Roosters, Khmer Dance Parties, and Boldness

Coconut Trees.

Laughter.

Rice Fields.

The brightest green you can imagine.

Vuthy

Somnang.

Our Cambodian mom and dad.

Chandia.

Pektra.

English Classes.

Church Services.

Hip Hop Classes.

Youth Retreat

$500

$850

Geckos

THE most obnoxious duck I’ve ever heard.

Roosters.

Cows

Fruit

The market.

Our bread lady who always had 6 loaves ready.

Banana Cakes.

House Visits.

Khmer Dance Parties

Flying Snakes

Dinner with the chief and elder of the village.

These are just a few things that sum up our month in Touch Village.  My team arrived in Cambodia with the knowledge that our ministry contact in northern Cambodia fell through.  So, we literally had no idea where we were going.  Within 24 hours we found out we were going with Vuthy (pronounced Vootie), a YWAM worker, to his home village.  I had absolutely NO idea where Touch Village was, couldn’t really imagine a remote Southern Cambodian village, and had no idea who Vuthy was at the time. 

My month in Cambodia was nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced before.  We took bucket showers.  We used rain water for showers and laundry.  If there was no rain we used pond water.  We had no electricity…Only a generator for a few hours each night.  When it got dark…It was dark.  We were outside all the time.  Cows, chickens, pigs, ducks, and roosters roamed freely (and sometimes into our house).  Life was very slow-paced.  There were no stores, restaurants, etc.  We shopped at a very small market over a mile away for fruit and bread for breakfast.  I loved it.

The Lord reminded me of boldness constantly this month.  I was reminded that I have a voice.  I have the Gospel to share with these people.  I speak the words He has given me.  I no longer need to stand in the background.  Within a few days of being the village I knew that God was calling me to share with the people of Touch Village.  Specifically, I knew He wanted me to preach on Sunday morning.  Now, I knew that at some point and time I would be preaching on the World Race…However, I convinced myself it would be much further along in the year…Nope, there I was, month 2, laying in a hammock doing my devotions and having an argument with God.  I panicked about not knowing what to say…Then the Lord began revealing things to me…We spent a day in Phnom Penh and it was if God and I were having a continuous conversation about what I was going to say the next day.  Speaking in front of a group of people is honestly one of the most difficult things for me to do….So, the next morning I was a nervous mess, but at the same time I wasn’t nervous…I knew that God was speaking through me.  They weren’t my words, but His.  I shared my testimony, how I got to this point in my life, and some other scripture that God has been using in my life.  I’m not sure how God is going to use that Sunday morning, but I truly believe that God selected the people that needed to be there…He knew who needed to hear the message that morning and He knew how much I needed to take that step of boldness.

God is raising up a new generation of believers in Touch Village.  The youth (about 30) are some of the only Christians in the village.  Vuthy had a vision of taking the youth on a retreat to Kep Province.  He began planning this retreat with only $15 in his pocket.  The approximate cost of the retreat was $500.  The Youth, Vuthy, and Team Segullah began praying for that $500.  We sent out blogs and emails to inform our supporters of what was going on.  Many of you received an email explaining how the Lord provided…But basically, the Lord provided above and beyond what we needed for the retreat!  He provided $850 for the youth retreat…Meaning all the extra money was given to Vuthy to use for the orphanage that God has called Him to start right in Touch Village.  Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you for investing your prayers and finances into this generation of youth that I believe will be bringing the Kingdom of God to Touch Village.