What can you do when you don’t have much well you can do much. Jenna got the kids to make Read more ...
Open Arms Cambodia
Empowering and Supporting Cambodian People to Reach their God Given Destiny
Granny’s House
God bless you dear ladies, the grannies helped as the team prepared meals to give to the community.
Well done you wonderful Open Arms Team.
July 2022
Thank you Jesus Grahame and Sandra ( Pop and Mum) return to Cambodia after being away since December 2019.
April 11, 2022
Don’t really know how to put into words my heart this morning from my heart home beautiful very very hot wonderful noisy Phnom Penh.
But here goes the trip was totally amazing we had angels all the way just popping up with kindnesses that was beyond help, we didn’t fill out a form or stand in a cue someone was always there to do it, pop didn’t have one back pain and my knees were great we didn’t sleep on the plane just savoured every moment of the trip.
Of course the reunion was just beautiful the girls couldn’t wait so as soon as they say us they came running, the airport people had to tell them to go back as we were blocking the entry hehehe it was so beautiful our little Annie is just devine and very very vocal hehehe
And this house wow if I bragged on these girls before look out now , the Salon is simply stunning just beautiful ( we live above the salon) and our little area well they couldn’t have thought one more thing every single little personal details was met even pops cotton buds for his ears there are little surprises everywhere and the fridge is just overflowing with everything we like it’s so clean there no a speck of dirt to be found they keep saying pop your still so handsome and mum you look so beautiful and young mmmmm hehehe love is blind
So what’s ahead I don’t know but wow it’s going to be totally amazing because and just because we serve with the most generous kind and amazingly loving Heavenly Father and He as always knows what’s best.
Have a super blessed day sending our love pop and me.
Ps sooooo hilarious at Singapore airport they had a triple wheel chair thing that was run electrically we couldn’t stop laughing and of course they put me on the front a big Western old lady the airport folks had lots of laughter
April 12, 2022
Tough life being a missionary
April 12, 2022
To be totally honest I’m quite overwhelmed at the goodness of God and this very special team of young people.
I have a very keen eye for details and Open Arms the whole of it, the people and places are so loved, cared for and maintained it’s just beautiful.
We went to Granny house today it was more beautiful than we could have imagined the eye to detail and care and love is extraordinary it’s a real safe haven for these ladies again we were blown away.
We met with the owner of the house who is 82 she was a gem she told us she lost her husband in Pol Pot time and she had 8 children she lost six of them five in that time and one recently we told her about the love of Christ for them all and she wept it was a precious time.
So that’s day one very fulfilling but we are a bit pooped now so going to put our feet up and relax and I will settle down soon and stop sending so much hehehe
Sending love pop and me
April 14, 2022
It’s Khmer New Year in Cambodia at the moment it’s the biggest holiday of the year, families unite and there is much-eating drinking, and laughing it’s a great time it is the only time of the year that Open Arms closes for a full week.
The family is on holiday so after a quick check-up from doctor Annie cups of tea, breakfast on the floor with the girls and a cuddle with the dogs we set off to reacquaint ourselves with Cambodia.
We were both quite surprised to see how far this little country had gone down, as we drove past the places we have lived the places where we ministered to folks we both a sense of grief in the country I know it’s the same all over the world but to us, it seemed more tragic in a third world country.
We both felt that this place really is our Heart Land this country of such adversity this country that is filled with brave, courageous, loving, generous folks that just keep on going no matter what.
This country where really what you see I’d not what you get but those keep smiling those huge big infectious smile get you every time have so much courage and love I think that’s what we love about them the most.
After the drive it was time for a rest 35 degrees heat tires you out very easily, then it’s time to feed the masses we have 8 to fill up I cook and they clean and it works for me.
Our passion was rekindled to see these folks know without a doubt that Jesus is relentless in His persuet for their hearts and that they will accept His unconditional love for them.
God bless you so much everybody I feel so very blessed to be able to share this journey with you.
Sending out love pop and me.
April 16, 2022
Only in Asia milk ice block with black beans in it , very nice really xx
April 19, 2022
We just brought a drink fridge for the salon the girls are going to sell cappuccino and drinks to try to generate more cash and just look how it came again only in Asia I love these simple beautiful folks xxx
April 20, 2022
Well back to work we took a trip to the country yesterday to bring a dear soul back to live in granny house she cried it was nearly too much for my heart but she is so bright and happy today , the country is beautiful but the area was quite poor.
This morning we set up a little cafe area in the salon it’s looks so cute Sreynait is cooking little biscuits to go with the coffee.
Pop went off to buy all the equipment needed to set some gardens at Grannys he will do them tomorrow .
Then it was off to lunch with the grannys we had the best most
wonderful time
lots of laughter and food and best of all they accepted Jesus and were very curious about Him I delighted in telling them the truth.
I spent some time this morning with a missionary mate she is 87 and has been ministering in Cambodia since 1961 if I ever had a hero it would be her you blessed me so much today Marie Ens. God richly bless you.
Jenna pop and I are now doing research for a music room and a mini sports area at alabaster such fun.
Then we will do budgets, rosters and office stuff a bit boring but necessary.
Lovely lovely day bit poophed a sore toe I got up in the night it was very dark and I put my walking stick on my toe and broke my middle toe quite painfull hehehe gotta laugh.
Marie’s quote .
