I honestly thought that the hardest part about the World Race would be sleeping outside. In case you didn’t know, I had slept outside a grand total of 2 nights in my life before departing in January and I thought that would be my toughest challenge. Boy was I wrong! It’s not the squatty potties or the different language or the lack of hot showers; it’s heart. When we were in Thailand we poured our hearts out into the ministries that we worked with, and everyone there became a part of our family. I fell in love with Heart of Isaan’s ministry, and it was amazing to me what we were able to do, the people we were blessed to meet and the change I could physically feel inside my heart. For me, Thailand was a perfect country to start in, because I firmly believe that every place I visited in my life was leading me into being so receptive to Thai culture. I love it. Truly LOVE it.
But now we find ourselves in Cambodia. We are in Siem Reap and big city Cambodia is so different from small village Thailand. I have to admit, the past two days have been hard, exhausting and the most difficult days thus far on the race and they were all rest days. I feel like so much of myself was left back in Thailand, and yesterday it was so hard to imagine caring so much for a place again, and having to leave. But I think that’s one of the gifts and burdens the World Race gives you. You will meet amazing people, who have amazing ministries and you WILL fall in love with them. And you will leave them. You will leave your heart on a tile floor in Ubon and for a second (or 2 days in my case) you will feel empty. But the great thing, the kicker, is God will restore your heart. He will refill you so that you can pour out even more. He will give me a heart for Cambodia and I will leave it here knowing that He will restore me yet again. It’s hard; it’s heartbreaking at times, but I know that this is what it feels like to truly care.
