If I was to sum up our ministry in Cambodia in one word it would be babysitting. Now you might think that I travelled half way across the world for that??? I confess that I thought the same thing from time to time. However it seems, we were here for a specific reason at a specific time.
Larisa told us about our ministry for Cambodia on one of our last days in Thailand. We would spend the month with Bykota House, a children’s home in Phnom Penh. Fun side note, Bykota is actually an acronym for “Be ye kind one to another”. I could not figure out for the life of me what name of their ministry meant. And it was something I spent quite a bit of time pondering. It wasn’t until about half way through the month I finally saw it on a t-shirt. Anyways, when we arrived we were informed that our main ministry contacts had a death in their immediate family back in the states. Within twenty four hours of us getting settled into our house, they were on a plane. Our nice little typed out schedule got chucked out the window. Three of their children had to stay behind because the adoption wasn’t final yet. Micah and Kelsi, the young couple who would run the ministry in the mean time, have three small children of their own. Enter our eleven woman army. And what did we do? Babysit.
I know our purpose in Cambodia. It may not have been super glamorous or epic, but it was important. With the babies and young children looked after, it enabled Micah and Kelsi to focus their attention on keeping the ministry running. Some evenings and weekends were sacrificed in the effort. It’s not necessarily pleasant holding a baby that won’t stop crying. Or telling preschoolers to close their eyes and take a nap like they’re supposed to for the fifteenth time. Or getting the Princess Sofia theme song stuck in your head for two days straight because you’ve been watching it with the kids constantly. But I wouldn’t trade what we did for anything. Because nothing about this month was for me, I didn’t feel fulfilled doing the work. I can not hold another baby on the Race and be just fine with that. This month was in service of others, specifically other missionaries who are here long term. Bykota House elementary and middle school was able to continue on. A team from the church who financially supports Bykota House was able to visit and experience the ministry at its fullest. All because we were there to hold babies and play with kids.
Babysitting for Jesus, totally a thing.
