My heart jumped as I turned and saw the flame, it wasn’t a huge flame, but it was a flame nonetheless.
A flame inside a church building, right next to my tent & more importantly right next to one of my teammates.
Luckily, the flame was put out just as quickly as it came.
This event was the final event of many that led my team & I to a decision that wasn’t an easy one.
This month, in Cambodia, we are doing ministry in a local village where it’s a three minute walk to a squatty potty & the shower is at the local well. The way of life is completely different here than in America.
Water buffalo roam the streets, the men and women work hard, rice fields surround the place, and the people are friendly. Children play outside and use their imaginations which rarely happens anymore in America and life is slow paced. Dirt roads and bicycles are the normal mode of transportation. The sun is the biggest it’s ever been and more beautiful than anything I can imagine and I swear the stars shine brighter here than anywhere else in the world.
The sun beats down on my team and I everyday while we do manual labor for the local church-some of which consists of macheteing a field and digging a 6 foot deep hole to build another squatty potty or moving a pile of bricks from one place to the next.
We were staying in the church in the village but after a few sicknesses, stolen property (which was returned by the grace of our awesome God), awful swarms of bugs, safety concerns, and an electrical fire, my team and I pray fully made the decision to move out of the village to a city about 30 minutes away in order to be kept safe.
My heart felt burdened at this at first because the people, the people are amazing-they love us with a BIG love & I love them right back. I was nervous as to what they would think if the Americans moved out and only came to do ministry during the day. But my God is a good God.
To an extent I believe these events were unfortunate but to a greater extent I believe these things were a spiritual battle. My team and I carry the light & that terrifies satan when he thinks that he has reign over a place or a people.
I’m encouraged-that means were doing something right. Where Jesus reigns, satan simply cannot.
We are filled with the light, we carry the light, and we shine that light brightly.
I’m excited to continue ministry this month, with continued prayer, and shine the light of Jesus and declare this village and their hearts for Jesus everyday. This is what it’s all about-this life is about so much more than just day to day living-it’s a constant battle & I’m blessed to be a warrior in God’s army. I feel confident because He lives in me & the battle is already won. I feel blessed that the plan He’s chosen for my life is to fight for His people daily & to bring His lost children back to Him.
Continue to keep us in prayer & remember to fight this fight daily, don’t let your life slowly fade into grey.
Keep your sword held high.
all my love.
