Hope is Arising in Cambodia

Cambodia, wow, what a place. 
I have fallen in love!    My
thoughts about it ahead of time, honestly were hesitant.  Our border crossing from Thailand to Cambodia
was our craziest one yet.  However, once
here, it is truly amazing what I sense, what I see, and what I feel. 

God is on the move here after years of atrocities committed
by the Pol Pot regime.  Unbelievable things
happened here: From roughly 1975-1979, the Khmer Rouge, under the leadership of
Pol Pot, executed at least 200,000 people and their policies resulted in the death
and starvation of another 1-2 million people. 
They would target those that were intellectuals, leaders, doctors,
etc.  They would trick them as they
rounded up groups of people; they would say who is a doctor, a teacher, etc.
and the person would raise their hand, not knowing what was about to
happen.  But, once the Khmer Rouge knew,
they would execute them.  They also would
execute entire families, children, babies as well.  They believed family members, as they grew
up, would take revenge on them, so they needed to eliminate the entire
family.  The devastation that occurred is
beyond my imagination.  We visited an
area of the Killing Fields, where execution and death occurred.  It was a very powerful moment, to be on the
grounds where such abuse occurred.  I saw
gravesites, I saw skulls, bones, victim’s clothes, a tree that was used to
crush heads, and another tree that was used to hang a loudspeaker from, which
played music to drown out the cries.  To
know where this country has come from, what is a part of its history, is
heartbreaking.  My heart cries out for
the Cambodian people and everything they went through.  But, to also know Cambodia’s history and then
to see with my own eyes the hope and redemption that surrounds this nation, is
awesome! The people here are recovering. 
This country is on the rise. 
Signs of redemption and hope are in the air.  You can feel it, I can feel it. 

I see and have declared this country is rising, this country
is bursting forth with so much it will overflow onto the other Asian
nations.  Cambodia will be a leader in
Asia, this country will be a light for all to see.  God is getting ready to explode on this
country, to bring forth so much of Himself, His spirit, revival will happen, it
is happening.  I watch the people worship
and sing to God and there is so much passion. 
Cambodia is rising and God is pouring out His spirit.  I see the country with purple, blue and white
flags surrounding it.  God is
working!  He is delivering hope to this
nation.  He is restoring!  God is on the move.

At the Killing Fields, I saw a newly planted tree.  In that moment, of seeing a new tree on
ground that once bore such death and destruction, I could feel God saying I am
doing a new thing in Cambodia: I am birthing forth newness and life here.  He has planted hope and restoration and it is
beginning to burst forth.  From soil that
once was drenched in death to soil that is good, open and ready for the
planting of hope and newness. Come Lord, come with your power and love.  May this country never be the same.  He is healing this nation.  He is encountering them.  They will have an encounter with Him, His presence, His blessings, His love is hovering over this nation.  And I’m a part of what He’s doing, thank you Lord for using me, allowing me to witness your redemption.  The love you have for Cambodia is amazing.  I see the country with HOPE written all over it, that’s what He’s bringing.  It is being rooted in this country.  HOPE!