For the first time, in my whole experience of foreign travel, I feel like I am actually in a different country from my own. I seem to have the tendency to compare, and find all the things that are similar to the U.S—I do this probably to help myself feel more comfortable in the state I am in. Even in Thailand, it didn’t feel that much different than being in the States-besides the different people group; the feel of the big city has a familiarity to it.
Crossing the border from Thailand to Cambodia was a pretty dramatic change all together. Arriving to the border, after a four hour tuk-tuk ride(a small truck that you sit in the bed of it that has two bench seats on either side), we walked into what felt to me more like a third world country than I have ever experienced before. Trash everywhere, horrendous smells, dirty children running up to you with their hands out begging for anything they can get from you, shacks set up to pose as houses, street vendors hounding you, naked children everywhere-the spirit in this place feels heavier than I expected. As we walked through this poverty stricken place, into the immigration building to get our passports stamped; there was a line of beggar children with their small, dirty hands out, and their faces so sad. My heart hasn’t ever felt so heavy until that moment. Right away I could feel a huge burden lay on my shoulders, and right away I could feel God’s presence enter into my heart, and I felt comfort and peace. God has me here to love these children-not give them money and food, but give them the love of Christ. God is going to do amazing things here this month.
My team and I are going to be in the capital city of Phnom Penh. We will be working at a church during the week teaching English, and doing discipleship programs with the kids. Also, a few days out of the week we will be going into an orphanage to love on the kids there. There is a heavy, dark spirit over Cambodia—I can’t only feel it, but I can see it. I am expecting great things.
