We recently went to a nearby village to visit a family from church. Ratana and his wife, Comsina were so excited for us to come into their home. It wasn’t because their house was big, or because they wanted to show off the new car in the driveway. They don’t even have a driveway. We could barely all fit in their house. Â
The house Ratana built.
As I sat there, watching him teach us Khemr while cutting up fruit we brought, I couldn’t help but feel blessed. I didn’t feel blessed because I have so much more compared to them.  I felt blessed because I got to see what true, complete joy is.
Ratana cutting up the fruit!
Ratana and his wife literally have nothing. No bed. No furniture. No refrigerator. No car. No TV. Last week someone even stole a car battery they used for electricity. But in the 3 weeks I’ve known them, I’ve never seen them without a smile. It’s not fake or forced, it’s true, complete joy. Jesus talks about it in John 15:10-11, “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
Sitting in the kitchen/living room/dining room/bedroom
We heard part of his testimony. About him being an alcoholic, growing up Buddhist and one day falling out of a tree, breaking his back. The doctors didn’t even want to help him because they said he would be a vegetable the rest of his life. A missionary from Peru who was in Cambodia gave Ratana blood, told him about Jesus and he lived. For weeks he couldn’t even sit up. During that time, Ratana secretly prayed to Jesus under his breath. One day, he was able to sit up. He gave his life to the Lord and has been serving Him ever since. That was 5 years ago. Last week at our Mango Party to celebrate the Khmer New Year, Ratana was the best dancer in the place. He also sings and plays music and is pretty much the opposite of a vegetable. Â
Ratana, Comsina and her sister, Comseang
Ratana and his wife don’t have material possessions to make them happy. They have breath in their lungs, they have each other and they have Jesus. That’s enough for them and I want to be more like that.
Eating fried frog!
