Oh, Cambodia.
This month, my team is staying in Kampong Speu, Cambodia. We said farewell to Thailand and all of the modern amenities that it had to offer us, and we are now living the quintessential village life along with our ministry contact, Rah, and his extended family.
The sun rises at 5 am and the roosters scattered throughout the property welcome the day in song; each day starts as a celebration here in the village. Soon after this comes the voices of children laughing and playing as they emerge into the lush, green landscape that surrounds us. There are rice fields all around, with mountains in the distance. The days are warm and sunny, but the cool rain comes each day and brings new life. When my team begins to wake up, we often find the village children playing in our front yard… sometimes along with a cow and the neighborhood dog, Benji. Life here is slow and simple, just how I like it.
Rah's wife cooks for us, and breakfast is usually French toast and iced coffee. For the rest of the day, we assist Rah in his ministry. Each member of my team teaches an hour long English lesson: there are 7 English classes a day at varying levels, and I have the priveledge of teaching an advanced class in the morning. There are about 10 students in my class, with ages 13-26 in attendance. I am shocked to find out that I love teaching, and the students are so eager to learn!
We are equally spoiled with lunch and dinner as we are with breakfast; our meals always have rice, vegetables, fruit, and a source of protein. Oh, and lately they have come with 2 large plates of sweet potato fries! The fruit here in Cambodia is the sweetest and most exotic that I've ever had. Dragonfruit, rombutan, and mangosteen are just a few that we've tried and loved.
Every day, we do a little bit of physical work (or "practical" work as Rah would say) to help out around the house. And after everyone has taught their class, we have one-on-one time with the teenagers. This is basically a time of fellowship/discipleship, and it helps with their conversational English. We end the day with a Bible study lesson that my team puts together, and finally with a dose of team time. By 9:30, we are all exhausted and pass out in our tents for the night. I LOVE that my teammates are the early to bed/early to rise type!
Even though I am cut off from constant wifi, there are giant pigs on the other side of the bathroom wall, I dump bowls of water on my head as a shower, and there's a turtle in the water that we wash our dishes and clothes with, I am at peace here. I have so much to learn from Rah and his family about community. Every day, they welcome children and adults from the village into their home that 5 families share, made humbly out of bamboo, dried leaves, and tin. Anyone and everyone is invited to the English lessons, Bible studies, and church services. Parents, grandparents, in-laws, nieces, and nephews all live together and care for one another. They don't need a house with a white picket fence and the latest electronics to be content; they just need each other.
I am so grateful to be here this month; there's literally no place I'd rather be.
