Good day all
We have such beautiful weather here with rain almost every
day. As a dry Southern boy, this is heaven. I wish that some of this rain would
move down South towards Namibia where we have such a terrible drought at the
moment. Every day now we tick more boxes to prepare for Anton to leave for
Malaysia. The good news is that Toinette will be back here with us on the 13th
of October and she can help us with the finer details of his travel. Sorry to say
but we boys need her badly.
Toinette is doing well; I wish we could say the same
for Ouma. Under the circumstances, Ouma is doing very well but the Radiation therapy
drains her energy and she is tired all the time. The good news is that she will
not get any Chemotherapy. At the moment Toinette is driving down to Swakopmund
to start packing up Ouma’s apartment for her to move to the Frail care when
there is a place available. Please pray for Toinette and her family to help
Ouma Paula in this difficult time.
We are preparing for some dear friends to visit us for
2 weeks. We will go down to Phnom Pehn at the end of the week to pick them up
at the airport and then we going to do some stuff with them all around here in
Siem Reap and even making a drive to the jungle. Please pray for Anton and I
driving to Phnom Pehn at this time of the year.
Some news from our friend Etienne Minnaar. “My
dad has been feeling great the last few days. He is feeling strong and his
appetite has increased as well. We were supposed to see the gastroenterologist
on Thursday to discuss the blood tests looking at my dad’s liver, but
unfortunately she has Covid. My dad’s doctor appointment has been moved to
Monday, and we are hoping he can get his next round of chemo on Monday too. Please
pray for the inflammation and infection markers in my dad’s liver to decrease.
Thank you for all your prayers and standing with our family in faith.”
It is Pchum Ben again starting on 1 October and the
whole country is moving around, a very busy time and one of the biggest
holidays. Please pray for Christians this time of the year as they celebrate
this with family.
Pchum Ben, which falls on the 15th day of
the 10th Khmer month, begins on October 1 this year and marks the start of a 15-day
religious festival in Cambodia. The Cambodian buddhists believe that every year
the souls of their ancestors are released for 15 days. Pchum Ben marks the
start of the journey of souls to purgatory, that in-between place that is
neither heaven nor hell. The course of their journey will be decided by their
karma and by the offerings made by their living relatives during Pchum Ben.
This festival begins at the end of the Buddhist Lent. During this time, foods
are cooked for the monks to generate merits that will benefit the dead.
History of Pchum Ben
The 15-day ceremony of Pchum Ben is a time
for Cambodians to honor their previous seven generations of ancestors. The
first 14 days are known as “Kan Ben” and during this time families gather at
nearby pagodas, offering food and prayers to their ancestors to save them from
bad karma. The belief is that deceased relatives wait at the pagodas for their
loved ones to return to them.
“Ben Thom” on Day 15 sees families bring
baskets full of flowers and children offering sticky rice cake to the monks.
This is the main festival day and everyone dresses up for the occasion.
Cambodians believe their actions on earth shape their appearance as a ghost
after death. By praying and offering food during Pchum Ben, the family is
helping their ancestors pass on to a better life as well as ensuring their
ancestors don’t get angry and curse them.
The festival dates back to the Middle Ages
and is among the most important holidays in Cambodia. Nowadays students and
workers will return back to their families to observe Pchum Ben with them and
make their offerings. https://nationaltoday.com/pchum-ben/
Thank you very much for standing with us
in prayer this time of the year. Cambodia needs prayer this time of the year as
this is a really dark time of the year.
Love
Rossouw-clan
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