Ooooooh February. For as long as I can remember I have loved
this month. What makes it so great? I’ve got a few reasons for ya:
- My birthday
- My
birthday, part two - The day of love
- President’s Day (used to mean a day off of
school!) - If you live in Indiana, usually a lot of snow
- My healing day (no idea what I’m talking about? Click here)
- The uniqueness
of the number of days (who doesn’t love a person (or in this case, a month) who
dares to be different??) - And now my most recent addition to this always
growing list: Having the opportunity to teach, live and love in Cambodia.
This was a full month. The Seeds went to bed every night around
9pm (yes, I know it sounds pathetic, but when you wake up at 3am to roosters,
dogs and pigs, you’re just ready to call it a night before the time hits double
digits) exhausted. We were up early, at the Center all day every day, teaching,
sharing, worshipping, learning, praying, eating, dancing and laughing. Every
day it really was a joy to walk the 2 kilometers through what looked and felt
like the desert to reach the Men of God who had so quickly become our friends.
This is Pich (“PICK”). He is 25 years old and has been at
the Center for 6 months. Pich grew up in a home where he was the favorite and
received pretty much everything he wanted from his father. About 4 years ago
Pich started hanging out with a pretty rough crowd and eventually began using
drugs. He told us that they made him go out of his mind and he could not
control anything. His parents tried to reach out and help him, putting him
through several of the best rehab programs that money could buy, however each
time he completed a program he would return home and within months was using again. Eventually his parents couldn’t take it anymore and turned him out
of their home. For several months he lived between friend’s homes and anywhere on the street that he could find to sleep. Then one day he met a man and for some reason felt comfortable with him and poured out his heart, telling him that he wanted to be free of drugs and reunite with his family again. This man was a Christian and knew about the Teen Challenge Center, so he called about an opening and Pich was able to be taken there the very next day. Within 3 days he had given his life to Christ and says now that he can never turn back. AMAZING! He told us that now he has a reason not to be on drugs. He doesn’t feel empty anymore. He is SO excited to go home and tell all of his friends and his family about Jesus, and wants to attend school when he leaves the Center and then travel as a missionary all over Cambodia! 🙂
This is Phaerong (“PAY-ROUNG”). He is one of the 4 little “monsters” at the Center, whom I quickly came to know and love. He and 2 of his brothers are actually all living here because they were abandoned by their mother and found living on the street. While growing up the brothers were sent out every day with the instructions that they were to bring money home no matter what it took. Phaerong is a very sensitive child and I cannot imagine how that kind of treatment from his own mother warped his view of love and acceptance. One of the last days of Bible study he opened up about his past and asked for prayer because he wanted God to heal him. Phaerong and his brothers were all addicted to sniffing glue. He said that even though the glue hurt his head and his stomach he just kept doing it because he knew no one loved him enough to stop him. The thought of this precious child being abandoned and told that performance results in affection is just disgusting to me. He is so sweet, and I’m so glad to know that he is in a place where he is learning about the unending and unconditional love of Christ!
I really did fall in love this month. These men have something so special and my team and I 100% believe that these are the men that are going to rise up and change Cambodia for Christ. I hated leaving them knowing that I probably won’t see them again until Heaven, but I knew going into this month, just like every other, that my time is limited. God has great things planed for every ministry that we are a part of, so while I know that I am leaving a part of myself in Takeo, I am looking forward to whatever challenges He presents us with next.
Peace&Love
Brianna
