Go Beyond

Poipet, Cambodia

Constructing something the size of The Hope Center in a place like Cambodia is no easy task for a general contractor. There are no big hardware or lumber superstores from which to order supplies. And, there is little uniformity in some of the building processes — for example, every door at the center is different by a few centimeters. Although that doesn’t sound like a big deal, it means that every door and every piece of trim requires extra attention in order to make it fit properly. These challenges and others add extra time to a project of this magnitude.

Steve Hyde, our ministry partner in Cambodia, has been able to hire lots of folks to lend their particular expertise to the construction of The Hope Center. Some of these workers have come from a distance and brought their family members with them. Because they cannot afford to stay in one of the local hotels, workers with their families are living in the empty rooms at the center while they do their work. This means that little children are roaming the construction site while the work is going on.

Remarkably, no children have been injured. That’s because every worker watches out for the kids. They may have to shoo them away from an active work site on occasion but nobody seems to mind the presence of children. This afternoon, one of the littlest kids fell and bumped his head while playing. He let out a scream that brought every worker in the place to his aid. The work stopped until everyone had consoled him and had given him a rub on the head.

The children of the workers have found creative ways to entertain themselves by playing with scraps of lumber or on piles of sand. They are really cute kids. Their laughter and smiles are a reminder to us of what The Hope Center is all about — restoring hope and bringing joy to the lives of people who are struggling to survive from day-to-day. There is lots of talk in the area about the center and what it will mean to those who live here without access to the most basic medical care.

Constructing The Hope Center is a family affair. Once built, this center will continue to be a family affair as Steve and his staff reach out to the most vulnerable among them. What excites me most is that this place will continue to impact people in the area even beyond our generation. This is and will continue to be a place where hope is restored and where people can experience the love of God expressed in the most tangible of ways. I am grateful to God for the good work that is happening here in Poipet.