Hello, all!
Week 2 in Cambodia! Look at this picture… dancing with a beautiful student of mine here in Cambodia! What could be better??
I am having so much fun with teaching, ministry, our CUTE & smart students, new friends, and teaching partners. I love going to the villages, dancing Zumba with the beautiful children I’m coming to love even more. I love living with the 7 women of Team Teleo and some meeting up with Team Boldly Present and an all-girl team from Z-Squad in Month 9 of the Race.
But don’t let Instagram or Facebook fool you… Things aren’t all fun & games.
It’s hard.
It’s hard to see the realities of extreme poverty day after day. It’s hard to know we are leaving these children & friends in the beginning of October. It’s hard to see hungry kiddos each day, the effects of flooding, kids and the elderly without access to medical or dental care.It’s hard to see kids coming to school in the same ripped up shirt every day.
And it’s hard to live in tight, close personal community with 6 new women. It’s hard to hear & see the deep, immediate challenges Christ-followers face here in Cambodia.
Then it’s hard to feel far from God, feel homesick, and deeply miss conversations with close friends and family. It’s hard to lean on my teammates when I’m still learning to trust them.
It’s hard to be sticky, hot, & sweaty day after day, even when I shower. It’s hard to be vulnerable with these new women and trust new friends, without the comfort of WiFi to lean on people at home.
It can be hard to wear the same clothes, miss my hair products, and then feel over-priveleged for even worrying about that.
But what happens when I accept that it’s hard.
When I “consider it pure joy… whenever [I] face trials [however big & intimidating or small & seemingly insignificant] of many kinds,
because [I] know that the testing of [my] faith produces perseverance.
[I] let perseverance finish its work so that [I] may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
(James 1:2-4, bracketed additions my own)
It’s part of why I came on the World Race. To realize that I truly lack for nothing. To learn perseverance. To dig into trials, even if they’re pretty small right now. To understand and live the trials of my brothers & sisters in Christ.
To feel, see, and live the hard things. To have my heart broken for Cambodian kids and their families. To rejoice in their joy. To learn how to live like Cambodians so I can love them well.
To encourage and give rest to our ministry partners and the teachers who work so hard here. To live with less and have my heart stretched by sisters in Christ.
To open up to people for the first time, trusting God will show up & that they will love me well. And they do. And when I let my guard down to accept my teammates, accept their love for me, accept our hosts, accept our students & tuk tuk drivers, God fulfills His word:
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7 NIV
So, yes I am having fun! And I am loving living here. But don’t let Instagram or Facebook fool you! It’s hard, but we can accept the hard things and receive more love & intimacy with the Lord when we allow those struggles to shape us.
Find adventure and fun. Stretch your heart. Let others in, let them stretch your heart, too. Go to the hurting and the poor, wherever you are. Feel it. Live it. Let it be hard. And let God show up, accept the pain of it, and let growth & joy fill you up.
Love & light! #keepupwithkj #11n11 #TeamTeleo #LYeah
Personal e-mail: [email protected]
Skype: kathyjay28
THANK YOU TEAM! We are officially past my November deadline! WOOP!
