Hello everyone!
It’s been a second, I’m sorry it has. Life here in Siem Reap has been amazing. Our days are very long but so good. Usually when we’re done for the day I want to pass out and I’ve been having a hard time sitting down and writing.
For one, my days start really early, I get up around 6 in the morning because my teammates and I have started to run. I’ve never been a runner but I’ve always been a kid lover so, as we run by the sweet little Cambodian smiles and “HELLOOOs” I can’t not stop. I think that is going to be the thing I miss the most when we leave Cambodia, the beautiful smiles and kind eyes of children everywhere I go.
We have been living at the Overflow Guesthouse which is run by long-term missionaries. Romany, Emily, & Kelsey. They are so great and I’m beyond thrilled to learn from them. They hooked us up with this EPIC church named ICF (International Christian Fellowship) but the girls call it CLUB JESUS!!!! Let me tell ya, It’s an accurate description.
When we got there, I don’t think I could keep my jaw closed. It was so cool. This church only started four years ago by missionaries from Switzerland. It got bigger and bigger and they kept out-growing their meeting spots. Eventually they bought land and started building a tall but skinny building which was supposed to be their whole church but by the time the building was finished they had already out-grown it! A man was visiting the church and he just so happened to be a major construction dude (God provides!). He helped this church build a massive structure. The first half is a giant under-cover cement area with lines for a full sized basketball court. This area is mostly used for the kids programs but also has some patio furniture laid out during the adult night service. The second half is a giant sanctuary with a huge stage. On top of all of that, they have a soccer field, two beach volleyball courts, tennis courts, a whole lake with an obstacle course above it, the building they grew out of (which is now used for offices, bible study classrooms, the nursery, & bathrooms), & they have a undercover area for parking, which is for mo-peds and bikes mostly. One of their leaders is very passionate about reaching children through sports and the church has opened all of these great sport fields as a community center during the week, giving all of these kids a place to play.
Our first night there I was blown away. There were strop lights and smoke machines.
They call their services “Celebrations” and it really is. I love that’s what they call it because it is, we are celebrating God. We are dying to ourselves and worshipping our God with all our heart. As they started worshipping I watched as people’s hearts caught on fire for God. I felt the Holy Spirit there and I couldn’t stop smiling because God was at work there. This was all happening because that one team of missionaries decided to obey and trust God with everything they had. I’m sure there were struggles and mis-haps but they continued to trust and obey. This is a result of that. Hundreds of Khmer people every Sunday that get to know and worship God on a personal and intimate level. They get to worship God undignified. They have a place and a community to go to. That is incredible, PRAISE GOD!!!
Not only did this team come and do all of this but they invited discipleship into the space as well. The leadership team is made up of Swiss and Khmer people, untied in Christ leading this body of Christ followers. During worship they switch back and forth between Khmer and English which means the whole worship team knows both languages. Well, really everyone who works or volunteers there long-term knows English and Khmer. Then, Khmer “case-workers” are trained and sent out into villages to preach the gospel. Not foreigners but their only blood. Which I find is built from roots of humility. It could have been so easy for the Swiss missionaries to stand on pedestals and try too do all of this on their own. To rely on their own skills and talents but to reach the unreachable sometimes meaning stopping and teaching others to do it instead of you. It works 100% better for khmer speaking natives to go in, follow up with families and make sure all needs are being met to each of the children who’s feet enter the doors of ICF.
This past Saturday our whole team had the opportunity to go out before the Youth Service in these big trucks to go pick up all the kids in the surrounding villages. It was SO COOL! (You Should know, before and after every service for the youth and the children, the case-workers go out and pick them all up). I was all alone with a caseworker and a khmer leader from the church. They talked a lot about how they are the ones who go and talk to the families and that 9/10 times the kids are not getting proper care of. But ICF has a crazy money that comes in from supporters which allows for action to be taken in order for kids to get proper care. My heart was beaming the whole time because our God is faithful and when we obey and are faithful towards him, he moves mountains. This also opens eyes to how important donations are because without generosity, most of this wouldn’t happen.
I think the best part about their services is after the service and after dinner, there is a 10 minute DANCE PARTAYYY! They have this because in the Cambodian culture dance is huge and instead of ignoring this part of the culture, the church embraced it and added it to theirs. It also allows people who attend this church an opportunity to dance without going to clubs which are really big, especially here in Siem Reap with all the tourists.
For anyone reading this and doesn’t know this about me, I LOVE TO DANCE. So, as you can imagine, I have the time of my life when the dance party starts. Some of my teammates got some footage and as you can see from the videos, everyone goes ham! It’s a good time and a great time to learn some new dance moves!
Our second Sunday night at Club Jesus, we asked if we could come back the next day for our adventure day to use the facility and we got a YES! So, for a big chunk of our day, we got to hang out at this beautiful, man-made lake, while playing with all the kids who came to swim. It was probably one of my highlights so far on the race. God has given me this passion for little humans and when I get to spend time with them, smile with them, play with them, laugh with them… I’m very happy. Thank you God for giving me joy and for giving me passions.
ICF ignites a fire inside my heart and every time I think about it, I smile.
God, thank you for showing me this place. For showing me just how much Kingdom is being brought to Siem Reap. Thank you for letting me witness Trust and obedience firsthand.
P.S. I couldn’t get my photos or videos to download onto my blog so, everything will be on my Facebook! Go check out this amazing church through the lens of my camera!!
Here is a video from their youtube channel, go check it out if you want to see more!
FUNDRAISER UPDATE:
I am doing a fundraiser called ADOPT A MONTH.
What it is?
Every month I need on the field expenses of about $100-$150 and that adds up over 9 months. It covers anything you could think of… restocking on toiletries, off-days (where we have to pay for all of our meals on our own), new clothes, restocking on medication, any travel day expenses, gifts for ministry hosts, if anything gets lost electronically… etc.
All leftover money will be put towards funding me.
How can you help?
If you would like to adopt a month and pay any amount between $100-$150 or more that would be AMAZING! I realize that much can be a lot for one person to cover, so, multiple people, or whole families can team up and pay for it together!
The months you can choose from:
SEPTEMBER (TAKEN!!! YAYAYA!!!!!)
OCTOBER (TAKEN!!!!! WAAHOOOOOO)
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE (may or may not be needed, depends what day I get home)
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If you would like to adopt a month please email me and I can tell you what months are available and we can choose together what payment option works best. THANK YOU!
Ways YOU can Join me on my Journey:
1. Pray. I will need a multitude of prayers ranging from strength, wisdom, clarity, love, joy… The list goes on. Whatever your heart desires and feels right, pray.
2. Donating through this blog!!! When you donate through here it goes directly to World Race and my fund of 15,800 dollars.
UPDATE: I’M ONLY $1,600 AWAY FROM MY $15,800!!!!! (please donate directly to me after I meet my world race goal online because I will lose the money to cover my personal/equipment expenses! So once my goal is met with World Race anything donated to World Race for me will go into a general fund to support other racers.)
3. Cash, Check, or Venmo. Donating to me personally is still much needed because I have to buy all my gear, supplies, vaccines, airfare and I will need money on the field. (1. Venmo: Marguerite-SanMartino, 2. check: Marguerite San Martino and send to: 18101 194th Ave NE, Woodinville, Wa 98077, OR to Bear Creek Community Church with a note for me, 3. Cash to give to my parents.)
4. SPREAD THE WORD!! Tell everyone about my trip and show them my blog.
5. SUBSCRIBE! When you subscribe you will get all notifications when I post on my blog about my trip and any updates!
