Rob & Deb August 3, 2020 Newsletters Comments Off full post »

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS MAY 2020

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run the race with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS MAY 2020

“IN LIFE, IT IS NOT WHERE YOU GO, BUT WHO YOU TRAVEL WITH” is the caption of a popular Peanuts cartoon by Charles Schultz. In this season of traveling parts of Australia meeting together with new and old friends, this cartoon captures some of the essence of the life we have been honoured to journey this past six months.

Six months ago, we arrived on mainland Australia and began criss-crossing state borders, visiting many lounge rooms and chapels, walked some bush trails and seen sunrise and sunsets over beaches, but where we have journeyed is far less impactful than who we have been with. A highlight has been the stories we have shared with cross-cultural workers and their families from decades past who inspired us and treated us like close family members. Many cross-cultural workers and their supporters shared their passion with us to see true peace bring transformation to people of other communities and cultures.

One story of William and Millie Wilson (affectionately known as Bill and Mill), when they first went to the live cross-culturally, they were well into their 70’s. Bill and Mill were the answer to many needs for team support in the place where they served. The team leader of the time later confided with Bill that he had been hoping for younger team members. However, in the first month of their arrival Bill beat the then team leader at both tennis and squash. Together we learn and grow from sharing stories.

We are now ready to return to Cambodia, but there are a few hurdles that have emerged due to the impacts on international travel from COVID-19. As well as the Australian government placing a ban on overseas travel, there have been considerable restrictions on availability of flights and restrictions on arrival and transfers between many countries. We are encouraged however to hear in the past week that Cambodia has removed a number of restrictions on arrivals of people from certain countries and their neighbour Thailand has signalled it is removing restrictions on passengers arriving and transferring on flights to places like Cambodia by the end of June.

We have heard predictions of months to years that will pass before international travel will get moving again, but we are becoming more hopeful that there are signs that parts of the world like Cambodia will be cautiously opening their doors to international arrivals soon.

In the meantime, we have returned our primary attention to Cambodia and are putting in place increased hours of Khmer language lessons, team Zoom meetings and are considering a physical move of our current Australian home base to be living within a Khmer community north of Adelaide. We are excited about these opportunities before us.

Thank you for your partnership with us. Thank you to those who in the past few months have increased, maintained or begun their financial support of us. We are humbled in the knowledge that many of you have remained generous in your support despite finding this season bringing amplified financial and other difficulties. The work we are a part of in Cambodia is only made possible by your generosity. If you would like to contribute either a tax-deductible pledge of a regular amount, or a once off donation please be in touch, or click on the ‘Support Rob & Deb Griffith’ orange box below

Support Rob & Deb Griffith

Jim & Marilyn Kime shared stories, even songs with us from three different countries they served in and the years of volunteering with the same mission agency Global Interaction.

Ros Gooden shares her heart for history. She has served both overseas since 1965 for 18 years and then in the head office 21 years, and volunteers currently all with Global Interaction.

From Five Barley Loaves: Australian Baptists in Global Mission 1864-2010 Edited by Tony Cupit, Ros Gooden and Ken Manley.
We highly recommend this book to read and re-read many inspiring stories.

Thankfulness:
For all the many creative ways you have expressed support for the Khmer people. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
For the pandemic inspired opportunity to reset rhythms and be still more than usual.
For the wisdom and inspiration received from the many who have blessed our journey.
Requests:
For wisdom for our agency as they navigate changes and transitions together.
For our family as we cheer each other across significant distances and borders despite all being in Australia.
For discernment to live within the Khmer community of South Australia.
For adjustments to online learning with our Khmer language nurturers from the village community where we call ‘home’.

Rob & Deb May 13, 2020 Newsletters Comments Off full post »

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS APRIL 2020

Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Philippians 2:2

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS APRIL 2020 What does a pandemic look like in Cambodia?

With the Australian media saturation of COVID-19 coverage focused mostly on how Australia is coping compared to places like America and Europe you might be wondering how somewhere like Cambodia is managing. Cambodia has had officially a total of 122 cases of positive COVID-19 infection, with no reported deaths. This week marks more than 2 weeks having passed without an official new infection.

It sounds like pretty positive progress when Australia is approaching 90 deaths to COVID-19, but there have been reports of air travel passengers departing Cambodia receiving positive tests on their port of arrival, so the Cambodian testing activity may have some ‘blind-spots’ to the actual levels of infection.

