Hello from Cambodia!
I cannot believe we are already in week two here in Cambodia… and that it’s now month 5 of the race. Time is truly flying by!
At the end of last month, the squad came together for a debrief in Ho Chi Minh City. This gave each of the teams time to reflect on the past 4 months and get a spiritual fill-up by the leadership who joined us in Vietnam for the week. It was also a time for team changes.
I am honored to be leading a new wonderful group of ladies who are hungry for growth and willing to pursue the heart of God with everything they’ve got. Our team name is Blue Barracudas (from Legends of the Hidden Temple for all you 90’s Nickelodeon fans).
My teammates are: Ali Souther, Mariah Lower, Julie Reusser, Bekah Moye, and Kelly Wisner.
I have no doubt this team was orchestrated by Lord from the beginning. The past 4 months have been extremely difficult for me. I was walking through a season of pouring out and found myself feeling depleted and exhausted after Vietnam. A word the Lord continually laid on my heart last month was –PROVISION-the action of providing or supplying something. I had to fully trust that He had me right where He wanted me. He knew my struggles and frustrations and looking back, I can see He held my hand every step of the way.
This month He has given me the word –ABIDE- He has invited me into a season of rest and is teaching me what it looks like to just sit and be with Him without an agenda. Abide means to dwell; to remain; to await. In John 15, Jesus says He is the vine and we are the branches. We can’t bear fruit from the branch alone; we must abide in the vine so “that it may bear much fruit”. Jesus doesn’t want me to spend all of my time focused on making sure I am reading the entire Bible, praying for 30 minutes everyday, or following religious guidelines. He is showing me that He cares more about the little moments. The moments when I step back to marvel at His creation, when I dance around worshiping and thanking Him for everything He has done and continues to do for me. The times when I sit and cry because I am all too aware of how weak I am but remember how strong He is.
I am learning more and more the importance of these sweet, simple abiding moments.
The pressure is off. The checklist is ripped up and thrown away. All I am asked to do is to abide. To hang out. To spend time with my Savior. …Needless to say, I am excited for this new season. I can’t wait to see what all He has in store.
Ministry
This month, we are living in the city of Siem Reap in the northwestern region of Cambodia. We are working with a pastor and his wife at Siem Reap Ministries. They help run a seminary school that also offers English classes to all age groups. The team and I are helping teach the English classes, and building relationships with the believers in the community. The pastor has a beautiful vision for us to empower the locals and teach them how to make disciples in their own country. I saw this poster hanging in his office on the first day and got super excited-
I thought to myself: “this guy gets it!” He is putting the Great Commission into practice. He truly understands the root of the Gospel and that we are called to be disciples who make disciples. He doesn’t want us out in the villages evangalizing to a mass of people just to rack in the number of salvations. He wants us to spend time building up the people in the community who can then share what they have learned with their parents, brothers/sisters, and friends/neighbors.
Again I find the Lord taking the pressure off. This month is not about my ability to “do.” But rather my ability to “be.” I get to simply walk out my identity in Christ knowing He is using it to empower others.
Life in Cambodia
IT IS HOT. Not a little warm, but sweltering hot. The temperature has been in the 100’s every day with around 60-75% humidity. I have never sweat so much in my life. My clothes are constantly soaking wet and we have an intermittent water supply for showers. We are living in a guesthouse with three bedrooms. One of the bedrooms has an air conditioning unit, so we all pile into that room to sleep and use the other rooms as our closets. We are extremely blessed to have a covered rooftop space where we can lay in hammocks, workout, or spend our quiet time with the Lord.
Aside from the heat, Cambodia is a wonderful country. The people are so friendly and hospitable, the main form of transportation is a tuk tuk (a covered cart pulled by a motorbike), and fresh mango and coconut trees can be found everywhere you look.
Another cool fact about Siem Reap, is that it is home to Angkor Wat-the world’s largest religious monument. It has been used by both Hindu and Buddhist practitioners and is a huge tourist attraction for Cambodia. The team and I are planning on taking a trip to view some of the temples next weekend for a sunrise, so stay tuned for pictures!
PVT-Parent Vision Trip
In case you haven’t heard, my parents have been invited to join me on the field for a week during month 8 in Nicaragua! They are in the process of raising funds for their trip and must be funded by the end of June. The cost of the trip is $750 per person (this does not include their airfare). If you would like to support them, you can donate at the link below. Just choose “vision trip” and type one of their names in “participant full name.” This is truly a special time where my parents can come out to see/do ministry alongside me. Support prayerfully and/or financially is much appreciated!
https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=partFund
I know I say it every time I write, but thank you so much for following along with me on this journey. It is so comforting and encouraging knowing I have a support system at home who is cheering me on every step of the way. In the difficult moments, I can feel the prayers lifting me back up on my feet again and I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that. I love you all, and as always, feel free to comment or email me with questions, concerns, or just to say hello!
xx
Ali
