Thank you to everyone that has helped me make it this far on this journey! Up to this point, we have raised $9,895. By September 30th I must have at least $11,000 or I will be sent home. Will you please be a blessing to me, thus making you a blessing to every person I come in contact with in the coming months? Every single dollar counts. Simply click the Support Me button above to do so.
_____________________________________________________________________
Oh Cambodia! What can I say about you? I have absolutely LOVED being here in Siem Reap! Like, no joke, this has been the best month for me so far! Maybe it’s our incredible host family that we live with, Maybe it’s the team change. Maybe it’s the ministries that we’re doing. Maybe it’s the shaping and molding and gutting away God is doing in my heart. Or maybe it’s ALL OF THE THINGS!!!
Maybe I’ll share a week-by-week playback. Yeah, maybe that’ll work. This has been a month full of transformation and renewal, which is so great as my new team name is Renew.
Final week in Nepal:
- On August 25th our squad experienced its first team changes. It was completely unexpected. Previously, there were two coed teams and 5 all-women teams. My team was one of the ones with men – Aaron, Eric, and Justin. The squad shifted to begin 2 months of manistry and womanistry in order to give us all intentional time to focus on seeking God about what it truly means to be a woman/man of God. Honestly, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to being on a women-only team, but it has been really good thus far! So, my new team chose the name Renew and the members are Briana, Jen, Liz, Nikki, Sarah, and me.
Week One – Aug. 28th – Sept. 5th
- This week was spent adjusting to our new team and location (Siem Reap), and getting to know our host family, the Dequito’s – Noel and Fe, their sons Paul (12) and Joshua (9), and Noel’s father who we call Papagn (Filipino for grandfather).
- On Sunday, we joined them serving in 2 local villages where they have church-planting ministries. (We did this each week.) Just like kids in America, they love to sing, dance, and have fun with Jesus!
- Monday – Thursday we helped prepare the school they run for its brand new year. It was a lot of hard work, but it turned out beautifully. ELI International School serves the children of missionaries, and some local Khmer kids that are attending based on the sponsorship of donors.
- Tuesday – I ATE A GRILLED CRICKET!!!! Seriously. It was so gross!
- Thursday night some of us had the privilege of going to the birthday party of a former ELI student at his family’s home.
- Friday was the open house. We chose the theme “astronomical education” where “every kid is a star” for the event. It was incredible!
- Saturdays are our off days this month so we spent the day exploring our new city, trying new foods, and searching for bicycles to rent.
Week 2 – Sept. 6th – 12th
- On Sunday, we split up and went to our respective villages again. This time, Bri, Jen, and I led the bible story telling for about 20-30 kids. We read and acted out the story of Zaccheus and they loved it. Truth be told, I think we had even more fun doing it than they did watching!
- Monday – First day of school!!! Just like when you’re a student, we had first day jitters, too. Never thought I’d be a teacher in the States, let alone in Cambodia with little 1st and 2nd graders. So many emotions and thoughts all over the place, but it was so fun… and exhausting! LOL Kudos to all the teachers out there!
- Saturday morning we woke up at 3:30am and rode our bicycles 6 miles to Angkor Wat, one of the wonders of the world, to watch the sun rise and explore the temples that were built centuries ago. Except we weren’t able to go in because we didn’t have tickets! We thought we could buy them at the entrance. Tip: Buy your tickets ahead of time at a location about 2 miles back from the checkpoint. LOL But we had a beautiful morning, and great exercise, nonetheless.
Week 3 – Sept. 13th – 19th
- This Sunday I switched with Liz and went to the other village with Noel. It was a much different experience and I missed my babies from the other village so very much! However, I met a man named Emmanuel and he shared his testimony with us about how God transformed his life from one of severe alcohol and drug abuse as an adolescent to now being a college graduate and engineer. God is so awesome! If you’d like to learn more about his story, you can watch the Youtube videos via the following links: Part 1 and Part 2
- Friday – Our last day of school! L It was so bittersweet. Each morning there is an assembly, and at the end of this one, Fe announced to the students that it was our last day. Several students came up front to say “goodbye” and “thank you”… Ugh, the water works were flowing all around!
- Today is Saturday, and I will be spending the afternoon with my little sister-friend Amanda. She is one of the students at ELI that has captivated my heart and given me a piece of hers, as well. I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be a big sister, to love on her, and to pour into her. Please pray for her precious heart, for her spirit, for her future.
With tomorrow being our last day of ministry and us leaving this country next Thursday, please pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to encourage, comfort, and challenge the missionaries, preachers, and teachers in this country. Pray that the men and women that travel here to contribute to the sex- and human trafficking epidemic would be stopped, that their hearts will be burdened and transformed for the glory of God. Pray that the King would come to know Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior and that the country would be radically changed. Pray that the impact my whole squad has made across the country of Cambodia will be a lasting one. Pray that our last days here will continue to be fruitful. Pray that as we transition to Thailand we will allow ourselves to grieve, but that we would also embrace yet another field.
____________________________________________________________________
Thank you to everyone that has helped me make it this far on this journey! Up to this point, we have raised $9,895. By September 30th I must have at least $11,000 or I will be sent home. Will you please be a blessing to me, thus making you a blessing to every person I come in contact with in the coming months? Every single dollar counts. Simply click the Support Me button at the top of the page to do so.