The response to the disease has had a huge impact. When the first case of virus infection was recorded in Siem Reap the government closed all schools. Government schools have no capacity to take classrooms ‘on-line’ with most teachers not having access to a computer and most families not even having a smart phone, unless they are relatively wealthy. Siem Reap being a tourist city has had a lot of the tourist dependant businesses close. Without a social security safety net, there will be knock-on effects to thousands of Khmer workers in the tourist sector and their families. Many rely on their income to have loans to repay motorbikes among other things. Due to concern around COVID-19 this past month the Cambodian government cancelled the holiday for Khmer New Year (which would be a bit like a Western government cancelling Christmas). And to cap it off the principal of the school garden where Rob volunteers reported that the strawberry plants are all dead!

Thankfully in the village we usually call home our Khmer friends report that everyone is healthy. Many of the Khmer have modified some of their activities and will often wear homemade style facemasks, but the more novel way of protecting their family is to place a scarecrow looking effigy outside their home to confuse the bad spirits to infect the effigy instead of their actual family members!

Being based back in Australia for the past 5 months, we very much miss living in Cambodia. Had there been no travel restrictions, we would have been preparing in the next month to soon be back in our Cambodian home. With some talk of international travel being the last restriction to be lifted, we are in for an unknown waiting period. Meanwhile we have started back working on our Khmer language learning and revision. Our focus is shifting to returning well; prepared for our next 3 years in Siem Reap province Cambodia.

Thank you to those who have supported us to share God’s love in Cambodia. Thank you for those of you who have encouraged us and shared stories with us in recent weeks about how Jesus changes everything. We know that these are uncertain and difficult times for many.

Here is a video we prepared for you: https://vimeo.com/400078112

Global Interaction has prepared a lot of May Mission Month resources that you can also check out here: https://www.globalinteraction.org.au/be-involved/may-mission-month

The work we are a part of in Cambodia is only made possible by your generosity. If you would like to contribute either a pledge of a regular amount, or a once off donation please be in touch, or click on the ‘Support Rob & Deb Griffith‘ orange rectangle below.

Support Rob & Deb Griffith

Learning that the discipline of playing the piano can be used to bring joy to many, as it bought Deb deep joy in listening.

Skipping like we have never seen. Yes, God uses all aspects of our skills, character and our story to touch the lives of others.

Thankfulness:
For good health among our Khmer friends and families, our team and own families.
For ease of access to communicate with our Khmer friends and our family.
For you and all supporters who are faithfully supporting and upholding us, and our family.
Requests
Discernment for all families/individuals experiencing new stressors and changes.
For clarity of our message as we share God’s heart for mission with many.
Wisdom for our team families based in Cambodia that they can know and share God’s peace.

Rob & Deb April 4, 2020 Newsletters Comments Off full post »

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS MARCH 2020

He says, Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS MARCH 2020

The world seems like a different place. When we returned to Australian soil in late November the world stock markets were continuing to climb to record levels. Despite parts of Australia having suffered from severe drought and bush fires resulting in devastation of thousands of homes, unemployment rates in Australia was lower than forecast. While we had been in Cambodia last year Australia elected a government that promised to return a budget surplus of 7.1 billion dollars and eliminate all debt in a decade. These things now seem a distant memory and the world news is dominated with just one subject.

Our own situation has changed quite a bit as well. We are still thankful for many friends who have loaned us accommodation and modes of transport for our travels and training, but our ‘wings have been clipped’ of late. This week we entered self-isolation back in South Australia after our travels had taken us to Maroubra, Kurrajong and Orange NSW. We had been preparing to visit Narromine last weekend, where Rob had been asked to present a message on ‘Fairness to the poor’ at Narromine Baptist church, but then the whole idea of meetings in places like church buildings became inconceivable.

We discovered on our last night in New South Wales that we were staying in the suburban area that could boast Australia’s most concentrated occurrence of COVID-19 infections. Before boarding our Adelaide flight, we passed through airport check-in and screening area where there was no need to worry about personal distancing. There was nobody else to line up with us. We certainly have little to complain about being ‘isolated’ in a place like Australia. In our thoughts about COVID-19 impacts, we can’t help but think of our friends in Cambodia, many of whom can’t afford to buy soap, let alone hand sanitiser to maintain good hygiene. If you require a ventilator in Cambodia you probably need to travel to somewhere like Singapore or Thailand. People in places like Cambodia are likely to be severely impacted by COVID-19.

