MY PRIZED GIFT TO MYSELF

One of the best gifts l have given myself, was experiencing the joy of giving in a remote village in northern Cambodia. Probably a short flight by crow, but by tuk tuk & ox-cart through the flooded outback, it is a challenging couple of hours or so. It's a pleasant beginning through the countryside and then the long journey by ox-cart becomes hazardous as the water rises above the dray & we scramble to stack the supplies out of reach of the muddy water. There is much mirth in our little team of volunteers as we anticipate the joy we will witness in the village. I have been blessed with the best fortune to have a friend like Jimmy who is so willing to give his time and escort us out there where no tourist dares to go. Most villagers there have never been to Siem Reap, the nearest large town. They have neither the means nor the desire. So without electricity or phone, they have no idea when my friend Jimmy is coming to visit. But word spreads quickly even without technology and a large gathering is waiting to greet us with beaming smiles. Jimmy must be like Santa to them except they have never heard of old St Nick. But they know he comes bearing gifts and the excitement & expectancy, loads the air with laughter.

Jimmy is the young Khmer man who runs an after school class in town where l help when in Cambodia.. His English is excellent, thanks to sponsorship by an Australian couple. In the evenings he opens up his family's home and teaches English to children of varying ages & ability. He tells them that learning English will be the torch that leads them out of poverty. He invites Westerners to join him and help teach the children in conversational English. It's an excellent win/win experience for everyone as the tourists interact with the Cambodian children, learning about thrir lives and the children become more confident with their speaking.

And occasionally when some volunteers contribute longer periods of time and have the funds & inclination, Jimmy enjoys taking them to a village that is without any of the very basic luxuries like soap or medicine. So what a thrill it is for me to go! And through the generous donations of The Theosophical Society and some of its members, I am the one that sees their smiles, feels their gratitude and experiences the over-whelming joy of giving.

And the joy lasts longer than one would imagine. It lifts me up to a high that can be tapped into at a moment's thought. And their smiling faces are never far from my thoughts.

 There are 30-50 families in the village, it's difficult to tell. And they are very isolated & extremely poor, like 80% of rural Cambodia. This trip, with the aid of one Irish & two English girls, we provided soap, paracetamol, antiseptic, dahorea medication, noodles & pork, bagettes, books & pencils, 2 soccor balls & a couple of hula hoops.  On a subsistence rice-based diet, noodles are a rare luxury and pork, even more so, maybe once or twice a year. Everyone goes home with a useful gift and memories of a surprise party day full of treats, games, gifts, food, medicine & soap. We are farewelled & followed as far as the flood waters allow.

We arrive back in Siem Reap unable to speak from emotional & physical exhaustion. That satisfying weainess you feel from a day well spent. All of us in our own little worlds, reflecting on their stories of horrendous hardship during & after the Pol Pot regime. And their struggles with lack of clean water & medical assistance. But at no time did they complain, they merely stated the facts. They are quick to laugh & share a joke and there is no greed as we hand out whatever supplies we have. Just polite gratitude and a community happiness. I wish I could do more. But l am grateful to be given the opportunity to experience the gift of giving. It's one of the greatest gifts l ever have given myself.