March 6, 2009

From Janne Ritskes, Phnom Penh, March 6, 2009

Dear Friends and Partners,

Yesterday was one of those days that make everything worthwhile. I went to see our programs in Kompong Thom. Apo, my manager there, took us to see a village called Preah Nongkor. My first impression was one of total dismay. The dirt track we traveled on kept getting smaller and smaller. We were surrounded by scenes of utter desolation. The fields were dry and dusty and the homes of people were small and decrepit. I thought, oh no, how can it get worse. We visited a few families and the stories were all the same. Husbands were gone to work on the Thai border; there was no work near home. The fields were empty and dusty. The old folks and a few moms were struggling to keep it all together. The children were malnourished and dusty. It was all a bit too much.       

 In the midst of this desolation was an emerald of green. Several small plots of land were growing rice. What is this, I asked Apo? This is what I wanted you to see, she said. As we go out of the car, we walked through the rice. We came to two of the small decrepit homes. As we walked past the houses, two families were there. They had the biggest smiles, waiting in anticipation for what they would show me. There before me was a pond. It was 5 meters deep, 5 meters wide and ten meters long. It was surrounded by a wall of dirt, removed to make the ponds.

The pond was almost empty and the husband was gathering fish from the muddy bottom. They had their speech ready. Remember last year when we talked about ponds? Apo asked me. Remember I told you that wells would not work in this area. The water, when we find it, is very little – enough to keep clean but not enough to grow food. I asked for a pond which would cost 3 wells and you said go ahead. This is the pond.

I looked around me. The rice was almost ready for harvest, the husband told me. I emptied the pond so that we can make it stronger and be ready to do this again. We raised 1000 fish. There are a few remaining. We wanted you to see because my family is no longer hungry. We no longer have to buy food at the market each day, food we couldn’t afford and so we ate just rice. Now each day we have rice and fish, and we have vegetables to go with it. The wife spoke up quietly – now my husband is home, there is work for him here. I am safe.

I kept staring with amazement at what I saw and listened with a heart bursting full of joy. We brought you here said Apo, because the one thing our families have is land, an average of 2 hectares. But they have no water. They would all like to have a pond – a pond to grow fish in, a pond to irrigate their land; a pond that would give work to their husbands; a pond to give security to their families.

What is stopping us is the cost of a pond. It costs $350.00 – the families are willing to pay $50.00 from their first crops – if Tabitha would pay the $300.00. I looked at their faces, I looked at the emerald fields around us, I looked at the pleasure of the husband as he caught a fish for me and I knew I couldn’t say no. How many families Apo? 500 families are in the program in the 3 villages that need the ponds. At least 150 families will want one, we have 20 families that are ready to begin right now. I said, go ahead and start for I could not bear the thought of returning through this desolation without some hope.

So I now turn to each of you. The past year has taught us what water will do. Our field wells are amazing as they turn barren soil into flourishing spots of vegetables – changing desperation and hunger into food and income, turning helplessness into fields of dignity and respect. We have learned that water is a source of life and we are learning that this water must be developed in many ways. So now we must do ponds.

I thank my God that I can come and share all this with you – I often use a phrase – who will hear our families when they cry – I thank my God that it is each of you who have heard the cries. $300 for a pond sounds so very much – and yet – this $300 can grant life.  Thank you for hearing us.

Janne

Dear friends and partners,

Happy 2009 to all of you – we are always fortunate for New Years is celebrated at least three different times: The internationally celebrated new Years, Chinese New Years and in April;  Khmer New Years. As with all new years’ celebrations – we think of the year that lies ahead and the new things we would like to start.

In Tabitha we started a new project area in the province of Kompong Channang. I had the privilege of seeing the new area last week. Once again I am reminded of how full my life is of grace. We saw many families for whom life is a daily struggle. The poverty and meanness of their lives is hurtful to see. In one small community we met 3 families living in one small house. There were 25 children and seven adults living in a space of 4 meters by 6 meters. I thought to myself, how long it would be before I lost my composure if I lived in such a circumstance. They didn’t have access to clean water – this community walked through the fields to a small swamp where they fetched their water. I thought to myself – how many hours would it be before I developed diarrhea or had sores on my feet that would become infected from standing in swamp water.

We met a group of ten widows – their husbands had all died from malaria or from AIDS – contracted when the men had to leave home to find some kind of work that would supply some funds to feed their families. The women lived close together for security – children of all ages surrounding them.  They were sharing how they earned an income. They gathered tamarind beans from nearby trees and gathered insects from other trees – these were sold at nearby markets. It was hard to find out how much money they earned so I asked – how many nights do you go to bed hungry. One woman replied – we go to bed hungry 18 nights out of one month. I thought to myself, how many days of hunger would it take before I despaired – saddened beyond words that I could not supply the daily needs for my child.

A few days later and I visited a project area in Treang Trayeang – an area where we started 2 years ago. It was an area that suffered as those in our new area. This day we celebrated. I met families who lived in desert and barren surroundings the first time – families who now had many varieties of fruits and vegetables. I saw banana and papaya trees. I saw lemon grass and morning glory – a staple in Cambodian diets – I saw green onions and peppers. What struck me most is that I saw men at home – working their small plots – men who were honored to have me visit and proud to show what they had done. I tripped over pigs and chickens pecked boldly around my feet. I saw families together – smiling in pleasure at my visit. I thought to myself, would I have the strength and courage of these families – to work long physical hours – tilling soil that is unrelenting in trying to keep its treasures from mortals such as I.

We have so many dreams this year of 2009 – 30,000 families with 240,000 dependents over eleven provinces. I think to myself, how I will be able to help so many.  I think of my God who has never failed me in all these years. I think of all of you who have never failed these people in all these years. I think of the financial crisis and how many are so hurt by this yet despite all the hurt, you all still respond. 30,000 families sound impossible and yet as I reflect – it has always been possible.

I thank my God for His grace and I thank each of you for being a part of that grace. Happy 2009 to each of you.

Janne