Our plan has been to prepare for return to Cambodia for our next three years before the middle of the year. Right now, we know that we have to hold all our plans loosely. We had planned to visit friends and church groups between now and the end of May. To help us stay connected with people we have now downloaded numerous social media platforms that until recently we had not heard of! This week we have video style meetings planned using at least 4 different platforms. This week we are prepared for a Loom, Google Hangout, Messenger, WhatsApp or Zoom chat together; although we hadn’t even heard about the first couple until recently.

We still require further financial support before we can return to Cambodia. If you are in a position to become a financial supporter or even increase the support level that you might already give, please be in touch. We are required to reach our budget target through donations and pledges. If you would like to contribute either a pledge of a regular (monthly/quarterly/yearly) amount or a once off donation please be in touch, or click on the ‘Support Rob & Deb Griffith‘ link below.

Support Rob & Deb Griffith

Visiting people and events is changing to stay connected.

Rob’s Dad near 90 years old.

Thankfulness:
For safe travels around South Australia, New South Wales then two weeks of mandatory self-isolation.
Being well supported by the community while in isolation.
Sharing with many people so keen to engage in story telling in old and new ways.
For God’s promises reinforcing he never changes but he changes everything.
Requests
For the Cambodia impact of COVID-19 that will disproportionately affect the poor.
For flexibility and creativity with staying connected with others in new ways.
For our Cambodia team as we have currently three family units in Cambodia and three in Australia each seeking to share God’s living hope among the Khmer people.

Rob & Deb April 4, 2020 Newsletters Comments Off full post »

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS FEBRUARY 2020

Caste all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Isaiah 43:19

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS FEBRUARY 2020

You are here! When you are standing looking at a map on a signboard ‘you are here’ is often the label that helps you orientate yourself. On a recent visit to Granite Island in South Australia we were drawn to look at various sculpture installations scattered around the island. Some art works seemed almost to blend into the environment, others seemed bizarrely out of place. The last one to gain our attention was a mixture of both. One piece of art was the sign like one you might expect to announce the name of a park, simply bore the words “You are here”. Something about this sign seemed to be profound and humorous at the same time. How often are we really present in the moment? So often our concerns or maybe even our electronic devices transport us to another place.

Over the past couple of months, we have had a few moments where we wondered where we were or have missed being present in the moment due to many conflicting thoughts and adjustments to being back in Australia. Sometimes we have felt overwhelmed by the number of choices that are available in a supermarket, or found the adjustment to new methods of payment somewhat baffling.

Other times we have seen things with a new clarity that we could only have received by being absent from Australian culture for a while. Returning to Australia after 3 years in Cambodia has helped us to see some things in new light.

When we first arrived back one of our first questions was: Where are all the people? We could drive though a whole suburb in a city and only see people through windows of the car that drove past (presumably the remainder were hidden within the house where they live). In rural Cambodia where we have grown to call home, people spend most of their time outside. Houses are a place you might choose to sleep inside, but that is about it. There is so many more opportunities to build relationships with Khmer people just by the design of their homes. Khmer people in a rural village cook, eat and wash their dishes outdoors; they sit, entertain guests and even bathe outside. We have so many more opportunities to interact with our neighbours living in Cambodia.

Warm hospitality has been our experience of our time spent with friends right around Australia during our travels. Some of the homes we have stayed in however, purely by design, make us strangely feel isolated from other people. Modern architecture has taken away the outdoor sitting space on the front veranda, as well as the space to hang a hammock or swing a cricket bat! Aussie architects, don’t forget the importance of community and being a blessing to your neighbours…

In past weeks we visited friends at Wagga Wagga, Wodonga, Torquay and around Melbourne. More recently we caught up with South Australian friends from Laura, Broadview, Andrews Farm, Blackwood and beyond with more to follow. During the next month we have a number of opportunities to meet with people in 2 states, some of which are mentioned below. If you haven’t booked a date to catch up with us, please be in touch.

