I'm sitting here right now, online, in the hallway of my Cambodian hotel, sweating like crazy. As I type away some emails on my Mac, a few young Cambodian's come climbing up the staircase. I notice a few young people go into their rooms about 3 feet away from where I'm sitting on the floor. But the young man at the end of this group doesn't go in.
He stops, looks at me, and smiles real big. I smile back. I guess my smile was a full invitation for him to enter my world. I get a good sense, he's not weird in any way. He literally sits down right next to me, his shoulder touching mine, and puts his head next to mine and starts to look intently at what I'm doing online. He says in his broken english, "you online? You know computers? Are you teacher?" I answer him, yes, yes, yes. He asks, "why are you here?" I answer, "I'm here volunteering for a few days as an English teacher at the orphanage/school right next door." He then gets closer to me, which I didn't think was possible, but he just, in a real nice and sweet manner, explains what he does. I couldn't understand him too well, but he seemed like an office worker. He is leaving tomorrow. His only night here is tonight. We both are only spending 1 or 2 nights here and we both have never been to this city. I quickly get to what I knew I could not have not gotten to…
"I'm a Christian. Are you?"
"Christian?" he gives a blank look.
"I'm a missionary here, to tell people about God, and Jesus' love"
Another blank look.
"Jesus?" "Have you heard of Jesus? Or, God?"
"Jeweeezus?…I no understand. No. I know nothing. I know of Budha. Who is Jueeezus?" he says with bright eyes.
"Really, Jesus, or God? Wow" I smile from the corner of my face and in my mind. "Ahh, let me tell you…"
I went on for a few minutes to explain creation, heaven, hell, sin, the cross, eternity, and salvation in a matter of minutes. I don't know how successful I was. But I tried. I did my best. He listened to every word. He even repeated words back to me to make sure he was understanding. But I could see that the enthusiasm was decreasing. Maybe the language barrier. Maybe it was too deep or complicated. Or maybe, maybe, it provoked thought, some good thoughts…
Then on my computer I quickly went to Cambodian gospel message websites to see if there was something in the Cambodian language. I composed an email to him with the links and sent that off to him, along with some youtube videos of Cambodian gospel singers. Then we sat and listened to a Christian Cambodian song that I had just put on my iTunes yesterday, from a YWAM Cambodian Christian young man who worships and writes Cambodian Christian music. I was so thankful to have this.
Now, I sit here, writing this story to you. I'm sitting here, sweating pretty intensly, but excited and shocked on the inside. NEVER, folks. HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF JESUS.
I ask myself, "really? Noooo. He must be kidding. Everyone's at least heard of the name of Jesus. Especially in these main cities. And especially in the 21st Century, even in Cambodia. NEVER, GOD? REALLY?"
"Yes, Noe, not everyone has heard of me yet, and you just met one." – God
There really are people who don't know who Jesus is. Even well kept and spoken young adults. This is a first for me, but I hope not the last. Pray for my new friend. I will try and connect him with the local missionary here.
Wow, just wow!
time to go to bed.
