Cambodia

To be honest, I was a little skeptical of visiting yet another set of temples. After seeing so many in China, I thought what more is there to possibly see? But soon after our arrival in Siem Reap, Cambodia, it was obvious that the cranky, yet hilarious Aussies we met on the bus in Vietnam were right - seeing the temples of Angkor Wat is a can't miss!!



Understanding Angkor's complex history is beyond my pay grade. Throughout the ages, the temples of Siem Reap have been used for religious and political purposes to develop and cultivate community desired by the King of the moment. Thus, some temples are Hindu, while others are strictly Buddhist, yet still others combine the two religions. Their detail is immaculate and hundreds of thousands of workers must have been used to build vast moats and carve intricate detail. That's about all that stuck with me from our Cambodian turned Australian (outback hat, authentic "hehe" laugh, swagger and all mate) tour guide.

My favorite temple was the Hindu temple Angkor Thom which was used in Angelina Jolie's movie, "Tomb Raider". Mighty trees engulf the temple ruins and stones appear to be nothing more than hard soil in which to dig their roots. It offers a pretty spectacular sight that is certainly a one of a kind. (I now realize that these photos are on David's camera. I'll upload these pictures soon.)

The most meaningful part of my short Cambodian experience was interacting with the children. Outside each temple we would be swarmed by kids who wanted to sell us anything and everything for virtually nothing. Their faces were adorable and when they're asking you to buy 10 bracelets for $1 it's a bit hard to say no. And these kids were probably the best bargainers we've come across! Example: Do you have a girlfriend? If yes: Well, then you need to buy one for her! She'll really like you then! If no: Well that's because you don't have a bracelet! Here, you can buy one of mine, only $1. If that wasn't enough to make their sale it was on to their math and geography recitals as they counted from 1-10 in about 10 different languages, recited state capitals and populations (some of which I didn't even know... I know, I'm ashamed...). Bottom line, they were good. Anyone want a bracelet when I get home?

Our time with the kids brought this hard to swallow combination of joy and sorrow. The joy was from the kids themselves. I only wished I had a kickball! It would have been awesome to take the large swarm of kids away from their daily routine and allow them to just be kids. The sorrow came from double edged sword of tourism. Tourism is critical to such an impoverished country such as Cambodia, but in some sense it also restricts kids such as these to working only in tourism. Selling souvenirs or working for tourists will most likely make up a large part of their lives. Hopefully that won't always be the case.

Now it's off to Thailand for babes and beaches. My mom typically says that they aren't always a good combo. But I've got different hopes for a group home in Chiang Mai with 120 girls who get up at 5:30 each day to worship. We'll be sure to let you know how it all works out.
~Joe

Vietnam

Though we hadn't planned to go to Vietnam, we were so close to the border that we decided to skip Hong Kong and head south to Hanoi.

Since it was raining when we arrived, we decided to visit the Hoa Loa Prision, better known as the "Hanoi Hilton", where many U.S. POWs were imprisoned during the Vietnam war. John McCain was imprisoned there for 6 years. It was sobering to see his flight suit and parachute on display (local North Vietnamese dragged him out of a lake and turned him over to the authorities when he was shot down). It was surreal to stand where he had been imprisoned, just as he was about to find out if he would become the next president or not.

It turned out that we arrived in Hanoi just in time for its worst floods in 35 years. In 4 days, more than 30 inches of rain fell, causing 49 deaths. After two days of the most torrential downpour we'd ever seen, we decided to head south to one of the beach towns. We reserved a sleeper bus, but since everyone else was fleeing Hanoi, we ended up in regular bus seats for a 12-hour trip to Hoi An.



Hoi An is a former fishing village that is now a tourist destination.

Like most Vietnamese towns, motor scooters and bicyles rule the streets, so you have to be careful before stepping off the curb.



We decided to join in the fun and rented scooters for a day to ride along "China Beach", the stretch of sand between Danang and Hoi An where U.S. servicemen spent their leaves during the Vietnam war. It was gorgeous... and we didn't have to go back to a platoon after 3 days.


We were in Hoi An on November 4th so we were determined to find a way to watch the election results. Since we were 12 hours ahead of Eastern Time, we convinced a local restaurant to let us watch their TV from 8 am to 1 pm on Wednesday, November 5th. We even found another American from Massachusetts to join us. It was exciting to watch the results live in Vietnam. As Obama was delivering his victory speech, a large group of Europeans came in for lunch. When they saw the results, they cheered and took pictures of the TV.

On our last few days in Hoi An, we volunteered for a few hours a day at an orphanage. Of the 70 children, about 30 of them were disabled. We spent time with a some of the disabled kids, which is always a humbling experience. The girl in the second photo with me is 16 years old, though she looks about 8 and can't speak; she can only grunt. But she loved to walk, so we walked together for about an hour.

The boy in the second and third photos with Joe was born without eyes. The birth defect is believed to be due to Agent Orange, as the genetic effects continue to be passed through generations.

Working with severely disabled children is always an eye-opening experience. What a great reminder to keep our blessings in perspective and to learn from them how to find joy and contentment no matter what the circumstances are.

- Steve

Joe and Bolivia 2009

Update on future plans from Joe:

As we’ve been traveling, serving others, and seeing the beauty of God’s creation in Latin America, China, and now Southeast Asia, I've been blessed with countless stories of how God has been vividly moving throughout the world. From building a church for a new congregation in Honduras, teaching English to orphans at Hope Unlimited in Brazil, to playing with kids in a Tibetan orphanage, the Kingdom of God is alive throughout the world. These experiences, plus exposure to foreign religions and Asian culture, have given me a better understanding of "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (Eph 3:17-19).

As we’ve been traveling, Steve, David, and I are learning what we really love to do and are good at. I realize that I love to learn about, discuss, and tell others about God, especially in relationships with college students and kids. So I began thinking that serving with one organization for several months might allow me to have a larger impact in my areas of interest.

Enter Dan Collins and Jhonny Oruzco. Dan is a missionary serving with World Venture in Bolivia discipling youth (which are considered 18-30 in Bolivia) and raising up leaders in local churches. Jhonny Oruzco is a seasoned pastor associated with the Bolivian Baptist Union with a heart for the youth of Bolivia. In September we had the opportunity to partner with Dan, Jhonny and the CCF (Christian Collegiate Fellowship from the University of Oregon) Bolivia Short Term Mission Team. After thoroughly enjoying my time there and seeing that Dan and Jhonny were actively involved in areas that excite me, I began to think about an internship. With the support of Steve and Dave (who saw how energized I was in Bolivia), I emailed Dan and have been offered a 6 month internship starting in January. I will be mentored by Dan and Jhonny, study Spanish (Me encanta!), theology, and work with both university and children's ministries. I am excited for this opportunity to serve in Bolivia!

In order to pursue this opportunity I need to raise $6000. This would cover daily living expenses, medical insurance, visa fees, travel while in Bolivia (as I'd be traveling with Dan and Jhonny to other churches in Bolivia) and language school. I ask that you would consider supporting me financially in this endeavor. Additionally, I ask that you pray for me on a regular basis. To draw from Ravi Zacharis on the importance of prayer, “Prayer is not a substitute for action, but prayer undergirds action with the strength that makes the difference.” Thank you in advance for your contribution, whether financial or in prayer. If you would like to be on the list to receive email updates, have any questions, or just want to write me, please email me at joetepe@gmail.com.

Please send donations to:
Joseph Tepe
23260 Ravensbury Ave
Los Altos Hills, CA 94024

Thank you so much,
Joe Tepe