A Bus Ride to Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Our short term mission team has been in Cambodia for a couple of days already. The second group of our team arrived safely yesterday in Phnom Penh.

After repacking our suitcases and packaging all the gifts we would be taking to the children, we went to sleep, got a good night rest and ready for the training camps for the Cambodian youths.

The chartered bus picked us up early at the church and we boarded the bus ready for the five hour ride to S., about 220 km from Phnom Penh.

The interior of a Cambodian chartered bus

We had a cool comfortable 5 hour ride on the chartered bus

I haven't had the chance to take public transportation in Cambodia yet. But we did take a chartered bus for our trip.

A mini fridge on the chartered bus

The chartered bus ride was great!

The interior of the bus looked much better than I thought, nicely decorated with colourful curtains.












The chartered bus was even equipped with a mini fridge! What a great idea!

 Since the temperature of Cambodia frequently hovers around the high 80 degree - 90 degree, we are sweating constantly and food can get spoiled easily if not handled properly.

Traffic congestion everywhere in Phnom Penh

Motorcycles - main transportation in Cambodia is everywhere

I was here in 2012, this time I noticed that there are way more cars on the road.


Consequently, the traffic congestion was much worse and everywhere we go, it takes much longer in and around the Phnom Penh area.

Beautiful architecture and buildings with open balconies

The five hour ride passed by quickly as we talked to our fellow passengers, shared the snacks we bought and looked out of the window and watched the scenery go by us. 

It is interesting and educational to be in another country completely different from what we are used to in terms of buildings and landscape.

Here in Cambodia, we do not know the language, the culture nor the people.

I am observing a lot trying to take in and learn as much as possible about this country.

Once outside of Phnom Penh, the traffic is much better, less congested. We passed by a palm oil plantation with huge and lush green palm trees waving their leaves in the air.

We saw many mountains on our way to the camp site

What a nice refreshing sight!
I always love palm trees! There is something about them that lift my spirit.
We arrived at our destination in late afternoon.

After lunch, we went to our site, set up the conference room for our programs for the next few days.
We checked into our hotel room, refreshed ourselves and went out for a nice dinner at a restaurant close by.

The beautiful and tranquil side of Cambodia

Our short term mission team

Our Short Term Mission Team looks forward to the next few days with the kids!

 
R.T.
Sihanoukville
Cambodia

Celebration in a Traditional Cambodian Street Wedding Tent

Samuel & Rina's wedding tent was set up in front of the bride's house

The last time I was in Cambodia, I saw a beautiful pink wedding tent set up on one of the streets close by in the neighborhood.

But I never had the opportunity to attend a traditional Cambodian wedding celebration.

This time I did!


 
After attending Samuel and Rina's wedding ceremony at the Grace Church held in Phnom Penh, we were invited to the evening wedding banquet.

A Cambodian Wedding Tent is very elegantly set up to welcome the guests

  The wedding banquet was held at the wedding tent set up in front of the bride's house.

Instead of just peering from the outside of the wedding tent like we did on our previous visit to Cambodia, this time we had the honour of being guests to a wedding feast and got to experience it ourselves.

Guests celebrated Samuel and Rina's wedding in a traditional Cambodian street wedding tent

Wedding Tent was nicely decorated and furnished with covered chairs, tables with tablecloths and  fans to keep guests cool

A stage was set up at one end of the wedding tent

 The wedding feast started at around 4:30p.m. But due to traffic congestion in Phnom Penh, it took us a little longer than we had anticipated.

I was a little worried that we would appear rude due to our late arrival to the wedding banquet.

Making sure a table has been filled with guests before dinner is served

 " Don't worry! Guests can arrive at any time after 4:30p.m. There is not a fixed time when the wedding feast will start. So we would not be late."

Our Cambodian host assured us.







 

One of the eight course dinner being served

" But when will the dinner actually be served?" I was puzzled.

Waiting staff serving the dishes

 "Each table at the wedding feast usually sits ten guests.

Wedding guests can arrive at different times and sit at whatever table they choose. There are no pre assigned seats for anyone.

Some of the staff members from the church

Whenever a table has ten guests sitting at it, the waiter will start serving dinner for that particular table.

Some of the staff members from the school

If that table is not filled, dinner will not be served until there are ten guests."

Our Cambodian host explained to us patiently.  

Some of the groom's guests

This explanation was helpful to us. It helped us to understand why some of the guests were already eating since the tables were only half filled when we got to the wedding banquet.

Interesting and different custom!  I  am glad that I have learned something new about Cambodian culture and customs this time.

There were many courses served at the wedding feast!

Guests were served with delicious dishes many of which were fresh seafood caught fresh from the sea.

 Cambodian ladies dressed beautifully for the wedding banquet

One thing I noticed about the Cambodian wedding ceremony and celebration feast, the guests, especially ladies dressed beautifully and elegantly for the occasion.

