Posted in Cambodia on October 4, 2023
Day one by Russ
White tee shirt day
First impressions of our first day building a floating home in Cambodia.
Eight white tee shirts started out in a torrential downpour. What an enthusiastic group singing in the bus, laughing, and finding great things to say about rain. Mike has become our weatherman and he rightly predicted sunshine on site. We switched from the van into the floor of dug out style riverboats to reach the site in true adventure style. Our first task was moving wood and at first our enthusiasm overtook our organizational ability. That quickly changed and by mid day, Leanna commented ‘we are on fire’. The village is a tight knit community and the children slowly began entering our worksite helping and being curious. By end of Day folks were watching our progress and smiling and interacting.
This Sales Force volunteer team is super hard-working enthusiast and involved in the project. Everyone found a special trade to excel at. Bolt specialists were Janet, Janet, and Angie. Shruti took over the big drill and moved around the site like a pro. Mike, Maham and Leanna were everywhere lifting moving, bolting drilling and working hard. Of course, our host Paren was organizing and working all day and beyond.
By end of day, we had a solid structure ready for flooring tomorrow.
On the way home everyone continued their cheery waving and laughter which quieted down on the ride home as I dozed off!
A great day. Incidentally Maham won the dirtiest white tee shirt contest, hands down.
Salesforce in Cambodia Summary
Overview of building a floating home in Cambodia
The team made great progress through the week. The one very wet day we were at the contractor’s house moving lumber from the water to the table saw/planer then back to the water. The task was wet dirty and noisy! In typical optimistic and humorous fashion, someone announced that the weather forecast was wet with a chance of sawdust. A tarp was erected across the road and team members stood by with long sticks each time a bus came through our workshop, or was it their road! Here and on every task the team excelled in coordinating assembly line like precision and unlimited smiles. Back at the village the children were really getting to know us, laughing, helping, and playing football with Mike.
The house was essentially completed with team members painting final touches by end of day Thursday.
Friday, Launch day, was preceded by ceremonial offerings and attendance by the village chief. Unknown to us a call had gone out for help and when we were ready over 20 people had arrived to help us lift, push, and finally float the home.
We were invited into the house by its proud new owner and her huge smile told us this floating house was now a home to mom, dad, four children and grandma!
It was truly a team effort and an experience we all will remember with compassion and pride.
Posted in Cambodia on October 4, 2023
