It has been a number of weeks since we last talked – the reason for this is that Miriam and I went to Canada to visit family, friends and to do some speaking with Tabitha Canada. In our college hunting for my daughter - Miriam selected her school of choice – McMasters in Hamilton Ontario. How grateful I am for these special moments.

On my first day back I met with a house building team – the Margarita’s had a lovely build – but they also became acutely aware of the need for Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital. One house that they built was for Yea Chien and her family. Yea is 55 years old and has been ill for two years – she has a lump in her belly – a lump that has swollen to the size of a basketball. Yea takes herbal medicine – she cannot afford anything else – they are so poor. The team was saddened and helpless in her plight. My soul aches for her – my hands are empty – in Cambodia a house is so important to die in – why must she suffer so?

So I want to share our progress. We have 70% of the roof poured! How good that is! But our need is acute for the rainy season has started and we would like to complete the roof by the end of August – just before the big rains arrive. In order to do so – we need $100,000 USD – I know how big an ask this is – yet there are so many women waiting and the urgency to help continues to swell.

Then we need to finish the inside structure which we can do as the rains fall - $150,000 USD will allow us to complete stairs, finish elevator shafts, brick and mortar the walls, finish the floors –it will look so beautiful!

Electricity to run the hospital – in order to run all our equipment including the operating theaters and radiation units we need to increase our electricity to 800 KVP – a very generous Cambodian donor, is donating the cost of wire and electricity poles, plus installation costs to the hospital – but we need to buy a transformer at the cost of $57,000 USD .

I will continue to update each of you as the progress continues – it is ever so much fun to share our specific needs now that the end of the construction is nearing.

I should mention that we have made a decision not to work with just one partner but to work with many partners at Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital.  There are some very exciting discussions ongoing with a number of likeminded groups. In this process we are looking for some outstanding people to come and work with us – we are looking for a Hospital Director, a Chief Medical officer and a Chief Financial Officer. These positions are volunteer spots – with a minimum commitment of 18 months to 3 years. For those who may be interested -this is an opportunity to leave a bit of yourselves – your imprint on the lives of millions of women – this is an opportunity to leave your mark in the medical world!

I believe that with all your help – this time next year – I will no longer have to face another woman such as Yea Chien with my soul in turmoil.  I thank my God for my life, for each of you who give life to so many. May it be that together we can bring the mercy and grace we live with in such abundance to those whose lives are so difficult! How good that will be!

Janne