Ministry Update! Cambodia

We’ve been in Cambodia for about a week now and let me tell you about it! I tried to include more details.

We are coming alongside a ministry called LightBridge international and its an organization based out of Denver, Colorado. They do a variety of things and wow it’s so cool to see someone’s vision affect so many others around the world. Over the past few months, I’ve seen people create beautiful things out of one simple thought and over the years you can clearly see that God is in it.

LightBridge started in Thailand caring for the poor and orphans. They saw a need in Cambodia, which is a neighboring country and built a school in 2009, which my team and I get to teach at. Along with teaching in the school the ministry takes part in clean water initiatives, gives 1 meal/day for students and teachers, provides job opportunities, and most importantly shares the Gospel of Jesus.

The 2nd day we arrived my teammate Dani and I taught English at the school the ministry started and what a trip that turned out to be. We rode our bikes 10+ miles from our house to the school that day and it was in the hot sun with humidity. In the end it was all worth it and I will always remember it. The class I taught was most likely from ages 10-12 and they knew very little English. Not only do I get to teach, but I also get to learn. As a team we are trying to learn the people’s native language which is Khmer. It’s challenging like any other language, but their writing is very difficult to read because it looks like a bunch of squiggles!

Not only do we teach English at the school, but also at the mission house where we stay. Everyday from 5-6pm we are with more kids from a variety of ages. They are split into three groups based on their knowledge of English. All together there is probably about 70 kids.

Another ministry opportunity we have and are apart of is working with LandMine Design. Not only do the women make jewelry, but they have fellowship with one another. This week we heard how the Lord is working in the women’s lives and also listened to them sing worship in Khmer. Not all the women are believers, but with the mix it gave us and the others an opportunity to share the Gospel. This creates jobs for the local women and provides the Good News.

The jewelry is made in Cambodia then shipped to the US to be sold. The mind behind this idea of jewelry making came from a women part of the ministry seeing so many children not having their parents around. That was because most parents in the area where we are work in Thailand. With this job opportunity mothers can bring their kids and are able to see their children more often.

Lastly, my team and I have the opportunity of doing kids ministry in the slums of Poipet. On Sunday’s we become their personal jungle gyms, hair stylists, buddies, and teachers. Kids are a lot to handle, but there’s something special when you can love them despite the hard time they give you. These kids have so much joy and they just want to be loved by others. Even if that means playing with girl’s hair with lice, playing and disciplining kids that punch others in the face, jump on your back without knowing and pull your hair. It’s been a lot of work, but I pray the love and hope of Jesus would flow over them.

This past Sunday with the kids I was able to lead games and a lesson. For the lesson while I narrated the story of Jericho my team acted it out. It’s interesting to hear stories as a kid and then teach it to kids. Being here in Cambodia but I love embracing God’s creation.