I sleep every single night on the roof of our home in Battambang, Cambodia. Some nights I am in awe of how beautifully majestic the sky is: a sea of millions of stars that expand as far as the eye can reach. Other nights I lay down in disappointment because not a single star is visible through the thick layer of clouds that cover the sky. Last night was one of those disappointing nights.
Abraham is promised to have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. The stars are a symbol of God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises. Just because we can’t see the stars shining behind the clouds does not mean that the stars have stopped shining. In the same way, God is still faithful even when the circumstances right in front of us seem to say otherwise.
Last night I stared intently at the clouds in frustration, searching for just one star to shine through. It wasn’t until I shifted my focus to the gaps between the clouds did I see a few twinkling stars. Sure, its not as beautiful as seeing the night sky in its entirety, but it was such a beautiful reminder that God is faithful through the good times and the bad, whether we see it or not. When times are tough it is easy to focus on the thick layer of clouds right in front of us. However, it is nearly impossible to see God’s faithfulness by staring straight through. Instead, we must look for the gaps in the clouds and in the meantime just trust that He is still faithful and the stars have not ceased shining.
UPDATE ON MINISTRY:
I’ve been here in Battambang, Cambodia for two weeks now. These past 14 days have been a blur, yet at the same time it feels like we have been here for months. Every day things that once were shocking now seem completely normal. I am now able to navigate the roads which previously seemed to lack a logical traffic pattern. The sound of little kids screaming “HELLO” as we bike past daily is something I’ve grown to expect and look forward to. I have picked up a few basic phrases in Khmer and have become a pro at hand gestures to make up for the rest of the language barrier. Despite being on the complete other side of the world, I feel at home here.
The first full week we spent here was during the Cambodian holiday, Pchum Ben, or Ancestor’s Day. It is believed that the gates of hell are opened. During the day, people pay their respects to deceased relatives and make food-offerings to them. Throughout the night, monks chant without ceasing. Every morning during Pchum Ben, we awoke to the loud bellowing sounds over speakers projecting the suttas throughout town. Many businesses and schools were closed while people traveled to the places where their ancestors died. Because of the holiday, our assigned ministries were postponed for a week. Instead, we painted murals at a local private school.
This week has been the adjustment into full time ministry. For my remaining time here, I will be teaching 3 classes at Pannasastra International School three times a week: two pre-k classes and one Level 4 (11-12 year olds). On Tuesdays and Thursdays I make visits to Handa Medical Center, the trauma hospital here in Battambang. My time there will be split between playing games with patients and their caregivers and making cards to sell to raise money for repairs and additions to the hospital.
