Meet my friend. His name is Sophon.
Sophon and I have been friends for over a year now. I have had the opportunity to spend a month with him, on two separate occasions, in Kampong Cham, Cambodia. From the outside, we look pretty different.
Sophon is from Cambodia; I’m from the United States. He is a 14 year-old boy. I am 26 and not a boy. He is the middle of 3 children with an older sister and a younger brother. Sophon grew up in poverty and ended up in an orphanage. I grew up as the oldest of two, with privilege in a loving family.
His English proficiency has vastly improved over the last year, however, communication doesn’t always come easily. In lieu of deep conversation, our friendship was built on throwing balls at each other, walks to (and through) lotus ponds, sitting quietly at a table, painting smiley faces on our thumbs, and arguing over which one of us is the biggest banana.
Today was different, though. Today he took a break from his chores and sat with me as I was taking some Sabbath time. Today, in broken English, he began to express to me a part of his story.
He shared how deeply he missed his brother, but how angry he was at him as well. He mentioned how lonely he felt, that he thought maybe his sister had forgotten about him. He teared up in frustration with himself over how his actions had gotten him kicked out of school.
He revealed his fear of the future—not sure what would happen once he had to leave the orphanage. He began exposing layers of his insecurity. In his vulnerable moment, our friendship shifted and I just sat in prayer over him.
I have heard a lot of things about him before. I have heard about his occasional violent outbursts, his penchants toward “the 5 finger discount,” his wandering mind that if left unengaged often gets him into trouble. I have watched as judgmental glances pass in his direction. I have heard the other kids mock and exclude him because of his struggles with personal hygiene.
But, in this moment of his vulnerability, God showed me that no matter how different we look, no matter how different our lives are, Sophon and I are the same.
We are humans struggling in the same condition. We sin, we make mistakes, we let our emotions take control. We forget about God. When you break past our rough exteriors, through the walls we put up and the image we put on, you’ll see that we are broken people with hearts that are searching for love and acknowledgment.
To share it in a typical Southeast Asian way: We are same, same but different.
The best part is, God doesn’t love both of us, just like God doesn’t love all of us. He loves each of us. He knows the intricacies of each of our stories. He knows our pasts, our presents, and our futures. He knows our individual sins and mistakes. He knew us before we were even a thought in our parents’ heads. And he knows what each of us needs, because we both need the same thing: His Redemption.
The redemption God offers us changes us for the better. Redemption frees us from captivity, releases us from our debt and shame. It extricates us from the consequences of sin. It repairs; it restores; it fulfills.
Today, I caught a glimmer of the God’s great redemption through Sophon. Today, he was a cleaning boy, weighted down by the shame in his story. But tonight, he grabs the guitar and walks into the classroom where we will be holding a worship service. Tonight, he grabs the guitar that he only began learning today. Tonight, overcome by boldness, he passionately belts out a slightly off-key “Jesus Love Me” and we all join in. Tonight, we had the opportunity to witness God moving. We got to feel his redemption.
Our lives look so different. Our stores share only a few similarities. But we are the same. We serve the same God and we have the same need for God’s redemption. We are each loved by the Creator of the universe. And we have both been chosen, anointed, to accomplish God’s purpose here on earth. We have both been adopted as children of God.
Today, I want to introduce you to my brother, Sophon.
Thank you for taking the time to hear a story of someone very important to me! This fourth round of Passport leading has been a crazy adventure and an answer to prayer. It has been amazing to see the way the Lord been so faithful to provide and I know that he is going to continue to be faithful in provision. I am still in the process of fundraising for this trip, with about $1200 left before I am fully funded. Would you consider supporting me prayerfully and/ or financially? Thank you for joining in on my journey! Please let me know how I can be praying for you as well!
