Joy

me: ” sigh..”

     The need for repetition is not only, because of shock- I’m not used to the idea of this year being over, but also because I am feeling a little bit hard of hearing these days. The race has definitely taken it’s toll on me, physically, spiritually and emotionally. I thought I was doing pretty good until our month 8 debrief when I got dysentery. I thought that was something that only existed on the Oregon Trail. The line going across the screen at the end of each session, ” YOU HAVE DIED OF DYSENTERY.” After that little bout, that also came with some other bacteria infections, I had occasional awakenings of bugs that lingered in my stomach and have just not wanted to leave. Lots of prayer and over the counter antibiotics have been life savers as clinics can be not only time consuming, but pretty sketch in third world countries. 

     Last month we were in Vietnam, and praise the Lord our team was healthy for the most part. Vietnam already has a pretty heavy spirit of hopelessness and it’s not surprising since it’s a communist nation. But the contacts we were with were amazing, and a young generation full of hope for what the Lord is going to do in their nation. It was sad to leave vietnam. Bittersweet more. It was a place that I loved, but also solidified the end of month 10 and the start of our final chapter of  the race. Which will start the first page of the rest of our lives.

     We arrived in Cambodia at around 11 pm at night to a quiet Phnom Penh. We traveled separately from the ret of the squad who had come from Bangkok, Thailand. Walking into this month the air is a mix of anxiety and excitement like the first month, and also anxiety and excitement that this is the last month. As I said before the race has been hard on everything..

     On the way to our ministry site on Friday morning my mind was full of lingering conversations from the few nights we had stayed in Phnom Penh. Questions and truths spoken to me still floating around trying to find where to take root somewhere. But as we pulled up to our ministry site in Kampot, Cambodia I was reminded again of Why I came on the race. We are in a country that was wiped out by genocide and wars for 30 years. A country that is all young people. A country that is hungry for the Hope we have in Jesus. I get to be here and encourage a generation that will be the foundation of Cambodia. 

     We are also in the country. Everywhere I look is rice fields, and coconut trees, huge white cows the size of horses, and beautiful children running around and playing marbles in the dirt. SOme of us will be tenting, and some of us are staying in what i can only describe as a treehouse. There is talk of tarantulas and large snakes. I have already seen a scorpion in the bathroom, and there are too-kays lingering everywhere. One I am positive is in the rafters of our house.. it’s “too-kay” call every hour or so through the night. We are back to bug nets, and questionable water, sweaty incessantly and oh so brown feet. And I love it all. And in all of this beauty and mess I have a lingering ear infection, and now pink eye. But those don’t seem to change the Joy of where I am. i am reminded of month one jelly fish stings- that never made moments bitter, and i’m thankful the Lord knew I needed this.

     We will be teaching english day and night and building relationships with amazing youth. I am already attached to our cook, Chandea, she is 20 years old and knows how to make some mean fish dishes.. Please pray for us. 

     Currently i am about 500 dollars away from being fully funded as well. There was a mistake made on my funds and so I am asking for your help again. Please pray for me, spread the word, and consider helping me just a bit more. I don’t have the words to tell you all how grateful I am. See you all in a couple of weeks online. See you in a month stateside. Completely new!xoxox

Rachael