December 10, 2015
Dear friends and partners,
Christmas is coming soon – it is the month of hope and faith – a month when we remember another woman so long ago – who gave birth to her child in a barn – a woman for whom there was no room – a woman whose poverty made life so very hard. This woman Mary had great faith in her son, Jesus without truly understanding what this was all about.
Christmas is about faith and hope and Mary represents so very many women here in Cambodia - women whose lives are so very difficult. For these women Christmas has no meaning – there is no expectation and so little hope. For these women life is extremely difficult and painful.
Chat Toll is a 42 year old woman who suffers from a vaginal discharge tinged with blood. She went to a doctor who told her she had lumps in her uterus and she needed an operation but she had no money for such things and so didn’t go. She is a widow and has a fear for death which she believes is near. She used a Cambodian saying to explain her great fear –“I will die but with my eyes open”. This expresses her fear for her children who will be orphaned with no one to care for them and her soul will not rest as she must watch her children from the other side.
Somally is 28 years old with 3 children. She has painful breast lumps that keep growing. She has never gone to a doctor because there is no money and it’s too far. Somally believes that she is dying – she cries that she is too young to die – she is afraid with nowhere to go.
These women represent thousands of women in Cambodia with so little hope. This Christmas my desire – my expectation is that by Christmas of 2016 – there will be a sense of hope for these women because the hospital building will be done. Unlike Mary of so long ago – I pray that there will be a room for these women who hurt so much.
We have come so far this year in moving towards this goal – we have found miracle after miracle of hope - by Christmas the pouring of the second floor will be complete – a third of the third floor is done and support pillars to the third floor are in process. Just two more floors and the roof to be done! Then the inner details to be completed. I have high expectation and great hope.
I am so very thankful to my God for each of you – for the enormous amount of events, donations, time and energy spent by each of you to make Christmas real for the women here. I am so looking forward to all you will do with us in 2016 – how good this will be. On behalf of my co-founders, Phavi and Sieng, we wish each of you a blessed Christmas and all the best in the new year.
Janne
Web page: www.noor-tep.net
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