The staff mailbox at Lutheran World Federation Cambodia had eight more cubbyholes last fall as short-term personnel from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, and Zambia arrived to contribute their gifts to supplement those of LWF Cambodia's 300 regular staff.
David Mueller, LWF Cambodia's Representative, says,
"Bring them on! I love having folks of different nationalities, educational and professional backgrounds, ages and stages join our program for even a short time. The more the merrier! It's good for them, it's good for us, it's good for our partners, and it's good for Cambodia." (Short-term personnel include students, volunteers, interns, trainers, and consultants.)
Lois Whittall, a member of the Lutheran Church of Australia, is a
"fly in...fly out" volunteer. As a lecturer in Adelaide University's MBA program, she visits Singapore eight to ten times a year; the short hop from there to Phnom Penh enables her to undertake self-funded volunteer work. Combining work with LWF Cambodia with an education project in Preah Vihear (remote northern Cambodia) and some academic research has enabled Lois to meet many different people and experience different aspects of Cambodian life in a short time. In 2007 she enjoyed working with LWF Cambodia's Human Resources team developing and delivering leadership workshops. Lois comments,
"The energy and interest is contagious - participants learn with someone who has a different presentation style and a different world view. I learn not only about LWF Cambodia's work but about
"the way things happen" in Cambodia. We take something from each other back to our life and work
- awesome!" Lois looks forward to facilitating more programs with LWF Cambodia in 2008 and beyond.
Margaret Sadler and Marcus Busch, a husband and wife team from Canada, serve as Communications Consultants in the Phnom Penh office for 2007-08. They are placed jointly through the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's Global Mission (ELCA GM) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada's Mission in the World (ELCIC MW). Margaret is an instructional designer, writer, and editor. Her husband Marcus, a social worker on sabbatical leave from Edmonton Public Schools, assists her. This is the second time that Margaret and Marcus have served in this capacity—in 2000-01 they were Volunteers in Mission (ELCIC) with the LWF/DWS program in Mauritania, West Africa. Margaret and Marcus are members of Hosanna Lutheran Church in Edmonton. They say,
"Our love of the church through diakonia (Christian service)
gives back to us more than we give."
Maia Kahlke Lorentzen, from Denmark, is another Communications Consultant at the LWF Cambodia Phnom Penh office where she's also a half-time communications intern at LWF Cambodia's
partner, DanChurchAid (DCA). Maia is doing a six-month internship as the final part of her master's degree in communication at the University of Copenhagen. Maia prioritized going abroad and working for an NGO in a developing country to get a sense of the world outside of Denmark. She finds working in a foreign culture setting intriguing, presenting many novel opportunities to put her skills to good use.
"I highly recommend coming here as a volunteer. LWF is a great organization and what they do works. The working environment is good and you get lots of responsibility and opportunity to put your ideas to use as a volunteer. Living and working in Cambodia has given me perspective," says Maia.
Eeva Kortekangas and Hannu Kalmari came from Finland. They are interested in different cultures and meeting new people. This is why they did a three-month international internship related to their studies at the Diakonia University of Applied Sciences (DIAK). In the future, they will be working with children and youth as social workers or youth work leaders in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. During their internship, Eeva and Hannu spent their time in the provinces of Kampong Speu and Battambang observing LWF Cambodia fieldwork. They were placed and sponsored by their school as well as by FinnChurchAid (FCA). Eeva and Hannu say that they were happy to be in Cambodia and believe that this is where they were meant to be.
After graduating from Wartburg Theological Seminary (USA) in 2007 with an MA in Theology, Development, and Evangelism, ManHei Yip of Hong Kong did a four-month internship with LWF Cambodia sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). Working at the central office in Phnom Penh, ManHei was excited to be able to practice what she had learned from Christian community development courses through engaging people of other faiths. She assessed the needs of particular communities, including the Christian one, to help them increase their capacities in proposal writing, financial management, planning, as well as raising their awareness of human rights and gender issues. ManHei provided support in the areas of spirituality and biblical knowledge as she facilitated discussions with groups of pastors, lay leaders, and women. While ManHei interned in Cambodia, husband Ryan continued as a youth minister and candidate for ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong (ELCHK). ManHei is a member of Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong, a member church of LWF.
Busiku Nduna from Zambia, a recent MSc of the London School of Economics in Gender, Development, and Globalization, volunteered for nine months as an HIV and AIDS and gender advisor for LWF Cambodia. Interested in reproductive health and HIV and AIDS, Busiku
says that life in Cambodia "has offered me further exposure.
With my practical, personal, and academic experience, I feel as
though I can contribute while I grow professionally." Busiku's early schooling was in two African refugee camps where her parents worked. Her international NGO work experience includes the International Rescue Committee's Gender-Based Violence program, the YWCA's HIV and AIDS program, and other assignments in social integration of former child soldiers, midwifery assistance, food distribution in a refugee camp, and health work at pre-school clinics.
