am at the Phnom Penh airport getting ready to fly to Thailand. More as we travel to the new orphanage.

Be safe, everyone!

Jesus Loves the Little Children

2005-07-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

Tonight we said goodby to the kids at the Battambang orphanage.....after all the fun, there were rivers of tears. There is so much love inside these kids and they give it so completely. Like I said earlier, these kids keep drawing me back to this forsaken country. It was hard for all the first-timers to leave, but I have to say it is harder to leave them a second time. To have all these little angels hug you and cry with you and have them tell you they love you just fills your heart completely.

We had a blast (literally) tonight. I bought some fireworks at the market, and put on a big show at the orphanage. They love every minute of it....cheering and clapping....so we not only celebrated July 4th (a day late)...but also a little for Canada Day....but mostly just for the kids to enjoy. Now I have set a standard that I will have to not only match in Phnom Penh, but exceed next summer!

Wish us luck in the morning as we try to make it to Siem Reap. 8 of us are making the trip, but a big bridge is out and the big buses can't make it. I was told a smaller bus will take us to the bridge where a semi wrecked, then we get out and cross on foot to the other side, where another bus is supposed to be waiting to take us the rest of the way to Siem Reap. We will be back in Phnom Penh on Thursday afternoon.

That's all for now.....start planning youir mission trip to Cambodia with me for the summer of 2006!

Dr. Pain From Montreal

2005-07-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

Dr. Pain From Montreal
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

Click on photo to access the rest of my photos from Cambodia.

Click On Photo For More Cambodia Pics!!

2005-07-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

Click On Photo For More Cambodia Pics!!
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

Dr. Pain

2005-07-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

I don't do well with dentistry....I have no problems with actual dentists, but the actual practice of it is like pulling teeth...oh wait, it really is! Today in Battambang, we ran half of the orphans through our makeshift dental clinic. Grace Bretheren Church let us setup shop in their outreach building, which was a great help. Almost without a single peep, these kids endured numerous tooth extractions and after 20 min. of post-op TLC, were back to playing and coloring. I am such a dental baby....I would be up in my hotel room moaning still!

This is such a neglected country....John and Louie spent a day just trying to locate fuses that fit the equipment...then the old, old autoclave equipment started to malfunction. Then the road to the orphanage was a virtual quagmire of mud...we nearly got stuck or went off the road several times. Here is hoping God decides to spread some sunshine tomorrow and dry up the roads!

I know now it's these kids at the Battambang orphanage that are the reason I am back in this country. The ones in PP are just as deserving, but there is some extra doses of specialness heaped upon the kids up here. Maybe it is the fact they have been together as a family for 3 years that adds something....maybe it is the way they care for each other....maybe it is the way they love each other....can there be degrees of pure love?? Someone please email me the answer!

(There are two skietters trying to drain some of my blood...I need to strike first, since this is the area of highest risk for malaria).............. I won!

Today, I essentially played with the kids while they were waiting at the dental clinic, then at the orphanage after dinner.....They call Meestah Jeem Mr. Fun! I guess it is still easy for me to act like a kid around kids...even though I turn 49 Wed.! Yikes.,...the average lifespan in Cambodia is something like 56....I would be a wise old grandfather here by now! Well...maybe not!

I already know it will just tear my heart when I have to leave these precious children on Wed. morning. All I can do to give you some insight is share their photos and some stories when I retun. My birthday present to myself is going to be a promise to return again next year..... I can't just turn my back on them.....heck, over here, I can make my 401K last maybe 50 years at these exchange rates!

Vana vana...enough enough! I need to get some sleep. Please pray for the continued health of our team...we are doing much better than Team 2 did. You may not know each child here, but through the toys and clothes we bought with your donations, they know your love exists for them. Pray for political stability and the end of the excessive corruption here....it is truly hindering the Combodian's chances of securing a place in the world marketplaces.

I'll post photos when I can!

Happy July 4th America.....you and every American are truly blessed...beyond many of your wildest imaginations!

Sunday in Battambang

2005-07-03T03:54:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone...Happy July 4th weekend! We are finally up in NW Cambodia in Battambang after a 6-hr, ride in our faithful old van! The internet is PAINFULLY slow up here and I just spent 45 minutes uploading a photo that I somehow just lost...Grrrrrrrrrrr. Maybe when we get to the temples at Angkor Wat on Wed. the connections will be faster. I will keep trying though!

Well, my last post was just before our "campout" at the PP orphanage. What a riot! The kids (all 100) could not believe that 4 of us actually wanted to sleep over. The floor was quite hard, indeed, but the smiles were soft! The temples and restaurants blared chants and Khumei music ALL NIGHT long. I think I maybe got 30 min. sleep. the roosters started crowing at 3:00 am and I finally gave up and went for a walk. By 5:00 am all the kids were awake and ready for the water park.

