I know that everyone has been waiting on pins and needles for my announcement of which country I will be leading in this January, so without any further ado…
CAMBODIA!
After training in Gainesville, GA for a few days, on January 26th my co-leader Abby and I will fly our team of six beautiful women to Phnom Penh, Cambodia! We will be traveling down to the coast to stay in Kampot at University of the Nations Cambodia, a Youth With a Mission (YWAM) ministry!
I have never been to Asia, but as some of you know, I was feeling called to Asia on this Passport trip. The ministries to the Philippines and Cambodia both had a draw to them, so I am super excited that this was the country chosen for me!
My co-leader Abby participated in Passport Immersion two years ago (now, “Gap Year” under the World Race umbrella); a 9 month trip similar to the World Race where she visited 3 countries for 3 months each. The countries were each in 3 different continents as well – North America (Central), Africa and Asia. Then last fall she lead a Passport trip to Thailand! She has spent a few months this year in Africa, and I am looking forward to meeting her in a month and spending the next few months leading beside her!
About Cambodia: Cambodia is struggling to heal the scars from one of the worst genocides in modern history. In just a three-year period, one of every five people died, decimating the population and trapping the people in terror. With a predominantly Buddhist culture, Cambodians struggle with the concept of hope for the future. They have never heard of grace. They have never felt forgiveness.
The hopelessness of the people left behind is unimaginable to much of the Western world. Faced with inconceivable poverty, the desperate people of Cambodia turn to the only resource they believe they have left: their bodies. Debt schemes trap women in prostitution, and mothers often sell their daughters for meager sums of money. Children are traded as commodities and used to satisfy the twisted desires of others.
From adventures.org
About Our Ministry: In Kampot, we will be working in a small village teaching English and Bible studies and training for new believers. University of the Nations (U of N) has 2 schools and around 150 children. The goal of our trip is to educate the children not only in English, but also in Christ, the Hope of Glory. These children have a hope and a future, and we will be used in showing them. They are worth more than just their bodies. They can dream of a beautiful future because they have a Father in Heaven that wants to give just that.
I still need $1,150 in order to lead this team in January. My deadline is January 16th, 2015. As 2014 wraps up, please consider partnering with me on this journey. I am planning to continue my updates on this blog, so you can continue to read how your partnership is impacting other nations. I will need a lot of prayer covering on this trip as well. Please leave me a comment here or send me a message if you will be partnering in prayer.
As a closing note, if you have time, please check out this video of our Ministry Host’s vision for University of the Nations. (:
