Overnight the villagers had hosted the three wooden frames up onto the concrete foundations. How they managed to lift and brace into place remains a mystery to me. After the hard work of nailing down the floor boards, we were able to spend time getting to know the kids and families. Because they remembered us from the day before, they seemed so much more comfortable with us, some of the older ones even practicing their limited English speaking skills with us.
By this stage the house is really starting to take shape and resemble more of a house then a pile of wood stuck together. It was such an opportunity to be able to help in the construction of the house, and with the Monks as interpreters both our group and the villages were able to work together to achieve our goal. The villagers were so grateful and it showed through their acceptance of us in the village, showing us around and letting us explore. The weather held out for us, though some booming thunder after lunch had us a wary of a down pour!
The builders seemed to accomplish a lot more in a shorter time in our absence but it was great that we had a chance at hitting in some nails and sawing wooden planks. There were enough builders that some of the group were building and some were playing skipping with the children. During this time the women had returned from the rice fields and started separating the skins from the rice. This was done using a motor and a machine where the woman pours the rice into a part at the top of the machine that is funnel shaped. I (Benita) tried to ask what happens to the rice in the machine but neither the village woman or the monk knew how to say what was occurring in English. Jackie and I helped scoop the rice into the bags and then I had a go at separating the rice without the skins from those with the skins by shaking them in a particular way inside large round woven pan. It looked quite easy as I was watching the village woman but as soon as I tried to have a go I began to appreciate the skill in separating the rice. By the time I had finished trying to get it right, which I still can't, I had quite a crowd watching me with a few village men and women laughing at my poor attempts although I was laughing with them just as much!
Once the house had been completed with the steps leading up and the roof over the steps some of us had the privilege to be counted in the ceremony for the house. People were chosen particularly so there were something like five elders needed and so forth but I can't recall exactly who was required because sometimes it is hard to understand the monks accent when they talk quickly. We walked around the house three times following a man who had the incense sticks which he placed at each of the corners as we went by. Then we stood at the foot of the stairs where a bit of a comedy play was put on representing a man removing the bad spirit from the house. This was pretty funny although we could not understand the Khmer language and it had the whole village laughing as well.
Inside the house the monks sat along the wall and in this particular part of the ceremony only those chosen were allowed to sit inside the house. The guys had to sit at the front facing the monks and the girls behind them. Words were exchanged between the monk and the family and Geraldine had to speak a bit about what she wanted for the family, so a good future ect. and then the monks sang although I have no idea what about because we were not told anything except to just be a part of the ceremony. It was a really unique experience and I am sure there will be more to come!
By Kristy Janssen & Benita Bauer
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