Hello my dear friends,
Yes we’re really in Cambodia! As I write to you it truly is surreal that our journey is well on its way. Our weeks so far in the Kingdom of Cambodia have been indescribable. Days that I could never forget. If you know me, you know that I love stories, everything about them. Sitting down with old friends or new friends and sharing life. I believe that there is no better way to share life than to share and remember the sweet work Christ has done in each of us.
So as you read these words, please pretend we are sitting at a coffee shop savoring some café and sharing sweet stories about people and lives that are being transformed – for this is how our God is glorified.
This month, my team and I (consisting of five other incredible women) have been assigned to the ministry of Unsung Heroes. Unsung Heroes looks very different than any other ministry that we will have on our World Race. Our mission is to go out into the Kingdom of Cambodia and seek out new ministries and churches that the World Race could partner to hopefully send WR teams to them in the future to work with them and bless them in anyway possible.
We do not have a ministry host, we do not have a home, we do not have a schedule, we do not have a plan – we know nothing. This uncertainty, we knew would be one of our biggest challenges. I, being a planner and organizer, had absolutely no idea what this month would look like. So…we prayed. We prayed before every meeting, conversation, activity, and encounter – simply asking the Lord to provide direction and to send us where He wants us.
Well friends, this unknown has been the biggest blessing we could have ever hoped for. For it has been in this uncertainty that Christ has shown up greater than our highest expectations. I am beyond thankful for this month – for Christ teaching our team what ministry really is. A lifestyle.
A life overflowing in prayer, expectant hearts, and the boldness to always take a step of faith with the authority we have in Jesus Christ.
Cambodia is unbelievably beautiful. A country filled with busy streets, inviting locals, and joyous children. As we have learned, it is a country that is still recovering from the mass genocide of the Pol Pot Regime. This is an unspoken memory, rarely will anyone talk to us about it – a time in which so many innocent people lost their lives. As you walk through the streets of Phnom Pehn, you encounter the young. Rarely do you see the elderly – a symptom of mass genocide and incredibly hard to believe that it was not many years ago. Our team got to visit the killing fields – just one of the locations where people were buried in mass pits (a total of 1.7 million people were killed) an indescribable experience. Within our time here we have seen the sadness and poverty that overcomes the country – but we have also encountered the hope that Jesus has brought.
now for one of my favorite stories of our time here…
Our day consists of team meeting, team prayer, research, and going out to meet with representatives of the unsung heroes of Cambodia. Every day looks different. Jesus has taken us to meet unbelievable people that have blessed us in unforgettable ways.
Just yesterday, we met with Mr. Sarin Chan. A man that has inspired me with his unending PASSION. A quality that I value highly and strive for everyday.
Sarin is the founder and director of Hands of Hope Community. An organization for children with disabilities here in Cambodia – and the only one we have come across. Immediately when Sarin sat down we all felt the Holy Spirt join our conversation. This man is a world conqueror. Passionate about uprooting the lies that many Cambodians believe – that the disabled must be hidden, not spoken of, and at times tide to chains. YES LITERALLY TIED TO CHAINS in their own home.
As Sarin told us about his background, he having his own disability, having lost everything he had (including his own mother) in the time of the genocide. He told us about how Jesus changed his heart and called him out of bitterness and into action through faithfulness. This man taught us so much about faith. In his own words
“You cannot pray and sleep! no no no, you pray and GO! Trust that your God has heard you and will send you you, but first you have to GO!”
I truly cannot put into words how this man has opened my eyes to perspective, resilience, faith, and the power of trust. Please head to hhccambodia.org and support their beautiful ministry! Our team hopes to visit their school in the next couple days so stay tuned for some pictures. They are transforming lives in their community, spreading awareness by simply caring and loving those who have never felt it in their lives, and opening doors for people to meet their Heavenly Father.
This is the sight of hope in Jesus. Thank you Sarin Chan.
If you have made it to the end of this blog – thank you so much for reading this lengthy post. I am beyond thankful for getting to share with you and to experience Jesus face to face through this incredible journey. I can’t wait until our next coffee date.
With much love,
ana maria.
Mr. Sarin Chan – a man of pure passion.
A sight of hope at the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge Genocide
The cutest.
Thank you Jesus for this team. We love you Cambodia.
