My
month in Cambodia has been different from every other month on the race.
My
days have been spent in a remote village with no sight of a store for miles.
My
off days have been spent on property hanging out with people or sitting by the
lake.
There’s
not much opportunity to go and buy a chocolate bar when I want one, mainly
because there is none nowhere in sight.
There’s
not much opportunity to go travel somewhere on my off days.
There’s
not much opportunity to spend more than what you have because there’s no ATM
around here.
There’s
not much opportunity to satisfy the desires of your flesh wanting certain
foods.
There
is an ability to see the little amount of money you have go a long way.
There
is an opportunity for you to bless those around you with a Coke or snack.
There
is an opportunity to invest in the people around you.
There
is an opportunity to lay down your desires and give up your selfishness.
In
Cambodia the currency they use is Cambodian Riel and USD.
1
USD = 4,000 Cambodian Riel
Almost
every morning I have bought an iced coffee for $0.38 or 1,500 Riel.
To
most of the people in our village, 1,500 Riel is a lot of money.
To
me, that is not much money at all when in comparison to a $6 coffee in America.
Most
days it is hard for the little stands by our house to make change for a $5 or
$10 bill.
The
smallest bill here is a 100 riel, or $0.025.
I
watched every day as the children in the village bought snacks from the stand
with their 100 riel bills.
To
those children, 100 riel is a lot.
Most
months of the race I have never thought twice about buying a snack, but this
month has given me a fresh perspective on money.
Yeah
it’s cool and awesome to be able to have a cold Coke or a popsicle in the heat
of the day, but it’s also okay to go without.
With
Cambodia being the poorest country I have been to thus far on the race, it
should be no surprise of the cost of items.
My
Daddy has been teaching me a lot about laying down my desires and to focus on
what is around me.
It
has been good to be changed not only on the outside, but on my internal
thoughts as well.
The
Lord has been wrecking me with a fresh perspective on money especially this
month.
