2-16-19 to 2-23-19
Ministry:
We started manual labor this week and what seemed like an impossible project was completed on Friday! Our manual labor project was to lay down dirt to help build a fence around the orphanage. My team and I broke up, shoveled, and carried rocks and dirt to create a 3 foot platform around the orphanage. We worked from 8:30-11:30 every day and the kids would often work after dinner when it was cooler. The first day, we were all physically exhausted by the heat. Clumsy me also managed to sprain my ankle, obtained 5 blisters, and jam my finger on Monday. At the end of the day, our shirts were covered in dirt and sweat but our spirits were still high as the kiddos never failed to make us laugh even through the tiredness. I really enjoyed working alongside the kids to make their home safer and seeing the physical impact we were making.
This week at school we covered food, shapes, family, adjectives, and clothes. It’s been so much fun to see and hear the kids using the words we teach them throughout their week in conversation with us and each other. I love seeing the kids’ creativity in their art and responses and am so proud of their growth this past month!
This past Sunday I got the speak at our church. Needless to say I was really nervous because I didn’t know what I wanted to talk about but I felt like the Lord was just encouraging me to share what He’s been teaching me about identity and satisfaction. I shared about how for years I tried to seek other things to satisfy this hole in my heart and how this ultimately led to me feeling like I could do life on my own. I spoke about how each of us are beautifully and wonderfully made to fulfill the specific purpose God spoke over our life and when we let Him in, we are filled with an indescribable joy! I am thankful for the fact that God used me in my brokenness and growth to share with His people the truth.
We did another prayer walk throughout the village on Friday. We found out that that specific Friday was a holiday and the kids were expected to go to the school to pray and sing with the monks even if they did not practice that religion. If the kids did not go, they were punished by their teachers. My team and I biked to the temple in the village and prayed for the people and the country. We prayed for the kids and their hearts. We prayed for freedom and truth the shine.
Miscellaneous:
My favorite parts of the day are spent with the kids living their everyday life. After church on Sunday, I went outside to find some of the older girls sitting on the floor. They were cutting up and grinding this turmeric colored, ginger smelling root vegetable that I’ve never seen before and they didn’t know in English. As they chopped up this mysterious root, I offered to help grind it up. We all sat on the floor, talked about life, and laughed about random things like how they tried to tell me I am going to die because I ate the root. I have a special place in my heart for the older girls in the orphanage. There are four of them: Eden (14), Srey Nith (13), Sina (13), and Srey Ninh (12). I didn’t really get close with them for the first couple weeks because they are given a lot of responsibility in the orphanage like cleaning, cooking, washing, care taking, etc. I wanted to have a relationship with them but couldn’t because they don’t come to school and are always on the move. My way of doing ministry with them was actually joining them in their work. I do dishes with them, sit with the on the floor while they do homework, and clean with them. The Lord uses this time to remind them they are seen and loved and never, ever forgotten. As I spend time with them, they share with me their dreams and passions. I love our small but sweet moments of singing while working and seeing their wide smiles as they come home from school.
This week, my team has been blessing one another through snacks from the stand next to the orphanage. There’s nothing better to see a small little surprise waiting on my sleeping pad after teaching or a one-on-one. I am thankful for my team and their hearts even in the smallest of things.
Lastly, to all my Korean family and friends, this week the kids had kimchee for dinner!!! It was such a sweet little reminder of home and it was so funny to see them devour it, not even phased by the spice. They love it so much and I just want my halmoni (grandma in Korean) to come and give them a jar full of hers!
Me:
Unfortunately, my digestive system and sleep patterns have still been irregular.
We leave Kampong Thom and all the beautiful kiddos early Tuesday morning. We will be spending Tuesday in Siem Reap adventuring around there for the day (hopefully visiting Angkor Wat) before leaving for Bangkok on Wednesday. We will be in Bangkok for a week for debrief and then will be traveling to our next ministry site in Central Thailand!
I have a graduate school interview scheduled for early this upcoming Thursday morning so prayers (for myself, nerves, technology, clear communication, opportunity to share my heart and mission here) are incredibly appreciated!
I am so excited to start a new adventure in Thailand but I cannot help but be heartbroken at saying “see you later”. As we told the kids on last Wednesday on our departure date, the hugs have been longer and kisses have been more frequent. Many of the kids have been asking us to stay or take them with us, which if I could, I would without a doubt. Please be keeping the kids and my team in your prayer as we prepare to leave but remember the moments we’ve shared. It definitely will not be easy. During this transition/processing/rest period, please pray that the Lord continues to fill my cup to give more of myself to the people I meet.
This past month has flown by as I have given more of myself and grown in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I am so grateful for the tender people and moments here. I am proud of myself for stepping out and exploring. Thank you, family and friends, for your love and support on my journey thus far. Thank you, God, for exceeding my expectations and giving me the abundance of joy and love that only you can provide. Here’s to Thailand and more adventures!
–Steph for the last time in Kampong Thom 🙁
p.s. huge thank you to my teammate Kaitlin for capturing most of these photos!
