I have never set foot outside the US, never journeyed far from home or my family. Now I have my first stamp in my passport and I’ve survived some pretty long flights. I’m in Cambodia!! The months of anticipate, prayer, and preparation have finally paid off. I’m doing the thing; the World Race has officially begun. I’m finally here!!
Cambodia is beautiful in a lot of ways… and broken in a lot of ways. lily pads are everywhere, along with the shallow ponds where they reside. The humidity sticks to my skin like lotion and it rains at least once a day. The people are amaze me. When I smile and wave, they smile and wave back. It’s reassuring that a smile translates in any language. In the same way, I hope the locals see we’re different. We are not tourists looking for a good time, we are followers of Christ building relationships.
Below the surface though, Cambodia is broken. The people are still recovering from a genocide that wrecked the nation in the 70s. There is prostitution and poverty lurking on the streets just like the rest of the world. Unless you look closely, you might miss it. We went out last night for ministry, to walk the streets and pray and just see where God led us. As I walked the colorful lively streets, I prayed for open eyes and an open heart. Our ministry host showed us some bars know for the girls inside. I hope one day I get to tell one of them, you are loved and worth so much more than the price of your body. I’m excited to see how God uses us here in scheduled ministry time and off days. Our Host told us ministry is life and life is ministry. I’m hoping I integrate that principle into my race and my life after.
A small part of me thought I would get here and already be completely changed. I’m not; I’m still the same me. It dawned on me that maybe we are not clay being molded, but rock being eroded away. Erosion is slow and sure, you can’t see the little bit it chips away each day. For right now, I still tense up during ministry. I still choke on my words even when I know they are true. But God chisels away more of my fears and insecurities each day. Before I know it, I’ll be completely different. God is good… no matter what country I’m in.
