Once upon a time there was a World Race team that flew to Cambodia. The team took a three hour bus ride from Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham, where they settled into a guesthouse for the month.
On the first morning, the team woke up early to prayer walk the town with their ministry contact. The prayer walk served several purposes: praying over schools & businesses, building relationships with the local people, and learning the layout of the town so that no one got lost during the month.
The team’s last stop was at a small, Vietnamese cafe on the corner near their guesthouse. The ministry contact had been talking to one of the owners of the cafe for a few years and had expressed that he believed the World Race team was going to play a pivital role in the lady coming to church for the first time. As the “gatekeeper” of her family, if she gave her life to the Lord the
n, due to her influence in her family, it was likely that she would be able to lead the rest of her family to have a personal relationship with the Lord.
So the team ordered and while they were waiting for their Vietnamese coffee to be delivered, dance music came on over the radio. A few members of the team immediately jumped up and began to dance in an area between the tables. In an effort to bridge the gap with the lady, one of the World Race ladies went over and extended a hand, inviting her to dance with the group. After a little persuasion the lady stood to her feet and began twirling and swaying her hips to the beat. And thus a unique friendship began… 🙂
As you can probably guess, I was the one who invited the lady to dance. When the song was over we were able to sit down and get ot know each other with the help of our ministry contact who played the role of translator. I found out that this fifty-nine year old Vietnamese lady was Phuong (Foo-ung, just say it really fast and you got it!). She was born in Vietnam but had lived in Cambodia most of her life. When she was in her early twenties she became a doctor and served alongside the Unites States and South Vietnam in the Vietnam War. The US helicopters would pick her up and fly her to an area on the field where she could take care of the wounded soldiers. Phuong shared with me that her life was in danger many times, but not once did she feel afraid. Amazing huh?
Before we left, I asked her if it was okay that I come back the next day and pick her up for church. I said that I would love her company, and she gladly agreed! So the following day I walked down the road to pick her up just in time to find her grabbing her bonnet and meeting me at the entrance to the cafe. She linked her arm with mine and we were off to church! I forgot to mention that the only English words she speaks are “hello” and “yes” so my Cranium boardgame skills came in handy on our walk (thanks to Kyle, Abby, & Todd!). 🙂
The next week I was walking by the cafe and when she saw me she ran out to give me a hug in the street. I offered to pick her up for church the following Sunday as well and she gladly accepted my offer. I encouraged her to bring her seventeen year old niece with her this time.
So the next Sunday morning I went to the cafe and Phuong and Dyugen grabbed their bonnets and walked to church with me. We stood outside the building for a few minutes and I asked Don and Tabitha (our ministry contacts) to help translate so I could talk to Phuong. She told Tabitha that I was very easy to love and that she considers me a good friend even though she hasn’t known me very long. They stayed the whole time and during the time that people stand and thank God for things He’s done in their life the last week, Phuong stood up and said that she didn’t quite believe in God or know a lot about Him yet, but she was very thankful for the Americans that came to Cambodia this month and she is especially thankful for her new friend
Shannon who is very special to her. We both got teary eyed when she said that and she reached out and touched my arm and smiled.
In the days to follow, I had many opportunities to stop in at the cafe and use my hand motion and drawing skills to communicate with her without a translator. I really felt that the Lord had some things that He wanted to speak to her, so during my last week in Cambodia, our ministry contact set up a time for us to meet with Phuong at the cafe and I could share with her the love of Christ.
I prayed long and hard about what the Lord wanted me to tell her specifically. I felt led to buy her a Bible and highlight Scriptures throughout it that had meant a lot to me throughout my life. I also wrote her a letter in Vietnamese and wrote it in the inside of the cover of the Bible and taped a picture of her and I inside. 
The last week, I met with her to give her the Bible and share stories. She had mentioned that I seemed different, more joyful, than the other Americans that had come to the cafe in the past. That opened the door for me to explain what my relationship with the Lord meant to me and express that I was excited for her to read through the Bible and discover for herself that she too could have a relationship with the Lord like I have. She seemed very eager to read through the Scriptures, especially the highlighted ones. I let her know that even though I would be leaving Cambodia, our ministry contacts would be stopping by and would love to discuss what she is reading in Scripture and help direct her to find the answers that she is looking for in life.
Before I left the cafe for the last time, Phuong gave me a shirt as a gift. She said it was because she didn’t want me to forget her. I assured her that I would not ever forget her, and that I thank God for giving us the opportunity to begin a special friendship. I told her that I would be praying for her and praying that she would make the decision to give her life to the Lord so that I would be guaranteed to see her again in heaven.
Looking back in reflection of my month in Cambodia, I have realized how much God has expanded my heart this year. He is continually showing me that He just wants us to be available to be used by Him, and He will take care of everything else. I just formed a friendship and showed a lady the love of Christ and she knew a handful of English words, not to mention that half of the time I didn’t have a translator. It’s amazing what happens when I stop trying to do things all on my own and I recognize that I can only do what I can do and then I have to trust that God will come through…and He always does! 🙂
