Hello from
Cambodia! We have been here for almost two weeks. Most of that time has been
spent in Baray Village at the Khmer Homestay. Our contact and hostess, Esther,
runs the Khmer Homestay-a guesthouse set up as a traditional Khmer compound,
with elevated grass and bamboo cabanas,
mosquito nets covering mattresses on the floor, and a waterway running through the property
during wet season (which is not now-it is currently the hottest month of the
Cambodian year). Esther also runs Solar Café, which serves as a restaurant as
well as a training facility for young Khmers looking to gain skills in cooking,
sewing and other trades. Esther has a
huge heart for raising up Cambodians to take care of themselves, to provide
opportunities for them to gain skills so they can get jobs or support
themselves to go to university, and for them to know Jesus. We have been truly
blessed by Esther and her heart for this village and these people.
When we first
heard about our ministry this month, and where we would be staying, I was a
little worried. I focused on what we would be living WITHOUT. Our electricity
would be limited to two hours a night, we would not have internet, and we would
probably be in the middle of nowhere. Who knew if we would have clean water, or
showers? As it turns out, we ended up staying at a nice guesthouse. Us girls
have our own chalet, and it is one of the nicest buildings in the compound. The
sun rises around 5:45 and we are in a fairly open air building, so you don’t
sleep much later than the sun anyway. This means going to bed shortly after the
electricity shuts off around 8:30-9pm, so we get plenty of sleep and it is not
too bad with only two hours of electricity. I don’t really miss the internet.
It is hard not having news from home or being able to post a lot of blogs, but
this forces me to both journal more and talk to my team more, which is healthy
for our relationships.
When we got here a
little over a week ago, I asked my teammates to write down their goals for the
month. My personal goal was to grow in dependence upon God and really trust
him, especially when it came to strength and health. I also wanted to choose in
daily for our ministry and our team. God has given me a lot of opportunities to
rely on him for health and strength, and to make choices-do I choose in or do I
wait? Do I stay back from ministry if I don’t feel the greatest or do I push
through trusting God to meet me where I’m at?
It is a process.
It is a daily decision to focus on what we have and all God has provided
instead of what we lack. The foreboding knowledge that things could be a lot
worse (and may get worse when we get to other countries and other contacts)
forces me to appreciate what I do have. We have three delicious meals a day,
showers, western style toilets (though squatties also abound), beds, an amazing
contact, a loving God, a gracious Jesus and the Spirit of the Lord to lead us.
We have fans (run by car batteries) that last through the night. We have plenty
of clean drinking water and a contact who understands the importance of working
hard but also resting, especially when not feeling well. We have the protection
of our Loving Father, who gives us strength, endurance and grace.
Some days it is
even cool-ish, with a breeze! Basically, God is showing me that He is all I
need, and He knows the needs I have. Matthew 6-the part about not worrying
because God sees even a small sparrow fall from the sky and how much more He
cares for me-is being made more real. We have talked about the need to live
simply and trust God to provide. He does provide. He is GOOD. He is ENOUGH. He
is LOVE.
I can do all
things through Christ who strengthens me, including enduring any hardships
because I know God loves me enough to not let me stay the same, but to conform
me to His image. He prunes the branches so they will bear more fruit. This year
is a pruning season, so that God can use me to bear His fruit.
For we know God
works for the good of those who love him, for those who have been called
according to his purpose. Those he called, he predestined, those he predestined
he is CONFORMING to the likeness of his son. (Paraphrased Romans 8:28-29).
