After we left the orphanage in Phnom Penh, we flew to Siem Reap to explore one of the seven wonders of the world with our cameras:  Angkor Wat.  We had been so involved with the orphanage, loving every moment, that we forgot to book a hotel in Siem Reap.  So there I was, sitting in baggage claim, trying to get online to book a room somewhere.  I had no idea an unexpected gift in Angkor Wat was about to be given to me.

A lady sat down next to me.  She was beautiful; long, black hair and dark brown eyes with a petite nose and warm smile.  I asked her if she’d been to Siem Reap, and she said she lived here.  What a perfect person to ask for advice on where to stay.  She mentioned a couple places, but soon we were talking about our time at the orphanage.  I was so full from our time that I spilled story after story out, and she was so gracious to listen to them all.  Then she excused herself to make a call.

When she came back to me, she said that she had booked us a room at the five star Hotel De La Paix.  It’s one of the most exquisite hotels in Siem Reap with the room rates starting at $350 USD.  You can only imagine the beauty of this place because a $350 room in a third world country IS something to write home about.  She gave us the room and said she wanted to give us a place of rest after all we’d done in Phnom Penh.  Brian and I didn’t know what to say.  But she insisted that it was her pleasure.  She was incredibly moved by the stories from our time at the orphanage.  And before you knew it, we were in a taxi headed to one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever stayed at.

We had the wonderful honor of meeting the hotel managers and learned about their commitment to supporting the arts and people in need.  They were all eager to hear of our time at the orphanage.  And I have a feeling that this beautiful, mystery woman at the airport, started a relationship…friendship…of something powerful to come.

After spending the last several nights, sleeping on mats in a room above a coffee shop for $20 a night, we all dove into the plush, white sheets of Hotel De La Paix.  The four of us indulged in long showers and then slept as long as we could in those clouds of white sheets.

The kids were amazed to see how an unexpected gift like this could happen.  It spurred so many conversations about faith, hope, helping those in need, giving space for the unexpected, and on and on, conversations I will always treasure.

The next day we got in a Tuk Tuk and headed to Angkor Wat.  We had no idea what to expect.   I kept thinking of the signs in the airport, Welcome to the Country of Wonder.  Our time at the orphanage had definitely be  filled with wonder.  Little did I know that as our Tuk Tuk putted it’s way down the mangrove road, another kind of wonder prepared to welcome us.

Here is a sneak peak of the wonder we came upon at sunrise!

xoxo,

Me Ra