Our first visit to the new school location

After the school shelter was completed in November 2016, we were filled with excitement and emotion at the thought of visiting the new school and spending time with the students. This would be Thai’s first time seeing the school since Mark had been on the ground at the beginning, handling all the purchases and working closely with the local teacher, Synath. We wanted to make the visit even more special, so we came up with the idea of organizing a Spring Drive to collect school supplies and surprise the students with their very own gift bags to take home. Thanks to the generosity of the donors, this plan came to life. A special thank you to Navin, who helped secure a corporate donation from his supplies company, making a huge difference.

We ended up with two full storage bins of supplies, which we transported all the way from Toronto to Troey Koh in Kampot Province.

When we arrived at the new school, the moment was incredibly emotional. Seeing the building for the first time, with eager students waiting outside, filled our hearts with joy. We were grateful that we had decided to pay for the additional dirt trucks to level more of the rice field, turning it into a safe space where the students could play during their break time.

As we shared our plans for the gift bags with the teacher, he had an idea — why not invite the kids’ parents and create a community celebration around it? The next day, when we arrived for the event, we were completely speechless by the celebration atmosphere beyond what we had imagined. Some of those unforgettable moments included:

• The village chief, tribal council members, and local police officials were all present, with the village chief officiating the ceremony.

• The parents of the students attended, sharing in the joy of the occasion.

• One of the students gave an English speech about her daily routine.

• Food was prepared for over 100 people, a true community effort.

• And then there was...a CAKE!

The kids' excitement about the cake was contagious, and it created a buzz of happiness that we’ll never forget.

The festivities were exhausting but filled with joy, creating a lasting memory of pride and love. Definitely a moment best experienced in person to truly cherish.