What’s everyone? Man, God is so good! He is a Waymaker, a Promise Keeper, a Light in the darkness. He is a friend to the lonely. He is near to the broken-hearted. And He is the provider of everything in all of creation. I am overjoyed to announce that I am fully funded for the year! The Lord provided $18,200, which for Him is not a lot lol since He owns all of it anyway.
Cambodia is hot. Like practicing football in full pads on a turf field in early August hot lol.
Our team is living in Battambang for the month. Our host family are Australian/Canadian and have been living here for the past four years. Over the past four years they have hosted over thirty world race teams, crazy I know. However, we are their last team. After this month they will be moving to Malaysia in order for their son Yannick, 14, to pursue a more challenging education.
Our days consist of helping our host move out of their house, cooking, cleaning, and preparing our teaching for the day. We teach Bible and English at Ezra Learning Center, Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. https://www.ezracambodia.com/learning-center So far I have had the honor and privilege of sharing two bible stories, the story of Jesus and the Govt. Offical’s son (John 4: 43-54) and the story of the Prodigal Son, which besides the life of Jesus, is the best story of all time. This culture is Shame-Honor focused, meaning that it is a collectivist society where if you dishonor one person in the group you dishonor the group as a whole. The story of the Prodigal Son is a great testimony of how God restores us with Honor (a ring and a robe) from the shame of our sin (squandering inheritance and eating pig slops). Western Culture is considered a Guilt-Innocence culture so sharing the gospel in eastern culture is different than our individualistic society.
We teach two different classes. Younger kids for one hour and teenagers for the second hour. Family is VERY important in this culture so our team has been going over the different parts of the family in English. We also sing songs, draw, write, and play games. Some of my students in the older class insist on teaching me Khmer (their language) and it is VERY humbling since several of them speak numerous languages. It seems that America is the only culture in which we only speak one language.
This past week Jesus has been teaching the importance of worship, prayer, devotion, and fasting. One of my teammates decided to fast during Ramadan which led to our team reading Isaiah 58 and unpacking fasting with the Lord. I love it. Teresa McMillan (Mentor at Adventures in Missions) posted on Facebook “Something that is 100% empty can be 100% filled.” I see all throughout Scripture, from Moses to Jesus, from Nehemiah to the early disciples that they fasted. Why? Whether it was obedience or out of choice, they knew that being emptied out would allow themselves to be fully filled.
Finally, this past week has been amazing. My sweet mother decided to write me a letter for each month of the race. June has been the best yet. She prayed that the Lord would give our squad the same excitement we had as we left Atlanta in January. And the Lord has provided, Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide. If you are going through a test, a trial, or time of waiting, claim that truth over of your, hold fast to the truth that our God provides. Excited to share more next week. May the Lord bless you and may you be captivated by His love and glory.
