We Have Arrived.

It has been a looooooong trip folks! It seems like we have been traveling for days, and well, its because we have. The flights themselves havent been too bad. Long, but pretty much smooth with really nice airline employees.
I dont think it really hit me that I was actually GOING to Cambodia until we landed in Hong Kong for a layover. I just kind of kept repeating in my head, "Oh my gosh, you are landing in Hong Kong. You are on the other side of the world." Its very surreal. We spent a lot of time, meeting and preparing as a group and personally, but it is still SO surreal that I am actually here. Its like I was doing all the planning, and talking about going, but never really registering, "YOURE GOING!"
Driving to the hotel was unreal. Everyone is on scooters. By everyone I mean ENTIRE families, on one little moped. Someone driving, 2 babies in the middle, and someone on back. Not to mention, like most foriegn countries, there is basically NO traffic laws or signals, so everyone is weaving and honking and whatever else they can do in order not to get run over. There was actually a family on a scooter, and it looked from behind them in the van as though they were holding an IV. We were all thinking "No way." Yes way my friends. It was a young couple, father driving, shirtless tot in the middle, with a mother holding ther childs IV up as they drove. Its like nothing you can imagine.
From what Ive seen so far it pretty much looks like the whole city of Phonm Pehn is under construction....only it isnt, its just that much of a wreck. Everything seems to be within moments of falling apart. Its like if a brisk wind came it would be complete devestaion. There were a lot of people just hanging out in the streets. Some selling gasoline out of coke bottles, others selling what looked like cooked duck on a stick. But again, everything just seems SO run down. We passed the hospital and it looked like something out of a horror movie. You know, like the scary insane asylum some group of teenagers would be stuck in.
Our hotel however is AWESOME. We are being beyond well taken care of. Everything seems to be very organized, which will be for the best Im sure. We all had dinner at a Chinese resteraunt in the hotel and it was the best Asian food Ive ever had...I guess thats what I get for comming to Asia right?
Other than that I think everyone is exhausted beyond belief and ready for bed...I know I am. Im so excited to see what tomorrow has to bring, as we have a 5 hour bus trip to Battambang where the festival is being held. Im not sure yet what our tasks are going to be, but I know God has a plan and I cannot wait to find out what it is!
Thanks so much to all who are praying, I cant wait to get home and talk about all this in person!
God Bless.
-Brooks Decker