Life at the Goducate Children’s Home is not all about schoolwork and duties around the home. In their spare time in the late afternoon the children can choose to play football, play basketball, fly kites, play their recorders, draw, paint, or do whatever else they like. Recently, they have been able to attend karate classes if they wish. Karate expert (Hanshi) Patrick Fallay and his wife Myrine have been volunteering their services two afternoons a week. Uptake has been good, with most of the children, even the youngest one (4 years old), opting for the classes. Needless to say, it’s drummed into the children’s head that karate is for self-defence, not assault. For now, it’s good fun, good exercise, and good discipline.
The children get occasional outings too. A couple of weeks ago, they spent a whole day on the white sandy beach and in the clear water at the Sokha Beach Resort in Sihanoukville, where the management kindly threw in free rides on the banana boat, which was towed out into the sea by a motorized boat.
