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What is BOBism?

READ KHMER POEM on BOBism

One of CACO's dreams is to be able to send a handful of youth to Cambodia on a humanitarian mission. Each youth would be given a blank journal. He or she would begin his or her journal the minute the packing begins. The entire trip and experience would be logged in the journal. After he or she has returned, he or she would transform the journal into a paper. The paper would be submitted to CACO. Writers of the best few papers would be rewarded with some sort of a scholarship.

Where did BOBism come from?

In 2005 CACO Chairman Chanly Bob involved a group of friends and family to take on a humanitarian mission in Cambodia. Only pictures in his photo album (see BOBist Chanly on Wave of Compassion)could accurately describe his hearty actions in the poorest parts of Cambodia. At his return, in his honor, CACO President Kilong Ung recommended the birth of BOBism. With much humility, Mr. Bob was embarrassed until Mr. Ung explained the achronymn of BOBism. BOB stands for Beyond Ordinary Borders.

Being a BOBist...

Anyone who does anything resemblant what Chairman Bob did would qualify as a BOBist. In addition to receiving scholarship for his or her paper after returning from the CACO Youth Humanitarian Mission, the youth is qualified for being a BOBist.

The vision and formal plan of BOBism is still in its embryotic stage. However, CACO hopes to formalize it in the following manners:

1. To be a BOBist, one must donate one week in a third world country (preferrably Cambodia) working on a humanitarian mission.

2. At minimum, the mission would include reading English to a child in remote areas of the country, taking orphans shopping for the first time, a gift of kindness to an old man, woman, children, or family, or any "humanitarian" act performed that affects another person's life in a positive way.

3. If a BOBist told you anything about BOBism, you are considered "Touched by a BOBist". Not exactly like touched by an angel, but you should feel good about it.

The act of giving is easy and anyone and everyone should do it. The experience is life changing on both the giver and the receiver. If you are TOUCHED by the experience, then you are a BOBist, and you've just committed BOBism. And no it isn't a crime to commit BOBism. =)

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Mardine Mao & Family Humanitarian Mission July 2005

I would like to report on the $250.00 check that I rec’d from caco to bring to Cambodia for BOBism. It’s a caco program I believe our President came up with to extend a helping hand or donate some resources/fund that we have to help our people in Cambodia. And it’s also a program dedicated to Chanly Bob for his humanitarian efforts. I’m happy to report that our program is not just on paper but it has now been implemented and executed.

Many elderly and children were benefited thanks to this program. And many more will be benefited in the future if we continue to give.

The second day we arrive, Mony’s family was having a ceremony at this temple called Wat Kor Kak at Kandal Province. I heard this is a very poor part of the town, so I decided to spend the money on this town. About one hundred local elderly and some thirty children were invited to come to receive the donations. I would like to add that these people are not related to us, they are just very poor local people.

I delegated this duty to Mony’s cousin and ask her to buy some rice and can foods and give to the local people. With such a short notice and limited fund, she recommended for us to buy dry noodles in packages and sardine cans and scarf (Krama) instead and also give each person some money so that they could spend as they wish. For $250.00, we were able to give

Each elderly rec’d: Each Children rec’d:
1 Scarf (Krama) 2000 Riels = .50
3 Cans of Tuna
3 Pack of Noodles 5000 Riels = $1.25

This doesn’t look like much to us, but believe me it’s a lot to them. One pack of noodle can feed the whole family, because they make it salty and eat it with rice. So 5000 riels can provide a couple of meals for their family.

I truly encourage all of us to chip in some money like Chanly did for Lok Pou Sokhom and send with whoever has the opportunity to go. It makes a huge different in people’s life.

p.s. - I also would like to thank bong Paul and Phally, they donated $100.00 for me to take on this trip. Mony and I added some of our money and use it for the water pond at that temple because they used to rely on the pond as their water supplies and it was drying out. So the money is used to dig the dirt so there will be water.

That is all for now. See you this weekend everybody.


Sincerely,

Mardine Mao

~ Pictures Coming Soon ~

Hi All!

