Hello from Cambodia!! We’ve been here for 3 weeks, and it has been full of LOTS of laughter. There are 14 of us total and it’s all girls on this squad. We know how to have a good time let me tell ya. We are living in a village about an hour from the southern coast of Cambodia. We sleep in bunk beds in a house on the property of our ministry, eat local Cambodian food for every meal, and spend most days covered in dirt and sweat.
Our host, Vuthy, became a Christian a little over ten years ago while he was driving a YWAM team around in a tuk tuk. He was their main driver for the month they were in Cambodia, and he knew something was different about them and wanted whatever they had. The team shared the gospel with him through google translate since he did not speak English yet. He became a Christian and started a church and kids ministry in the village he grew up in. Soon after he began hosting World Race teams and has continued for the last ten years. His heart for his community is HUGE, and has a smile that lights up a room.
Yesterday we washed all the kids hair that come to our Sunday kid’s ministry
Every morning we split into different groups, some of us walking around the village visiting and praying for people, while others teach English at Vuthy’s ministry, University of the Nations. In the afternoon half of us are in the process of digging a fish pond on the ministry’s property so they can raise fresh fish, while the other half continue teaching English. In the evenings we go to an after-school program and hang out with the kids and teach more English. We come home for dinner and spend time as a squad debriefing the day. Some days we also help with Vuthy’s soccer ministry, as well as preaching and leading worship in his church.
It’s also wedding season here and we’ve gotten to attend multiple weddings here in the village. Cambodian weddings are SO FUN. It is wild to me how they can transform a cow field into a full blown wedding venue complete with a stage, performers, 30 tables, a gourmet meal, and a dance floor. I wish ya’ll could teleport here for a wedding because it is a riot watching everyone dance. Even all the old men are out there gettin’ down.
One of my favorite things so far has been the morning house visits. During the first week, we visited an elderly woman’s house. After realizing she is blind and very weak, we sat with her and prayed for her. She kept saying she just wanted to die, because death would be better than living without being able to see. We’ve gone back and visited her almost every morning since then. Whenever we arrive she’s always laying in her hammock, but now she lights up when we arrive. We shared the gospel with her and explained how she can talk with God anywhere, anytime. One day she asked if it’s ok if she prays inside her head because sometimes she feels too weak to pray out loud. We assured her that God knows even her unspoken prayers. She was like, “Oh good. I’ll pray in my head and then I’ll yell ‘AMEN’ to make sure He hears”. Now whenever we arrive she sits up in her hammock and yells “AMEN!”. It’s hilarious.
Our sweet friend
We have been super busy everyday and if we are being real, digging the fish pond is HARD WORK. Especially since it’s over 95 degrees each day and we are hacking away at dirt the consistency of cement. Please pray for strength and that we would make the most of our rest day and truly rest with Him.
Our progress on the fish pond
Also, PRAISE! I am FULLY FUNDED! Thank you SO much to everyone who donated and continue to lift the squad up in your prayers. We still have three weeks here in Cambodia, and look forward to what the Lord desires to teach us.
