Down a long dirt path, full
of holes the size of an average vehicle, passing many huts made out of wood and
aluminum, a gate surrounded with trees is seen.
As the gate opens, trees encircle, a chicken walks past with its chicks
following close behind, pigs smells are noticed, two concrete structures are
seen, and…smiling kids abound.
We awake around 6:30am and
get ready for the day, take a bucket shower in a little concrete structure
with a door, spend time with God to start our day, run (before we
realized it may not be the safest idea), put our mosquito net up for the
day, or whatever else needs to be done before breakfast at 7:30am. Raman noodles…a great
college meal; they soon prove to be wonderful for breakfast each morning along
with apples and mini-bananas. We start
our day with prayer as a team, ask God what He has planned and then discuss
what we feel should be done to teach the children English.
I step off the concrete into
my well used sandals, out into the warm morning air, where the sun has already
begun to shine. It’s 8:30am and kids wait anxiously at the door of the meeting
room for us to come and teach them English.
I stand amazed at their longing to know what we know and learn. They bring their school notebooks and write
down the things written on the board; not knowing much English but willing to
learn. They look up and smile leaving a
forever stamp on my heart for them. My
energy runs short, but teammates take over at just the right time.
Taking turns, we teach the
Bible verse, song, drama, and different English lessons. Love being the theme of the week, we teach
them 1 John 4:7-8, ‘Blessed Be Your Name’, and the drama of Christ’s death and
resurrection (as requested by the children).
The younger kids soak in the knowledge of their numbers in English, the
alphabet, parts of the body, colors, and animals. Some older students strive to learn past,
present, future, prepositions, pronunciation, and many other essential grammatical
English teachings.
I catch the eyes of a little one looking up at me,
tickle her a bit, and get a huge smile from here. Just knowing she is loved by even a stranger
for a few weeks is enough for her. She
shies away at first but keeps coming back.
During a get together with the kids, she touches my finger and pulls
away fast, I touch hers quickly
when she’s not looking and pull away fast.
We play this game throughout the time together and she laughs with every
touch. Before going to bed, she walks
over and gives me a hug…that’s what it’s all about!
During my down time, away
from kids, away from teammates, just praying; me and Jesus; a familiar face
joins the room and taps me on the shoulder.
She is 17 years old and doesn’t speak any English, but has a huge grin
on her face. Should I be
frustrated? Should I ask her to
leave? After all, I was finally just having
some much needed time with the Lord, in our own living space away from
everything where kids didn’t abide. A
few days earlier I asked her how old she was, but she didn’t know how to
say it in English. She was so excited to
find me days later and tell me she is 17 years old!
As I proceed to explain to
her through motions that I am praying, she starts to pray for me in Khmer. Through the language barrier, we
misunderstood each other, but God uses it in a huge way to bless me. This girl, who knows I can’t understand any
words she is saying, is willing to pray for me!
It makes me stop and wonder why I could be so quick to brush aside an
opportunity to love. Vanny (our host and
“father” of the orphanage), tells me in brief English that she has either been
dropped or hit her head as a baby and now has headaches often causing her much
pain. It then makes sense; she had put
her hands on her head several times trying to tell me her head her. I show her my iPod and allow her to listen to
music while she rests on my sleeping pad.
Through a little interpretation from Vanny later, I find out she enjoyed
it very much and is grateful. After one
of the English lessons, she points to my toenails because they are painted with
nail polish. I hold up one finger she
will wait for me and not leave. I bring
back some nail polish and paint her toe nails.
As much as I can tell with no words used, she likes it! We learn the thumbs up and thumbs down method
for good or bad. It takes a little while
but we get it. Each day she comes, she
makes sure to find me before leaving. Every time I walk in the room when she is
there, her face lights up!
At times, I wonder what real
impact I can be making from teaching English.
Am I really making a difference?
What does love look like? Am I
truely loving these kids? I’m not
spending all my free time with them, is that really love? They can’t understand
me most of the time, am I making a difference?
And then….I remember the
little things; like the two stories above.
It’s all about one child at a time; one moment at a time. God has spoken truth into me and reminded me
that it’s okay not to be with the children 24-7.
I am loving them when I take time to spend just with God because when I
am filled up, I have something to offer them.
When God pours His love into me, I can pour it into the children. Through listening prayer, I am realizing that
He doesn’t always want me going, going, going.
Sometimes HE wants my time; me to just sit and listen to Him. Sometimes He
wants me to pray for the children.
The art of being – God wants me to be and live life. Where does He want me at this very moment. I can’t save each child. I can’t save the world, but I CAN make a difference by showing God’s love to one person at a time. God has also placed me with a team to love and encourage, live in community with, and to encourage me when needed.
One smile. One hug. One tickle. One nail painting session. One moment. One God. One power. One love. One team. One body. One team. ONE
Ephesians 4:4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Random facts:
-they speak Khmer (pronounced
kah-my)
-naked babies and little
children are common
-few paved roads
-Buddhism is part of the
culture and they are faithful
-in parts of the country,
kids are trained to beg for money to provide for the family
-they drive on the right side of the road
-internet is slow
-motorbikes are main mode of transportation
-lots of good fruits I’ve never seen or heard of
-lots of pork and rice
Click here for a few pictures that uploaded.
*sorry for thoughts that don’t flow together-technology and internet is slow and uploading pictures is not an option.
