Scraping By On Scraps

Everyday, 60-year-old Grandma Yorn of Cambodia rides her bicycle to the market to gather discarded vegetables and rice that have fallen to the ground. Occasionally, someone will give her a scrap bone — to make soup.

“I cannot be choosy about what we will eat,” Grandma Yorn says.

Grandma Yorn takes care of her two grandchildren, who were left orphaned when their parents died. Another grown daughter Phea and her 2-year-old son also live with her.

The only work available for this family of widows and orphans is the occasional laundry or cleaning job for Aunt Phea. And a lack of income has prevented the children from attending school.

“It is too bad that the older children cannot go to school because they have to watch the baby while I work,” Aunt Phea says. “Plus, there isn’t really enough money to pay for school fees.”

Operation Blessing came to visit their village and offered to help in some practical ways. First, OB delivered enough sacks of rice to last them a whole year, along with bundles of vegetables and dried meat and fish.

“There will always be rice with every meal -- for a whole year! Thank you, you are so generous,” Grandma Yorn says.

The Operation Blessing team also delivered new uniforms, bags, school supplies, even school fees -- everything that the children needed to go back to school.

Finally, to help stabilize the women’s income, Operation Blessing gave them a grant to start their own small convenience store. Now, Aunt Phea can earn money without having to leave home.

“I can work with my baby beside me. Thank you! Operation Blessing solved all our problems,” Phea says with a big smile.