Well we are back…As you would expect furlough was very busy for us. What with reunions, us boys being at Beaver Lake Camp, and seeing friends, we were always doing something. For me the highlight of the summer was working at Beaver Lake Camp…It was nice seeing old friends from around “home”, but I no longer fit in where I used to anymore. So it is hard in a way everytime we go back. Don’t get me wrong we had a good time but it wasn’t all easy. I got to stay in the states a week and longer than the rest of the family to work, which I really enjoyed.

Where most of the summer happened for me.

This girl was a personal challenge for me over the summer. Right at first she wouldn’t let anybody new hold her, but by the middle of the summer she would let me and one or two others hold her.

The biggest shock was coming back here to Cambodia. There has been so much stuff that has changed in just a 2.5 months that I’m not even sure where I fit in here anymore. Here’s a few of the changes: Michaels went home, Eltons moved to the village, and I don’t have the job that I used to because of school vacation. There are some other things as well but these are some of the most obvious. Regardless of the changes life moves on and you have to make your place again. It’s just not as easy as I wish it was sometimes.

Speaking of life moving on, it has really been moving since I got back. Alyssa, from our church at home, came back over with the family to visit for a month, so she was here when I got back. Two of my cousins were here as well. They came in on the same flight I did, so that was kind of cool. I knew they were coming but thought they were coming in that evening, and they thought I was flying in the night before, so we were all surprised when we ran into each other in the Guangzhou airport. Two days after I got back we got even more company. A group from Mountain View Nursing Home came to help out on the mission for their mission trip. Chandra used to work there so they really wanted to come see her.

We had a good time while they were here even though it felt a bit overwhelming at times. One of the main things we did while they were here was help finish out Goy and Nak’s houses. They had walls finished around the top, but the bottom foot and a half needed to be finished and they also needed doors so we did that the first two days. They also passed out Bible story books, helped paint a fence, and cleaned for Laura while they were here. They did some of the tourist stuff like the temples, silk farm, and we took them to see the fishing village.

I had a lot of fun with my cousins over this time as well. Whether it was playing volleyball with everybody, hanging out with just them, it was really good to have them around. My favourite day was the day they left:) Now before you judge me, read on. ..That was the only day we did anything as the family with just them. We took them to the Barai, basically a small lake that has huts with hammocks strung in them that you can rent for the day. We played games, talked, ate fresh fruit, and had a good time. All too soon we had to leave so they could  make their flight at three.

The day after that, the team from Mountain View left, along with Alyssa and Chandra. Leaving it much quieter around here. Soon it is going to be even quieter yet, but more on that when it happens…

Well that’s all for now.

Luke for the Helmuths…