It’s been two weeks since we have been on our own as a small group in Cambodia. My team and I spent the first week in Battambang where we made connections with a missionary couple from the Philippines. Pastor Phillip is the pastor of a local church in Battambang and his wife Armie also serves with him to teach at their bible school called Grace Bible School. We had the opportunity to attend their church service one Sunday and partake in their beautiful worship which was in the Cambodian language. It was evident how sweet, generous, and welcoming this couple was to our whole team as they offered to take us to lunch after church. They invited us back one day before we left town to come and speak to a few of the students who attend the Bible School there. We planned to talk to them about how to share their testimony in three minutes as we had learned at training camp, and everyone was able to share theirs that morning. It was so powerful to hear all of their testimonies and also to be able to step out of my comfort zone to share mine to the group. One thing stood out in each of their stories and that was that both Pastor Phillip and Armie had impacted their lives and led them to Christ which ignited a passion for God so much that they wanted to attend the Bible School and serve God in a greater way through that. We ended the gathering that day with lunch again that they provided for us and they even offered to take us to the bus station that morning as we were leaving to the next town that day. God was working in these sweet encounters in my heart and Pastor Phillip and Armie are an inspiration to me for following the call of God on their lives.
Another highlight from our time in Battambang was time we spent at an orphanage one evening. Without any real plans of what we would do with the kids, we showed up and decided to play a game of soccer. It was a great game and afterward, music was being played and it led to the most extravagant and fun dance party. I even got to show some of the girls some of my ballet moves and they showed me a dance of their own. Time spent ministering to kids in this way is always one of my favorite ways to show God’s love.
Lastly, in Battambang we had the opportunity to ride on an open platform bamboo train throughout the countryside and go deeper into the village areas. This day we invited a friend we made from our hostel and on the tuk tuk ride there we were able to share Jesus with him. It was such a beautiful day of seeing God’s creation, exploring temples, watching monkeys, and ended with a magnificent sunset in an area where we got to see over four million bats come out of a cave as soon as the sun went past the horizon. It was a day I will never forget. Thank you Jesus for this life and the many blessings you have for me. Your plans for me are good.
The next town we traveled to was Siem Reap. The highlight of my time there was attending a local church called Freedom Church. This church was very friendly, energetic, and on fire for Jesus. On the day we attended they announced they were starting a new church plant in the capital city of Cambodia, Phenom Phen. I felt led to give a larger donation to support the work they are doing there as church body. Afterwards, they served snacks and coffee and we were able to connect and have fellowship with more of the local members of the church. They gave us each flyers about their church which I was able to hand out to people at the markets later. Rajani is a lady who works at the market. One of the other teams met her while there and it just so happened that her and the other team attended Freedom Church that day as well. I decided to go to lunch with her and the other team after church. It was so nice getting to know her and her story as she is from Nepal and moved to Cambodia a few years ago for work and to grow her business. She too was very generous and paid for our whole team to have lunch that day. I went back to visit Rajani at the market where she works and she gave me a beautiful henna tattoo which I loved.
“Give and it shall be given unto you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” – Luke 6:38
There are probably so many more stories from Cambodia to share about how I am seeing God move on this trip but that is all I have for now. Our team has made it safely to Thailand after a 13 hour travel day by bus including a long time standing in lines at the border crossing. We just spent the last five days in Bangkok, Thailand with our whole squad and group leaders resting and reflecting on all the ways God has shown up. We also learned more about God’s unfailing love and the grace He has for us to meet us where we are at. I am learning that God is enough, and although I am on a “missions” trip He is more than my performance or productivity and that I can simply “be” and abide in Him. His light will shine through me wherever I go and others can simply be blessed by my smile and this light in me.
Jesus Said:
“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:3-5
Up next, we will be spending some time in the North part of Thailand. First in the smaller mountain town of Pai, then on to Chang Mai. We hope to spend more time in prayer and interceding for the people of Thailand as we go. Again we are excited to see what connections will be made as the Lord leads. Please continue to keep us in prayer for guidance, safety, and protection.
