My squad mates and I were meandering through the market in the middle of Siem Reap. It was our adventure day, and we had been walking around for most of it. I was tired. Both from walking and carrying my way-too-heavy backpack. I just wanted to sit.
I told Brandi and Chelsea that I was going to wait right outside the market for them, pointing to a bench by the river that was in eye shot. I went and sat there in silence, staring at the faint ripples that implicated the slightest flow in the murky water.
After sitting there for a few minutes, kinda thinking and kinda talking to the Lord, my train of thoughts were interrupted by a local walking by. He stopped in front of me and asked where I was from. His name is Lick [have no idea how to spell it, so I’m going with how it sounds].
“The U.S.” Because saying America isn’t specific enough, I’ve learned.
“But where?”
Did he not know what U.S. meant? “America.”
“Where in America?”
I hesitated, realizing he actually wanted to know which state. As if he’d actually know. “Texas.”
“Me too.” He came and sat down on the bench next to me.
I internally evaluated how to handle the situation. My knee jerk reaction was to get up and walk away. Something I probably would have done if I were in the same situation back in the States.
This was different, though. I had an overwhelming sense of peace. I didn’t feel threatened at all. No spirit of fear. So with that, I stayed planted on the bench.
“Oh, really?” Surprise and sarcasm laced through my reply. I was grinning at this point, totally not buying the fact that he lived in Texas, too.
“Yes, in Dallas.” Even more surprised, but also more belief. I highly doubted a local would just happen to know Dallas, Texas. His English was also really good, which made it even more believable.
He continued by telling me that he was born here in Cambodia, but moved to Dallas and lived there for a few years with his family. He worked and saved up money, deciding that he wanted to come back here and help the children. He opened a school for kids, free of charge. I asked what made him want to help the kids here.
He mentioned that he was making a lot of money in America, but realized there were still people here that needed help. So he came back to help them. Dang.
I knew there was purpose in this encounter, so I explained why I was in Cambodia. An easy segue to Jesus, basically. I told him I was a Christian, and asked him what he believed.
“Nothing.” He continued by telling me that Buddhism is the main religion here, but he didn’t believe it. He mentioned something along the lines of the religions focusing on being good. He threw in there that he was a good person.
“Do you think being good is enough?”
He shrugged and nodded.
“What do you think happens to you when you die?” A question I thought I’d never ask someone, actually. But, it came out of my mouth before I contemplated it [AKA Holy Spirit].
“Nothing. You just die and that’s it.”
“I actually believe that we either go to Heaven or Hell. Have you heard about Jesus?”
He slightly smiled and nodded. Somewhere in this part of our conversation, Brandi and Chelsea came and sat on the next bench over. Enough for me to notice they were there, yet careful not to interrupt our conversation [inserted for my mom’s peace of mind ;)].
I laughed a little. “Oh yeah, you lived in the States. I’m not surprised that you’ve heard of Him.”
I told Lick the story anyway. I started with Adam and Eve, our initial separation from God, and finished with Jesus raising from death, conquering our sins and reconciling us with the Father.
Every now and then I asked if he’d heard anything I had said up to that point, and I could tell it didn’t register with familiarity. But he definitely was listening intently.
He told me he went to church for a few years in the States, but never believed. I told Lick to ask the Lord to reveal Himself to him. He said he might later. Tonight, even.
We talked a little longer, and then I finally said goodbye to Lick and made my way to the next bench, reuniting with my friends.
I left that conversation with no real resolution. I have no idea what Lick actually thought as we were having that conversation. I have no idea if he went home that night and asked God to reveal Himself to him.
Even without those answers, I am confident that conversation was a divine appointment. I just wanted to get off my feet for a few minutes, but the Lord had something even better. I’m hopeful that a seed was watered, and that God will make it grow.
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. – 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 ESV
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