Everyone I have made it to Cambodia!! After, a 40 hour travel day with a flight from Georgia to San Francisco, California, to China, and finally to Battambang, Cambodia! When arriving I felt excited and overwhelmed all at the same time. A new community and lifestyle to adjust to and let me tell you, living with 50 people is an interesting, random, crazy, and fun experience!! I have had much time to explore the new city I will be living in for the next month. Monday through Friday we have ministry, while the weekends are spent adventuring and resting up!
This past week I have been asking God, “ what is your purpose behind placing me here, halfway across the world from my family?” Adjustment is a process and so far it has not only taken me awhile to move here and choose God but live with Him furthermore. Going into my first week of ministry I really didn’t know what to expect and was questioning my worth and qualification for what I was about to get myself into. I had big expectations of telling people about Jesus but in all reality I simply had to BE the church to share the name of Jesus.
In my first day of ministry, I got the chance to work to at a childcare facility/school named Dewey. The morning was rough because most of the people there are Buddhist, I made no connections, and felt useless in the classroom because there were already helpers present. So, I went back to the house feeling kind of let down and discouraged. Quick side note the kids here all go home for lunch and come back in the afternoon.
Arriving back in the afternoon there was a little boy crying as I walked into the building, and he really caught my attention, I felt so bad and just wanted to make him feel alright. I began with a whole class to only me, my teammate Kayla, and an assistant. Turns out that same kid that was crying was in my class! I was so happy thinking that I could form a relationship and show him love and joy! Ended up he was a new student with not much knowledge of English, and he spoke only Khmer. That didn’t stop me one bit. There should never be any barriers between two humans for we are all the Lords precious children. I smiled and exchanged numerous waves with him, I hugged him multiple times when he was either sad or shy. We played toys together continually! The Lord gave me the opportunity to share Him with this little boy by merely playing with him, giving him attention, and loving on him the same way Jesus does to us. Thus, not a person who is one bit unworthy to share God for we can be more like Him everyday just by loving one another. Glorifying the Lord is not only the prayers we pray upon people but also just our acts of faith by pursuing each other. Being intentional in our time with the ones around us. You do not have these magnificent acts of curing the blind to be useful and effective in God eyes. This can be in our everyday choices where we choose others, where we choose to live out the Lord exceedingly. Bringing kingdom can be seen in many ways and many places, you don’t have to be half way across the world to spread the love of God. The last day at ministry this week the shy little boy I met came in with a big smile on his face and joy in his eyes. He yelled goodbye to me as I left and gave me a big hug, and that makes my heart happy because it is a reminder that God’s love is powerful and can do anything. Each day here gets easier and easier as I invest more of myself into the new community that I am apart of. I cannot wait to share more stories with you all of how God uses me here in Cambodia but also all the other places He is taking me these next nine-months! Thank you so much for all the encouragement and support, it has been so comforting! If I want to continue on this trip I need a few more financial donations, so if you feel called to donate I would so appreciate that! Much love and thanks!
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