Before Training Camp (TC) Launch and leaving were just something that was in the future. Something I was planning for, but still almost a dream. The reality that I would be leaving America and not returning for eleven months had not hit me. I remember people asking me what I feared the most once I were to leave. I couldn’t answer that because the realness of leaving hadn’t hit me. My answer was then “I can’t think of anything right now.”
It’s been a 10 days since I got home from TC and I’m still processing things. I love the fact that TC has had such a huge impact on me that even a week and a half after I’m home I am STILL learning things from the sessions. This comes in part from processing the information that was given—and let me tell you, you do get overloaded with information at TC. But I believe it is even more due to the notes I took. Something you may not know about me is the detail I put into taking notes. This is because I love being able to go back and possibly catch something that I’d missed, or even have something that was said have an even greater impact on my life as I learn more from it.
This has definitely been true of my notes from training camp. I brought a brand new notebook with me to TC expecting to maybe use 20 pages between journaling and the sessions. That expectation and thought process was COMPLETELY wrong. I used every bit of that journal. I am so appreciative though because it will be a journal I can look back on even years from now and learn even more. It will also be a great reminder of where I was when I started and even left TC.
Training camp, however, did bring a realness to launch. It made me excited. I fell in love with the World Race and Adventures and Missions. I fell in love with the staff and their mission. I fell in love with my squad and the community we had. In a lot of ways, going from training camp straight to launch may have been easier. I had just spent 10 days out in the country in Gainesville, Georgia leaving a lot of comfort back in Roanoke. Going straight from TC to launch then would have just been an easy transition.
However, I honestly believe a part of training for the Race is coming back for a period of time between TC and Launch. It is a transition period. It allows you to work on staying in the present (which is not only needed on the Race but in all of life), to be able to say the goodbyes to those we love and care about, and to continue to spiritually prepare for what’s ahead. Transitioning back from TC to my life in Roanoke has been an eye opening experience. I have realized I have a very comfortable life. I am so ready to start living a minimalist lifestyle, which is something that TC taught me. But I also realized that leaving those comforts may just be a bit harder than I thought it would be.
Coming back from TC was also an adjustment because for ten days I was surrounded by at least 40 people, but more often than not it was more like 300+. Since TC one of the things I have learned about myself is that I am an Introvert (I may or may not have a blog coming on my personality – something I’m stealing from a couple fellow squadmates).
This is just one of the two things that brought my shocking reality that I have 4 1/2 weeks till Launch. The excitement that I will be living in community for eleven months and the fear of how hard adjusting back to the States will be when I get back. But I refuse to let that fear keep me from living in the present. I have 4 1/2 weeks till I am back in Atlanta, GA and my time in Roanoke, VA will have come to an end and because of this I am making the most of my time with my family and cherishing every moment.
The second thing that brought Launch into shocking reality was getting my first travel day itinerary last Monday. My squad received an email Monday afternoon giving us our flight arrangements from Atlanta to Cambodia and seeing those arrangements just made everything so real.
So without further ado, I am able to finally announce that I will be flying out of Atlanta on Wednesday, October 5th. I will have 2 layovers totaling 24 hours, and I will have 3 flights totaling 22 hours. By the end of all of this, I will arrive in Phnom Penh, Cambodia at 10:55pm on October 7th. Yes, that’s correct. It will be a 46+ hour travel experience!
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So here are a few facts about Phnom Penh, Cambodia where I will be staying for my first month of ministry.
- The distance between Phnom Penh, Cambodia to Roanoke, VA is over 9000 miles.
- Phnom Penh is 11 hours ahead of my current eastern time zone.
- Phnom Penh literally means Penh’s Hill and it comes from a Buddhist temple called Wat Phnom.
- Phnom Penh’s population size is about 1.5 million
- It was also once known as Pearl of Asia
- About 45 years ago, Phnom Penh was controlled by Khmer Rouge. During his control a fifth of the population was killed. Though they were liberated in 1979, reminders of that time are still present.
- Phnom Penh’s second biggest holiday is Pchum Ben which is during the entire month of October. It is a time when families meet to pay their respects and offer good karma to the dead.
- The Tonle Sap river is a unusual one. It changes directions twice a year.
- The official language is Khmer
- There are 212 mammal species 536 bird species and 176 reptile species in Cambodia.
- The currency used is called a Riel — $1 USD is equal to 30,387.5 IRR
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Prayer Requests:
- Please be in prayer for myself and my squad as we continue to prepare physically, mentally and spiritually for this next phase and journey in our lives. This is a tough time for all of us as we remain present and have to say so many farewells to friends and family. Pray that God would provide comfort and encouragement and strength during this time.
- There are many of my squadmates that have not yet reached their second goal of $10,000. This deadline is quickly approaching. Please pray that God would provide in such a HUGE way. As we have already seen, we serve a MIGHTY God who provides immensely.
- Please pray for the people of Cambodia. My squad will not be serving this month together and our teams will be in different areas all over the country. Please be in prayer that God will go before us in preparing the hearts of the people we come in contact with. That the ground will be ready for planting.
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Till Next Time,
Kara Faber
