Meet my new Cambodian parents. I will miss Pastor’s contageous laugh and the way mama tucked us in at night.
These are most of the children from the orphanage we stayed at for the end of the month. They are literally the most kind, servant-hearted kids I’ve ever met. I didn’t know my heart was capable of loving so quickly.
This is the church attatched to their home..(our bedroom by night/classroom where we taught and played with the kids by day).
This is dino. The trusty tuk tuk that got us from village to village or to the mart for some a.c.
This month we shared the gospel throughout the villages. This is a sweet 78 year old woman who said yes to making Jesus her Lord and Savior along with her younger sister. They are survivors of the genocide and hearing a bit of their stories was fascinating.
Meet our other hosts: Thyvenn (green shirt) & Dom (Iowa shirt). Whether it was 3pm pancake parties, giving us each a handmade painting, or seeing how passionate they are for reaching the lost and hurting, these guys are pretty great. The Lord is using them to do big things here like planting churches and helping children. It was inspiring and fun to work with them!
This is Buster. I’m a little obsessed.
It finally hit me standing alone in a rice field talking to God and watching a calf nursing from it’s mother that this is what life looks like for the people here. This is what they know during their short time on this earth. Not growing up with new iphones, fast food, or big air conditioned houses. To them, that doesn’t exist. But who ever said those things equate to a satisfying life anyways?
The Lord really emphasized to me this month that we weren’t designed to be sheep that follow societies expectations. We were designed to be God’s sheep that follow His voice.
Staying in this remote Cambodian village has helped me see how much God blesses all of His people. Sometimes I get stuck in a box of what blessed looks like. Here, it looks like an orphanage full of kids whose sweaty hugs and kisses fill my heart to the brim. It looks like sunshine, afternoon naps in front of a fan, animals roaming everywhere, futbol games, not looking in the mirror all day and knowing it doesn’t really matter, outdoor bucket showers, and mango trees. It is a life that doesn’t revolve around packed schedules and calendars but the freedom to bask in Gods creation on a daily basis. It is not an easy life but it is filled with love and simple joys. I’m grateful for every sweaty second of being able to enter into it.
Cambodia, you will be missed. Please join me in praying for the people here. That the sweet souls whose hearts said yes to Jesus would be discipled and those seeds would grow, that each of the precious children’s needs would be met at the orphanage, and for continued joy and blessings for Mama and Pastor.
All my love – Jenna