Lady guests were splendidly dressed for the wedding banquet

Another thing I learned from this wedding banquet was the elegant and traditional clothes worn by the bride and groom.

The groom and bride and their guests

The bride changed her outfit, from her white wedding gown to an elegant traditional Cambodian evening dress, then changed again.

 However, something we have never seen before at a wedding - the groom changed his outfit for the third time too!

Both the groom and bride changed for the banquet

So when Samuel showed up at our table with his third outfit change, we all screamed with delight!








I

 Entertainment was provided at the wedding banquet

Someone told me that music and dance are an important aspect of Cambodian culture.

I have experienced and seen it first hand at this wedding. From the musical tribute at the church wedding ceremony to the musical entertainment provided at the wedding banquet,

 I could sense how much Cambodians enjoy songs and dances.

Guests could get up and sing to their hearts' content

There was a stage set up at one end of the Wedding tent and singers were performing all night entertaining the guests.

The best part of the program was when some of the young people from Samuel's church went up and performed a gospel song praising God!

It was a marvelous wedding celebration! I was honoured and privileged to have been a part of that celebration!

May God bless Samuel and Rina, his new wife in their new life together!

R.T.
Attending a traditional wedding
Cambodia

Attending Samuel's Wedding in Cambodia

Samuel's wedding was held in the Grace Church, Phnom Penh

I was really excited when I learned that Samuel, one of our youth leaders in Cambodia would be married during our stay there.

The wedding was held at the church at 1:30p.m. after the Sunday Service at the church.
As soon as the Sunday Service was over, Carol and her team was busy putting the final decorative touches in the sanctuary.

Guests started coming in at around 12:45pm to attend the wedding ceremony.

The bride and groom's pictures were placed at the entrance of the church hall

At the entrance to the church sanctuary, two beautiful pictures of the bride and groom adorned with flowers were positioned to greet the guests.

Proud parents were seated at the front of the church

Since both the bride and groom are Christians, the wedding ceremony was conducted in a traditional Christian manner incorporated with some Klemer customs.

Lady guests dressed in beautiful colourful traditional dresses for the ceremony

Many lady guests were beautifully dressed for this occasion in their gorgeous traditional dresses.

Bridesmaids coming down the aisle

The ceremony started right on time.  The wedding ceremony started with  two bridesmaids dressed in white walking down the aisle.

Groom and best man waiting for the bride

The minister, the groom and his best men were waiting and watching the bridal procession coming down the aisle.

The bride on her father's arm

Dressed in a white fairytale style wedding gown with a princess like headpiece adorning her hair, the bride looked absolutely beautiful and radiant coming down oh her father's arm.

Friends celebrating the wedding in songs

 

After the initial prayers and at the beginning of the ceremony, two of the couple's friends came onto the stage and offered their congratulations to the couple in songs.

The songs were sung in Klemer. Though I didn't understand the lyrics, the melodies were beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed the singing.

Exchanging the vow

Rev. William, from the Richmond Hill Community Church of Canada, happened to be here for a mission trip in Cambodia. He was present asked to officiate the wedding ceremony.

Pastor Tong, here with a short mission trip, shared her happiness and a few words of encouragement with the new couple.

















Both the bride and groom have been very actively serving in their church and ministries, therefore there were many guests from their churches attending this happy event.

The most touching moment for me during the ceremony came when Samuel and his bride both exchange their wedding vows pledging to love and care for each other inn Christ's love.

Though unable to understand a word of what they were saying to each other, I could see from their expressions how much they love and dedicate to each other and this moved me ( and many) to tears.

It is always beautiful and a touching experience to witness the union of two people in love.











When the union of two people also has the love of God backing them up and the support of a Christian community behind them, I know that the marriage will be more solid and they will receive a lot of support in the future whenever they encounter the struggles later on in their lives together.

The newly married couple!

I was delighted to have this opportunity attending Samuel's wedding in Cambodia.

May God bless you both abundantly as you start a new life together!

R.T.
Phnom Penh
Cambodia

Samuel's Getting Married!

Grace Church is all decked out ready for the wedding ceremony for one of its own

 This time we are in Cambodia, we are very fortunate to be invited to attend the wedding of a fine young man, Samuel, who has been serving at the Cambodian Church for quite sometime.

Our short term mission team has been going to the Grace Church in Phnom Penh for the past few years.

Many of our team members are returnees and we have gotten to know Samuel since the days when he was a student at a local university.

Presenting our wedding gift to Samuel before his wedding

This wedding is not any ordinary wedding. We are joyful over this event and it feels like one of our family members has grown up and getting married.

Our mission team and Samuel

We share Samuele's joy and happiness in finding his soul mate and presented him with a wedding gift on his big day!

Samuel and his bride-to-be

All the best to you, Samuel and your better half!

May God bless your new life with the love of your life!

R.T.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia