Friday was my last day that I got to see Touch. In between
sleeping in by an hour(!!!), applying for Viet visas for Team 180, fixing one last
broken table at Destiny Rescue, greeting Team 180 to their hostel and taking
them to lunch at the mall, going back to Destiny Rescue to finish fixing the
table, saying ‘good-byes’ to the men at Destiny Rescue, going to pick up Jess
to take her for Visa photos, only to find out on arrival that I don’t need to
anymore, going back to the Vietnam embassy to pick up the passports, and moving
my bed back upstairs at my ministry contact’s house, replacing a broken plug
head, installing a hook for hanging a mosquito net, I got to visit my Cambodian
barber, one last time.
One thing I didn’t mention in the last blog was that one time
when we were talking, a beggar came to me asking in Khmer for some money. Touch
immediately told me “nevermind” then got up. I thought he was going to ask the
beggar to leave, but instead, retrieved his own money and gave it to the
beggar. A man who has very little to live on, chose to give up some of it to
help someone else in need, and so that I wouldn’t be bothered!
Before going to see him, I prepared a small note for
him. I wrote that God will take care of him and his future, if you trust and follow
God, quoting Jeremiah 29:11. I couldn’t afford much, but I also included a $10
bill in the note.
He was wearing a nice pair of jeans, and a styling dress
shirt-a visible upgrade from his normal cheap dress pants and loud dress shirt. He had dressed up for our final day. While he finished with his customer, God put it in my heart
to pray for him. I wanted to pray to God for him. But usually when I think of
praying for a non-Christian, I get really nervous, and most of the times, I
back out. This time, it never occurred to me that it might be awkward. I was at
complete peace.
We talked for about an hour, random things really. He also
asked me to tell my team how he’ll always have us in his head, heart and eyes.
Before it was time to go, I gave him the note, and asked if it was okay for me
to pray for him to my God. He agreed.
After a sad good-bye, we waved until we were out of sight, as I rode off on the
back of a motobike. Earlier tonight, he sent me a text:
had bought a water melon for me it’s a very sweet one .
I had read your latter and i saw the money 10 dollar thank
you very much every day i didn’t pay for anything who was not important . I
want to saved some moneys in order to buy a new big dictionary becaused my small old one didn’t have a lot of
difficultied words. So i can completed my wish by your money thank ! And when i
read your latter i felt that my tear want to dropped you are very good .
You always gave the strength of my mind friendly with me
bought everything for me i always felt so happy when you came to see me every
day . Today i think i couldn’t sleep when i closed my eye i saw you in and i
felt so lonely because i couldn’t see you mored . But nevermind i had your
address ,i shall be write to you i hope my latter will be in your hand .
I want to thank everyone who encouraged me, supported me,
and prayed for my final time with Touch. My only regret is that I never got to
bring him a Khmer-English bible! But it is my prayer that he will seek one, and
by God, he will receive one, the way Brother Yun (aka the Heavenly Man) did!!