It was so much fun seeing the joy in their eyes at the park. Everyone wanted our attention to float, slide, jump and just hang out. They have no idea what chlorine is and we are all wondering what things will start to grow on us in a few days!

Time to hit the food...we are staying in a hotel here with an attached restaurant. They even have ice cream sundaes!!

I could bring them all home...and just holding one for 15 min. would convince you of the same. The way they all look out for each other is amazing. After seeing so much poverty in PP and in the villages, our orphans live better than most families here. Good things are happening!

More soon.................

Happy Canada Day!

2005-07-01T04:48:00.000-07:00

Had to say that for the benefit of the 4 Canadians with us......

In Cambodia, you not only need a Plan B, but a C, D & E. Somehow, all 50 of the orphans and the staff from Battambang showed up this morning on a chartered bus...billed to Asia's Hope. The kids were all set to hit the waterpark. Great, except they were a week early! So we have over 100 kids at the PP orphanage, and now we are going to the water park tomorrow!

You have no idea how much energy 100+ kids can generate!

Tonight, 4 of us are going back to sleep over, which should be quite the experience!

Meestah Jeem is meeting his match, but they are such wonderful kids, that it makes everything not a problem!

More photos and stories tomorrow after we return from the water park!

Srey Nith in PP (Sister of Srey Ven)

2005-06-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

Srey Nith in PP (Sister of Srey Ven)
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

These are some photos from the Phnom Penh orphange from the last few days. We will spend the rest of this week giving the children dental checkups from the new members from Team 2 and Montreal, Canada.

We head to the orphanage in Battambang on Sunday and return Wednesday, July 6.

On Friday, July 8, five of us will fly to Changmai, Thailand to checkout the progress of the new orphanage, and meet some of the children.

Smiles That Break You

2005-06-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

So when was the last time you were standing there, and the hand of a little girl just slips into yours? When I looked down into those big coal-black eyes and returned the soft smile, I knew why I had come back. It is all about the children. WE are their family. Their hope. They are Asia's Hope. Wait until you see the photos tomorrow.....

Team 2 arrived safe and very tired. A few are sick with stomach stuff, but all will pass. God has put together a fabulous team that is full of nurses, doctors, dentists....and a CPA!

It is hard to think all of you are getting ready for a long July 4th weekend. July 4 will find us at the orphanage in Battambang, where I will also celebrate another birthday. I think I will rent a moto to celebrate!

The sounds of the city await a morning visit.

God Bless America....and Cambodia and Thailand too!

Orphanage in Phnom Penh

2005-06-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

Orphanage in Phnom Penh
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

This is the orphanage in Phnom Penh. It opened last summer 3 days before we arrived with 18 children. Today, there are almost 50 children living together. Many of these kids have been sponsored by you in Columbus and Wooster.

Dave Atkins has some photos on the progress of the new orphanage in Changmai, Thailand, and I will get them posted over the next week.

If you click on the photo, it will take you to my Flickr.com photo website so you can view all the photos of the trip.

Korean Church in Cambodia

2005-06-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

So talk about a bit of a culture clash....... it is Sunday morning at 7:00 and a bunch of us walked down to the iternet cafe to make some telephone calls and read email. We are all going to some new Korean mission church this morning. I wonder what language their services will be in: Korean, Khumei, French or English? Following the program is useless, since both Korean and Khumei both use symbols that render us Americans spellbound. We all end up just smiling and nodding our heads............makes us all feel like we are Japanese tourists in America, and we all have cameras as well!

Good news: everyone on the team woke up healthy this morning! That is a good thing, since 6 of them are going home on Wed. 2 Canadians left last week before I arrived, and Team 2 arrives this Tuesday. The heavy rains have also departed, which is nice, since most all the roads are dirt here in Phnom penh and the rains turns everything into mud.

For most of the 95% Budhists here, Sunday morning is just another workday. Someone is building a new house across the street from our guesthouse, and all the workers arrived on schudule this morning at 6:00, and the Russian Market is already teeming with people selling the fresh food of the day: eel, fish, bread, strange colored veggies.

After we returned home last night from the college outreach event, it was late, so we did not try to find a restaurant to eat. Instead, I actually cooked for the group.....and no one woke up with food poisioning! It was simple enough (spaghetti and bread) so it was hard to ruin it. It is amazing how good anything can taste when you are really hungry!

Time to try and place a few internet phonecalls....really inexpensive here. You can make 20 min. of calls to the USA or anywhere for that matter, for about $1.50.

