HONOUR VILLAGE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS, 2012.

Dear Friends and Sponsors of Honour Village Cambodia,

We thought you might like to share a glimpse of our Christmas at Honour Village. Preparations involved every one of the 350 children who come for classes at Honour Village, as one day’s lessons were set aside in favour of handiwork – making Christmas decorations! This year they excelled themselves, and our children in their four homes spent free time as well, with their mothers, making the most ornate paper-cuts we have seen yet. The four homes and classrooms were beautifully decked-out.

This year, for the first time, our Christmas included five visits to two hotels and the Paul Dubrule Hotel Training School to sing our Christmas concert and enjoy a meal with additional treats at each visit, plus rides on a bus through town to admire the Christmas lights! We were able to take over $200 to Angkor Hospital for Children as a result of our singing, as we will never sing for our own benefit. Singing: ‘A Baby was born in Bethlehem’ at Sofitel Illumination Ceremony.

Our Big Party was held on Sunday, 23rd December, and 400 children arrived to join in the fun and games, baguettes, cake, Santa Claus and a party gift. We had many willing volunteers to help, both western and Khmer, and we

organised five different activity areas round the site as well as a nursery room for the youngest children. On Christmas Day we enjoyed our sponsored gift time. The children enjoy Shaun the Sheep whilst staff prepare baguettes!

We would like to send a special thank you to those of you who sponsored the food, soft drinks and party gifts, which ranged through baby toys, light-up balls, small cars, hair ornaments, notebooks and pens, and novelty alarm clocks ($1.50 each!) Our neighbours called in during the Big Party, to say how happy they were to see so many children enjoying themselves. They come over quite often, especially when we are celebrating! It is so good to see neighbours happy with what is happening at Honour Village, and wanting to show their support and join in the fun for a while. Enjoying the lovingly prepared baguettes….

We wish you all a very Happy New Year and hope that some of you will be able to visit us during 2013. If you have written recently asking for news, please accept this as a personal reply; I am snowed under with e-mails and it is becoming harder to keep pace as we go along. I am thinking of writing a monthly letter which I can send to anyone who asks for interim news, although of course I will still write personal letters whenever possible! If you have not received the newsletter, please let me know. We have changed the system and are not yet sure how well it is working. Party Gift Time

It would be a great help if you would press a blank reply NOW, so we have a record of who has received this letter. THANK YOU!

And finally below, the energy gets a bit much for some as Kim Seng takes a breather in the afternoon! Later on some of the older village children stay on for evening dancing with us while the staff enjoy a much deserved evening baguette!

We hope that 2013 is a prosperous and healthy year for everyone who follows and supports us and if you’d like to help support our development, we welcome volunteers with many skills both in the UK as well as in Cambodia. For further info contact Sue at sue@honourvillagecambodia.org or info@honourvillagecambodia.org for anyone else. With kindest regards, Sue and the Honour Village Family.