Cambodia has been my favorite country on the Race so far. I might dare to even say that it will be my favorite country overall once I finish the Race! Perhaps it's partially because I have been sick and unable to do ministry for the previous two months, but I really think it's because of my continuous prayers to have God fill me up and change me this month. And boy! Has he answered that prayer this month.
If you've already read my first blog post about my living situation for this month, you will know that I am NOT on a typical missionary trip where I am staying in a nice-ish place. Or a place with A/C and internet. This month has been about simple living and what I (dreadfully) thought the Race was going to look like every month — sleeping in my tent every night, using squatty potties, taking bucket showers, etc. But don't worry folks — this month has been anything but dreadful. It's been absolutely wonderful!
Side note: I am having troubles uploading photos thanks to slow internet… so sorry that I do not have any photos for this blog post.
I am leaving the amazing country of Cambodia today and I do not know where or how to begin telling you about the awesomeness of this month. Leaving this country is definitely not making me happy; it makes me utterly sad. How can I find the words to explain all my experiences and happy moments from this month without writing a novel?!
Let me first start by telling you about what a typical day in the village looked like for me:
7:45 a.m. – wake up
8:00 a.m. – eat breakfast with my team
8:15 a.m. – sit in the school to have some quite time
9:15 a.m. – my students arrive for class, and Malerie and I teach them English
10:15 a.m. – class ends and I chit chat with some of the students until 11:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m. – lunch time!
12:00 p.m. – I go back to the house for a nap or to read
2:00 p.m. – teach a class with Malerie to students ranging in age from 11 to 15
3:00 p.m. – class ends and either head back to the house or I go places with my new Cambodian friends (one day it was a museum, some days I visit their homes and their families, etc.)
4:00 p.m. – one-on-ones with our Cambodian friends to help them practice English
5:00 p.m. – dinner time!
5:30 p.m. – head back to the house to prepare for the evening worship service with my team
7:00 p.m. – evening worship
8:00 p.m. – worship is over and my team and I head back to the house for the night
8:15 p.m. – we have team feedback and team time
9:00 p.m. – bedtime!
Not every day looks exactly like this, but it more or less looks like this. So what is so special about eating 3 meals a day and teaching English? Not much. But what is special is the relationships I have formed with the people by teaching them English.
One of the people that made my month special was Nayean (pronounced Na-yen). She is the first girl that I got to know here in Cambodia. On our first full day of being at ministry, she asked me to do a one-on-one with her to help her practice English. I learned that she is 18 years old, has one year left of high school, and she wants to go to university to study English and computers. She would like to one day be a tour guide and a translator! Nayean and I had another one-on-one the very next day, and she painted my nails for me! It might seem like a simple thing to do, but I was so excited to have my nails painted. I haven't had a manicure in 6 months and what girl doesn't love to get her nails done from time to time?! This simple act of painting my nails and being girly is what I think solidified our friendship. Don't ask me how… I just know.
A few days later, Nayean took me to the market to go to the Internet cafe. I was excited for two reasons:
- It was my first time ever to ride on a motor bike. It was a LOT of fun!
- I was going to help her get set up with email and Facebook so we can stay in touch once I leave Cambodia. Now she can practice her English with me once I am gone and we can be "pen pals"! Nayean is such a sweet girl.
Another day Nayean showed up and asked me if I could come visit her house. So I said yes! We hopped on her motorbike and rode about 10 minutes down the dirt road to her house in another village. On the motorbike ride to her house, she was telling me that she is very poor and that she hates where she lives. She lives with her mother, father, brother and grandmother. When we finally arrived at her house, I saw that it was a small shack and a house on concrete stilts. They have one cow and a "forest" behind their house. It is a very simple living situation, and it broke my heart to hear her ask questions like "How much money have you spent so far since you've been in Cambodia?" or "What does your house look like in the U.S.?" Talk about a reality check for me! I grew up in a nice, comfortable house and this girl is living here. Now I know why they think all of us Americans are rich…
This house visit is what really changed my perspective on this month. It was one thing to be living in the village, but it was another thing to be invited over to someone's house and meet their family… and see the poverty they were living in. Nayean said she hates where she lives because she is so poor. I realized this month that really am a rich American, and how many times have I been selfish with my money in the past AND on the Race? I would not even think twice about spending $7 on Starbucks, $35 on a pedicure, or even $10 for dinner when I was back home before the Race. But when you hear that Cambodians work 11 hours a day in the rice fields to earn just 200 Riel (the equivalent of about 4.5 cents), it really changes your perspective on things.
I think it goes without saying that it's not the daily schedule or teaching English that has changed me this month. It's the people in the village that have changed me. I have come to learn and understand that sometimes I don't know why God has blessed me with a loving family, a college education, and money and why he hasn't blessed other people in the same way as me.
I will forever remember Cambodia and the friendships I made here. Please keep the squad and I in your prayers as we travel to Africa over the next few days!
"…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." — Luke 12:48
