Friends and family, hello!! I am so sorry for the lack of update this past month. The Lord has been teaching me so much and showing himself to me in mighty ways.
Okay, so here is the lowdown. After almost 60 hours of traveling I made it to Battambang, Cambodia on September 13th. I am staying at this “village” of apartment complexes that seem to be almost vacant. No one stays there because they are to expensive to live in, but in all reality only $500 a month.
We arrived in the middle of a holiday that all of Cambodia celebrates, Pchum Ben. This is the Buddhist belief that the gates of Hell have been opened up and the spirits of their ancestors go back to their homelands to get food and money. They believe that if they do not appease their ancestors that they will be cursed. The first 8 days our squad was here we would wake up at 4:30 a.m. to chanting, by the Buddhist monks, being proclaimed through the city by speakers. On the last day, the were celebrating the “big Pchum Ben” this day was so dark. I slept outside the night before and woke up to the presence of darkness. The whole day was filled with prayer and asking for the Lord’s protection over my squad and I. I have never had to depend on the power and protection of Jesus like that in my life. I thanked to Lord for stretching me in that way. Since that day, I have trusted the Lord in a more intimate way than I ever have before.
Our ministry this month has been so sweet. We work with a local organization called Brightstart. They love Jesus so deeply, and do everything they can to bring heaven to earth. We helped them teach bible stories and english. In the mornings, we ride on the back of a truck into a village almost 40 minutes away to get to a little school room with about 50 kids in there waiting so eagerly for us to teach them about the love of Jesus. In the afternoons, we tutor/teach kids English.
A few days ago, we said goodbye to our class of 50 kids by washing all of their hair and treating them for lice. This has, by far, been my favorite experience of the World Race. Every single child had lice. We loved them so practically, and it didn’t take the same language to create a connection. The representation of washing someones feet is the only way I can describe the way I felt when I washed and picked lice out of these kids hair. Dying to myself, and loving these children like Jesus would. I am so thankful for that opportunity.
Thank you to everyone for your love and prayers. I have felt so loved by Jesus in so many ways this last month. I love my team of 6 other people, we are just the best friends.
Prayer requests; for my heart to be continuously filled up by the love of Jesus, for my team to go deeper and deeper into intimacy with the Lord, and for my team to experience the Lord radical love in ways we have never experienced it.
