INTRO VIDEO:
ABOUT DAVID AND LAUREN
David Bass is a native Texan, born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He majored in English with a Creative Writing specialization at Southern Methodist University. Following his graduation, David moved to Milan, Italy where he served as a church planting intern for two years. David attended Denver Seminary from 2010 to 2014, graduating with a Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Intercultural Ministry.Lauren Bass is a Fort Worth, Texas native. She attended Hardin-Simmons University and Logsdon Seminary in Abilene, Texas where she received an undergraduate degree in Spanish and Religion and a Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Spiritual Care.
ABOUT CAMBODIA
Cambodia, located in Southeast Asia, has a population of approximately 15 million. The capital and largest city is Phnom Penh, a city of about 2 million people. About 80% of Cambodians live rurally, many as rice farmers. Theravada Buddhism is the religion of 95% of population.About 2 million Cambodians died in the genocide during the bloody reign of the Communist Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979. Cambodia has had peace since 1991 as a constitutional monarchy with protection of religious freedoms. In 2005 the country joined the World Trade Organization and opened markets to free trade. The country faces numerous challenges, including widespread poverty, corruption, lack of political freedoms, low human development and a high rate of hunger. Cambodia is also a growing tourist destination with over 4 million people visiting its temples and beaches each year.
Cambodia is in the tropical zone, just 10 to 13 degrees north of the equator. It is warm to hot year round, and the climate is dominated by the annual monsoon cycle with its alternating wet and dry seasons. The southwest monsoon brings the rainy season from mid-May to early October.