"With this volunteer experience, I am better armed with the tools necessary to fight greater injustices," affirms Busiku.
"Enthusiasm, talents, dialogue, and wisdom are some of the gifts that short-term personnel bring to our program," concludes David.
At present, there are opportunities for short-termers at LWF-Cambodia in the following:
If you would like to be a gift and offer your gifts to the LWF Cambodia program in these areas, contact David Mueller at
rep@lwfcam.org.kh or the volunteer program of your national Lutheran church.
Lois Whittall, a member of the Lutheran Church of Australia, is a
"fly in...fly out" volunteer. As a lecturer in Adelaide University's MBA program, she visits Singapore eight to ten times a year; the short hop from there to Phnom Penh enables her to undertake self-funded volunteer work. Combining work with LWF Cambodia with an education project in Preah Vihear (remote northern Cambodia) and some academic research has enabled Lois to meet many different people and experience different aspects of Cambodian life in a short time. In 2007 she enjoyed working with LWF Cambodia's Human Resources team developing and delivering leadership workshops. Lois comments,
"The energy and interest is contagious - participants learn with someone who has a different presentation style and a different world view. I learn not only about LWF Cambodia's work but about
"the way things happen" in Cambodia. We take something from each other back to our life and work
- awesome!" Lois looks forward to facilitating more programs with LWF Cambodia in 2008 and beyond.
Margaret Sadler and Marcus Busch, a husband and wife team from Canada, serve as Communications Consultants in the Phnom Penh office for 2007-08. They are placed jointly through the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's Global Mission (ELCA GM) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada's Mission in the World (ELCIC MW). Margaret is an instructional designer, writer, and editor. Her husband Marcus, a social worker on sabbatical leave from Edmonton Public Schools, assists her. This is the second time that Margaret and Marcus have served in this capacity—in 2000-01 they were Volunteers in Mission (ELCIC) with the LWF/DWS program in Mauritania, West Africa. Margaret and Marcus are members of Hosanna Lutheran Church in Edmonton. They say,
"Our love of the church through diakonia (Christian service)
gives back to us more than we give."
Maia Kahlke Lorentzen, from Denmark, is another Communications Consultant at the LWF Cambodia Phnom Penh office where she's also a half-time communications intern at LWF Cambodia's
partner, DanChurchAid (DCA). Maia is doing a six-month internship as the final part of her master's degree in communication at the University of Copenhagen. Maia prioritized going abroad and working for an NGO in a developing country to get a sense of the world outside of Denmark. She finds working in a foreign culture setting intriguing, presenting many novel opportunities to put her skills to good use.
"I highly recommend coming here as a volunteer. LWF is a great organization and what they do works. The working environment is good and you get lots of responsibility and opportunity to put your ideas to use as a volunteer. Living and working in Cambodia has given me perspective," says Maia.
Eeva Kortekangas and Hannu Kalmari came from Finland. They are interested in different cultures and meeting new people. This is why they did a three-month international internship related to their studies at the Diakonia University of Applied Sciences (DIAK). In the future, they will be working with children and youth as social workers or youth work leaders in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. During their internship, Eeva and Hannu spent their time in the provinces of Kampong Speu and Battambang observing LWF Cambodia fieldwork. They were placed and sponsored by their school as well as by FinnChurchAid (FCA). Eeva and Hannu say that they were happy to be in Cambodia and believe that this is where they were meant to be.
After graduating from Wartburg Theological Seminary (USA) in 2007 with an MA in Theology, Development, and Evangelism, ManHei Yip of Hong Kong did a four-month internship with LWF Cambodia sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). Working at the central office in Phnom Penh, ManHei was excited to be able to practice what she had learned from Christian community development courses through engaging people of other faiths. She assessed the needs of particular communities, including the Christian one, to help them increase their capacities in proposal writing, financial management, planning, as well as raising their awareness of human rights and gender issues. ManHei provided support in the areas of spirituality and biblical knowledge as she facilitated discussions with groups of pastors, lay leaders, and women. While ManHei interned in Cambodia, husband Ryan continued as a youth minister and candidate for ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong (ELCHK). ManHei is a member of Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong, a member church of LWF.
Busiku Nduna from Zambia, a recent MSc of the London School of Economics in Gender, Development, and Globalization, volunteered for nine months as an HIV and AIDS and gender advisor for LWF Cambodia. Interested in reproductive health and HIV and AIDS, Busiku
says that life in Cambodia "has offered me further exposure.
With my practical, personal, and academic experience, I feel as
though I can contribute while I grow professionally." Busiku's early schooling was in two African refugee camps where her parents worked. Her international NGO work experience includes the International Rescue Committee's Gender-Based Violence program, the YWCA's HIV and AIDS program, and other assignments in social integration of former child soldiers, midwifery assistance, food distribution in a refugee camp, and health work at pre-school clinics.
"With this volunteer experience, I am better armed with the tools necessary to fight greater injustices," affirms Busiku.