Retreat in Sihanoukville

Friday evening:Today went very well at the conference...we had a few things that were hard to translate but most everything translated well. There was lots of good discussion. They are all so sweet and so hungry to learn!!We have felt right at home with them! Thank you so much for your prayers!!We really had a good discussion about showing affection!! We learned a lot about their culture. They were talking about how their culture raises them to not show affection, not just in public but even in their homes. One young man said,"I want to know if the wives really want affection or if they agree with the culture?" All the wives started talking about how they want affection!! We may have started a revolution of hand holding and kissing!!!It was so tender when they wrote love letters to each other...they took every activitity very seriously!! Many said they had never done that before!!Tonight we had dinner on the beach and they cooked American food for us...hot dogs and grilled chicken (head and all!!)My boys will appreciate this...Kevin has a new joke that we are hearing over and over! He counts to nine in Khmer and then for ten he says "prohm prohm"(five, five) all the Cambodians laugh which just encourages him and he goes to the next group and says it again!! Tami and Joe and I wish people would not encourage him!!We are not going to have the financial management class. Saém feels like it would not relate to them and we agree. After being here and listening to their stories we need to rethink how to help them on this one!I know the best thing about this trip has been the new friends we have made!! We feel so close to all these young couples!! We have just extended our extended family!!The worst thing about this trip...using the squatty potty!!! This is my fourth trip over and somehow I have managed to avoid theseon every other trip!! Good night from Sihanoukville!Jan