I am praying that the All Saints combined music teams of Bumper Fish and Thrice Denied have a great performance at the Clipper's Lutheran Night at Cooper Stadium, which is happining as I write this. Mark, I tried to call you in your morning today, but somehow lost your number on my cellphone....must be on my USA SIM chip. I know you will be the fearless leader!

Feel free to make any comments to these postings. They are meant to be 2-way communication. I enabled the BLOG to allow anoymous postings, so you don't have to have a Blogspot account or anything. Later today, I will work on uploading a serie of photos for everyone to enjoy.

Be safe!

Safe and Hot In Cambodia!

2005-06-24T06:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I arrived safe and sound this morning (yesterday for you reading this) after a tiring flight and overnight in Malaysia. Even got in 10 min. early. It is amazing how wired for the internet most airports in Europe and SE Asia are. Plus, cell phones and usage fees are rediculously cheap and they work virtually EVERYWHERE!

After getting settled into the guesthouse, I weht with Dr. John to the PP orphanage and we did the shot thing....which all the boys and tomboys loved....the rest cried. But it was so great to see all the kids! Since last year it was brand-new and only had 18 kids, it now had about 50 and they interact as a family....just like the orphange up in Battambang. Can't wait to go back to play with them tomorrow instead of being the harbringer of pain like today.

Now get this....I am Mr. Digital Photo and I was so tired, I forgot my camera at the guesthouse....but I was busy helping anyway, and we still have more innoculations to do there an yway next week.

The first team is about 11 people, and they all seem to mix well, 2 Canadians left a few days ago. The new Group 2 arrives Wed, wiuth Group 1 leaving Wednesday...so it will be a tight squeese for a night.

Well, I seriously am nodding off at the keyboard. Feel free to post a comment anytime. Just click on the section below that says "Post a Comment Here."

While I miss my family and friends, I don't miss all the "stuff." So off to bed I go. I just found out that San Antionio won the game yesterday. I had forgoten all about it the last few daus,

Be safe everyone.

Sharvin

Cambodia in 1 Week!

2005-06-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hello to everyone! I have been spending time visiting relatives in Northern Italy and will meet David and John in Florence this weekend before heading off to Cambodia. Apparently the weather has been very hot, stormy and rainy in Phnom Penh, but I hope it will calm down a bit before I arrive. The good thing is that the kids smile in any weather!

Dave Atkins reports the new orphanage in Northern Thailand is under construction, and on schedule. He sent some photos and it will be a wonderful facility when completed. 52 children are already sponsored, so things are looking up.

As I write this from a Blockbuster Video store PC point in Cortina de Ampezzo, I realize I need to start preparing myself for the transition to Cambodia. Talk about polar opposites! Jennifer Anniston was here 2 days ago....no Cambodian sightings as of yet. Tonight I think I will eat rice....rissoto as the Italians call it....no spiders...just rice!

I hope all is well with everyone. David and I had a great visit and celebrated his 19th birthday on Monday. He seems quite ready for the real world!

Ciao and baccione.

Sharvin

Typical Cambodian Farm

2005-06-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

Typical Cambodian Farm
Originally uploaded by Jim Sharvin.

It's been cool and rainy in Ohio most of the Spring, but at least I have 100% Summer to look forward to in Cambodia! Just 5 days until I leave!

Excitement is Building

2005-05-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my Cambodia blog! Please share this link to anyone interested in my upcoming trip to Cambodia. It is much more efficient than trying to email everyone I know. However, on occassion, many of you can expect a personal email from me.

Last night Asia's Hope had a fundraiser dinner in Worthington at Asian Cusine. It was well attended, and we are excited that many people chose to sponsor a child for 2005. In addition, there was a silent auction to raise funds. There were many items from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Makes me want to hurry to the Russian Market (Toul Tom Pong), which is just steps from our Phnom Penh guesthouse.

Three weeks from Tuesday I leave Columbus,headed first to Italy to meet up with my middle son, David, in Venice. After meeting up David and youngest son John in Florence for a few days, I'll finally be on my way to Cambodia on June 22, where I will stay until July 19.

I will do my best to follow in the footsteps of my friend and Asia's Hope board member, John McCollum. Many of you followed his adventures in Cambodia this past February through his blog "The Other Side of Dawn." I will post photos and text as I am able to given the tenuous reliability of Internet Cafes in Phnom Penh.

I am truly fortunate to make this return trip. My 2004 trip was over so quickly, and I am looking forward to a very productive time at the orphanages, student centers, teaching at Norton University, and pursuing micro-enterprises. I am further blessed by all the support I have received, both financially and in prayer.

More as the trip draws closer. Please add this link to your Favorites, and spread the word!