I is nice to get back home. I am finally at work resuming my normal duties. Sorry it is a little late to report back to you what kind of charity I did during my trip to Cambodia. But first of all let me gracefully thank to Chanly who has this idea of assisting me financially to do more in Cambodia and of course to all the contributors to this charity. May you and yours be blessed with successful crossing of ocean of suffering in life and attaining perpetual happiness.

BOBist Mr. Sokhom Tauch Offering Boxes of Noodles to Buddhist Monks

When I rode through the country side of Takeo Province, Just east of highway 2, I noticed all the rice fields are dried up. The lake that I used to wade and swim when I was young is also dried up. I also noticed truck loads of green grasses and hay from cities went doors-to-doors to sell to the farmers so they can feed their cattle. Never happened in the past where farmers bought grasses and hay from the cities to feed their cows. The monk at the temple where I used to grow up has to buy water from other areas for regular daily usage. When farmers around the temple did not get good crops, due to not enough rain, the monks who are depending on the farmers around the temple are definitely have problems.

Dried Rice Field

Dried Lake Bed

Dried Water Source

I decided to use the contributed money in this area, and then save some plus my own money for other Watts in other areas that I will visit. The charity expenses report and the pictures attached will detail what I did in Cambodia. Every where I went, whether in the city of Phnom Penh or in the country side, there were many poor people and many are unemployed. My van drove along Mekong river from Chhlong to Kroch Chmar, I noticed many young people gather around below their stilt house and playing card and drinking. With this kind of habits, crime and domestic violence will soon follow. Every morning paper in Phnom Penh the front pages are of killings and other violence due to robbery, family members killing each others, suicide, argument of farm ownership. I have contributed cash to many more people that majority do not include in the picture. Please see the expenses report for details.

Watt Sangkum Mean Chey

Buddhist Monks Morning Offering

Rice Donations to Buddhist Temple

I became American Red Cross and I wanted to do more for the poor and the unfortunates but my resources are very limited. I also contributed $1,000 to the temple that I help build the temple. All donation for the last two years and my latest contribution so far reached $10,000. Thanks to those who helped built this Vihear both Cambodian and American friends. I also attached the picture detailing the progress of this construction.

In conclusion I wanted to again say thank for the donation. One US dollars mean a lot more to those poor Cambodian. May the Buddha grant you and yours family the five wishes: Ayu, Vannak, Sukha, Pulak and Padepeanak.

Sokhom Tauch

Hello CACO,

Thank you for kindly contributing in monetary, as well as the medicines which was donated to the local school and the poor.

I would like to share with you that my journey to Cambodia was an experience that will never be forgotten. Our country is so beautiful, so full of life, but also a place in much need of help. My son wanted to visit Angkor Wat; we toured Angkor site for two days. My daughter wanted to see the splendors of the country side; we went to Takeo Province two times simply because of the sheer beauty and the amazing people we met along the way and have touched us so dearly. I wanted to show my children where my birth place was. I took them around the rice field. This is an experience that I wish all families should take. Because it makes us appreciate and feel blessed with what we have, mo matter how small. Compared to the majority of the people in Cambodia, it is much more than what they will ever have in their lifetime.

My son and I were very fortunate to have the opportunity to be part of the BOBism experience. We went around my birth place and seek old poor people. We gave out $10 per person to the elders we encountered. They were so happy; they cried and gave us endless amounts of heartfelt blessings. I can not describe the feeling in that moment until you experience it for yourself. A saying that our elders told me and have stuck in my mind is “go back, give back”. I’m humbled and blessed by this opportunity to experience BOBism with my son and daughter and again, extend my most sincere appreciation.

Sincerely,


Sotia Teing

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BOBist Sotia Teing and Son Tommy on their Wave of Compassion

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Beggars on Stairway to Temple

Another Beggar with NO HANDS, NO Hearing, BLIND
Where's the HOPE?

Old, Ill, Poor, Alone
Can Suffering Be any Worse?

Medicine Donated to the local School

BOBist Chanly Bob Wave of Compassion in Cambodia

Pictures of BOBist Experience

Chanly Bob