I have sat down and wrote in my journal a million times about my month. It is hard for me to put into words how I feel. When I first came to Cambodia I was miserable. It was very hot and humid here and I was sick of living in community. Right now at this moment I feel like if God was ever to call me to be a permanent missionary somewhere it would be here. Why do I love it here so much? The weather is hot and sticky, the language is very difficult and the traffic is incredibly busy.
Have you ever met someone who was truly interested about you? Someone who asked you questions to get to know your heart or check on your well being. I have. I have met an entire country of people like that. Cambodians are unlike any culture I have ever met. They are gentle and kind. Most everyone smiles at you. As you walk down the road children will run up to you and hold your hand or give you a hug. They love to teach you their language, but they strive to learn your language to be able to communicate with you.
New Life Fellowship Church is the church we worked with this month. They reach out into the community in many different ways. I have never been to a church so powerful and full of so many servant hearts. People within the church volunteer to work in the slums, teach street kids, work with the youth or teach English.
Teaching English has been my favorite ministry. I loved getting to know the students and seeing them everyday. As I left English class today on my last day many of my students came up to me to say goodbye. They told me they would wait for me to come back and would look for me everyday. Needless to say it was not easy to say goodbye.
Certain areas in Cambodia have extreme poverty. The slums are filled with heaps of trash and mud everywhere. Almost everyday people from the church go out to visit the slums. It was a very draining ministry. People are starving and children are covered in lice. Many children walk around naked covered in dirt. I was exhausted mentally and spiritually after every visit to the slums. But I am only a visitor. The Cambodians of the church reach out into the community daily. I am in awe of them.
So what have I learned from a culture that I love so much? The verse that is brought to my mind is Luke 10:27
You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And, love your neighbor as yourself.
During church as we worshiped God I would look around and see this verse acted out. People are raising their arms in praise, praying earnestly knelt down on the ground, and jumping around and dancing for God. Everyday as they reach out into the community they do not serve for themselves or because they are bored, they serve because they love God. In a culture that is primarily Buddhist I have seen how a tiny bit of light can spread even in the darkest areas.
