Cambodia: MONTH 10!!!!

We've made it to Cambodia! We started the month off with a mini debrief and some time to relax and rest in Siam Riep and Phenom Phen. We got to sleep in air conditioned rooms, take hot showers and spend a day touring Angkor Wot (the largest Hindu Temple in the world). It was a wonderful time and exactly what we needed before finishing the last leg of this race. Only two months left and I will be home bound for the Great White North! In many ways month one seems so long ago and then in others the past 9 months have flown by!

We are now on month 10!! This month we are working in a Youth Development Centre that is a project of YWAM. We are located in a little city called Kampong Cham, that rarely ever has foreigners so we stand out like sore thumbs for sure, but we have been received so well and with tender curiosity. Our centre is only a few minutes off one of the main roads but it seems like we live out in the country because of how peaceful and lush it is here. The centre is ran by a woman named Maricel. She is from the Philippines and gave up a very strong accounting firm to serve the Lord here in this tiny little city. Her heart is for the youth, that they would come to know and follow Jesus. Her heart is always ready to give praise to the Lord and steward well, all that He has given her in this centre. The Scripture I quoted at the beginning of this blog, was spoken over her and this centre from one of the last world race teams, and I think it is so fitting.

The purpose of the development centre is to build Christ-centered relationships with young adults, through teaching english, computer, guitar, art and bible study classes. I am currently teaching an English class, a Bible study class and starting next week I will be teaching art classes. In addition to the classes we teach, we have a very full schedule, which seems very western because most countries around the world don't really run according to hourly schedules. So at first I was overwhelmed because I haven't had a schedule like this in 10 months, but then I remembered how much I love the organization schedules can bring, and I went out and bought myself a day planner haha. This is how my day goes:

6:30am–wake up and shower
7:00am–morning chores and breakfast
8:00am–staff worship and devotions/prayer
9:00am–morning ministry (prison, city prayer walk, or Bung Snay, which is a slum on the outskirts of town where we play with the kids)
12:00pm–lunch & dishes
1:00pm–teaching prep
2:00pm–**Art class, starting Monday
3:00pm–Bible Class
4:00pm–Advanced English class
5:00pm–free time (rest, personal devos, blogging, laundry, team finances, etc.)
6:00pm–dinner & dishes
7:00pm–team time (debrief the day, give feedback to each other, go over logistics, etc)
10:00pm–bed  🙂

When we first arrived in Phenom Phen, I was expecting to not be very fond of this country because it was sketchy in so many ways, but once we got to our ministry and especially once we went out to the slums, I had a much better feeling and excitement about ministering here this month. I have come to realize I have a huge passion for the unreached nations of Asia.  People ask why and I can give many reasons but at the end of the day, I think it's because God wants me to. God has put the desire in my heart to see the dry bones of Asia come to life; to see their lungs filled with the mighty breath of God. And that same heart cry could be said by the person who is called to Canada or America or Africa or Haiti or Surinam. Thank God we are not all called to Thailand, because then what would become of Canada? Or what would become of Africa? God knows our giftings and He knows how to connect them to the world's deepest hungers, if only we will choose to say, "Here am I Lord, send me."

So where ever you are may you choose to say, "I believe these dry bones can live again!" and may you allow the Lord to take your giftings and passions to meet the deepest hungers of this world.