This past month of Cambodia was a blast! From playing with the kids to learning more about Cambodian history and life. Here’s a glimpse into each day of my time there!
6/5/18 – this morning we left Siem Reap to head to Battambang (about a four hour bus ride). We made it!! The city is small but full of potential for the Lord. We are staying in a hostel near the city center for now (but moving to a different one in a couple days). Today we explored the city and took time to establish some things about our team. I’m amped for this month of unknown with the Lord and this new team!
6/6/18 – today, my new team and I sat down to establish a team culture. We are basing our team dynamic off of Acts 2:42-47 and trying to live out that passage literally each day. We also found a street we want to do ministry on while we were on our way to YWAM!
6/7/18 – we started a Bible Study on John as a team this morning and planned on going to the field today but it was raining. Instead, we watched a documentary on Cambodia to get a feel for where we were at and how to do ministry here.
6/8/18 – on our way back from playing soccer with some kids on Street 536, a child began walking towards us from a side street. We waited for him and as he got closer we realized he had Down syndrome and he had a lot of love to give away! Best 4 minute hug I’ve ever gotten!
6/9/18 – today we went to CrossFit foundations class with YWAM! It was a lot of fun and I learned a ton!
6/10/18 – off day Thay was super relaxing! We just hung out and watched some movies and spent lots of time with the Lord!
6/11/18 – it poured, so couldn’t go to the fields today. Instead we watched another documentary: this one about the genocide. It was very eye opening on how the genocide has affected the parents of the kids we are trying to minister to.
6/12/18 – shared my testimony with my new team today! Also got the chance to go back and play with the kids!!
6/13/18 – rode a bike around with 4 kids on the back of it!!
6/14/18 – this was the first day we came to the field and the kids were waiting on us, instead of us waiting on them! It was such a treat to see them so excited to hang out and play!
6/15/18 – went to the field and helped swing the jump rope for the kids. One kid LOVES to jump rope and literally laughs the whole time he is jumping! I would swing the jump rope all day just to see the joy on his face!
6/16/18 – this afternoon, a few of my teammates and I went to a crocodile farm, on a bamboo train through the country, to a bat cave, and to a killing cave that was used during the genocide. It was quite the adventure day! We even got to hold a baby crocodile!
6/17/18 – this morning, my teammate Marah taught us about how gratitude breeds thankfulness and thankfulness breeds joy! A timely teaching for all of us!
6/18/18 – woke up sick this morning so I didn’t get to do much today. Spent a lot of time in prayer which is always good!
6/19/18 – Ashley, a nurse on my team, worked to get an infection out of my back today: the worst pain ever! BUT we got to go to the field and be human jungle gyms!!
6/20/18 – got to FaceTime Critter this morning, which was awesome!!! In the morning, we wrote “Jesus Loves You” notes to the kids in their local language and then spent the afternoon riding bikes and hanging out with them!
6/21/18 – got to go to the field again today! Every morning we pray that the rain would be held off in the afternoon during this rainy season so we can go play with the kids – the Lord has been faithful in allowing us to go out!
6/22/18 – today was our last day at the field. Some of them knew when we gave them the notes and let them keep our stuff (soccer ball, jump rope, etc.). It was sad to leave them but I trust the Lord used us to plant a seed of His love in their lives!
6/23/18 – today we took a bus to Phnom Penh (the capital) and saw Incredibles 2!!! Would highly recommend.
6/24/18 – today we met a guy from Canada, who hung out with us most of the day! We went to the killing fields and S21 museum to learn more about Cambodia’s recent genocide. To learn more about it check out my friend’s blog: https://haleybatchelder.theworldrace.org/post/the-one-with-no-more-genocides. To lighten the day, we played at the arcade mall in the evening!
6/25/18 – went to Krispy Kreme Cambodia! Then went bowling and saw Jurassic World 2 in the VIP section of the theater (only time we could make). They had such comfy chairs!!!!
6/26/18 – today we traveled back to Siem Reap for LDW with the squad! It was so nice to be reunited with everyone else!
6/27/18 – I had a sty on my eye that has been swelling for the past couple of days so this morning I went to the doctor and got it drained. Also, some friends and I biked into town (a little scary but fun lol – traffic here is not like America…) and I got to get my Cambodia hat!
6/28/18 – got to teach on teaching today and hang out with people! It was a lot of fun! And this evening we had a celebration as a squad before we left for Indonesia!
6/29/18 – flew from Siem Reap, Cambodia to Bangkok, Thailand to Jakarta, Indonesia! This was easily one of the best travel days – short flights and short layovers! We arrived in Jakarta around 8pm and my team’s flight to Medan (where our ministry is) is at 6am tomorrow morning.
6/30/18 – last night we had to stay outside of the terminal until 3am. So we slept/hung out outside all night. But we made it on our flight and arrived in Medan around 8:30am where we met our host Pastor David! I’m excited to see how we can serve alongside the Lord here in Medan, Indonesia at the Church of Elim!
