December 21, 2004 – Phnom Penh, Cambodia

"Baby Sam"

On Sunday a 19 year old father showed up at Church at Tom Nop Tom (TNT) with a three month old baby boy saying his wife had left him and he wanted to give his baby away. Marie-Claire and Marge Zinck, another of our teachers, immediately wanted to take him home with them but we encouraged them to wait until we could talk more with the young man and find out what the legal implications were.

Yesterday, at their insistence, I went back out there with Kimsom, our project manager, and talked to the young man. His wife left him two months ago and he doesn't know where she is. He told us she had sold their first baby for $200 and she didn't want children. She was going to sell this one but when he stopped her she left them. We also spoke with the baby's grandmother who has a one month old herself and had tried to nurse this one without success. She said they have 10 children and cannot feed the ones they have and she would be grateful if we could find a good home for this little one. We inquired if any of the extended family could take the child and the answers were the same. They have more children then they can feed and with the famine of this year they are worried that they will not have enough to eat.

We then drove 60 miles to the district capital where there is a government run orphanage and talked to the director there. They have 60 children and have lost funding and they asked us to fund their program. They would take the baby if we could provide an unspecified amount of money each month. We did learn some things, however, so the trip and time were well worth the effort. We learned a number of legal requirements that will help us all as we proceed with the orphanage.

Kimsom had already tried to find a family in the church that might take the child, if we provided help for the food. But they all have a house full and no one was willing to accept another one. A non-Christian neighbor lady, a widow, came forward upon hearing of the need. However, further investigation showed that she was not the type of person we would entrust to raise a child, as she drinks and gambles. Kimsom and Sokhal said they wanted to take the baby. They will get a young Christian girl to come and stay with them to help out since their own new baby is due in January.

All said and done, the orphanage we have been working on is "now open for business." We rejoice and know you will rejoice with us that we are able to help some of the thousands of orphaned children in Cambodia. I've attached a picture of "Baby Sam" which I've nicknamed for Sam Carpenter who got us involved in this project.

Pray with us that this will be the beginning of many good things to come in the area of Child care.

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