Hey everyone, I’ve been out of Cambodia for a week or so now, and so much has happened! We spent over a week slowly making our way from Kampot, where I was in Cambodia, to Fang, Thailand, where I am now. This month was very different from all the other months so far on the race, it was amazing and challenging and so full of God’s goodness. One cool thing about this month was that before we even arrived, our time in Kampot was prayed over by the previous team that was there! When we arrived we were gifted with a whole collection of sweet notes and encouragements, it was so awesome! They affectionally called our new home ‘the chicken coop’ and, unbeknownst to them, that name fit our team so perfectly (I’ll have to explain another time…) and made Kampot feel like home instantly. So, welcome to the chicken coop!
This was my first month of really living outside of a city, or in a place without wifi or AC. This was a month that was less comfortable than the past 4 had been. We lived with chickens and some other less desirable roommates, we washed our clothes by hand, and took sweat naps during the day when it was too hot to do anything else. This month I also lived in one of the most beautiful and peaceful places that I have ever been. In the mornings I could get up and watch spectacular sunrises over the palm trees. If the sky was clear at night I could look up and see more stars than seems possible. But, hands down my favorite thing little thing to behold was when one of the farmers would bring his cows out in the morning. He would lead out these two huge (HUGE) cows and behind them would be this little calf, that didn’t have any leads or restraints on him, that would run around after them and. (If you’ve never seen a cow run before its actually the best thing ever) Mornings here especially are filled with a peace and a contentment, despite all of the things that are different than what I’m used to. No matter what time it was, or what we did, we were constantly surrounded by God’s glory. It has never felt so real to me as it did there. The verse that says ‘if we are silent then the rocks will cry out’ made so much sense. When the wind would sweep through palm trees, or the rice fields, or you could hear the tall grass, it sounded like worship.
This month my team taught English classes at a school that is run by our host. To say that this was the loudest place I’ve ever been would be an understatement. In fact, at one point I thought I had ruptured my ear drum because it was so loud. The students that attend the school that we were teaching at actually also go to another school as well. They go to school all day and when they finish, they bike down the road to the school we were teaching at and they practice their English. (Mind you these kids are between the ages of 4ish-16ish… That a long time to be in school!) These kids were rowdy and funny and so SO smart! They were eager to learn and have fun- and are good at it. Where I was at first very nervous and overwhelmed, I grew to love going to those classes and seeing those kids. I would write out a conversation on the board for them to practice and they would race up with a friend to have me listen to them speaking. This wasn’t a classroom like one I was used to, but it is a place of both learning and fun. ‘TEACHER!!!’ Will probably remain a trigger word for me from here on out though…
In the mornings before our classes we also got to go and visit some homes that surround the church we were partnering with and meet with people. (This was awesome. Most of our ministry was focused on the children in the community but this allowed us to meet with some of the older residences as well.) We met with these two ladies twice. One of these women has gone blind in her old age, the other is a hard worker who commutes 4 hours on the weekends for her job. We learned through our conversations that they have been encountering different teams and people have been sharing the gospel with them for 9 years! We got to talk with them and not lay out a track to go over, or present the gospel again, they had heard all those things before. What we did get to share with them is why teams kept coming to meet them. We got to share that Jesus was pursuing them, and that He is going to keep pursuing them because He sees them and He loves them. We got to share the heart behind the gospel, and we got invited back. When we visited them the second time, the atmosphere was different. There was a seriousness in these women. We sat down and almost immediately one of the women says ‘tell me about the savior’, and we knew she was listening. We talked for a few minutes then she says ‘it is clear to me.’ And they both made the decision to accept Jesus. This wasn’t because of anything that my team did. We did not save these women. Jesus had been working and softening their hearts towards Himself a little bit at a time over the years, and my team was lucky enough to be there to see everything fall into place. God is so good!
Guys, incase you didn’t know, I’m now a professional chef. I now know how to tenderize meat by hand, an ever useful skill. But really, I got the opportunity to help prepare the meal that was served during the MASSIVE Christmas event that the church held for the local children. I got to sit with an amazing women who was so kind and patient with me and we made something that was tedious into something fun and I got to see the joy that comes from providing for others. We were able to serve so many children that night as they got to hear about Jesus. I’m learning that serving looks different than we think it will, no I wasn’t up on stage preaching the Christmas story, but I got to help behind the scenes to make sure that the people on stage got that opportunity. How humbling, I came all the way to Cambodia just to be a cook!
Our host, Vuthy, is one of the hardest working people I have ever met. He was working as a taxi driver in the capital and ended up driving a team from a similar organization, called YWAM, who invited him to church and he ended up accepting Jesus and then moving back to his village and starting a church and a school. (What a great testimony) He started his own coconut oil making company and helps bring employment to people in his area and fund his mission. He has a vision for his ministry, he is passionate about it, and the best part is is that he brings people in. We actually got to meet and work with some of the people that his mission has helped put through seminary and discipleship schools. It was awesome to get to know him and his family this past month and to partner with them in all of the work that they are doing.
I was correct when I told you last month that the second best mountains are mountains that are fun to look at but that I don’t have to drive through. That was true here in Cambodia. The mountains created a picturesque background, yet I never actually had to drive through them! Pretty great. I loved it a lot. Every month I talk to you about the mountains, and how beautiful they are (blah blah blah), well, this month my team saw some mountains, but was a stones throw away from the coast! (God is so good, He knows me.) We got to go to an island for one of our off days and spend the day relaxing on the sand. The beach was beautiful, the water was crystal clear, and the little fishing boats that slowly weaved their way around the island made everything into a picture-perfect paradise. 10/10 would recommend.
This was an awesome month. Cambodia is a beautiful place full of wonderful people. My squad also got to spend New Years in Battambang, Cambodia all together, which was so wonderful. 2018 was one of the best years of my life and was also a year that was so marked by the Lord. He has been present in every moment, shaping me and drawing me closer to Himself. I know that this season does not end with 2018, it only marked the beginning. All the same, I am thankful for this journey and this time. I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years and that a 2019 marks new seasons of growth in each of us!
Much Love,
Morgan
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