The Puppet Show

We were excited to hear that we had the assignment to do the Puppet Show. It has turned out to be a great challenge … but very rewarding. We started practicing the show with the puppeteers on November 1. We finally received a schedule and started the shows in February. The shows will go to the end of May. All of this years performances are in the Kampong Chhnang province … about two hours from Phnom Penh.























The purpose of the show is to teach hygiene to school children in the provinces outside of Phnom Penh. The program is sponsored by LDS Charities and IRD, an NGO. IRD provides coordination with the schools and the transportation to the shows. LDS Charities provides the puppets, a senior missionary couple, puppeteers and pays other expenses. At the end of the show we hand out a toothbrush and toothpaste to each of the children and teachers.






























"What am I supposed to do with this?"





A typical show day starts at 6:00 a.m., breakfast along the road, show at the first school, lunch, show at the second school, drive home, dinner with the puppeteers, home at 7:00 p.m. The schools can have from 40 – 400 students … all primary school age. The CD player and amplifier are powered by two car batteries because there is no electricity where we put on the shows.
































One of our best adventures was going by boat to a school. The experience was exciting for the puppeteers as well as for us. We were on the boat for about 1/2 hour from the end of the road to the school. The school was located on the grounds of a Wat(Pagoda). This was a very memorable experience.




























The experience for us has been a delight. The puppeteers are an outstanding group of youth from the Phnom Penh 2nd Branch. Some have now left for missions and two of the current cast have just been released from their missions. We enjoy being with them.

Of course seeing the reaction of the children to the show is best. They really focus on the program. You will notice in their faces the laughter and the wonder of it all. Some of the children are frightened of the two of us. We’re white, big and old … something they don’t see much of where they live.






















































One afternoon when eating our lunch at a Wat, several children from the school nearby gathered around to watch us eat. When we were finished the boys (the girls stayed back) eagerly joined us and consumed the rest of the food. Luckily we had brought enough plastic spoons for all.