Are They Leaving Us Before We Leave Them?

Dear Family and Friends

• A month or so ago, Vothana in the next office (so he walked through our office regularly) resigned to take up a more senior position in another NGO.
• Barbara Lund, our Asia Desk contact in the Evangelical Church in America (ELCA), resigned her position and has gone off to run a retreat centre (after years of travelling all over Asia). 
• As you know, David the Country Rep left about two and a half weeks ago on his annual leave and is probably fishing in Wisconsin at the moment. 
• About the same time, Socheat, the cheery receptionist, left to start her own business, so she’s no longer there to be teased by (and to tease back!) Marcus. 
• With Vannary’s brother here from France, she’s taking two weeks annual leave, so she’s not in the office these days.
• (And her Linda is off in Japan on a school trip at the moment.)
• Phallay, who’s been cooking for us every lunch hour for weeks now has also taken annual leave –suddenly– leaving us in the lurch yesterday. 
• When Ruth is off at an all-day meeting, we wonder when she’ll be back. 

So, it cheers us when:

• Seang Eng sends out the invitation to our LWF Cambodia farewell.
• Haruki calls from Hokkaido to check that we’re comfortable buying our train tickets from the airport.
• Members of the Catholic worshipping community email their best wishes. 
• Phallay comes in from annual leave to bring us lunch – even if it is the same day as…
• Jean-François and Myriam have us over for lunch and a rapid-fire visit, grilling Marcus for all they can learn from his professional wisdom.
• Canadian friends and family write emails looking forward to our return.

And it cheers Marcus, in particular, when people in Hokkaido comment on the 30* temperatures there.

Decathecting from Cambodia
we are
M&M in Phnom Penh