I’m leaving Battambang in 2 days. It’s incredible that after only 3 weeks with the people here, I feel so much love for each of them. Leaving the 42 students that I teach every day and the 2 teachers I work with in the morning or afternoon is actually really sad. God’s given me a glimpse into each of the hearts and lives of the people that I interact with daily, and it’s really hard to leave that behind. I’m confident in His faithfulness! I don’t know what will happen after I leave or with the seeds of planted through relationships, but I’m trusting that He is good. Thankful doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about my 3 (way too short) weeks teaching at Pannasastra International School.
I wanted to make sure to share about one of the relationships that have deeply impacted me at the school. When I first entered into teaching I was very focused on the children and viewed them as my main ministry. As the days passed, I began to feel God prompting me to reach out to the teachers I was partnered with every day, and begin to build friendships with them. As I got to know their stories and hearts I was BLOWN away by how incredible these women are.
My afternoon teacher is pictured below. She’s in the black polo and the assistant teacher is in the yellow shirt. Some of my students are in the picture too:
She is one of the most thoughtful and considerate people I’ve ever known. She loves each of her 22 students passionately and wants them to reach their highest possible potential. She is very intelligent and motivated and inspired her students to work hard and perform well. She is an incredible teacher! I can’t even begin to describe how much I look up to her and want to teach like her in the future. She has gotten to know the individual needs of each of her students and tries to tailor lessons and activities so they best fit each child. She spends HOURS outside of the classroom preparing lessons and activities and researching new ways to help her students get involved and stay engaged in learning.
She is a phenomenal educator, but even more than that, she is passionate about caring for her students and making the classroom a safe place for each child. I can feel a difference in her classroom compared to others I’ve been in because her highest priority is making sure students are safe and comfortable in the class. She shared with me that when she was in high school her teacher was angry, unfair, and disciplined the students physically which made the classroom an unsafe environment and led to her dropping out of school. Because of this experience, she strives to be honest, even-tempered, fair, and gentle with each child. She advocates for each one so well and knows their stories. The students in her class absolutely adore her, as do I.
This past weekend I had the privilege of joining her and her family as they went out to their rice paddies to harvest their rice. I spent the day hearing her wisdom and story and helping catch fish and crabs. It was such a sweet time to get to know her heart better and share more of mine with her. Her passion for her friends, family, and religion is inspiring. I am convinced that she is one of the kindest, most generous, and wise people I’ve ever known. She shares her crops with all the families in need, her and her husband run a free school for the children in her village who would be unable to receive an education in the city. She is currently raising her niece and nephew and loves them like her own. I am in awe of her heart and the goodness and love she carries.
The amount of love and respect I have for this woman and the other teachers I’ve met is unreal. Praying for each of them to experience the heart and love of the Father, and to get to know the One who never fails. Praying that I was able to share even just a bit of the big love He has for them. To say I’m going to miss these faces is a massive understatement. Thank you, God for giving me this month with these women and the chance to share Your love with them. Please join me in praying for these people who I love so dearly!
