Celebrating my birthday in Cambodia has been one I will never forget! We arrived to our ministry on the 3rd and I quickly realized that going out or a nice dinner with my team and talking to family was not going to happen. I quickly released the expectations you put on your birthday because the excitement for this month far masked what I had dreamed my 21st would look like.
Our ministry this month is in a little village in the southern part of Cambodia. We are far from anything that looks like a restaurant or indoor shopping centre and live right in the middle hundreds of rice fields. In the midst of this culturally shocking atmosphere, at the end of the day I found it more than easy to write 21 reasons why my life right now at this moment is pretty great
21- I am healthy
20- I have a wonderful family who loves and supports my passions and dreams
19- I am loved by a love that is steadfast by a God that is always faithful
18- I have been able to see Gods Kingdom being pursued in 7 countries alone this year
17- I rode an elephant through the jungle the other day
16- I have never felt freedom as much as I do right now. Where the spirit of The Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17
15- At an age where people start thinking about finding that special someone and how many kids they would like to have. I have found contentment in the big family I am already living with and am daily placed around swarms of giggling children who are hungry for a mothers touch, huge hugs and someone to tell them how precious they are.
14- I have found a job that pays no money, is an all day commitment but has the bet benefits. One being unexplainable daily joy !
13- tonight a had a birthday cake served to me with an actual firework on it!
12- I have eaten rice every day for the last 6 months and can still say I like rice 🙂 I have had ice cake, rice pudding, rice soup, fried rice, steamed rice, sticky rice and rice crackers.
11-every night there isn’t a city light in site. I have the chance to see thousands of stars for miles across the open sky here.
10- today after teaching my students flooded me with flowers drawings shouting for you TEACHA! As I walked down the road I noticed they had cut almost every flower from the beds outside the classroom.
9- when I go to the market in the morning I can by apples sweet sticky rice and deep fries bananas for less then 1 $ !!!
8- I’m not a fan of shoes and always love when I get to be barefoot. In Asia you get to take your shoes off before going into a restaurant, grocery store and even gas station.
7- I got to carry fruit and be a part of a traditional wedding ceremony the other day and eat until I thought I would explode.
6- blisters burns and bucket showers
5- right now I can say that everything I need can fit into one bag and at the end of the day I find myself calling home a tent or hammock
4- I have the most amazing farmers tan going for me now and the hard work that has produced it never felt so great.
3- Everything is a good time when your with great people and have community that loves you. Even 24 hours on a bus
2- Although I am so far from my family I am blessed to have amazing moments with them while I’m gone web if its a tiny message. I feel so loved and supported and know I am growing closer with them even though time is going by
1- I don’t feel sad about turning another year older. Only excited because of the unknown my future holds. I know it is going I be great and I know it will be so full of Gods glory and goodness.
Sent from my iPod
