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Life is an adventure and ours has been especially exciting. In 1991 our moms came to Cambodia and adopted us when we were very young. This summer, seventeen years later, we will be going back to visit the country and the people who gave us our roots. We don’t remember each other, but we look forward to getting to know each other and sharing this experience.

Hilary’s parents located her birth family when she was seven. Although they have been in contact sporadically over the years they have never been reunited. Her family has been notified of our travel plans and a reunion is in the works!

Leanne was in the Kompong Speu Orphanage when her adoptive mom met her and is hoping to find out some information about her birth family during our trip, too. Possibly another reunion!

Brennan and Kaley made their first trip back to Cambodia in 2005 and really enjoyed visiting the orphanage where they had lived and meeting some of the “nannies” who had cared for them when they were babies. They were unable to locate their birth families, but learned a lot about their birth country. Brennan won’t be able to make the trip this summer due to his soccer schedule, but Kaley really looks forward to returning to a country that she loves.

In case you don’t know much about Cambodia, it is still one of the poorest countries in the world. After years of war, the country was devastated and is still rebuilding. One out of ten children born doesn’t live to be five years old. It is estimated that there are between 60,000 and 200,000 orphans in Cambodia, many who have lost their parents to AIDS. You might think that it would be a very sad place to visit, but it is a beautiful country and the people welcome you with warm smiles.

Even though we will only be in Cambodia for a short time, we want to be more than tourists. We want to make a difference in the lives of the people there. We will be visiting the Nutrition Center, the orphanage where Brennan, Kaley, and Hilary lived, and the Kompong Speu Orphanage where Leanne lived. We don’t really know what the needs of these orphanages are, but we know that they have many great needs. While we are there we want to do what we can to help meet a few of their needs. Inflation in Cambodia is much worse than here in the United States and the prices for food, medicine, and cooking fuel are making it hard for the orphanages to get by. Maybe we will buy enough rice and food to make life easier for the kids and the caretakers. Maybe they are in need of a new well. We won’t know until we get there. Hilary’s birth family may also have needs that we will be able to help supply while we are there.

Between now and when we leave on July 3, we are hoping to raise $2,000 to take with us to use for making a difference in the lives of people in our birth country and we hope that you will want to help us. A gift of $50 will buy one of the big bags of rice. Gifts of all sizes will help to buy baby formula, medicine, food, and supplies as needed.

You can help in a couple of ways. Click on the link at left to mail a donation. EVERY penny raised will be given to us to put to use in Cambodia. If you would like to send a check, the link will give you that information.

This will be an exciting journey and we hope that you will want to participate in it with us by keeping us in your prayers and by helping to build our fund for making a difference while we are there. Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and to learn about our trip!

As most of you know we have returned safe and sound. While away Lisa kept blog for her and Deb. I kept a blog for Hilary and myself. You may wonder why two blogs? Each day was packed with so much information that it was easier. Deb was busy with Leanne's search and reunion. Lisa was busy gathering the donations for the various organizations we visited (thanks Lisa!!) and I was busy with Hilary and her family.
You can visit each blog to see what we did and where we went.
We are still accepting donations. The need in Cambodia does not end so we will keep working at it. Please visit the donation link if you would like to contribute. Thank you to everyone for your support and contributions. Whether you know it or not the support and kind wishes were very comforting. God Bless!