Saludos desde Malasia familia! Un fuerte abrazo y beso a todos! Today I am finally getting around to posting my picture blog as promised. Although I am no longer in Cambodia, I wanted to share a little bit about my experience there and post 11 photos from the first country on my route. I am currently in month three (3) of eleven (11) of The World Race and moving forward I will be more intentional about posting picture blogs from each country for you to see and embark on this journey with me.
We started out in the capital of The Kingdom of Cambodia – Phnom Penh and eventually made our way up to Siem Reap before heading to Thailand (2 of 11). I hope y’all can appreciate these pics and little snippets of my time in Cambodia so you can follow along with me and get a better insight of what my life has been like out on the mission field! Enjoy!
1. First Home Away From Home
This is a picture from the balcony of our hostel in Phnom Penh. It was the view we had for over a two weeks during Training Camp. We got to meet a lot of really awesome people from all over the world and I spent many mornings reading my Bible and devotionals with this view. This was my first home away from home.
2. Kid Ministry
These precious little Cambodian girls were definitely the joy of our days during Training Camp. They lived right down the street from our meeting space and were so interested and intrigued with what we were doing there. We got to love and play with them day after day. It was so sweet to be able to share tender moments with them and even tell them about Jesus.
3. Wat Ounalom Pagoda
Built in 1443 the Wat Ounalom Pagoda is one of the five original monasteries and Buddhist Temples in Phnom Penh. During the Khmer Rouge it was partly destroyed but has since been rebuilt and reconstructed. You will find many similar temples all over Cambodia. They were definitely a sight to see.
4. The Prince & Me
This is Prince and I, the hostel pet. He is the 2nd coolest cat I ever met, Simba is obviously the 1st! He was so precious and sweet. I was definitely tempted to smuggle him, but for purposes of leaving that Thug Life behind me, I refrained! teehee
5. Khmer Church
This was one of my most cherished memories from Cambodia and such a sweet experience. We attended a Khmer Church service and got to meet and fellowship with the sweetest people. They have such a heart for Jesus and were so welcoming. We didn’t understand a word they said, but luckily had a translator to tell us what the message was about. We sang songs of worship in Khmer and it was just all around such a beautiful experience to be able to worship our Lord with our Khmer brothers and sisters. After service, they fed us well and loved on us and just made this day so special for us. This is definitely a memory I’ll never forget.
6. Cambodian Street Food
Four words: Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice!
Now, you’ll have to forgive me on this, because I cannot recall her name for the life of me, but this lady right here is serving up the best pineapple chicken fried rice in the world, I’d say. Cambodia is like street food capital of Asia and if you ever find yourself in Siem Reap, you definitely got to hit her up! This was my go-to meal and I eventually took the rest of my squadmates to her little street food cart. It was the absolute best! 10 out of 10, would recommend!
7. Pub Street Sunset
This is a Siem Reap Sunset on Pub Street. Every evening as we stepped out to find dinner, we would walk around the streets of Siem Reap. There are tons of shops, restaurants and pubs here. Siem Reap is definitely a very touristy part of Cambodia. It was a completely different vibe from Phnom Penh. Overall, Cambodia in general was a very dark and heavy place, but God was still very present and sometimes, His Glory shines down on this country.
8. Kampong Floating Villages
This is a picture of the floating villages of Cambodia. This is what the village looks like during dry season, however during the monsoon season (wet season) the homes you see here are floating and are only accessible by boat. The people here live off of fish and agriculture, however during the dry season they have to be more creative in ways to make an income. They are very resourceful and despite their circumstance, live very simple and happy lives. It was a wonderful experience to be able to visit the village, see the people and learn a little more about God’s heart for them. He loves His people and even though they may not know it, His protection and provision is all over them.
9. Angkor Wat
On this day, a couple of my World Race girlfrands and I woke up extremely early to catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat. It was definitely an adventure. Angkor Wat is one of the largest religious monuments in the world. It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple but gradually changed over to a Buddhist temple. As we walked the grounds, we got to pray over this place and also pray for ourselves, as we nearly lost our lives to wild monkeys! ha A not-so-sweet little Cambodian boy set us up. He gifted my two friends and I lotus flowers as we were leaving the temple and lo and behold, these wild monkeys love lotus flowers for food and chased us down for them. Needless to say, we went home empty handed!
10. Monkey Demon
Looks real cute huh? This is one of the little beasts that chased us down for our flowers. If you ever get to visit Angkor Wat, please be forewarned: Monkeys are NOT your friends! These animals are savages! They are little demons that would steal your soul if they could. You must be very careful! They like to steal things from you and taunt you until you feed them. They are very wise and will hunt you down! Trust me on this, you definitely don’t want to get caught up in this monkey business!
11. “Jesus! Jesus! You make the darkness tremble…”
On this day, I so desperately needed to take some time to be alone with the Lord. So I grabbed my Bible and my journal and headed to the rooftop of our hostel. I had so much stirring up in my heart and a lot of questions that needed answers. This was a hard day. I cried many tears and poured my heart out to the Lord about the things I was feeling and seeing that I just could not understand. Many of you may or may not know that sex trafficking is a very prevalent thing in Southeast Asia. It is a cultural norm and sadly, has been for many years. Right before this day, my team and I had a moment to sit with a phenomenal woman named Ruth, who started an organization to help sex trafficking victims escape the sex trafficking industry. She walked us through her story and how God really brought to life the purpose He had placed on her life. It was heart-wrenching and inspiring at the same time. After sitting with her, my mind and my heart just needed some time to process everything. I had so many questions for God about this. Where was He and what was His heart for these victims? If I could share more about what I learned that day, you would be blown away! However, for the sake and safety of others, I am obliged to share very little online. If you are interested in learning more however, shoot me a message and we can chat.
Being away from home has been a wonderful yet challenging experience. My eyes have seen things that I will never be able to unsee and my heart felt things that I will never forget. My heart has been broken for the things that I know break God’s heart too, but I rejoice in knowing that despite all the evil and sickness in the world, God sent Jesus to make the darkness tremble. I’ve learned a lot being out here and I can only hope and pray that through this experience, I can continue to grow into my purpose, learn to love and serve others better, pray more fervently and effectually, and keep faith in knowing that one day the entire world will be reconciled to God and there can finally be peace on Earth.
