Our goal was to have the church finished today but because of the second day in a row of heavy rain we realized it would take longer than we thought to carry baskets of dirt ( which is now mud ) from the field to the church to fill in what was going to be the stage. Our team went into the market riding on the red tuk tuk singing christmas carols at the top of our lungs. We thought the best way to spread Christmas cheer was singing loud for all to hear( direct quote from elf ) and our tuk tuk was our sleigh. I think we started the people just as much as the cows When we got back from drinking smoothies to celebrate the half way point of the race, we saw all the boys from the ministry working away in the dark trying to use all the free time they could to finish the job. Our goal was to have the church building ready for Sunday so there would be a building to house 200 children from the village and surrounding area. Markelle and I quickly threw our muddy clothes back on from earlier that day, tied our buffs on and went to work. Standing knee deep in mud with the only source of light being the mood and stars I something I will never forget. We started carrying load after load of mud from the rice field around the fence into the church. I looked around at the boys, some as young as 10 working and couldn’t remember the last time I had seen a community working this hard together to help one another. Though the work was hard I have never laughed so much in my life. We used anything and everything to carry the mud, and every bit of strength to get it to its final destination. The thing is anything can be fun when our with the right people and if your heart is in the right spot. The only way I can explain the amazing joy I felt during hose hours of labor is that every single persons heart was in the right spot.
It started with a bump here and a splash there, before mud was flying through the air. Soon it found its way into my mouth, hair, and ears. This would be the start of the biggest mud fight I have ever witnessed and been apart of. Bright red clay soon covered our bodies as we ran across the freshly plowed and irrigated rice fields. Screaming and laughing not thinking about having to use a bucket to shower off all the clay or the fact that we would be up at 5 30 again the next morning. Just when I would regain speed and be flying across the field my foot would get sucked down into the dark clay and I would find myself on my face laughing to the point of crying.
The night finished by jumping in the little pond full of fish to try and remove the clay from my hair, clothes and skin before jumping into bed. I was so exhausted by the time I got into my sleeping bag that I thought for sure I would go to bed right away. But instead I found myself sitting up tears rolling down my face crying … They were not sad tears but tears of joy that words cannot even describe. At that moment I had realized the transformation that God has done in my heart. He has taken the stony cold broken heart I once had and everyday is making it more like his. It is the only way I can explain why I can find so much joy in carrying mud for hours in the sun and in he dark night. It is the only way I can explain having so much love for a community that I have only just met. And it is the only way I can explain the contentment I find in my soul for the life that I have been giving and am blessed to live.
At the end of this month I am so excited to say that the church was finished just in time for Christmas ! We were able to give out over 200 presents to the children in the village an have over 400 people come celebrate and hear the true Christmas story. I learnt how to make delicious coconut curry and helped the ladies from the village chop, peel, slice, and pound ingredients in order to make enough for everyone.
Through this ministry I have been able to see how without even words, whole communities can come together to see the gospel and the love of Christ through serving one another.
We ended our stay in Kampot Province by having an amazing night of worship and intercession for the ministry and country of Cambodia. We lite bamboo torches and walked around the field that will soon be apart of the ministry ad under the stars cried out to God and sang praises. We met in the middle of the field where all our torches came together to light one big fire. I believe God is moving in such big ways in the ministry and the fire that has started through this little village is going to spread to the nations in big and beautiful ways.
Hitting the half way point in the race has been exciting, scary and eye opening. Realizing you can look at it glass half empty or full, trip half way done and almost over or half way fulfilled. I am so blessed to say all I feel is full blessed to have experienced so much of Gods goodness and know that the end of my trip doesn’t mean an empty cup but a very full one.
I am only 600 away from my final deadline and could tell story after story of the generosity and love shown to me this Christmas season. Next month as our squad travels to Vietnam I will need prayer that The gospel and love of Christ is shown through every action I make. Being in a closed country will not be easy but I am excited to come along side brothers and sisters who put their lives on the line daily for the one they love. Communication and details will be limited to protect the ministries we will be working with.
God bless 🙂
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