Four of our team members went to Siem Reap to meet with key personnel of Paradise Mission School (a private primary school – see www.paradisemissionschool.com). Paradise Mission School does not charge students any school fee, and is self-funding. Presently, they have difficulties and we hope to understand their needs and to decide if, and how, we can help them.
Shortly after we arrived in Siem Reap, we met with Ms Yoo (Founder, and Principal of Paradise Mission School), Ms Sina, Ms Claudine and Mr Sophanny for dinner. Ms Sina, who worked with Ms Yoo since the school started seven years ago, takes on Vice-Principal responsibilities and also teaches. Ms Claudine (she did most of the translating), who is fluent in both English and Khmer, helps out in the school with the older girls while Mr Sophanny helps out in the school’s PE programme.
We had known that Ms Yoo wanted to offer Grade 7 onwards, and that she needed a license to do so. Ms Yoo’s church would not come up with the USD$25,000 for the license. To raise this amount, Ms Yoo had even sold her van and now rides a scooter. Other than funds needed for the license, there is also a need to create a classroom for the Grade 7 students. Since there’s no space to build a new classroom, Ms Yoo is hopeful they can renovate a couple of classrooms to create an extra room.
Paradise Mission School’s financial needs are urgent as the Grade 6 students are graduating soon, and the new school year starts in October. Pray with us as we meet with our other members back in Singapore to discuss and decide how we can help the school.
We also visited the school premises and gave the clothes and bags we had collected to the staff. Ms Yoo and her staff will sort out and distribute to the children another day. We then went to the school hall where the entire school was assembled for worship. The students were singing praises in Khmer, English and Korean.
Praise God for the good work He has done through Paradise Mission School!
