Training Camp 2.0
My second training camp was a success. I made connections with my team right away and feel so at home in this community. We experienced long sessions sitting on the floor or in uncomfortable chairs where we received lecture after lecture about what to expect while on the race, expectations we have to uphold while gone, and many other helpful things. We had multiple team times where we got to know each other and some of our habits and reasons for being on this trip. I felt so close to all of them soon after we met each other and feel we will only continue to grow and connect through the Lord with each other. We worshipped almost everyday and this is where I had space to speak to God and feel His presence. Singing everyday and screaming at the top of my lungs fills me up with a joy that nothing else has been able to do and to experience that along side my team was an amazing feeling. I continued to grow throughout the four days I was at training camp and felt prepared to … through community, intimacy, and missions. I was not however looking forward to the long travel days.
Travel to Cambodia
This was busy busy busy. It started at 5:45 in the morning on Monday, January 28th with a bus ride to the airport in Atlanta, Georgia. Once we got to the airport we waited around for about four hours to be able to check our bags, so we talked and ate and then talked some more. So at this point I am exhausted already and I have not even experienced my first flight of this trip. I say we were off to a good start at this point…so we get together around 2:45 and head over to the check in lines. So a running joke through out our team was that a girl in our group, Kat, was going to have to pay more for her bag because it was so big and heavy. Well, we weigh all of our bags first and everyone is good and under 50 pounds until we get to Kat’s bag. It ended up weighing 67.5 pounds which would cost 200 dollars because it was over 50 pounds and being flown international. We start to silently think about what to do next while also giving each other questionable looks because we have no idea how to help Kat. So she grabs her bag and starts to take things out that can be her purse for the plane. Finally after a couple tries we end up getting it down to 49.5 pounds and it is good. We then made our way to the gate we were boarding at and hung out for a couple hours. Once we were seated in the airplane a few hours later, that is when we were headed to San Francisco for our first lay over. We were there for about an hour or so and then were boarded on another flight headed to Taipei that was going to take about 14 hours. We landed in Taipei in the morning and hung out for another hour or so and then took off for our last flight to Phnom Penh. It was weird because when we left Georgia it was Monday and when we landed in Cambodia it was Wednesday so we lost an entire day. But anyway, we still were not where we needed to be. We went through customs, got our luggage, and headed off in a van to our ministry site. I was exhausted from the long 40 plus hours of travel and just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for days, but what I was greeted with just filled me with joy, the biggest smile ever appeared on my face, and I completely forgot about sleep and how nice laying down would be.
Welcome
Children, children, children…it filled my heart so much. They came running out of the house towards us screaming and laughing and just so happy to see us. None of them knew us or knew what we would look like or react to them, but that did not stop them from running towards us and being so happy your heart hurt. When I got out of the van all I could think about was saying hi to each one of them and hugging them and soaking up everything they had to give. I think we were out there for at least an hour saying hello and just trying to pronounce their names correctly and vice versa. I have never experienced anything like this before so it was one of the most amazing things I have ever got to be apart of.
Ministry
We started ministry on Friday and basically we just teach english to about 15 to 20 children Monday through Friday, Saturdays are our adventure days, and Sunday is Church where we sing and share a little bit of our story or testimony. This life is hard and I miss my family but I would not change this season for anything else. My life here looks totally different than my life at home but I am exactly where I need to be.
How am I?
I am living and for right now that is perfectly fine. I have an amazing group of women I am doing life with and it just makes this experience easier and healthier. We definitely have our moments and by no means are any of us perfect, but we are working together and encourage each other to be the best we can be day in and day out. I would not ask for any other team because I know is where I belong for these next three months. If you have any questions or just want to talk you can email me @[email protected] or respond to this blog post at the bottom!
