This last week we ended our ministry in Thailand and on
Monday we arrived at our ministry site in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I will miss the children at the Tree of
Life Orphanage but I am also excited to hear about the work that the Lord does
in their lives! To be honest, this
month is something I have been longing for, dreaming of since I found out that
we would be going to Cambodia in October. With my minor being Holocaust,
Genocide, and Human Rights I had a deep rooted desire to see the nation of
Cambodia transformed by the power and glory of a gracious, loving God.
Cambodia
is a country in need of hope, in need of transformation only found in the
gospel and I can’t wait to see this country awakened to the glory of the
Father!! Almost immediately, I
felt this weight fall upon me.
Cambodia is much different than Thailand, much more poverty, and wounds
still fresh from the genocide that happened a mere 30 years ago. I can’t wait to speak life into this
young generation, to speak hope to the hopeless, and to declare freedom to the
captives. In Cambodia, 80% of the
population is under 30 years of age.
50% are under the age of 20.
This land needs leaders to be raised up to guide this country and
influence it towards change as well as healing.
The
ministry we are partnering with this month is KALeB e.V., Cambodia. The organization has several different
parts to it including English lessons for students who wish to become midwives,
a Family Unit which helps street children get an education and helps them to
reintegrate back into society. The
main ministry we will be working with is the Bethlehem Night shelter, which
provides homeless boys with a shower, a meal, and a place to sleep at night, as
well as providing informal schooling in the mornings. If the boys stay at the night shelter and attend the
schooling for three months they can be integrated into the family unit and
become enrolled in formal schooling.
Ingrid, the founder of KALeB is such an inspiring woman who
sees so much potential in Cambodians and wants to change the nation for the
glory of God. She sees the
importance of structure, and teaching values and manners to these children in
hopes that they will come out of their broken nation, and change the lives for
future generations. Please pray
for our ministry time here and that we would be able to express to them love
that they’ve experienced so little of.
In my next post I will be sharing about our trip to S-21 Prison and the Killing Fields.
