We made it to Cambodia!! Our squad spent a few days in the northern city of Siem Reap, where we ventured off to Angkor Wat for a whole day. When I was sixteen I read a memoir about a young girl who survived the Cambodia Pol Pot regime. She talked about all the good childhood memories she had with her dad (who was the first in her family to die in the genocide) in Angkor Wat. For eight years I wanted to go see this beautiful place that she talked about in her book, and a few days ago I was able to experience its beauty firsthand. Here is just one picture of the morning’s sunrise:
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On Wednesday the Golden Girls arrived in Phnom Penh, which is the capital city and the place where we will be staying for the month of July.
We are working in a daycare center that caters to moms who would have aborted their child had they not known about this place. It is a place that cares for children whose families have rejected their mothers for being too young or getting pregnant out of wedlock. They have a nighttime center where they care for children of sex workers. This organization is not supporting sex workers, but instead caring for the children who would otherwise be without care and likely surrounded by abuse and mistreatment. In addition, they have a feeding program where they go into the city slums and bring lunch to the children twice a week. More on that on my next blog.
We are living in what I have called “World Race Luxury.” We have a room with fans. We have a private bathroom. We have hot water (!!!!!!!!!!!). We have a TUB (you guys!!!!!!! For real!!!!!!). We live on the third floor of the house that holds the daycare center in the first two levels, and we share a kitchen with the center. There’s a rooftop deck that has a washing machine (have I mentioned we’re living in luxury??). And… get this… WE EVEN HAVE A CLOSET!!!!!!! We are getting spoiled this month and if there is one word to describe how we feel, it’s GRATEFUL. I didn’t know gifts such as these commodities were even possible on the Race.
On Thursday night my teammate Jackie broke the master key inside the lock as she was trying to get into the kitchen (which is outside, hence the lock). Consequently, we couldn’t get into the kitchen and we couldn’t get dinner (or clean water). In addition, the master key opens the front gate, so there was no possibility of getting out until the next morning, when our ministry contact came over and broke the locks off.
Ironically just a few minutes after our team conversation about living in luxury, we were putting our emergency water purifier to use and survived the night off of peanut butter and bread. We entertained ourselves by letting Caroline compile all the things we love to do and all the things we are passionate about and give us a run-down of our perfect future. It was fun, and even though it was made-up, it gave us all (especially me) things to think about and things to start praying about. New insights!!
The following night Jade broke the new key inside the new lock. Needless to say, the keys are obviously faulty (because it’s not us… no no no, definitely not us).
If you would like to support me so I can continue on the World Race through November, please click HERE, or send a check payable to “Adventures In Missions,” to Adventures In Missions, PO Box 742570, Atlanta GA 30374 (be sure to write Appealed by StewartRaquel on the memo line so it gets credited to my account!!). I am $4,900 away from being fully funded and I really need your help!
