Khmer New Year Picnic

An Outing for Khmer New Year

15 April 2002

Many Cambodian people headed to the water to celebrate the Khmer New Year. Joining them along the rivers near Phnom Penh were the members of a group home for disabled children for which Rachel Smith, a Maryknoll lay missioner, is an advisor. Here are some photographs of the children and staff from the home at a popular picnic area where families eat and observe life along the river from wooden platforms built out over the water. Ed McGovern, a Maryknoll seminarian, and Charlie Dittmeier were two other Maryknollers along for the trip.

Getting into the car for the trip Five children and six adults, two coolers, and a wheelchair crammed into the Maryknoll-mobile for the new year outing. We made a bunch of wrong turns on the way but no one seemed to mind. The picnic area At Kean Svay, about ten kilometers outside of Phnom Penh, small platforms are built out over the water for Khmer-style picnicking. The boats take more families to other platforms not accessible from the shore.
Eating lunch For lunch the staff brought out rice and vegetables fixed at home and also bought some fish from local vendors at stalls on land and in boats who came to the platform. Ed and Charlie with some of the kids Ed has become an official chaperone for many trips associated with different Maryknoll projects, a good introduction to all that is going on.

One of the staff with the two girls After lunch some of the children just want to be held. A toy vendor hits the jackpot with us A toy vendor makes a big sale with our group.

A boat ride for the group A high point of the day was a slow boat trip along the river near the picnic area. A safe return to the group home Finally everyone arrives back at the group home to pose for a group picture.

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Many Cambodian people headed to the water to celebrate the Khmer New Year. Joining them along the rivers near Phnom Penh were the members of a group home for disabled children for which Rachel Smith, a Maryknoll lay missioner, is an advisor. Here are some photographs of the children and staff from the home at a popular picnic area where families eat and observe life along the river from wooden platforms built out over the water. Ed McGovern, a Maryknoll seminarian, and Charlie Dittmeier were two other Maryknollers along for the trip.
Five children and six adults, two coolers, and a wheelchair crammed into the Maryknoll-mobile for the new year outing. We made a bunch of wrong turns on the way but no one seemed to mind.	At Kean Svay, about ten kilometers outside of Phnom Penh, small platforms are built out over the water for Khmer-style picnicking. The boats take more families to other platforms not accessible from the shore.
For lunch the staff brought out rice and vegetables fixed at home and also bought some fish from local vendors at stalls on land and in boats who came to the platform.	Ed has become an official chaperone for many trips associated with different Maryknoll projects, a good introduction to all that is going on.
After lunch some of the children just want to be held.	A toy vendor makes a big sale with our group.
A high point of the day was a slow boat trip along the river near the picnic area.	Finally everyone arrives back at the group home to pose for a group picture.