After my team left our amazing hosts in Tak Mao, we went to Siem Reap for a special event called Awakening, where four squads who are all at different places in our race were brought together to be encouraged, worship, and be “activated.” The first night was super special. I met a new friend named Clare, and we ended up hanging out all three days. There was synchronicity in our interactions and conversations, and how CRAZY–she is planning to go to college at the same place I just applied to grad school! Sometimes God just lines things up perfectly for two specific people to meet, and this was really one of those times. I could’ve sat next to anyone that first night during worship, but I’m so glad it was her.
After meeting and having a great connection and conversations, we realized we were in the rooms right next to each other–coincidence much? So I asked her if she’d wanna paint nails.
Had to take a cute pic when we said our goodbyes.
Views from the roof where we spent most of Awakening^^^
During Awakening, we chose one of five or six teams to be a part of. I chose Evangelism because it’s something I am gifted in. We planned an event where people were sent out into the city during the day to share the gospel, some interceded with prayer, some picked up trash outside,some stayed back and worshiped.
My experience went as follows: Myself, Ally, and Bethany went to Lub.d hostel to go and potentially share the gospel with people. Me and Bethany went to the counter to buy sodas. Immediately during the purchase, the cashier whose name is Pheakdey (Pee ke Dee) asks where we are from, tells us how he is from this area and grew up in a nearby province. Then he proceeds to talk about how he is in college for information technology. He asks about my time in Cambodia and I mention some of me experience in Phnom Penh. I ask him about his dreams and he talks about wanting to be a YouTuber doing reaction videos and vlogging. He says he wants to go to America one day. Not long later he asks about being friends on social media and as a usual reaction I pull out my business/World Race card. At first I almost didn’t want to give it to him but then I felt like I was supposed to. So I told him that I’m a Christian backpacker. He thought that was cool and told me that he is a 50% Buddhist and 50% Christian. I told him that as a Christian I believe there is only one God and no other. I ask him if he wants to hear what I believe as a Christian and he definitely does. There is two other workers who listen to us talk and smile very interestedly but never does this change the topic or energy of this conversation. He is very interested in Jesus and all of this. I tell him about how Jesus died so that we could have a relationship with God and have freedom from our sins. The conversation eventually goes onto him telling me to check out a temple and I ask why he likes it and he mentions the statue of a woman goddess. He says he doesn’t really understand the Gods and whatnot. I tell him that I believe that is worship to false gods. He tells me he is about to get off work, and says he doesn’t feel well. I ask what’s wrong and if I can pray for him. He doesn’t know what prayer is but says yes to it. He wants us to walk to a nearby park but I mention that my tuk tuk is coming for us soon. We sit down and he lets me pray for him–twice. His headache goes from a 6 to a 3 after praying, and he HAD NEVER PRAYED BEFORE. I don’t know how this could be true but he said he did not know what prayer is. After praying with him, he mentions that he thinks this is really cool and is interested. Says he has never spoken to God like that before. We spent a while talking about my faith and about Jesus. I didn’t ask him if he wanted to accept Christ right then, but I know God placed this guy right in my path and it was amazing to meet someone so ready to hear the gospel. Believing our hour or so together was impactful.
Have you ever been a regular at a place? I love being a regular. So I chose to go to the same bubble tea place the next seven days in a row! Went to the same restaurant four days in a row that was right next door. Angkor Water World and Ly Ly Restaurant–I loved that it was sort of my side of town, like it wasn’t places that other world racers were frequenting, so I was always free to be undisturbed.
I painted a lot that week. Got a henna tattoo. Got my tragus pierced on one ear with my girl Tori, who got three new ear piercings. I taught English at a local school with Tori for three days. I ate crickets, worms, a tarantula, scorpion, and snake—gross! Wrote and sent 28 post cards. Sent a couple small packages to home. I applied to GRAD SCHOOL!!
Okay, so I want to tell you–God’s timing is good!! The plans He has had for my life are so good, and the plans I have for myself will never compare! So, in June 2013 I think I discovered Colorado for the first time, and I realized I want to live there. In June 2014, I went on a ten day road trip with my two best friends. We visited 8 cities–potential home towns. It was possibly the most fun week of my entire life, full of amazing memories. I had never planned anything in such a detailed way. The plan was to graduate in May 2015, then to move to Fort Collins and go to Colorado State University. When that time came, I did not feel like I knew what I wanted to go to school for. I bought a bus to start converting into a tiny home. In September, months after graduation, I gave my life to Christ and continued to try and work on the tiny home. Long story short, that hasn’t gone too far. But I learned about The World Race in October 2015, and I felt it was something meant for me. I prayed from that point, for a whole year, about what to do with my life–career, education. I applied for the Race in October 2016, launched in October 2017. I was still unsure of what my future had in store. My first three and a half months after I left America, I started to consider every single possibility—even going to college in Germany or Iceland, between 10 different degree ideas. About two weeks ago in Cambodia, I felt God saying, I already showed you a plan.
I thought back, Yeah, I have felt such confidence about Colorado, and I really believe there’s a life there for me. I had to admit to myself that its okay not to choose the most adventurous and exciting thing possible–something about me lusted the possibility of going to college outside of the states–the lower prices mainly. But I also had an epiphany that I want to be a lobbyist. So I looked up how to make that happen. I learned that the degrees at CSU were not suitable for me. I decided I want a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management because I have dreams of starting a nonprofit, there are many nonprofit director job postings, and it supports other future goals. I found Regis University in Denver.
Classes start every eight weeks, it’s a private (Jesuit) school so I don’t have to worry about in-state tuition, this program is ranked super well, and it looks like an amazing school! I’ve put in my application, sent in my transcripts, and resume. My essay is the final thing to submit! It’s written but I’m still editing. BACK TO GOD’S TIMING–I am finally able to see there was purpose in me not knowing for so long what to do with my life. I wouldn’t be on the World Race if God had answered my prayer the way I wanted. But all of the sudden, everything clicked. I’ve never had this kind of peace and confidence about my future. I’m so thankful.
My former team Agua Viva had a beautiful last supper together before finding out about our new teams. It was a beautiful time of remembering and laughing and loving.
One morning, I went to Angkor Wat temple with Grace, Jaivie, and Tori to see the sun rise! We left the hostel at 4:30 am, and got to see the full sun rise. What a beautiful day.
So I saw the monkeys, and I loved them.
And I wanted to hang out with the monkeys because I had seen many pictures of squadmates with the monkeys. I saw this man giving water to the monkey and I tried the same thing
but a bigger monkey came over and went into attack mode and chased me away from my bag and then grabbed a large container of germ x from my bag and then someone came to chase him away. So glad he didn’t take my phone and wallet. Would’ve been embarrassing to admit that in six weeks I got robbed twice–once by a monkey lol. He was SCARY. Wanna know terror? Let that monkey show you all his teeth. SO cute until then.
