I wake up in my tent at 5:15 am to the chanting of Buddhist monks being broadcasted from loudspeakers down the street. I am covered in sweat and itching my legs which are speckled with mosquito bites. The first thought that crosses my mind is … “What in the world were you thinking when you signed up for this?”
I came home from the World Race at the end of May, but before I came home I was presented with the opportunity of leading a group of women on a one month trip to Cambodia. I prayed about it, and as you can probably guess, the Lord told me to go. Out of all the countries I visited on the World Race, Cambodia was one of my least favorites. This was one of the few countries (maybe the only country) that I was completely satisfied with never visiting again… BUT God had other plans. So while my first thought is “What was I thinking?”my second is “God, I trust you. Show me why I am here.” And every day He has reminded me countless times, that this is His will.
My team and I are working with street kids in Battambang, Cambodia and my heart breaks for these precious children every day. We pick up the kids every morning at 7:00 am in the back of a pick-up truck that has been converted into a “school bus” of sorts. We literally pick them up off of the ground and off of picnic tables where they are sleeping. Some of them live under canopies where food stands set up shop at night, and others live in slums or a dump that was once and old train station. The kids range from 3-13 and very few of them ever wear shoes. When we pick them up they are dirty from sleeping outside, and they are often only half-dressed. They live with lice, and almost all of them have noticeable cavities and missing teeth. Many of them stay up until the early hours of the morning begging for money for their families, and they are treated like pests and shooed away like mangy dogs. But contrary to how they are treated, these children are PERFECT CREATIONS. The Maker of the Universe has deemed them more valuable than any precious stone, more majestic than the mountains, and more beautiful than the prettiest of sunsets. These are heirs to the Kingdom of heaven. Sons and daughters of the one true King.
My mission for the month is to do everything I can to show these children that they are worthy of love. That no matter what they were told the night before, they must know that they are BEAUTIFULLY and WONDERFULLY made. That the Light will always cast out the darkness. That their lives matter. And that their Father LOVES them so much that He sent His one and only son to die for them.
When our kids arrive at the center they are hugged and kissed and loved even before they are bathed. We stroke their hair and smile, because lice can’t stop the love our God wants to share. I am so honored to get to spend this month with these incredible human beings. I can assure you they are teaching me so much more than I could ever teach them, and God is constantly reminding me what He was thinking when He placed this opportunity in my path!
PS – I am still fundraising for this trip. Please prayerfully consider partnering with me to continue making a difference here in Cambodia. Every little bit helps!
