Month 8 was spent in Battambang, Cambodia partnering with Ezra Ministries. The wonderful missionary family that hosted me and my team of 6 (Team W.O.W.) have been developing this ministry in Cambodia for 3 years.
Meet the Theriault family:
They started a ministry years ago to give kids of any background the opportunity to learn English. Kids from the streets and kids from affluent homes meet in a building to better their education and Ezra Ministries foundation is to use teaching English as a bridge to the gospel.
Crazy background story: Remember in June when I was in Malaysia and got in a moped accident? Well through that hospital visit, my team met the Boyd family and we spent weeks with Tracy and Tony doing ministry with them and their kids. I even make a fun video with their two little girls. When I posted that video and tagged the Boyd’s in it, a woman named Sharelle commented and messaged me on Facebook. Turns out Tracy Boyd went to college with Sharelle, and low and behold, Sharelle was our host for our month in Cambodia. I remember Tracy mentioning she had a friend in Cambodia who hosts World Racers sometimes but didn’t pay any attention to it. Sharelle messages me and says she is a college from of Tracy’s and that me and my team are set to come do ministry with her and her family in Cambodia. Small world! Also, God’s hand because when I mentioned the story to our squad leader Meredith she dropped her jaw in disbelief and says “When we were praying through what teams to send to what ministry in Cambodia, your team was the only one we were absolutely sure God wanted to send there.” AHHH God is awesome. Anyways, Sharelle saw my fun video I did with the Boyd girls and said she wanted to use my talents to make videos for her.
The second I got there, she was all over asking me to help her with photos and videos and marketing for their ministry. I had been praying all year for a month where I could just use my creative talents, and here God was answering my prayer. I spent the whole month with a camera in my hands!
While my teammates were teaching English or helping in their cafe and library, I was bouncing between all and doing my best to capture the heart of their ministry. I took pictures for their menu and advertising at their cafe, pictures of their children and classrooms, and made two videos that give a little glimpse into what it would be like to join the Theriault family in ministry.
Cambodia was actually a month of trial for me and my team. We all were battling homesickness, anxiety, stress, apathy, and our own internal conflicts. It was a month where I saw God restore in us new hearts of love, joy, and reconciliation. I learned so much about not picking up others’ burdens but laying them at the feet of Jesus each and every day.
Weeks later we had team changes and I was extremely sad to leave these 5 Women of Wonder because of the joys and sorrows we walked through with each other. They all truly become such genuine friends of mine and we waged war against the enemy across Southeast Asia for 4 months.
These photos and videos of Cambodia remind me of a hard month but one of victory and beauty. They capture the heart of Ezra Ministries and remind me of God’s goodness.
I hope you enjoy!
Video number 2 about the Ezra Library Cafe:
