The story left off with me sitting on a bench where God spoke to me telling me I would return to Cambodia and grew my heart for the Cambodian people 16 months before. What I didn't tell you about my last trip to Cambodia was that I got dengue fever. Dengue fever is a serious disease, spread by mosquitoes similar to malaria. Dengue fever put me in a less than sterile health clinic for a week during my last visit. This time was a great source of fear for my health as I sat in a hospital bed barely able to move or communicate with my doctors.
As I sat on the bench for the second time, I wondered why God had brought me back to this country and I continued to pray for revelation of the reason. Week one nothing. Half way through week two though, the gates were lifted and the flood came. God was overwhelming me with lessons, ideas, visions, dreams for this beautiful country.
My first lesson was a pretty obvious one, but nonetheless one that challenged me throughout the month. As I repeated A is for Apple, B is for Boy countless times in the classroom I was learning patience. I was learning to love these kids right where they were in their English level, but challenging them and helping them improve. Outside of the classroom I was learning to be patient with others allowing them to grow at their own rate, but gently challenging them to grow in the image of our loving Father.
My second lesson was about the importance of prayer and developing discipline to do it. Jesus had the power and authority to do any miracle, save any person while He was on Earth yet numerous times we see Jesus spending time away from people praying to His Father. If Jesus, the Son of God who is fully united with God, takes time to pray, how much more necessary is it for me. As I began to understand the power in prayer on a deeper level I saw my desire and discipline to pray flourish. I began to rely and depend on God for the most basic things through prayer such as not being hungry though I ate the same meals day after day, divine energy and patience to teach my English classes and light up the faces of the kids, to take away my fear of getting sick resulting from my last experience here, and to take care of my wonderful family, friends, and girlfriend back home that I couldn't communicate with and care for this month in the way I am accustomed and desire. The crazy thing is He answered all those prayers time after time! We truly do serve a loving God!
While both of these lessons are great realizations I believe the third lesson was the reason God called me to return to Cambodia. God called me back here to dream, to allow myself to dream the big dreams. As I began to dream He gave me grand visions of how to serve His wonderful people. They are big dreams that would honestly require miracles, but luckily I serve a big God who is in the miracle business. Throughout the month my faith grew to knowing that the God who gives me these big ideas and dreams can fulfill and provide the answers to these dreams. What blows my mind is these big ideas to me are such small, easy things for God to do.
So with all that said stay tuned for the dreams and visions God gave me about how to serve His people in Cambodia long after I leave in my upcoming blog. Pray God provides answers to these prayers and who knows maybe you can be a part of that answered prayer.
