Where your deep yearnings, your heart’s
desire, and your passion come alive, that’s where the LORD is calling you. He
is calling you into a deep intimacy with Him.
Cambodia
is a place for my dreams and my passions to come alive.
My passion to love people.
My passion to work with
children.
My passion to see a
generation rise up for the sake of His Kingdom.
My passion to see people
thrive in their work.
My passion to write about my
missionary experiences.
My passion to work with
other missionaries.
My passion for the gospel to
be spread to the least of these.
My passion for social
networking being used for Kingdom purposes.
My passion to see people be
able to provide for their families through training.
My passion for another
countries turmoil being turned into His good.
It all makes perfect sense.
Cambodia.
Cambodia is the country
where I see a need and I want to be a part of it.
Cambodia is a place where I
can see the Father use my gifts for His Will.
From spreading my joy to my
social networking skills to my heart for ministry to the unreached people, it
all makes perfect sense.
I
came on the race to find a culture, a people group, and a ministry that I could
see myself being a part of and I can officially say that Cambodia is the place.
My
love for Cambodia is not circumstantial.
My love for Cambodia is not
about what is here, but it is really about the people.
I’m trading my corn fields
for rice fields.
I’m trading my clean
drinking water from the facet for pond water shared by pigs, ducks, cows, and
dogs.
I’m trading my plans for His
plans.
I’m trading my Taco Bell
addiction for rice, pork, and vegetables.
I’m trading my sleeping in
to wake up to the sound of the rooster crowing and dogs barking.
I’m trading Great Lakes
Coffee for coffee in a bag.
I’m giving up my desire to
start a family because He is calling me to stay single for longer.
I’m trading wireless
internet everywhere for internet from a stick.
I’m giving up my family into
the palms of His hands.
I’m trading my alone time to
live in a community of Cambodians and fellow missionaries.
I’m trading having
everything at my fingertips for being okay with what He has already given me.
I’m giving up my heart to
share it with an unreached people group.
I’m trading my snowy winters
for long hot days year long.
I’m giving up my time to be engulfed
into a culture.
I’m trading my desire to be
a night owl to acclimate to a Cambodian sleep schedule.
I’m giving up my possessions
because He is saying go and trust me.
I’m trading small town
America for little tiny village Cambodia.
I’m giving up my life to say
“Here am I, send me!”
I
am moving back to Cambodia in August 2013.
I have three months of the
race left in Africa; Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya.
Then I have three months in
America.
Then I will head back to my
little village in Kampot Province, Cambodia.
I
will be the first white person to live in the village and speak Khmer.
I will be the first person
to return to the village from World Race or YWAM to partner with Vuthy, my
ministry contact.
Vuthy’s had the ministry
since 2009 running it alone with the help of a few volunteers and family
members.
My purpose in going to
Cambodia will be to come alongside Vuthy in the vision the Lord has given him for
the people of Cambodia.
I will learn the language.
I will help assist with the
missionary teams that come through regularly.
I will oversee the finances
of the ministry.
I will set up social
networking for the ministry.
I will do whatever is needed
of me for His glory.
As of right now I will be
going back for 1-2 years, but the possibility of staying longer is a
probability.
To
my prayer warriors: Thank you for praying for discernment for my
future. It looks like God has revealed the next step in my walk with Him and I
am more than excited to go. Keep on
praying for discernment for the financial side of things and what that will
even look like for me as I venture back out on the mission field. Pray for
discernment in knowing how long I will commit to staying in Cambodia. Also,
pray for my heart to be ever focused on the last three months of the race as I
LOVE Africa and I don’t want to wish them away just because I know what the
future holds for me. Thank you all!
To
my church supporters: If you would like for me to speak about my
experiences on the race, please let me know in advance. I have my hands wide
open to share for 5 minutes, 20 minutes, 40 minutes, heck I could probably
share for days about my experiences on the race. If you are interested in
having me speak at your church, email me at [email protected].
To
my people: I will be back in Ohio/Indiana for 3 months before
heading to Cambodia. I want to get in as many coffee dates and sleep overs as
possible. Let me know if you are interested in getting together and I’ll keep
record of who wants to meet up! I don’t know where I will be when, but that
will all get figured out!
Thank
you all for loving and supporting me through the race. Your comments, wall
posts, emails, and love do not go unnoticed. I am excited to get back and share
with you in person about my experiences! I’ll be touching down on American soil
around the 1st of June.
