This month ministry we had to find our own ministry. And we did. Life itself became ministry in a way I hadn’t previously experienced – at least not on this level. Yes, there were language barriers and time restraints but we did manage to make connections throughout the month. Here (in no particular order) are some of the people who I had a chance to interact with this month.
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Noodle lady: We discovered this sweet lady on one of our first nights in Phnom Penh. She was a kind street vendor who served delicious noodles and helped us learn Khmer.
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The little boys just up the street. One day, Jess, Becks, and I were returning to our hostel and came across two boys throwing paper airplanes. When they saw us, they got huge smiles and we exchanged hellos. Next thing we knew, they were giving us hugs before returning to their play. We walked past them sitting in a tuk-tuk a few days later and they enthusiastically waved and said hello.
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The guard who asked to take our picture. We passed by him several times on our way to the park and often exchanged smiles and greetings.
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The kids at the school on the way to the park who waved at us from their classroom windows and tried to take our pictures. We were too far away to actually talk but that didn’t stop them from interacting with us.
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Abona, the tuk-tuk driver who offered to take us all over the city and shared lots of information about his country.
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Our park family: This was the family we always went to at the park. We played with 3 of the kids each time we went. We didn’t speak Khmer; they didn’t speak English; but we all spoke the language of love and fun.Everyone was very sad on the final day when we said goodbye.
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The couple at the park who handed Lynden their baby, took a couple pictures, and left.
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The guy at the park whose job is taking pictures for people. One day he just watched us play but another day he joined us in kicking around the ball.
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All the other kids, adults, and tourists at the park who watched or joined in our play. (Or took pictures of the crazy foreigners chasing a ball with Cambodian kids climbing all over them.)
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The tuk-tuk drivers who sat outside our hostel: although we almost never needed a ride from them, we always took the time to wave and say hello. By the end of the month, their offer for a ride had become sort of a joke for both them and us. They all said goodbye to us when we were leaving the city.
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Water lady: On one of our first nights in Phnom Penh, she helped us order food from a street vendor. She sold cold water just outside of our hostel. Everytime we left or came back, we would look for her so we could greet her. She cared for some dogs, one of which had puppies while we were there and she called us over to hold the puppies. The day we left Phnom Penh, we couldn’t find her at first and were worried we wouldn’t get a chance to say goodbye.
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Perry: A roommate for the first few nights who shared stories of his travels. He talks a lot of crap but has a soft spot for stray dogs.
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Pat: I could say a lot about him. We spent a lot of time hanging out with him our first week in Phnom Penh.
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Bestie/Roomie: I don’t think any of us actually remember his name which sounds really bad since we spent all month in the same room. Here’s to chill roommates who like early bedtimes.
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Hosen: a hostel guest who was excited for us and what we are doing. He gave each of us change purses before leaving which proved very useful for carrying money this month.
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Other hostel guests that we shared conversations with and watched World Cup matches with.
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Den and Tong: Becks, Jess, and I went to help with a project to make the world’s longest hand-woven traditional scarf. While we were waiting, we met these two and had a pleasant conversation. After we had finished at the scarf place, Den treated us to a snack and we sat in the park and talked.
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Erin: She bought a shirt from Tessa without knowing her and they were able to meet this month. She invited us into her home and found us some snacks we’d been missing. She also brought us onto her university to help her students with conversational English.
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Erin’s students: I don’t know all their names but they engaged with us, sharing stories and experiences as we asked and answered questions. I went into it very unsure about the whole thing because this is not an age group I usually enjoy interacting with but this time I did and would have loved spending more time with them.
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The tuk-tuk driver who picked us up from Erin’s house and made us laugh on the way back to the hostel.
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The students at Salt and Light: We had 90 minutes each with grades 10/11 and then 8/9 that left us wishing that we had found out about this school much sooner. These kids were so sweet and respectful. They were really a joy to hang out with as we helped them practice English
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The principal, his wife, son, son’s friend, and teachers Yong and Han: They welcomed us to Salt and Light and shared some of the school’s story with us. It would have been nice to spend more time with them as well.
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The staff at Lovely Jubbly Villa, the hostel where we stayed for the month: they were super welcoming and friendly, helped us learn some Khmer, cleaned our rooms, made delicious food, and watched world cup matches with us. They always greeted us warmly and would ask what we did each day. They became family for the month. We were able to make thank you notes for most of them which we handed out the evening before and morning of as we left. Several of them took pictures with us. They are some of the people I will miss the most.
This month helped me realize that even the smallest interactions – such as a smile or greeting – can have a lasting impact. It’s taking that first step that opens the possibility to more. So here’s to a lifetime of living love and being willing to have my plans interrupted by God.
