Cambodia is a country that has absolutely broken my heart in so many great ways. As I shared in my last blog broken was the word God gave me for this month. I have been broken for so many things I never knew I would be and God is refining and molding me into the woman he is calling me to be. On a light note I have some funny stories and things that were made up or experienced during our time in Cambodia.
My teammates and I were lying in bed late one night and delirium had set in. We started saying good night to everything like the children’s book “Good Night Moon”.
- Only in Cambodia can you say good night to the ants that constantly are with you and good night to the geckos that lurk above you.
Also, we have been taking bucket showers each day and there have been frogs that love our bathroom. How they always find a way to get up our drain to stare at us while we use the restroom I will never know.
- Only in Cambodia will you wake up to use the restroom in the middle of the night and when you turn on the light the frog you thought you got out is staring right at you to let you know he has won.
We are always sweating here because either its more than hot or we are freezing because it’s constantly raining and we are wet. Each day at our meals we turn off the fans if we are cold and…
- Only in Cambodia do they come right behind you and turn on every fan because they think you are always hot.
It rains everyday all day Monday through Friday and then Saturday and Sunday it’s beautiful.
- Only in Cambodia does the rain know what days you have to work and what days your off
We teach English each day and love our students so much and even though they are loud and crazy 13 year olds they are my loud and crazy 13 year olds.
- Only in Cambodia do your students have to have a rule made in class that if they speak Khmer and not English they have to stand by the teacher for 10 seconds
All jokes aside though I have loved serving in this wonderful place. This has been such a month of growth, love and brokenness in all the right ways. Our team has grown in unity and compassion and so have I personally. My top 10 favorite things about Cambodia are:
10. My kids call me “cha” trying to say teacher
9. I now speak broken English because I listen to my students do so.
8. I have a new love for sharing my area with frogs, geckos and ants.
7. Cambodian children are the most loving children you will ever meet.
6. My heart for this country has grown so much since being here.
5. I have learned that not having a busy schedule isn’t always a bad thing
4. I have begun to see people through God’s eyes
3. I can eat food with ants and other insects and it doesn’t phase me. (There were ants all in my fruit loops and I proceeded to eat them because I thought it was worth it)
2. These people have some of the most beautiful hearts I have ever seen
1. I want to adopt a Cambodian child more than anything.
