 Under the leadership of Jim and Elaine Pollock (Team Jim Pollock -July 2018) there were 18 of us all together for this year's Tabitha House Building Project in a village outside of Kampot province in Cambodia.. We built 13 houses of which funds were raised or contributed to by each member of the team. The cost for each house and also a water supply per house was $2000USD. This could be shared between two team members. Each member also paid for their own expenses such as air flights, hotel accommodation, buses, food etc The families that had houses built for them were part of the Tabitha Savings Pogram. These families save $30USD toward materials and volunteers such as our team fund the balance of the costs. We travel to Cambodia to help finish building the houses. The result is a shared experience and understanding between cultures. Part of the funds supplied also goes towards a water supply to enable each family access to clean water which help eliminate many illnesses. This also allows the families to increase theit income through raising livestock and growing crops year around.. We arlso feel very priveledged to be a part of paying it forward in this way..
Some highlights from this build
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Pascal and Claudiine Dufroux live in Queensland and were both part of the Tabitha House Building Project (Team Jim Pollock) in July 2017. Claudine was also a part of the team in 2016. Through Jim's association with the Tabitha Foundation Cambodia and founder Janne Ritskes we learnt about the new Women's Hospital - Nokor Tep being built. Completion is hoped to be for March 2018 and Pascal and Claudine offered their services, first as volunteers to help clean and then to plan, educate, train and provide tehnical advice to Cambodian staff.  Below is an email Jim received from Pascal. Pascal and Claudine Dufroux have a cleaning business called Innova Services Group. which is now being run by their daughter with Pascal still overseeing it. The start of a journey... "Hi Jim, Hope you're all good. Some updates about the Hospital. As Claudine mentioned to you, Janne and I have been exchanging emails for the last few days. To be honest and I understand the situation, she really doesn't know exactly what's going to be ready by early March. See below one of her last emails we received: "Dear Pascal, When she's talking about our expectations, I think she was afraid for us to go there as "professional cleaners" and be scared by the messy site we might (and I'm sure it will) find there. So I reassure her that we have no expectations at all, We have dealt with bigger building sites here in Australia and we will go first as volunteers to clean. Then we can manage, plan, train and provide technical advice for the project. I have now received the floor plan of the hospital and will do some planning before going but I have no doubt that the "fun" will start definitely once there. I'm sure with positive attitude, a bit of a "French flair", lot of experiences ......and elbow grease ...YES WE CAN We will be bring your money (thank you very much) and hopefully some from our side as well as I am sure equipment will be needed. I asked her about chemicals and equipment collected here in Australia and ship to Cambodia but she wasn't too keen and would prefer to buy locally to get the same suppliers for years to come....fair enough. So basically not much we can do from here until February I guess Cheers Pascal & Claudine" Click on picturese below to get more information about Innova Services Group
 Cambodia- Tabitha House Building July 2017 A while back Jim and Elaine wanted to do a charity thing Invited any of their friends, colleagues to do some building Build houses in Cambodia for poor farmers in Kampot They need anyone who can come and help a lot We all came together at a place to eat Jim introducing each of us with a greet Twenty One of us in total as a group Some ate meat, noodles, frog or soup. We all went to the Tabitha Foundation headquarters Saw beautiful things made from silk, there were wallets, purses and pyjamas Janne spoke to us about the foundation, Cambodia and Pol Pot Many people now helped but before some killed, tortured or shot Visited the Toul Sleng Prison for men, women or children What a place, many sad memories, cruel and sullen So many people, so many lives destroyed and lost Innocent people, young or old came with a cost Taken from prison to an unknown area, field or place Moments to live, looking sad, feeling hardship they did brace Many a body lies in a huge grave or pit Those poor unfortunate Cambodians with bones broken or split A lovely visit to the hospital that Janne is getting built for women only So much to do, organize and I’m sure sometimes for her quite lonely What a huge achievement this women with help can build By workers, volunteers and labourers that are quite skilled Travelled in three buses to Kampot through markets, provinces and rice paddy House, farms, roads that are looking a bit shabby Learning a bit of Khmer the language here Sounding really weird and a little bit queer Walking to a place for some good food Talking, joking and above all in a good mood Someone lay dying after a motorbike crash All of us around, we were there in a flash No Cambodians helping or trying to sort it out The family of the man will know what happened, no doubt Feeling a bit sad, the mood was quite grim Thinking about that poor man -we didn’t even know him Met Addheka- a women who has had tragedy in her life She has helped and taught a lot of people that may have been in strife She is an inspiration to all her friends, colleagues and how she helps the poor Educating people in her school, her aid projects, it isn’t a chore Got to meet Sakun, a man with lots of courage He got people dancing, making videos –he did encourage Has had a lot of support in his work at Epic Art Now is a volunteer at PPCIL which is just the start Time had come to build houses made of wood and tin Hammering in nails and trying not to hit your skin Up ladders, into the house, banging it together with satisfaction Our team going great and even with some locals interaction Built 15 houses for a village, the humidity and heat Did some drawing, some skipping which was a feat Gave the families a beautiful embroidered blanket for the floor They were so grateful, so humble and yet quite poor Visited a school, which had not a lot of room way out in a village Sang songs, did some movements, left equipment which was our privilege Some of the team went to the mountain to see across the valley Walking, climbing, cold and looking around which was right up their alley On a river cruise to relax, have a drink and chill Saw fireflies flickering that could not keep still Pouring with rain, having fun dancing on the boat Choosing a song from someone’s phone with a musical note Last meal together having a great time and chat Saying goodbye to all and giving them a hug or pat Everyone has had a fantastic time doing the humanitarian thing Our determination and what we could achieve we did bring You came away from this trip with maybe a new direction or drive Helping others, less fortunate than us and happy to be alive A wonderful experience, helping people whose lives may be grim It has been such a privilege -THANK YOU so very much ---Elaine and Jim Written by Anthea Hill- Tabitha/Cambodian Trip 2017  Anthea and Stephen Hill with one of the Village families July 2017
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