In my last blog, I shared about how we came across a street, or rather THE STREET, that became our ministry site. So if you haven’t read that blog yet, I highly recommend checking it out before you read and watch the following; however, in this VLOG I also briefly touch on it.
The day we found THE STREET
The main point of this video is to point out what my teammate, Jess, observed. “Aaaahhhh! I love this! I love seeing how the barren field comes to life; just add the love of Jesus!”
Yes, we brought a soccer ball, jump ropes, bubbles, coloring books and even nail polish to this open dirt field. But what brought this dead place to life day after day was the love of Jesus.
We showed up at the same time each afternoon, so the children knew when to expect their new friends to come play with them. As we got closer to the field, we would hear the kiddos and see them waiting for us with excitement.
Throughout the afternoon, children would come in and out and sometimes bring their friends. We definitely had a core group of kids that were there each time, but some days would be busier than others.
Even a handful of parents and other adults from the neighborhood would come to watch in what I would consider awe and wonder at what these 7 girls were doing…spending their time playing and enjoying time with the kids.
Again, to quote my friend Jess from her blog, “Important note: Because of the long-lasting effects of the Khmer Rouge genocide in the 1970’s and the current proliferation of human trafficking in Cambodia, childhood is often stolen from the children here. They seldom experience the joy and freedom of childhood, and far too many children are sold by their families into sex slavery far too young. Cambodia is primarily a Buddhist country, so these children have a very small chance of ever experiencing the love and light of Jesus in their youth. As a team, we are passionate about giving children the opportunity to play and be children feel loved, and showing their parents and communities how precious and valuable their children are.”
What a joy it was to love and play with these precious kids. To give them the attention and affection they need and deserve!
I hope you have the chance to watch the following video showcasing some of our sweet memories with the Cambodian children on Street 536 and see how this street came to life.
If interested, I also uploaded a video our last day walking to Street 536. Every afternoon my team made this 30 minute walk from our hostel to Street 536, the place God led our team to the first day to do ministry at in Battambang, Cambodia.
Jess made a time lapse video that not only captures a glimpse of the area we stayed in and the community we served, but this walk became ministry as well. We smiled, waved and said hello to all we passed by. We stopped and talked with several men, women and children, and it’s the walk that led me to one of my favorite people I met on the Race, my friend Leas! You can see our last greeting in this video as well!
