So here in Cambodia, I have gotten to know many of the village kids in my English class. One by named Sing Liam and his brother Petra are the sweetest kids. Sing Liam is eight years old and his brother Petra is 4 years old. They are always covered in dirt and rarely wearing shoes. Their clothes look like they have never been washed. Every time I see them they both always have a smile on their faces. Sing Liam takes care of his little brother watching him and make sure he doesn’t get hurt.
The other day I hadn’t seen Sing Liam all day. I asked his classmates and they told me he was sick. After class we normally play games, and after a while, Sing Liam strolled up to where we were playing. He looked really sick. He sat down next to me. I have always suspected that the boys don’t get much food, but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but I asked the translator to ask what he had eaten that day this eight-year-old boy said he had gotten in to their dads wine. So it turned out that Sing Liam was drunk. He hadn’t eaten anything all day only the wine. I was in shock, which quickly turned in to anger. I was so mad that his parents were not watching him or even that they haven’t fed the boys all day. It was 5 in the afternoon. I didn’t know what to do, that made me more frustrated. Here I was not able to do anything to help these boys. We then invited them to dinner. Only Sing Liam came, he went home really quick put on a different outfit and combed his hair to make himself presentable. He was so happy, Lauren played Monster Inc on her laptop, and he laughed even though he couldn’t understand it. Dinner was served and as we prayed Sing Liam folded his little hands and bowed his slicked back head to God. The boy ate so fast; it was obvious he hadn’t had a meal like this for a long time. My heart broke in a million parts, yet I was still angry with his parents. Thinking if they can buy wine why not food to feed the boys?
Knowing that on Saturday we are leaving, and the boys will not have anyone to watch after them terrifies me. But this is where faith comes in and the power of prayer. Right now on this race there is nothing I am learning more. To rest in God’s mighty faithfulness, and that He makes all things for His glory. He has Sing Liam and Petra in His hands and knows them by name, just as He knows mine. To pray for people everyday and know that God is listening and working for His glory, is something that I am learning. Sometimes we say we are going to pray for people and we forget? I am so guilty of that. Now I am learning to write down all my prayers and now I am able see God’s work by looking back at what I wrote. God is blowing my mind everyday!
Please join me in praying for Sing Liam, Petra and their family. Pray for financial stability, work, food, and that they come to know and trust the Lord with their lives. Faith, that God is who He says He is, a good God that creates everything new, and for the good of His people.
These boys are the reason I fell in love with Cambodia!! Petra is the one in the blue and Sing Liam is in the red.
