God, I do not know how, but you’re in this. I know you are. I have experienced your power, your unconditional love, and your miracles first hand, and you HAVE to be in this.
I pray this prayer in our first night in Cambodia. I sit in a dark room in a hostile in Siem Reap. A city filled with heavy history, but joy and life this night; at first.
We perused the streets seeking people, intriguing adventures, and dancing. Together. It was surreal; seeing not just a new country, but a new continent from a rooftop through our very small eyes.
God Himself for sure gave us bigger eyes. We strolled down the street one last time and met raggedy children without shoes who smelled of dirt and urine. Heather held a precious little babe in the dead middle of the road. They asked for food, but we couldn’t give any. We’ve experienced beggars, and of course, homeless people back in America. This was different. Jess prayed over the little girl next to us who was in pain and had cuts on her foot from not having shoes. She ran to the baby, a woman, and other children.
And then we saw him.
Lucifer himself, storming down the street towards the kids with his head down, like he was on a mission. He hit one of the kids when they were given a dollar, and chased the rest of them because they weren’t asking enough people for money. Suddenly, our night wasn’t all about us.
Our weak hearts broke at knowing that this is why we are actually here. It was as if the Holy Spirit hit us all at once, and we locked eyes. Some of us laid hands and started praying over them; some of us for each other because our hearts couldn’t handle the brokenness we were experiencing.
Lucifer didn’t stand a chance. He started towards people praying, and then would switch ways. His head stayed down the whole time, and his walk was one of insecurity and shame. He looked me in the eye for a second as I tried to approach him, and he immediately turned the other way. I think it was the most powerful moment I’ve ever witnessed in my life.
These kids are part of a vicious circle of begging that is pretty prominent in the cities of Cambodia. Especially where tourists reside. Adults don’t make enough money to support their families, so their kids are either homeless or are sent to beg. The real problem isn’t that they don’t have money; it’s that these people are taught that their worth comes from begging and they are only as good as how helpless they can appear to other people.
I know we aren’t going to save these kids, and in fact, it’s not even our job. Only the Lord can handle a task that is much larger than a financial issue. It’s a soul issue. He doesn’t need us, but their souls need a savior and a purpose, and God has called us here to help be a part of it.
