Susadai or hello from Cambodia! Yup, I’ve moved to another continent!!
We’ve been in Cambodia for almost four weeks now and I can honestly say I love everything about this place. This past month or so has been so so hard yet still so good. A time of growth for sure. I already have so many things I want to share about Cambodia so far but I’ll save those for the next few blogs. For now, let me give you a quick update about what I’m doing and where I’m at.
What does living look like?
I’m currently living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in apartment-style housing. My team, our men’s team and one of the other girls teams, Xapa, all live here and are involved in the same ministry. 17 of us total. What some may call our backyard looks out to a theological college. Sitting on the roof you can see college students walking in and out of their home here and often times find them doing some sort of manual labor to make this space we get to call home better than before. It’s funny calling this space home considering our home was in Costa Rica just last month yet home feels natural here. Thanks to my squad, anywhere feels like home. The only thing missing from this space is our other girls team, Hineni, that is living and doing ministry six hours away from us in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
What does ministry look like?
The main ministry we do here is childrens ministry. Tuesday-Friday we get to be teachers at a Christian Academy that’s about a block away from our house. It’s incredible. Our students are also our neighbors so walking to school each day we get to pass the same students we teach. I teach Pre-k with my teammate Angela while the others teach anywhere from daycare to Primary 2 students. Before we head to school each day we go on a prayer walk for an hour and a half throughout the community. This is a set time given to us to be intentional with the faces we pass each day as we walk through the streets and pray over this space. Something that I have found to be very important and powerful because most of the families here are Buddhist and you can physically feel the spiritual warfare happening here.
Two evenings a week we also get to do ministry over at the college in our backyard. Tuesday and Thursday nights after dinner we all get to head over there for a few hours to put on a worship and prayer time for the students. This is arguably one of my favorite times because we are simply asked to worship our God alongside our brothers and sisters. Many of the students have never gotten to experience what westernized worship looks like; lots of movement, loud, free, newer songs. So, our ministry host explained to us that her heart behind this time is for the students to get to feel more free in the way they worship. They learn from us while I have found myself learning from them what it looks like to be still. Personally, during worship, I love to move. I like to pace back and forth, sway to the song, lift my hands, all the things. The students have taught me over these past few weeks what it looks like to sit in awe and wonder. While they step out of their comfort zone in worship I’m stepping out of mine. I’m learning from them that worship is still as fulfilling when it’s quiet, laid back, older songs, sitting, crying, interceding for others in prayer. I’m learning that it all belongs. So they learn from us and we learn from them. We pray for one another as brothers and sisters in this time and we worship the same God. It’s a sweet exchange.
On Saturdays ministry looks like one of two things- half of us go with some of the college students to a village and do what we call “village ministry” while the other half stays home to do projects at the college and the school we teach at. Since we’ve been doing this multiple weekends now, I’ve spent Saturdays doing both of these things. I’ve found that I love them both. There’s no group I’d rather be on because each is fulfilling in its own way. Village ministry looks like getting on a bus and arriving at this bright orange church where we do children skits and teach English. The village kids that come only get to go to school on Saturdays and Sundays so teaching is so valued in that time. At the end of the day, we take the kiddos home and return to the church where we share a meal with the locals that brought us there. The week I went that looked like sitting on a table to eat a Cambodian meal- some sort of noodles followed by beetle larva for dessert.
Project ministry has looked like painting! Lots and lots of painting!! I don’t think I’ve ever painted a room before the race. This can often feel like more behind-the-scenes ministry but I think that’s why I love it. Hanging out in a room all day with my squamates, listening to music, sweating like no other, and singing along to music. I’ve found it to be a great time of community. Project ministry has been reminding me that ministry doesn’t always have to be seen by others.
Saturday and Sundays are our off days. Sundays for me typically looks like a whole lot of rest. I’m still trying to learn and practice how I Sabbath well. I love it. Mondays have so far been a time to see a little bit more of Phnom Penh. One time that looked like Brittney, Angela, Nathan and I getting lost on our way to the grocery store. Which resulted in being an adventure we didn’t expect and so much fun.
Basically, this is what a week in the life here in Cambodia looks like. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more updates to come!
Love always, Cass
