“Hello Teacher … Thank you, Teacher …Teacher, may we study now? … Teacher, may we have a break? …Thank you, Teacher. Goodbye Teacher. See you tomorrow, Teacher.”
This is what I heard every day while in Cambodia. Stationed about 50min outside of the capitol city of Phnom Penh, my team and I taught English to precious Cambodian kids (I’m convinced Cambodians are the most beautiful people in the word). The kids were all different ages, ranging from five to fourteen and, even with the language barrier, were completely hilarious. My team and I also visited surrounding villages and hosted kids’ clubs: singing songs, performing skits, and playing joyously with the neighborhood kids.
While being away, I have missed the simple things in life that I used to take for granted, one being my awesome job of teaching the YOUTH OF AMERICA in Petal, Mississippi. It’s funny how well God knows me. He knew that during this month I would need something comfortable. That I would need to rediscover the joy from teaching. That I would need to feel confident again. And that I would need to be reminded of the ultimate Teacher that is the Lord.
The new year brought with it more that just the new country of Cambodia. It also brought team changes, leadership changes, and basically every aspect of my Race changes. Entering into our ministry, I found myself surrounded by new people with me having a different role on the team. In my eyes, my entire world race life was flipped upside down, and if I’m honest, I was shaken up by it.
Doubt. Fear. Rejection. Failure. I let these insecurities take little bites of me–moment by moment, day by day–until one day I realized that I was small. I was not living in Truth or choosing the Joy that’s always around me and in me.
My lifeline? What did God throw at me to save me from the choppy waves of self-pity? What did He allow me to rediscover in myself that helped wake me up and let His Joy be my joy? Teaching. He used this gift to show me what I was doing to myself and my situation by letting these insecurities to rule my thoughts. He guided me back to the truths that He has been teaching me on my past team: truths about trust, dependence, His perfect provision, and most of all, that I am good enough for Him even in my weaknesses. All this through the simple act of teaching English to Cambodians.
So, what do I say back to Him for reigniting my spiritual fuse?
“Thank you, Teacher.”
