I love Cambodia.
This is my second visit to this great country, and immediately off the plane and riding in a van to our hostel, I felt a peace that replaced the anxiety and uncertainty I had been feeling leading up to this trip. I have yet to venture out of Phnom Penh to see the gorgeous countryside, but already God is reminding me of His heart for a people struggling to survive, of a culture of deep history and peace.
On Wednesday we began our ministry for month, and I’m choosing to borrow one of my teammates’ description of what we’re doing:
“The seven of us have been working these past few
days with a ministry whose focus is on trafficking prevention. The
children that we work with are at a particularly high risk for
trafficking due to poverty, abuse, neglect, lack of education, or a
combination of these factors. My team is using their diverse gifts to
do nursing, community outreach, organization and inventory, teaching,
and curriculum development. Erika, Cameron, and I [Kylie] in particular spend
our mornings organizing and doing inventory for their organization’s
store room, and our afternoons teaching in what they call the “special
class.” These children are joyful and eager to learn despite their
circumstances, and I am thrilled to have the privilege of teaching and
loving on them!”
days with a ministry whose focus is on trafficking prevention. The
children that we work with are at a particularly high risk for
trafficking due to poverty, abuse, neglect, lack of education, or a
combination of these factors. My team is using their diverse gifts to
do nursing, community outreach, organization and inventory, teaching,
and curriculum development. Erika, Cameron, and I [Kylie] in particular spend
our mornings organizing and doing inventory for their organization’s
store room, and our afternoons teaching in what they call the “special
class.” These children are joyful and eager to learn despite their
circumstances, and I am thrilled to have the privilege of teaching and
loving on them!”
Please be in prayer for these children, and for the amazing volunteers and staff whom we are working alongside to further prevent trafficking in Cambodia. As another of my teammates recently noted, “Prevention is far preferable to restoration.”
Also, I realize I have yet to inform you of my wonderful team, whom I get to live and work with for the next 4 months!:
Kristen Paulick is our amazing team leader: kristenpaulick.theworldrace.org
Erika Clark: erikaclark.theworldrace.org
Katie Benson: katiebenson.theworldrace.org
Kylie Norman: kylienorman.theworldrace.org
Jason Mendenhall (he went to App!!): jasonmendenhall.theworldrace.org
Tim Bradley: timothybradley.theworldrace.org
Please check out their blogs, pray for each of them, and pray for us as a team!!
