During debrief, after we received our new teams, we were informed that all three teams would be doing ATL as the ministry this month (#9) in three different cities. ATL stands for “Ask the Lord”. That meant we had no set ministry, host/organization, or place. It was up to us asking the Lord what we should do and where to stay.
Through asking the Lord as a team and our leadership team’s discernment, my new team, International Harvesters, was chosen to go to Battambang, Cambodia.
Within a couple hours of finding out our placement, we booked our own transportation, a 5 hour bus ride from Siem Reap, as well as our lodging. We knew nothing about Battambang and had zero plans for the month, but as a team we had discussed some potential ministry opportunities we would like to pursue. We wrote down things like street ministry (slums), kids ministry, healing, and sports.
We arrived on Tuesday, June 5th and got to work researching and contacting local ministries in the area. During this time, we discovered that YWAM (a well-known Christian Missions Organization) has a worship night on Wednesday’s at 6:15pm. We decided to check it out and potentially make some more connections.
On our way to YWAM worship night, as my teammate Jess and I were walking and talking she mentioned that if we wanted to find a place to do slum ministry, all we had to do was turn right off the main road down any of the alleyways we were passing. It just so happened that a few moments later our Google Maps had us turn right down one of these roads!
Within a block of walking down the street, on our right hand side we came across an open dirt field. Right then and there it was like the heavens opened up singing “ta da”
We all looked at each other in utter amazement and agreement saying, “THIS IS IT!”
I immediately started dreaming and picturing us playing with and loving on the kids from this community in this open dirt field, and it was a beautiful picture. (hint hint) I was hype!
I thought to myself, “Wow, God is SO good!”
As we continued walking down the street we kept receiving more and more confirmation that this was where God wanted us to be this month. We saw family after family with little children who lit up as we smiled, waved and said “hello” to them. They were so friendly and welcoming of us walking around their community that we had such peace about it.
Two weeks later I still get giddy thinking about that Holy Spirit led walk through this community…it will forever be the day we found THE STREET.
I can’t wait to share more about our time here in Battambang, specifically the time spent on the open dirt field on THE STREET. But all I can say is “WOW! I love this place and our ministry!”
