9/22/18
(Tuk Tuk’s)
I woke up so excited for Adventure day mostly because we were able to keep our phones all weekend. My teammate Gracie and I got up early and went to Memory which is this super nice air conditioned Cafe which is about a 5min bike ride away from our place. Something I’ve mentioned before is I love the freedom that World Race gives their racers. The fact that Gracie and I could just get up and go. It makes you grow up real fast, especially with Cambodian traffic.
It is like a breath of fresh air when I get to speak to my mom and dad, especially after my first week in Cambodia. I’m thankful I get to speak to them and have the technology to do so. I don’t know how people survived home-sickness without the technology we have today. Thank you God 🙂
At 9am, there was an opportunity to get a tour of Cambodia by our amazing Tuk Tuk driver, Sam. He has the brightest smile and is always laughing. There were 21 of us out of the whole squad (which was super fun) to load into 4 Tuk Tuk’s and explore together. We made a lot of stops and we were able to learn more about the culture of Cambodia.
The first stop was the Black Man. There was a parable that was shared but I was too intrigued by the Buddhists worshipping at the feet of this giant statue. We are surrounded by a Buddhist country and it’s very often I see a shrine in the public places we are at but this was the first time I’ve ever seen actual worshiping of a statue.
After that we traveled to the Bamboo trains. It was sooo much fun! It felt like a Cambodian rollercoaster that only went straight but was fast and rickety. I saw so much of God’s artistic side as we went by beautiful lush fields. At our training camp we experience all the different pathways we can connect with God. One of mine was nature. I see him so often as I admire his work in creating our beautiful planet. It was a good reminder that he is CREATOR.
When we got to our pit stop it was immediately a challenge. Adorable but very skinny children came running towards us trying to sell us things, almost begging. I was not ready for that at all. Luckily, I had leadership with me and they helped me though it by leading by example because my heart is so unexperienced on how to handle these situations.
Then, my entire being was shook when I saw a boy with Down Syndrome. He was a beautiful little boy but he was naked and had bumps on his body. You see, in the Buddhist religion they believe that people with special needs have their diagnosis as a curse for being bad in a past life. So, they shun people like this little boy, this innocent little boy who did nothing to deserve a life without love, without a home, without clothes, without proper care, and never being seen. Jesus broke my heart so hard in that moment. I think also having my mom being a Speech Therapist I know a lot about Down Syndrome and how much that little boy needed love, how much he knew, and how much he could actually understand emotionally. I came away from that feeling so helpless because there was nothing I could do but pray and sometimes, in the moment that doesn’t feel like enough.
Since we were touring in Tuk Tuks and we usually transport by bike. It was the first time I was really able to see the city of Battambang. Let me tell ya, it was hard to see. So much poverty, everywhere. I don’t know if anyone has experienced this smell but there is no way to describe it. The smell of poverty is probably one of the worst smells I’ve ever experienced, mostly because of what it stands for.
God was really breaking my heart that day because as we were leaving the Bamboo Train destination and we’re on our way to the next, I looked to my right and saw a man beating a child. I heard the shrieks that came from that little boy’s mouth and It made me physically ill. All I could do was sit there, paralyzed from shock.
I brought it up to everyone who was in the same Tuk Tuk as me because I was appalled by what I had just seen. Once of the girls said, “There’s nothing you can do about it right now and sometimes we just have to push forward”, so I did. Since then I’ve really been struggling with this feeling of, “Am I doing enough?”. Then, my sister texted me out of the blue and said, “I don’t know where you’re at or how things are going, but I just feel compelled to tell you that you are right where you are supposed to be and you can trust it. ????”. This was such a confirmation from the Lord because it can be so hard to feel like I’m not doing enough when the need is so large. But I have to remember always to trust in the Lord and that planting seeds is JUST as important as harvesting them.
My squad has been very blessed with the hosts we’re staying with and how nice it is. We have been blessed by coffee shops with wifi that are within walking distance.
We had a short pit-stop and were able to eat a local favorite called, Bamboo Rice.
We continued to yet another place, one of the killing grounds of the Khmer Rouge. Where I stood, thousands were imprisoned, tortured and murdered. The Cambodian people wanted to make the grounds a place of dedication after so many horrors and to honor the dead. So they built a temple with the remains of the people found inside. On every side of each wall of the temple are very graphic drawings and descriptions of what exactly happened. It was hard for a lot of us to see and read. I didn’t know how bad it really was until I saw those pictures.
After all of that we got some food. We went to a part of Battambang where about a dozen families spend their days making rice paper. They make about 10,000 sheets a day and it is used for spring rolls which we got to taste. Definitely the best spring rolls I’ve ever had, especially with this gross looking but good tasting fish sauce. I also tried Cambodian Coca-cola for the first time. It was sooo good. Everyone was right– it is better here. BUT I’ve heard it’s even better In Ethiopia.
After our second snack of the morning we headed over to 400 year old ruins of a temple in Cambodia but before we even entered a lot happened.
First, I used my first squatty potty and it was disgusting! But my leaders keep telling me to get used to it because that is all Ethiopia will have. Second, and the last way Jesus broke my heart that day: There was a young man in a wheelchair with drool coming down his face. It was hard to see someone not getting the proper care he needed with cuts all over him. BUT then, because I had to go to the bathroom 3 other girls and I went into the ruins much later then our huge group. Maybe because we were more approachable or maybe because we looked very confused, the man in the wheelchair wheeled himself over to us and showed us where to go. He was SO happy. He had a beautiful smile and he was very responsive. I was able to get a picture with him. In that moment God made me realize that he was perfectly content. He loved others tremendously and he had family and friends who loved him. He didn’t need my pity. In fact it helped me realize I was looking down from a pedestal and that needed to stop because we are ALL equal as brothers and sisters in Christ. God helped me see that all he needs is Jesus because our bodies are temporary but our souls live on forever.
When I went to the YWAM church the next morning (9/23/18) the whole message was on Luke 16: 19-31. Pretty much what the pastor was saying was, even though Lazarus lived a life of misery and poverty. He was granted so much in heaven because he had the blood of Christ on his side. Even though the other man in the story lived a wonderful life of riches he was sent to burn in hell because he hadn’t accepted Christ into his heart. It doesn’t matter how much money or power you have. All that matters is your relationship with your heavenly father.
The Cambodian lifestyle might be harder now but we are only here for a VERY brief time compared to all of eternity with our Abba. As I looked around the room, watching the Cambodian people fearlessly worship their God I saw this is something everyone was clinging onto.
This helped me grasp everything I had seen that day. God is bigger and more powerful than I can ever imagine. That I can put all my trust in his plan and it will be okay. Even if I can’t do anything in that moment. To let go of what I can’t do and hold onto what he can do.
After saying goodbye to that kind man we headed to lunch.
After lunch we went all the way over t the Battambang bat caves. This is a HUGE tourist attraction which I didn’t realize until I got out of our Tuk Tuk and saw a LOT of tourists from all over the world.
Overall, Adventure day was a learning experience. God broke my heart but he did so for a reason. He showed me it’s okay to be compassionate and feel the way I feel towards seeing those things. He showed me to stand side by side with the Cambodian people not from above for only God looks from above.
I’m learning so much here and I’m growing more than I have in these past 19 years combined. Last night our squad leader, Deb shared her story with all of us. Something she said that really clung to me was, “Don’t be afraid to be broken by God”. Well, I feel it has already started and I can’t even imagine what I’m going to be like in 9 months, I’m scared but I’m ready.
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!
