WBI Christmas Party

The annual Christmas party at the WBI is an event that people look forward to all year. This year was no exception as the students has spent several weeks preparing the decorations, especially the ornamental stars that you see here in this picture. The students had a great time making them, and they were encouraged that they could make such beautiful Christmas ornaments with such inexpensive materials.


It was also great to see SiNol and Srey Lis acting as the emcees for the program. These two students were extremely shy when they arrived at school just a little over a year ago. However, their antics in front of everyone, especially those of SiNol, caused everyone to laugh so hard and they are still a topic of many conversations at the Bible School.


Here you are seeing some of our students singing a special Christmas song they had prepared for the program.


Another special event for the night was the graduation of Malachi. Just that day, he had passed his final test at the Bible school, allowing him to finish the few classes that he had remaining in his education. In this picture, you are seeing Pastor Greg Fernandez, the president of the school and Malachi’s soon-to-be fiancée affixing the ceremonial collar after Malachi received his diploma.


The night went on with several games and other activities. Here you are seeing a very competitive game of musical chairs which in its closing rounds had to be officiated by our District Superintendent who later held a long stick to assure fairplay.


Another of the games involved the popping of balloons using sticks affixed with needles. Here you are seeing So Phol preparing to throw her dart.


A fun custom that the Khmer people have when they share gifts in this type of setting is that those receiving the gift most perform some type of action prescribed by the giver. Here you are seeing SoPhol and Pholla dancing so that they may receive their gifts.


Besides his work as an emcee, SiNol’s dancing that night has made him quite famous. That night, he was a modern day King David, dancing to the music of praise to God, though praise the Lord, he was dressed more appropriately.


This is a group picture of us and our students taken that day. Being part of their lives and they ours is a great blessing to us, one that we would not trade for anything else in this world.