I was feeling discouraged because of the language barrier between myself and the women. Our translator, Ratana, was not able to be with us this week. So instead of having English class—we decided to make a music video. It was SO fun to do with the girls. Because they take cosmetology classes, there is a salon and full hair and make up staff available at the snap of a finger. The first day we filmed- in the morning we scouted out locations. This consisted of Sengdy making us climbing a surprise mountain. We survived—barely.

 
The first day of filming everyone did each others hair. I started doing my own and after not doing my hair for a month, I knew exactly how I wanted it and took much joy in doing it myself. But very soon Mom, SeLa and Sok Na took over and I felt like Mia Thermopolos in Princess Diaries. I tried curling Sok Leaps hair, but turns out Cambodian hair is much different than my curls frizzy locks.
 
We went to a mountain overlooking Cambodia and held up huge flags we made from cloth. The song for our video is “wave your flag.” It was so fun to see the girls dressed up and out and about shouting about how free they are through Christ.
 
The next day we went for more of a “vouge” fashion show look. The girls went all out with the teased hair and face make up. It was wild and crazy fun. It is nice to be able to be goofy and fun with them.
 
On Thursday, we were able to meet Setan and Rhonda, the founders of Transform Asia. Setan is such a great man and told us story after story Setan told us about how the center started and how it has changed over the years. At the beginning, in the early 90’s, the center had about 20 girls, all with HIV. Setan said that all the girls, except two, died about the same time. Setan said he was heartbroken. They then got 20 more girls, and those girls died like the first group. Upon traveling back to the United States hearning this news, Setan met some people at the airport who helped him share his story world wide. I wish I could of spent more time with him, he was full of knowledge and answered many of the questions I had had while being here.
 
This week, pretty much all of the orphans at the center, come to find out some of them are not orphans, left the center. Two of the, Bqsa and Sut, went back to their families to work. They are now seen as valuable laborers and it breaks my heart. Then Doum and Pea went back to be with their grandmother, leaving because they were pressured by their peers. We did not get to say goodbye, and when they were not at devotions the next morning, we were told they went home. Then we found out little Che Oun was taken home by her sister. This took us all by shock and the fact they did not say goodbyes took me by shock.
 
Upon shooting the video, we spoted a climb tree with a so called “ladder” to get coconuts at the top. So I climbed it. I climbed a palm tree!