The first few weeks of being in Cambodia were a strange sort of transition. My team and I were processing being alone together, apart from our squad in an unfamiliar city, trying simply to get through each new day without reopening old wounds or creating new ones. In all honesty, we felt a sort of isolation, like we were expected to figure out life in a foreign country without any sort of guidance and five days worth of jet lag. We were battling meal planning and personal convictions and external conflicts, all the while trying to give one hundred percent in a brand new ministry and making sure our relationships with the Father were healthy. Needless to say, we were a mess. Feeling alone and angry, slowly becoming apathetic to one another and the Race as a whole, we were in desperate need of people—of family.
And, because our God promises to never leave us nor forsake us, He blessed us with exactly what we needed, exactly when we needed it.
Victory Church Cambodia is made up of a family of people who love Jesus, people who fight relentlessly to pursue a relationship with the Lord and who strive to stay unified in a country where their faith separates them from the vast majority of the population. I had the privilege of getting to know and love and be loved by the staff at Victory, and I wanted to take this blog to honor and thank them for everything they did for us in our first month and a half in Cambodia.
Pastor Cynthia: You are a woman of grace and integrity. You speak and the world around you pauses to listen, in awe of how the Father’s authority seeps through your words. There were many moments in which we wondered if you weren’t really human, but an angel sent to create peace amongst strife. Thank you for loving us well.
Gette: What a woman! Your unwavering trust in the Father’s plan for you is inspiring, life-giving, and true. The way you cry out to Him in prayer shakes the earth, and it was an honor to get to laugh with you. Thank you for being our friend.
Johnathan: There are only so many words to describe the man who tells you to scrub the balcony and kitchen ceiling while singing Frozen songs in the same breath, but here are a few. Hilarious. Compassionate. Protective. Thank you for always & forever taking us “into the unknown.” Now, go get your girl.
Jane: Thank you for exuding kindness and grace, for always being gentle with us and having a smile on your face. Your enthusiasm for the Lord makes it impossible not to share in your gratitude, and Victory wouldn’t be the same without your presence. Thank you for your gentle spirit.
Ralph: Man, oh man. Ralph. What would we have done without you? You were, quite literally, the “dad” we needed in moments of frustration and sadness, the friend who purposefully sought us each out individually, and the guide when we were drowning in confusion. Thank you for being intentional with us, even after we left the nest.
Pastor Sam: I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so immediately loved by everyone around them. You carry such joy within your movements that it’s impossible not to be infected by it! Thank you for teaching us Khmer and walking us around Angkor Wat and laughing with us—you made everyday so much fun.
Mary: You carry such goodness within you, such a warrior spirit that we were privileged to experience. Thank you for being patient with us while we tried our best to teach university classes in a foreign language, for always laughing at my terrible jokes and loving us well just by being there. You are so beautiful, and I’m grateful to have met you!
Van Nak: You are one of the most consistent and dedicated people I’ve ever met. Riding in tuk tuks alongside you was enough entertainment for a lifetime, and without you, we’d probably still be stuck in Angkor Wat. Thank you for being our friend, for laughing with us. Keep growing in the Lord; you have what it takes to be great.
Judah: Oh, Judah! Whether you know it or not, you were one of my favorite parts of every day. You are so smart and kind and dedicated. Your “hello” made the air lighter and, believe it or not, you loaning me your copy of Narnia almost brought me to tears. Your potential is endless—dream big and never change.
Kairos: Leaving you was so hard. I’ve told you before, but you are the only person on the planet who has ever made me wish I had a little brother. You are hilarious, so gifted, and you love so hard. I wish we could’ve stayed forever just so we could finish our video. I am so proud to be your friend.
To Victory—
Thank you for opening up your home to us. Thank you for your obedience to the Father, for showering us in His grace and love before anything else. Thank you for always providing an explanation, though you never owed us one and we never deserved it. Thank you for being patient with us, for loving us so, so well and always exuding the character of the Savior. We love you. We miss you. But we will see you again.
Thank you.
