Every country I have been to feels different. Some feel heavy, some feel comforting, some feel kind of scary, they all feel new and exciting, and some just make your soul feel at home. That is the only way I can describe how I felt in Cambodia… my soul felt at home. The past few months I have felt a heaviness I can’t explain, so as we were flying into Cambodia I declared that my God is more powerful than anything here and nothing can touch me…. and I didn’t feel that heaviness at all this month.
This month for ministry we did a few different things. On the weekend we lived with our host Jack and his wife Samedy and their baby Dariya and worked with their church and many young adults there. They are a beautiful family that love the Lord and want to see Cambodia a better place. We loved getting to spend time with them.
This is Samedy, Dariya, Jack one Sunday after church. It was so fun getting to love on this family. Also it was cool having a host so close to our age.
During the week we went with Samedy about an hour outside the city of Phnom Penh to a small village where she is the principal at an International School. The school began last November and was started by a team of Brazilian missionaries. We helped the teachers in the morning as they taught Khmer and in the afternoon we taught English classes. We lived at the school during the week and got to visit many children and their families in their homes.
These are all the kids that attend school in the morning. The school has 3 classes right now Pre-K, Kindergarten, Class 1. They plan to add classes every year. Since they only have 3 classes our team traded days teaching in the mornings and the rest of our team did yard work around the school grounds. We cut grass, cleaned, and picked up trash.
This is the Kindergarten class that I was with every other morning. I loved getting to hug on these nuggs. I would sit in the back of the room and they would come by and just lay on my lap and we would take selfies. These kids range between 4-6 years old.
These girls love a good picture and who doesn’t love doing school work on the floor.
So I don’t know any Khmer… (surprise, surprise) there were several days the teacher would look at me and say (in broken English) do you have any games or songs to teach them. So we sang songs and played games and some days we watched Finding Nemo and Mulan.
In the afternoons my teammate Taylor and I taught this crazy crew English. We were supposed to have a translator, but most days he didn’t show up so we were on our own. You know you can do anything with you teach an English class to little kids by only using hand motions and very few words.
Without a translator a lot of our days ended playing games and just being silly. I love these sweet boys and their playful spirits.
Thida was in my morning and afternoon class. I loved getting hugs from this little cutie. I mean come on, who doesn’t love a good elephant pant, denim combo tucked in.
Our first week with the kids we taught them how to brush their teeth. Most of them had never brushed their teeth before. So every morning after break/snack time all 3 classes walked out to the field next to the bathroom and brushed their teeth. It was one of the cutest things I have ever witnessed.
Brushing your teeth is messy and sometimes it takes some concentration.
Literally my favorite part of the day.
At the end of our first week Samedy went to the store and bought baby wipes, combs, and nail clippers. We then proceeded to clean the kids up by brushing their hair, clipping their nails, and wiping their faces with baby wipes.
The kids sat so quietly as we cleaned them. They had no idea what was going on, but they were eager to sit in front of us then they looked so proud when they walked away.
In the afternoons after school some days we did home visits. At every home visit we were welcomed and given coconuts. This community was so welcoming and loving to us. I loved getting to meet the parents of our students and see their homes.
Coconuts for days.
Home visits also included getting to hold really cute babies.
The last week we were at the school Samedy took us two at a time to visit families and get information from them to begin a sponsorship program for the students to get supplies and other things they might need.
Once a month the Brazilian missionaries and the Khmer teachers have worship together at the school…Our team was invited to that worship. Things were being translated in Portuguese, English and Khmer. So many languages being translated, but we all have the same Father. It was beautiful.
Every Friday afternoon we drove the one hour back into Phnom Penh to stay at Jack’s house. On Saturday evenings we walked to a soccer field down the road and got to play soccer with some of the girls and guys from Jack’s church. It was one of the most fun things of the month. We played like little kids.. none of the girls were any good. We just all ran to the ball and spent most of the hour laughing at ourselves and each other. With the language barrier all you could do was laugh.
One Saturday some girls from another team came and joined us.
On the weekends we also got to explore the city of Phnom Penh. It had some of the coolest markets. Let’s be real…you know you are good when you can navigate public transportation in a foreign country by yourself.
Our first week in Cambodia my team also got to go visit the Genocide Museum S21. It was surreal to be in the place where so many experienced pain and torture.
Here is a site that you can check out to find out about the Cambodian Genocide in 1975.
http://www.ppu.org.uk/genocide/g_cambodia.html
This is S21… an old high school that turned into a place of torture for so many.
Check out this site to find out more about this place and the people who came here.
http://www.killingfieldsmuseum.com/s21-victims.html
After touring the museum we got to meet this survivor of the genocide. He didn’t speak English so we spoke through a translator. I don’t know if this man is a Christian or not. Our team did get to pray over him, we prayed for healing in his soul. I can’t imagine coming out of this place alive without holding onto Jesus. We live in a world of brokenness and Cambodia is a place that is continuing to heal from that.
At the end of our time in Cambodia, as a squad we got to visit Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. I am continually amazed by our Creator when I see all that he has made.
This is my friend Andrea and I as we watched the sunrise over Angkor Wat.
What I learned:
-I am not in control. I have no say in what happens. The Lord is Sovereign and He decides things in my life not me. I can make choices, but He ultimately has the final say. There is an odd freedom in actually realizing this and feeling it completely. If I follow He will lead and if I don’t follow He will still lead me. This month the Lord made himself my focus. If I began getting insecure about friends, or worrying about family back home, or thinking about how badly I desire marriage…I would pray for my specific friends and family and I would pray for my future husband. This allowed me to focus back on Jesus and not fuss over the things I have no control over.
-I am chosen. The Lord choses me everyday. If others don’t chose me that in no way diminishes or lessens my value. I am worthy of being chosen.
-It is okay to need others and rely on them. For example needing teammates to help me pick lice out of my hair.
-“Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Maybe it’s about unbecoming everything that isn’t really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.”
–The Lord began teaching me what my purpose looks like and to seek that out. I read the story of Esther and how the Lord used her and her purpose was to be Queen to save the Jews. What were you created for? What if you were created for such a time as this?
“Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
Esther 4:13-14
One afternoon the teachers at the school taught us Khmer.
Cambodia was by far one of my favorite places. I felt a freedom here that I have never experienced before. I love you Cambodia. I will be back one day.
We’re doing the thing.
Much love, Carson
