On Friday, BTC was officially inaugurated by the monks. This was a neat experience and it reminded me of when a priest blessed the house we just build in Madras, India. However, this Khmer tradition was much more elaborate. In the morning, the staff got the auditorium ready by laying mats of the floor and filling vases with fresh flowers. The kitchen staff started work early as well and were preparing breakfast for the nuns and the monks. (The nuns are the ladies wearing the white clothing). The food consisted of a many dishes including soup, salad, rice and vegetables. We even packed silver canteens of food for them to take home.

After breakfast was completed, the prayers began. The holy men and women chanted along with the staff and some villagers who had attended the ceremony. Each village family that attended received a bag of rice. At the end of the ceremony, the Rotary members distributed stationary packages to the school students from the neighbourhood. All in all, it was a memorable moment and the group was glad to have witnessed it.

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