a short email

It has been a little less than a month since I wrote to all of you... I just wanted to give you a few thoughts and then let you move on to the rest of your email...

First, my apologies go out to all of the people at Mansfield Christian School who somehow did not get my last email... I am not sure what happened, but if you want to read it, you can still visit my blog and look for a posting called 'Shiny Veneers, CT Scans and some big news...'

The BIG news, if you missed that email is that Seda and I have gotten engaged, and per the culture, had a party to make that official... there are some great pictures on my blog (use the web link is at the bottom of this email).

Also, I will be coming back to the States for about three weeks in mid March, which will be great. If you are interested, I am hoping to have a get together with anyone who wants to hear about the last (almost) 9 months... more details will come on that.

We had a number of people from Asia's Hope come through Cambodia and Thailand this past month, and it was great to see new faces as well as some good friends. During that time I did agree to help the Asia's Hope student center in a more formal position along with a friend who is a Cambodian pastor.

Other than that, life just keeps trucking along teaching English, learning Khmer, and volunteering a number of hours a week by teaching English to English teachers and by teaching the Bible Study with the college students. Also, please keep me in your prayers as I continue to look into different employment possibilities in Cambodia.

I look forward to seeing any of you that I can when I am back!

Graham

Graham and Seda's Engagement Party!

Here are a few (and I do mean a few, even though there are 84) pictures of our engagement party in Kompong Thom this past weekend... we had a great time... it honestly looks more like a wedding, especially since we had it at a church, but things went really well, and we are excited about how God will lead us in the next steps! Enjoy... the last picture is just for fun...

Doug's Safety Quotes

Every year, the business that my friend Doug works for has a Safety Slogan competition... he won last year... these are some of my favs from this year... made me laugh...
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One giant step for man, but then taking giant steps aren't all that safe.

Safety is like underwear, you want to make sure you have it, especially if you end up going to the hospital.

What is safety? If you don't know then you are not safe. Plus you're an idiot.

Safe-T. No matter how you spell it- it spells safety.

Kids who ran with scissors never got far in life.

What's keeping you safe? It better be you cause the other guy may not have read these slogans.

Just add safety.

Most accidents happen at home- best just go to work.

Anyone who isn't safe needs whupped.

Safety- don't count on having a net.

Run for safety!

Safety is our future, going forward.

Safety rules, losers drool.

Safety: 6 letters that can lower your blood pressure.

Let's all get safe. Then, let's all get safer.

The safer you are, the smarter you feel.

I never saw a safety slogan that was better than this one.

When handling dynamite keep the flaming wick pointed away from you.

Safety- you either have it or you have a concussion.

Safety- it's cheaper than a trip to the ER.

Safety- together we can help the blind lead the blind.

It's not about you, it's about Safety.

The only Safe way to act is to act Safe.

Safety is not like a box of chocolates- you always know what you get.

Why not be Safe?

The answer is Safety!

If you aren't safe then what the heck are you?

To be safe or not to be safe- why is it even a question?

There is no danger in safety.

Last one out of the building- don't forget the safety!

Safety; not just a button on your firearms- but that's a good one.

Safety wins everytime- and with fewer people on the DL.

In a word- Safety.

Lose your fear of Safety.

Smell the Safety! Smell it I say!

Don't just stand there- be Safe!

I hate accidents; and Safety is no accident.

I once met a man with no arms, and no Safety either.

Pretty fly for a Safe Guy!

Here are some pre-engagement party pics...

Two more signs that made me laugh...

I saw these at a restaurant, and was instantly struck by the nameplates being some type of new super hero... "Toilet Man, here to save the day!", and likewise with his counterpart... I laughed when I looked at the picture of the woman... with pigtails... good to know that... otherwise we may not be able to tell them apart... strangely enough, I can read the Khmer words now...

Birthday 2008

Here are my birthday pics... complete with IV drips, cake and a beautiful blue shirt (from Seda) that I will wear at the engagement party...

Orphanage Church Service

Here are some pictures from a church service that we will be having at each of the orphanages once per month... this is from 27 January... we had a really nice time with the kids, complete with Samaritan's Purse love boxes...

3 minute primer

This is a good 3 minute primer on the activities of the Khmer Rouge 1975-1979 for those who know nothing of the most violent part of Cambodia's history...

Hmong Bible

Well, this is not a Khmer Bible, but it is a Hmong Bible (a language of a tribe in Laos and Thailand)... amazing that they use English lettering... look closely at the words... not to denegrate the Bible, but it reminds me of that old joke about a room full of typewriters and monkeys...

Maybe the first and last time...

This maybe the first and last time that I mention Brittany Spears in a posting, but last week I told Seda that we need to pray for her... not becuase her life seems like a total nightmare, but becuase everything she does just points to a powerful hunger for something that she does not have...

Then today I got an email from someone who was encouraging people to do the same thing... a good reminder since I had promptly forgotten...

So, if you remember, pray for Brittany Spears. She needs the healing, forgiveness and restoration with God that only comes from Jesus...maybe pray for her at meal times, or some time that will make it easy to remember...