Before going on the race, some of my favorite blogs to read were “what a typical day on the World Race looks like.” I always wanted to know what things were going to feel like, look like, smell like, sound like, and taste like on the World Race. If it were ever possible to be prepared for this adventure, I was going to get as close to it as I could! So here in Month 10 of the Race, I’m going to try to show you what a “typical” day in a rural village in Cambodia is like.
Location: 2.5 hours outside of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia
Ministry: Apostolic Fellowship Cambodia
Our home for the month
5 A.M: Roosters start crowing; the Korean Church around the corner starts to play hymns that come through our open windows in our room; my teammates start to wiggle around on their sleeping pads; normally, I check my watch to see what time it is until it’s light outside because I have to go to the bathroom, but refuse to when it’s still dark because of the scary creepy-crawlers that live in our outside squatty-potty
5-5:45 A.M: Convince myself to go back to sleep instead of bearing the scary bugs outside
6 A.M: About 3 alarms go off simultaneously meaning it’s time to get up and I’m officially free to go to the potty because the sun has come up
6-6:30 A.M: Brush teeth, get “dressed” – aka put on the same clothes from yesterday and hope they don’t smell too bad
6:30 A.M: Our host’s wife serves us some sort of wonderful breakfast
7 A.M: The tuk tuk arrives to bring us to church for ministry the first half of the day, and all 10 of us pile in as we drive along the bumpy dirt road through the Cambodian bush
*During the tuk tuk ride, we always wave to everyone we pass, and the people always smile and laugh at the 8 crazy Americans piled into a tuk tuk driving through their neighborhood
7:30-10 A.M: Teach English, sing songs, play games, and love on about 40 children from the village – The language barrier is a big challenge, but we do our best to show them the love of Christ even though we can’t speak the same language, and our host translates when he is available
10 A.M: Pile back into the tuk tuk to come home for lunch and rest
10:30 A.M.-12 P.M: Spend quiet time with Jesus reading my Bible and journaling; visit with our host and his family
12 P.M: Lunch is served
12:30-2 P.M: Finish up quiet time, attempt to write blogs, take a nap – try to avoid the heat of monsoon season in SE Asia
2 P.M: Pile into tuk tuk for round 2 of ministry
2-4 P.M: Teach English by building on things that we taught in the morning session, play games, sing songs, and love on the kids again 🙂
4 P.M: Into tuk tuk for the 4th and final time of the day
4:20 P.M: Shower and clean off from the day
4:45-6 P.M: Team time where we give feedback, debrief the day, and just hang out together
6 P.M: Dinner is served – Something absolutely delicious usually served with rice – By this time, I have cut myself off from any fluids for the day because of bathroom issue when it’s dark outside (*see 5 A.M.)
6:30 P.M: Hang out with our host’s family watching their Cambodian TV shows
7 P.M: Get ready for bed, read a little bit (I’m reading Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers, which is amazing, and everyone should read her books!) before dozing off sometime before 9 P.M.
And then start all over again the next day!
Well…that’s pretty much what a typical ministry day this month looks like. Of course, with everything in life and especially on the World Race, things are subject to change. Most days are filled with a little bit of craziness, but all days are filled with lots of love and lots of Jesus. He is teaching me to find beauty in the dirt, sweat, and bugs, what a life of simplicity looks like, and how to bring these lessons home with me when I arrive in the States in 6 weeks. Yes, you heard me, 6 weeks!!!
Today, I’m thanking God for all of you who have loved, supported, and encouraged me every step of the way. I am so excited to share with you all of my stories when I get home! Soon, very soon! Please continue to keep me in your prayers as I finish out this journey strong. I love you all very, very much! 🙂
