An insane amount of memories and emotions hit me when I think back on my time in Cambodia. A lot happened, and a lot changed. There have been struggles, challenges, rejoicing, and growth, and celebrations through it all. One thing that is so evident to me as I look back on this month is how clearly Jesus has been with me, and how He continues to hold His hands out to me in an invitation for a life with more of Him.
Coming into Cambodia, I wasn’t super excited. There was nothing negative, I just wasn’t super pumped like I had been for all the months before. I didn’t like that. I really wanted to be excited and eager about what the month would hold, but for some reason it wasn’t there. A few days before coming to Cambodia when I was feeling this, one of my friends messaged me and asked how she could pray for me. I asked her to pray for an eager spirit, rest, and renewal going into the month, and I pretty much forgot about it after that.
As we drove into the city where we would be living in Cambodia – Phnom Penh – I felt myself growing more and more excited and filling up with energy and eagerness for this place and the people and the opportunities we would have there as I looked out the window at the happenings of life in Cambodia.
A few days after arriving, I was on my messages to reply to my friend’s response, so I looked back at what I had said to her to remind myself of it, and when I saw that I had asked her to pray for an eager spirit, I laughed and also started tearing up, because I hadn’t realized it at the time, but I could see so clearly that the change in my heart had come from the Lord and I got hit with just how powerful prayer is from anywhere in the world! Man. Our prayers bring about movement and change and He cares enough about us to listen and answer. It’s crazy. It happens all the time, but it can be so easy to look over it or to not stop to see how God was at work and thank Him. So I am thankful that He slowed me down enough to tangibly see how He was working in my heart and to praise Him for that. And He continued to do that in the weeks after. I owe it all to Him.
We were partnered with a local church and were able to live in the church’s dorm with a few families from the congregation as well as some university students and young working adults. This was one of my favorite parts because I loved getting to know them as we would hang out in the kitchen and just sit and talk and eat and laugh together. They are so wonderful. I loved coming back home after teaching English that day (and after a trek up the 81 stairs) and have them welcome me and ask me to sit down and eat with them. Talk about awesome. They made me eat their food and I willingly accepted – I mean who could say no to eating all kinds of local Khmer food? Not this girl. Fellowship around a table is really beautiful and something I cherish – thank you, Lord, for providing that so many nights!
In the middle of the month, I was invited to be raised up to be a squad leader for our squad, and said yes with confidence knowing that this is where the Lord wanted me. My new teammates are Jeff and Paige who I love dearly and who wrote a little more about squad leading, check it out on their pages! I’m excited for this journey with them and for how the Lord has already been at work in me and in our team as we are moving forward.
After saying yes, my month looked a little different. I had to leave my team and Phnom Penh to meet up in the city of Siem Reap with the current leadership of the squad for us to begin training. Little did I know, we were in for a whole lot more than squad leader training.
In Siem Reap, we happened to collide with a few other AIM missions teams were able to partner with them and join in some of the ministry that stemmed from the guest house we were staying at, which was also started by people with AIM. They are planting a church, so it was super neat to come alongside them and see how the Lord is moving in this city. Throughout the week, we were able to go out into the city with no agenda except to ask the Lord and follow where He leads. What an incredible experience it was…so much so that I don’t want it to be just an experience, I want it to be how I live my life every day – because that’s how natural and beautiful it is. It’s crazy.
Through asking the Lord, we were led in different directions to different people and made some really cool friendships. One day I was able to play with children in a courtyard of a pagoda. Another day, we had planned to have lunch with some sweet ladies we had met a few days before who worked at a scarf stand in the market. I don’t think they believed we were actually going to come, because when we got there they had already eaten. We weren’t going to give up, so we rescheduled for dinner. A few hours later, we showed up with 4 pizzas and some soda and took over the stand as we proceeded to sit with these ladies to eat a meal together. I told you how much I love that..it was beautiful.
A majority of them are Buddhists, but when we asked if we could pray to Jesus for our food, the said yes and held hands with us as we thanked Jesus for the food and for them. The rest of the night consisted of us goofing off, talking to tourists to try to get them to buy items from our friends, making up jingles to catch people’s attention, and laughing a lot. It was one of the greatest nights.
We’ve gone back to visit them multiple times since then, and it’s been incredible to see how they have grown to trust and love us. We had an awesome conversation with them about Buddhism and Christianity and why we believe what we believe. We also prayed for them and one of them allowed us to pray to Jesus for her mom to be healed. We are expectant that Jesus is going to rock her and her family’s world. Please join me in praying for these ladies and for our friend’s mom. He can do more than we can ask or imagine – to God be the glory!
Another day, we met a young man whose whole face lights up when he smiles, it immediately brightens the mood of everyone around him, I love it. We were also able to talk with him about Jesus! He wanted to know more but the language barrier was causing problems, so we scheduled a day to meet again and brought a pastor with us who could translate. This sweet man asked questions and we shared with him about Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and he accepted both that day! I didn’t think it was possible, but let me tell you, his face shone even brighter when he smiled after he was filled with the Spirit and had Jesus in his heart. I mean wow. I’ll never forget it. We prayed over him, he exchanged contact info with the pastor, and we made sure he was going to get a bible in his language. It was incredible.
What is so powerful to me in all of this is that it happened through living an everyday, normal life. That’s it. There was nothing crazy about it. But the difference is that we were living life on purpose, life on mission. We invited God into it and were walking in His presence in obedience to what He was saying. And that changed everything. We just have to show up. God’s already there and He’s inviting us to join Him. What has been important for us to remember is that this was nothing of our own doing. It’s not because of us. God is the one who works on people’s hearts. We just showed up and God used us. It’s incredible because you never know where people are at in their journey, we could be the ones planting the seed, watering it, caring for it, or harvesting it when it is ripe – we don’t know. We just have to be patient and trust that the Lord is working and is in control. Our friend’s heart had already been worked on before we met him, but the Lord allowed us to be there for that last step and to see the fruit that I know so many others have been a part of cultivating. We can all be an important part of the gardening.
The other cool thing about it is that this doesn’t just happen because we’re in Cambodia or Asia or not-in-America. No, this can and does happen all over the world every single day, and every single one of us is capable of meeting that person, sharing Jesus’s love, and being a representation of Christ in our community. We just gotta take the time to look around and see through the eyes of Jesus. Don’t miss it.
On Tuesday, I will have to say good-bye not only to Cambodia, but to Asia as we will be making the leap to AFRICA!!! AHHH! What a journey it has been, and what a journey is yet to come. I’m lovin’ the ride. Take me to new heights with you, Jesus!
To God alone be the glory
