February is a short month already, but it definitely flew by. Two themes echoed throughout the month for me: Be present; Expect revival.
One memorable day we took a long tuk tuk ride to the mountains. There was a temple atop the mountainside, but that is not what made it memorable. As Miley Cyrus would put it “It’s the climb!” For us, the climb was 800 stairs of varying length and height. I started getting short of breath around stair 200. Some of the girls on my team were better about tackling this challenge head-on. I was literally just trying to catch my breath. Each step became a chore. So I narrowed my focus. I honed in on the stairs, making it easier for me to stare at what was directly next rather than looking at other people passing me. Endlessly it was next step, next step, next step. I kept this up until one of my teammates called out “Hey Debbie! Squirrel!” And it was almost as if I broke out of a trance. I was so intently focused on taking the next step, next step. I had completely missed out on the beauty around me. There were trees, trails, vines, sky, birds, monkeys. You could even see peeks of the mountainside below and the spires from the templetop above.This encapsulates most of my time in Cambodia: getting so wrapped up in the tasks that I almost missed the beauty God had placed all around me.
While reunited with our squad in Phenom Pehn, our leadership asked us for a lone word, which would describe Cambodia to us. I chose the word Dawn. I remember the dawns in Cambodia, the red orb steadily climbing the morning horizon. Dawn to me also embodies a new day. New grace, new freedom. New mercies. I see in Cambodia the younger generation rising up. Catastrophic events have altered the people of Cambodia. And, while these events will not be forgotten, there is redemption arising within the next generation.
I will leave you with a song and a verse :
Sometimes by Step : Rich Mullins
Sometimes the night was beautiful.
Sometimes the sky was so far away
Sometimes it seemed to stoop too close
You could touch it, but your heart would break.
Sometimes the morning came too soon,
Sometimes the day could be so hot.
There was so much work left to do
But so much You’ve already done.
O God, You are My God!
And I will ever praise You!
O God, You are my God!
And I will ever priase You!
And I will seek You in the morning.
And I will learn to walk in Your ways.
And step by step, You lead me.
And I will follow You all of my days!
Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been fit for me.
He was a stranger in this land.
I am that no less than He.
And on the road to righteousness,
sometimes the climb can be so steep.
I may falter in my steps, but never beyond Your reach.
O God, You are My God!
And I will ever praise You!
O God, You are my God!
And I will ever priase You!
And I will seek You in the morning.
And I will learn to walk in Your ways.
And step by step, You lead me.
And I will follow You all of my days!
And I will follow You all of my days!
And I will follow You all of my days!
And step by step, You lead me.
And I will follow You all of my days!
Somestimes the night was beautiful.
“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; Therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants might live.” Deuteronomy 30:19
Thank you for reading. Just so you know, we do have to be more discreet with blogs now that we are entering closed countries. My blog password is: Worldrace . We could always use prayer and support.
