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| Buntheep Performing The Blessing Dance | Buntheep Playing Molly in Annie |
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| Buntheep Performing The Blessing Dance | Buntheep Playing Molly in Annie |
Dear CCAM Partners and Friends,
Gioia called me and asked that I update you on her travel plans tomorrow. She is really busy and has no internet access where she is staying, so she will not be able to get a message out herself before leaving tomorrow.
The plan is to leave for the airport in Atlanta by about 9 AM. It is a 6 hour drive. They would like to check in by 5 PM, and the people taking Gioia need to get back tomorrow night. So we can pray that things go smoothly at the airport in Atlanta.
Gioia, Buntheep, and Roz have **26** pieces of luggage to check in. Six of them are included in the price of their tickets, but 20 are not. So, we can pray for those responsible for decision-making as they check in to give them a good rate for the extra luggage since they are for the non-profit CCAM school in Cambodia. Usually airlines are at least a little helpful about this, and we can pray that they will be helpful and charge as little as possible when Gioia arrives and checks in tomorrow.
Another really important item to pray about are the carry-on pieces of luggage. Two of them are loaded with a 21-month supply of Calcitonen for Buntheep (she takes one vial of it per day each day for 21 months!). That's a lot of medicine. When discussing this with the airline, there was originally no problem. They could provide ice to keep it cool - an absolute essential. However, now there is some trouble. The airline has recognized that the medicine is liquid - 21 months worth of vials, 1 per day! That's far beyond the usual allowed liquid in carry on luggage, and the airline is now balking, saying they did not realize it was liquid before. Well, of course, there is no security risk here; Gioia has documentation from the doctors and has communicated well in advance. So we can pray for a reasonable decision from the airline that will allow these two carry-on's and keep them supplied with ice so that the medicine remains cold for the entire journey.
Gioia is also concerned because her Cambodian visa has expired while she was in the US, but we think she should be able to get a 30-day visa at the airport when she enters in Phnom Penh. That's the normal procedure that I follow, for example. There should be no problem, but we can keep this matter in prayer also.
We can pray that Buntheep would not be sick during the travel. Gioia says that she is doing much better than when she first began with the medicine, and we pray this will continue. Gioia said that her hand is better, but still stiff and sore and not usable for fine motor movement.
Lastly, Gioia says that she will be up all night finishing the preparations to leave. So we can pray for some extra energy for her tomorrow as they travel and check in. Hopefully she will be able to rest during the long flight across the Pacific!
Gioia was very upbeat. This has been a very difficult and stressful time, but God has proven himself faithful through one of the hardest things she's ever had to do - and now Buntheep is going home! She is incredibly blessed and thankful for all of your faithful praying and for your notes and other encouragement from all over the world. This experience has been a powerful witness of Christ's faithfulness supernaturally and through the actions of his world-wide body. Thank you, thank you!
Let's pray them home over the next couple of days that they will be traveling. Amen.
For Gioia and Buntheep,
--Joe Ginder