This past week was our first week of ministry. Which just happened to land on Cambodia’s most important holiday. This meant that instead of doing our assigned ministries for the week, we had to get creative. Literally.
We got the opportunity to go into one of the private schools in the area and make it a happier place. This school’s population is mainly Buddhist and from what I’ve learned about Buddhism is that it’s a very fear filled religion. This holiday they were celebrating is called Pchum Ben in which the gates of hell open for a few days. Families must travel back to their hometowns and leave offerings at 5 local temples for their ancestors who roam the earth. If they fail to do so, they’re cursed.
We woke up daily to the chanting of monks from the temples across the street from us.To say the least, it is a very spiritually dark place. Teammates were waking up in the night with indescribable fear that prevented them from moving. They were having night terrors and screaming in their sleep. I spent 6 hours one night trying to fall asleep but was unable to due to the spiritual warfare I felt in the room.
The school we were at had a Buddha shrine on each floor for offerings to the spirits that watch over it. Just walking into the school felt heavy. It was filled with a darkness that could be felt within moments of entering. The playground walls were covered in disturbing images and chipped paint. So we got to painting.
Over our week there we covered the place with prayer and colour. My team got to paint around the pool area and filled it with colourful fish and sea creatures. Although I was covered in sticky paint and sweat, I’ve never been happier. I was given the chance to love God’s children by brightening their surroundings and filling it with joy and love.
By the end of our time there we all wore smiles of overwhelming happiness. God was present in our time there and will remain in that place for a long time coming. It has been such a blessing to bring hope and be the light in this dark place. God used these small sticky hands for some big kingdom impact and I love the way He has used us to paint this world in so many different shades of the colour happy.
(Pictures available in picture tab)
