Before I left for Cambodia, Andrew’s father (a carpenter by hobby) mailed me a bunch of small steel carabineers for a project in CFI’s garden. Although it is not difficult to get most materials in Battambang, the quality of said materials is extraordinarily unreliable. So, I packed my bags and took these mini 'bineers on a 7,000 mile journey.
At the same time I arrived, a French volunteer, Thomas, came to work with CFI too. In France, Thomas worked constructing ropes’ courses: wiring and bolting cables in forests. With such fortuitous timing, Thomas, Seang (CFI’s handyman), and Andrew (co-director) spent the afternoon hanging what is now the centerpiece of the CFI garden. Using two branches to support the weight of the swing and its swingers, a couple steel cables, the imported steel carabineers, an old rubber tire, and a few man-hours, CFI’s tire swing was put into action.
On any given day, rain or shine, kids flock to the garden and pile onto the tire swing. They take turns and sometimes get into little tiffs concerning prime tire real estate. They continual test the swing’s capacity as to how much weight it can bear and how high it can fly. Not even the most servere swing-sickness can prevent both boys and girls from swinging to and fro, again and again.
It is amazing how a little swing, something that seems so trivial to me, can provide so much joy. When Srey and Muhtang swing together, they hold each other’s hands, giving each other support and strength. When Sreymeth and Tiengy want to swing, the bigger children help them onto the tire and take care not to swing them too hard—for they are too little to both get on and start moving the tire themselves. After class and before going home, kids can fly, soar, and simply swing. They do not hide their toothy smiles and they do not muffle their screams of thrilling adventure.
Although CFI’s garden is awaiting beautification (in the form of funding and flowers), it remains the epicenter of recreation. Children skip ropes, hoola-hoop, dribble footballs, hit badminton birdies, and, of course, swing on the garden’s greatest attraction. On the tire swing, kids believe they can fly because they truly can.
- Laura and Chris
