This Thursday marked three weeks on this journey, and we are now out of the honeymoon phase. At the beginning, friendships within the team were new and exciting, learning about everyone’s stories, habits, and quirks. Cambodia was wonderful and exotic, everything fascinating and lovely. Ministry was fun and fulfilling as we met all the kids and discovered our teaching style and groove. I was doing so well, feeling invincible to the spiritual attacks other teams were facing.
Now it’s week three, and life has gotten tougher.
My team is of course still wonderful and the fulfillment of so many prayers. They love and encourage me through all of my highs and lows. And while constant community is a beautiful blessing, it gets hard and frustrating at times. Personalities clash and buttons get pushed.
Cambodia is still beautiful and interesting, but it’s easy to miss little luxuries like air conditioning and beds. It’s easy to get annoyed when you can’t find a single familiar food at the market (or when you find Oreos and they taste very strange). It’s easy to forget that living here for one month is a crazy, amazing blessing.
And while ministry is so sweet, we’ve gotten into a slump. Teaching English twice a day every day can get repetitive and exhausting if we let it, and then we get distant.
But if we choose intentionality, patience, and grace, this is where growth happens. This is where friendships deepen and God shows up during ministry. This is where relationships with Him become personal and intimate. This is where we thrive. Choosing these things is hard and uncomfortable most of the time, but luckily God has surrounded me with six ladies who hold me accountable and lift me higher.
Going into week four (our last week in Cambodia… how did that happen??), I’m prepared for the challenges. God has equipped me with a heart that can handle everything thrown at me, a heart that will come out on the other side stronger and more in love with Him. I’m ready and so excited.
