Place of Peace and Garden of Joy

The couple whose home I have invaded have helped start a small business called Jumpah which does wood working crafts.  Today I was treated to seeing their operation about 25 miles outside the city of Phnom Penh.  They do amazing things with tools like the belt sander in the picture.  They create jewelry boxes and ornaments that will be sold to NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) mainly right before Christmas.

But the real joy was visiting Place of Peace which is a community for HIV people that are basically homeless, and Garden of Joy which is an orphanage.  Place of Peace has four buildings that are made up of 2 large rooms with a cooking place between.  Two families will live in one of these buildings.  Someone in the family will be HIV positive.  They have classes for all sorts of things such as sewing, guitar playing, and crafts.

The orphanage, also known as the Garden of Joy, has helpers, but the family I met who live there are three daughters that are wonderful people.  The mother asked me about my family.  I told her I have three children but one of them, Daniel, died when he was three years old.  At that point she told me she also had a son who had died.  The amazing thing is that now she has something like 18 children. :)

I was also shown where they keep pigs.  They breed and raise pigs to sell.  They are very resourceful.  The pig manure they collect in bladder-like containers underground then use the methane that produces to cook, light lamps and even run small motors.  They also have solar power which helps run the sewing machines.  Really quite a green village. :)

It is amazing what the love of God shown through people can accomplish!  One of the ladies I met who is HIV positive was as thin as a stick when they accepted her into the village.  Now she looks very healthy and happy.  God is doing some amazing things here in Cambodia!