Phnom Penh, Cambodia- Orphanage building well on the way- The new orphanage building, that will house up to twenty children and their house parents, is now well on it’s way. The foundation and floor have been poured,the walls are going up, and completion is anticipated by December first.

“Baby Sam”, who is now one year old, will move into the beautifully designed house along with his adoptive parents, Kimsom and Sokhal and little brother and big sister. Sam will soon be joined by many other orphaned children who will be fortunate enough to make up the family.

This is what one couple’s dreams can do. Sam and Mary Carpenter, from the state of Alabama raised five adopted children themselves. When they came here to participate in our English Bible Study teaching program, they saw the street kids and orphans. The Carpenters then asked if they could help by building an orphanage, and an orphanage began to happen. It took a year to get through all the red tape, but when the Carpenters returned in May they saw to it that things got underway.

Now the orphanage is becoming a very real dream come true. The house is patterned after plans provided by the internationally renowned SOS Children’s Village Corp. which has orphanages in more then fifty third world countries. These houses are beautifully built, practical, and family oriented. They are the kinds of homes anyone would be happy to live in, but are designed specifically to accommodate a large family of orphaned children. (We will send pictures when it is completed.)

Everyone of us has been blessed by God to make a difference in the world if we just want to. Sam and Mary Carpenter want to. They are not only building this orphanage but have done great things in Grenada, the Ukraine, and Switzerland. Maybe you can see in their example how you can make a difference as well. We know you care because He Cares!

William E. "Bill" McDonough, Director
Partners In Progress
Phnom Penh, Cambodia