YOU GET COURAGE WHEN YOU OBEY .
NOT THE THE WAY AROUND YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO OBEY.
Sending love pop , me and the girls.
April 22, 2022
Well the first big week is over we are poophed but so very very fulfilled excited feeling so well loving and appreciating our wonderful God, our family our friends in Australia and by no means least our extra special team here.
We took the grannys to get glasses yesterday it was such a hoot they are personality plus it’s there very first pair and they muched up a bit, then we got very very lost trying to find the Christian book store here in Phnom Penh after finding it and buying large print bibles and lots of Khmer Christian songs and the Jesus story DVD we headed off for ice cream but they were too tired so I brought them a drumstick to put in the fridge.
The grannys were feeling a bit low today a bit much excitement I think so we have them the wonderful blankets that we were blessed with.
On Thursday Pop stayed back with Mali, Mali was the eldest boy in the children’s home and a top kid, Pop and Mali are building raised garden beds so they can grow veggies it will save money, guys we need monthly food money it will cost us around $105 USD a week to feed these ladies and the team here would you consider this my friends.
Today we decided to get into our storeroom mmmmm twenty years of accumulating stuff and I mean stuff well we laughed and cried we found the very first dress-up dresses the girls had in fact every fancy dress we brought them was lovingly stored.
We looked at old pictures I have a box of things the kids made me when they were little pictures cards etc it was just beautiful, we gave away that much stuff that Alabaster community and the community near where we lived were very very blessed it was very fulfilling.
We are now working on our visas so we can stay the six weeks and I’m talking to you all we are having sausages and mashed potato and veggies for tea and next week my little women it Khmer food time hehehe .
Tomorrow we are hitting the pool not one bit of work will be done have a blessed weekend everybody and thank you so very much for your love and support.
Pop and me.
April 26, 2022
After a huge physical and emotional day yesterday pop and I decided we have a day off well that’s a joke heheheh
Today the salon girls are training the team from grannys house in massage and shampooing pop and I both know the benefits of massage since we have been here it’s really helped us and the grannys suffer arthritis as well.
So the girls think how nice for pop and mum to have all the kids so here they all are on our bed playing laughing crying .
Our quiver is more than full, when we had the children’s home years ago now we used to talk about the time when our big bed was full of kids.
Have a beautiful blessed day everybody.
The Lord your God in your midst is mighty and that’s the truth He proves to me more each day of His presence and goodness in our lives
I love my job
We, the team in Cambodia, Pop, and I on messenger just dug a spiritual well in the Granny House.
We broke the dry ground of Buddhism over the place in Jesus name and gave it back to the Lord.
Then we put in wine and oil they put a full bottle of wine and a whole bottle of oil it is well and truly anointed now I didn’t have the heart to tell them it didn’t matter. Then we prayed and believed for all the things that are needed for the Grannies, Cambodia, and our own lives.
Then we planted a palm tree as a prophetic act that the granny’s house will be like an oasis for all who come that they will come out of the heat and desert places of their lives and come into the love joy and peace of Christ be transformed and become children of God.
Then we dedicated little Diamond she is the baby of the woman that has turned her life around from years and years of prostitution and baby-selling to be a child of God and who is now living with our family and working full time with Open Arms.
Feeling so very blessed for the privilege to be able to do this thank you for your love prayers and support.
31.01.2022
Grandma’s House
Well, the Granny house is all finished and looking perfect.
It was a huge job for us all but it was a joy as well we have tried to supply everything that we could.
THANK YOU WONDERFUL TEAM.
The training as best that I could is done but we all know we will learn more on the job that out of books.
The government paperwork is done they are so lovely they haven’t done this type of project before so they laugh and say cute things, one said maybe we call this an orphanage for the elderly.
We have made a little salon downstairs to do massages on the ladies but also as an evangelical tool to bring more older people to show the love of Jesus to, we will offer granny daycare and free massages shampoo and pedicures and manicures no matter how old you are your still a girl and I know this myself.
So tomorrow we reach out into the community and the provinces and see ladies that need help.
It’s quite emotional really the goodness of God always brings me to tears.
We would like to say thank you to everybody for your continued he’s support and Open Arms does need additional committed monthly support so please private message me if God touched your heart to help the Granny’s.
Sending much much love to you all God richly bless you.
Grahame, Sandra, and the team.
Jan 12, 2022
Granny House
Well, the Granny house is all finished and looking perfect.
It was a huge job for us all but it was a joy as well we have tried to supply everything that we could.
THANK YOU WONDERFUL TEAM.
The training as best that I could is done but we all know we will learn more on the job that out of books.
The government paperwork is done they are so lovely they haven’t done this type of project before so they laugh and say cute things, one said maybe we call this an orphanage for the elderly.
We have made a little salon downstairs to do massages on the ladies but also as an evangelical tool to bring more older people to show the love of Jesus to, we will offer granny daycare and free massages shampoo and pedicures and manicures no matter how old you are your still a girl and I know this myself.
So tomorrow we reach out into the community and the provinces and see ladies that need help.
It’s quite emotional really the goodness of God always brings me to tears.
We would like to say thank you to everybody for your continued he’s support and Open Arms does need additional committed monthly support so please private message me if God touched your heart to help the Granny’s.
Sending much much love to you all God richly bless you.
Grahame, Sandra, and the team.
Jan 12, 2022