Cambodia was a hard month. From the moment we entered in the country, we could feel a tangible darkness pervading the area. And as the month went on, it seemed like every single team on our squad was having issues. Many people were hospitalized with issues like acute dysentery, salmonella, stomach issues, and more. Others had to leave ministry sites due to electrical fires, theft, and an unstable woman running around with a machete.
My team and I headed off to our ministry site full of enthusiasm and excitement for the month to come. But as soon as we arrived at the school, a physical and mental exhaustion came upon us. We initially attributed it to traveling and so tried to catch up on sleep but as much as we rested, we remained lethargic. As the month went on, different members of our team would experience emotional outbreaks from the students, strange nightmares, and even see supernatural figures at night.
And to be honest, it makes sense that we would experience such things here. Cambodia has a dark history in recent years. During the Vietnam War and Pol Pot regime, an entire generation was killed off. Pol Pot desired an agricultural based commune society and so all educated people were executed for fear that they would pose a threat to his power. People were forced into arranged marriages and later generations brainwashed into forgetting the past. The schools do not teach about this part of their history, and many who live in rural areas are not even aware that the genocide has happened. Today the country continues in its struggle to develop and to remember. On top of all of this, Cambodia is a hub for the human trafficking industry, where many women and children are forced into selling their bodies.
But God is bringing redemption. All of the oppression we were feeling ultimately drove us to prayer and seeking Him. We witnessed the atmosphere completely shift around us and there was such a sense of joy and peace throughout the school. Additionally, there were countless testimonies from other teams in our squad of God working powerfully despite the darkness.
Siem Reap is home to the famous ruins of the Angkor Empire. One morning, we got the opportunity to watch the sunrise and worship at Angkor Wat, a former Hindu and Buddhist temple, and just proclaim the name of Jesus as King in that place. Later we visited another temple called Ta Prohm. It is a remarkable site because there are massive trees that have grown around and through the ruins. Emily Tuttle, a staff member at Adventures, made a comment that I liked. As people share the love of Jesus throughout Cambodia, seeds are being planted. Little by little plants are growing up, and like the trees growing through the old temple, I believe these seeds will soon choke out the ruins of the past and bring new life.
