This month my team and I are staying in a small village
about an hour from the capital city of Phnom Penh. Probably more so than any
month yet, I’m roughing it this month. We’re staying in what’s most commonly
described as a tree house, which is a nice way of saying we don’t have windows
and the boards bounce a lot when you walk on them. But at least I get to pull
out the trusty tent again.
about an hour from the capital city of Phnom Penh. Probably more so than any
month yet, I’m roughing it this month. We’re staying in what’s most commonly
described as a tree house, which is a nice way of saying we don’t have windows
and the boards bounce a lot when you walk on them. But at least I get to pull
out the trusty tent again.
Home sweet home.
We don’t exactly have running water and so ironically I
shower once a week when we go in town because I don’t want to get dirty by
washing with the water from the same trough our water comes from we dump down
the squatty potty to “flush�.
shower once a week when we go in town because I don’t want to get dirty by
washing with the water from the same trough our water comes from we dump down
the squatty potty to “flush�.
After 6 days of not showering.
Also, our neighbors love to blast music as soon as they wake up…at 4 or 5 a.m, so I’m back on the Ugandan sleep cycle of 9 to 5. My teammate Kirsten made a sweet drawing about it.
We also share our grounds with a wide variety of animals including magic
ants that are able to get into still unopened food packaging, geckos with
bullhorns in their mouth that call throughout the night, and most importantly
puppies!!
All that aside, I actually really like it here. There’s
always kids around playing volleyball who I’ve humiliated myself with a couple
of times, and we eat ridiculously good food.
always kids around playing volleyball who I’ve humiliated myself with a couple
of times, and we eat ridiculously good food.
Ministry is definitely different this month. The whole team
has transformed into English teachers for a month. Some body is teaching at
least 8 hours of the day, and we all average teaching about 3 classes. Many
people discover giftings on the World Race, and I have discovered a new one for
myself: pronunciation. One of my teachers told me the students understand me
very well, so for an hour or more each day I simply read words and sentences over
and over while the children repeat after me. So if anybody’s looking for a
professional basic English pronunciatior give me a call in a few months. I’m
thinking fulfilling a life dream and trying out for the position of National
Spelling Bee word reader.
has transformed into English teachers for a month. Some body is teaching at
least 8 hours of the day, and we all average teaching about 3 classes. Many
people discover giftings on the World Race, and I have discovered a new one for
myself: pronunciation. One of my teachers told me the students understand me
very well, so for an hour or more each day I simply read words and sentences over
and over while the children repeat after me. So if anybody’s looking for a
professional basic English pronunciatior give me a call in a few months. I’m
thinking fulfilling a life dream and trying out for the position of National
Spelling Bee word reader.
I also got to step back into my life as a substitute teacher
when I took over Kyle’s class Tuesday while he went into town to watch the
Auburn game. Well, except for the part where there was no educational movie to
watch, the kids didn’t really speak my language and I didn’t have my USA Today
crossword. Other than that: just like Huntsville Middle School.
when I took over Kyle’s class Tuesday while he went into town to watch the
Auburn game. Well, except for the part where there was no educational movie to
watch, the kids didn’t really speak my language and I didn’t have my USA Today
crossword. Other than that: just like Huntsville Middle School.
It’s really interesting working in a ministry where sharing
your faith really has nothing to do with it. That’s been the most difficult
part for sure – something I’ve really had to pray about. How can I show Jesus
by reading English words? God provided me with the answer through a sermon I
was listening to that I had downloaded in Romania and never listened to. It
talked from Galatians about leading a Spirit filled life. That Christians
that let the Holy Spirit fill their life act, speak and look differently than
others. So that’s been my prayer. I’m still not sure what it looks like, but I
trust that God can show these children that my team and I are different – that
we serve a living God different from the idols so prevalent here- a God who
desires a loving relationship with each and every person.
your faith really has nothing to do with it. That’s been the most difficult
part for sure – something I’ve really had to pray about. How can I show Jesus
by reading English words? God provided me with the answer through a sermon I
was listening to that I had downloaded in Romania and never listened to. It
talked from Galatians about leading a Spirit filled life. That Christians
that let the Holy Spirit fill their life act, speak and look differently than
others. So that’s been my prayer. I’m still not sure what it looks like, but I
trust that God can show these children that my team and I are different – that
we serve a living God different from the idols so prevalent here- a God who
desires a loving relationship with each and every person.
View from our house
Finally, I couldn’t finish this blog without recounting one
of the most absurd things that’s happened to me on the Race – and there’s been
a lot. Lili and I were teaching a class together when the teacher handed out
lyrics to a song the class was to sing to practice English. So we all practice
a good ten times, and then we’re told each of the 16 students will come to the
front and perform the song. Oh and by the way Lili and I will be grading the
performances. I’ve already experienced an episode of Survivor on this trip and
now here I am right in the middle of an episode of American Idol playing Simon
to 10 year old Cambodian children. (You’ll be glad to know I gave nobody a
score lower than a 12 out of 15 and verbally berated none of them.)
of the most absurd things that’s happened to me on the Race – and there’s been
a lot. Lili and I were teaching a class together when the teacher handed out
lyrics to a song the class was to sing to practice English. So we all practice
a good ten times, and then we’re told each of the 16 students will come to the
front and perform the song. Oh and by the way Lili and I will be grading the
performances. I’ve already experienced an episode of Survivor on this trip and
now here I am right in the middle of an episode of American Idol playing Simon
to 10 year old Cambodian children. (You’ll be glad to know I gave nobody a
score lower than a 12 out of 15 and verbally berated none of them.)
Oh and just in case you were wondering what song we sang here are the lyrics. We hope to have a video up soon of our team I still remember my parents singing it to my sister when she
was little – too bad it failed.
was little – too bad it failed.
She wants to be an engineer. She wants to be an engineer. Her father was an engineer. Her mother was one too. She wants to be an engineer. She doesn’t want to be a nurse. She doesn’t want to be a sailor. She doesn’t want to be an English teacher. She wants to be an engineer. She doesn’t want to be a lawyer. She doesn’t want to be a rich man’s wife. Oh no! She wants to be an engineer, just like her mama. She wants to be an engineer.
Finally, next month is our Ask the Lord month where we had 5
countries to choose from for ministry, and my team will be partnering with one other
and traveling to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 25th. We’ll be living above a Chinese
restaurant and ministering to a wide array of people including prostitutes, refugees,
the homeless and more. I’m so excited.
countries to choose from for ministry, and my team will be partnering with one other
and traveling to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 25th. We’ll be living above a Chinese
restaurant and ministering to a wide array of people including prostitutes, refugees,
the homeless and more. I’m so excited.
PS Sean Kelly, your blog is in the works. You’re not off the
hook.
hook.