Global Interaction is the organisation that equips, cares for us and sends us to Cambodia. They rightly require that we raise 100% of the budget required for the next 3-year term in Cambodia. This doesn’t need to be all the funds in our hands or bank account, but if good people like yourself are able to pledge to support us regularly in the future that can be counted as well. At this time, we need to increase our support by close to $900 per month for 3.5 years. If you are in a position to become a financial supporter or even increase the support level that you might already give, please be in touch. We hope to reach our budget target through donations and pledges by April. If you would like to contribute either a pledge of a regular (monthly/quarterly/yearly) amount or a once off donation please be in touch, or click on the ‘Support Rob & Deb Griffith‘ link below.

https://www.globalinteraction.org.au/who-we-are/people-groups/khmer/rob-and-deb

Support Rob & Deb Griffith

We have been privileged to feel some beach sand under our feet and bicycle tyres!

A typical living space at a Khmer home.

Thankfulness:
For reconnecting in person with Rob’s parents for the first time in well over 3 years.
Making new friends and reconnecting with old ones across 3 states in January and Feb.
For valuable training opportunities and time for reflection, study and retreat.
Requests:
For increased financial support to reach our 100% required target by April.
For our team in Cambodia as they prepare for a team gathering and covenant making early in March.
That God’s Mission, globally and locally, will be something that ordinary Aussie Christians see themselves as engaged in.
For team Cambodia members preparing for the transitions of home assignment.
For wisdom, discernment, family, rest, energy, fruitful meetings, sharing, travels, and daily schedule.

Rob & Deb April 4, 2020 Newsletters Comments Off full post »

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS JANUARY 2020

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS JANUARY 2020

Happy New Year! We have found ourselves back in Australia to experience our first Christmas and New Year back on ‘home’ soil after being in Cambodia for the previous four Christmas and New Years. Living in a country that places far more importance on a lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian one has helped us see these events in different light. Christmas is not celebrated in Cambodia and passes as just an ordinary day. The passing of one calendar year to the next is similar in that not much attention is given to it, especially in the mostly non-urban parts of Cambodia. The Gregorian Calendar makes more sense in parts of the world with distinctly cold and hot seasons. Geographies that are hot all the time like Cambodia have remained more connected to cycles of the moon and wet seasons, will leave their new year celebrations until the right moon cycle in April.

The New Year celebrations and Christmas are literally big business in Australia. Australians empty their wallets and expand their credit card debts while bottle shops and department stores make their largest sales volumes for the year. It all feels a bit strange behaviour to us after our long absence. We found many other strange things returning to Australia such as driving on the opposite side of the road and other drivers speed and techniques that suggest they don’t anticipate anyone else is on the road! We also wondered where all the people were in Tasmania at first until we realised that they were sheltering inside their houses or cars from the cold weather. Khmer people in contrast to Australians drive defensively to survive and tend to live life outside their homes more than they are in them.

We returned to Australia via Tasmania in November. We loved coming together as a family to share in our son Jeremy and new daughter-in-law Alana’s wedding. Sharing in the preparation for the day and packing up together with the expanded family was a gift. Deb’s purple dress was worn to honour the Khmer sewer and was not out of place. We have been based in our eldest daughter’s South Australian country home for much of December and the beginning of January, before we start our first interstate trip and participate in some Global Interaction training in Melbourne over the next month.

We would love to catch up and share some time together with you whilst we are in Australia. We are traveling across four states over the next five months, so please be in touch if you want to see us and we can share locations, venues, events and churches where you might catch us near you. Our calendar is looking quite full, but there are lots of opportunities to meet including the following events for South Australians.

We will also need to increase our support level before our mid-year departure due to a fall in the Aussie dollar value and some increased expenses. If you would like to contribute either a pledge of a regular (monthly/quarterly/yearly) amount or a once off donation please be in touch, or click on the ‘Support Rob & Deb Griffith‘ link or box below.

https://www.globalinteraction.org.au/who-we-are/people-groups/khmer/rob-and-deb

Support Rob & Deb Griffith

Back in Australia but feeling out of place

We are back in Australia but feeling culturally out of place now having two home country’s but not fully belonging to either.

Our family sharing in wedding together

Our family sharing in Jeremy & Alana’s wedding together.

Thankfulness:
For the joy and love shared together with all at Jeremy and Alana’s wedding.
Reuniting in person with family relationships.
For good health reports for us with our catch up medical reviews.
Happy news our eldest daughter Rebekah announces her engagement with fiancé David.
Requests:
For meaningful opportunities to share with family, friends and supporters.
For cultural adjustments to living in Australia whilst feeling we don’t quiet fit as well.
For wisdom, discernment, energy, fruitful meetings, sharing, travels, and daily schedule.