Two Weeks in Cambodia
Thank you everyone who supported me financially to have the opportunity to serve alongside so many in Cambodia. These past two weeks have been amazing and I want to inform you all of a few stories.
My favorite experience was seeing Dara. He is so much older now and tall and strong. His favorite sport is Rugby and it just so happen that I showed up the morning of his all day Rugby tournament. We spent the whole day catching up, watching videos from the past and talking about all he has learned in school. He introduced me to his new friends and told me that he is doing great in school.
The next day I went to the orphanage to discuss what the future may hold for him and where Logen and I could play a part in. I look forward to sharing this story in full in person when you who want to know ask me about it.
I was so encouraged to have spent some time with Bong Long Thoeun and his family. Bong Darith and Den met me there in Pursat. We went for a discipleship visit at a recent church plant that was far away from everything you could ever take for granted.
We spent one night in the jungle by a waterfall. When the three of us arrived, we gathered enough wood together to keep the fire lit through the night.
Then Darith lay in his hammock, listening closely to the enteral falls clashing against the water below. After a while he unconsciously fell into a dream deep enough to see himself in the distant future. He was standing alone and just as the light grew bright enough to see the expression on his face, it faded. And as he woke he heard him say, "Remember today."
Den made several fishing rigs out of anything he could find. He grabbed his bamboo spear and went on his way, down the river, determined to catch to eat and not release.
As for me I climbed to the top of the falls and sat silently listening to the thoughts I had never had time to think before.
It was a day unlike any other day.
That night a tiger came close to camp. Den woke us up and quickly signaled us to follow him into the water. I didn’t know what was going on but in my mind I knew we weren’t going to swim for fun. It was late and yet the moon was bright, “If the Tiger comes into the water, we surround it and drown it. This is the only way we will have a chance to survive.”
The next morning we were on our way by motor bikes back to the pastor’s house. On the way, I intentionally hit a jump. I embraced the brake hard enough to lock the tire and Darith and I crashed. What a quick reminder it was that my pride is so quick humble me if not kept in check.
We went to Battambang that afternoon. That week I was able to partner with YWAM Battambang and work with students at a local school. The rest of the team led a health clinic for the community and kids. While there, I was able to assist in teaching English, play silly games and sing many spiritual songs.
In Battambang, I spent most of my evenings with Bong Bun Loeuth and his family. I even slept in a hammock on their roof for few nights. I have known this family since 2014 and they are such an encouragement to me. Many of you have read Bongs story and know about the incredible protection our God provided for his survival of the Khmer Rouge genocide.
His son Tomo has been an entrepreneur since he was young. He has many dreams and visions that he wishes to fulfill. However, God has truly been working on his heart to give him a new mind and perspective of success. He partnered with me one of the days while teaching English and loved it.
That night he came with me to the YWAM “Community Night” (a Wednesday night service). Hundreds were there, and before the service he asked me, “Why is everyone so happy?” I told him because God has brought meaning and purpose to their lives.
Then as the music began to play he looked around and asked me, “Why do so many have their hands raised up?” I told him, like a child that puts their hands up in need of a parent so too do these people recognize God as a parent, and their need of Him in their lives.
Then after the sermon he mentioned his need of a savior. I introduced him to many of my former classmate’s from DTS in 2014 and he asked for an application to join YWAM. Please continue to pray that he will complete a Discipleship Training School for himself, starting in July to have many more questions answered and a satisfied soul that’s alive in Christ.
I went to Siem Reap the next day and met up with Yim Yim. She was one of Jake and I closest friends in DTS.
Yim serves so much as a preschool teacher in the mornings and kindergarten teacher in the afternoons. She trains many new teachers how to teach effectively for a local NGO. She also is parenting her niece of four years old. I absolutely fell in love with this sweet girl. Her biological parents live in the big city and work many hours a day, leaving no time to spend with her. Yim is so incredible to adopt this baby for at least a few years. Yim does not even make enough money to support her own cost of living, much less this baby and yet in her faithfulness God continues to provide for her needs.
After a few days we traveled together to Phnom Penh. We met up with Seypong, a great friend who recently turned 10. It was great to see him and meet his father. So in that last day, the four of us went on a cruise to celebrate the river festival. All day, we sat and talked about the wonders of our great God. The past and how faithful God has been to each of us. We prayed about our futures and asked God that if it’s His will they should realign again that they would in His perfect timing.
When the fireworks began, Baby was so scared. She has never seen fireworks before and I was holding her when they first exploded. She screamed and cried, kicked and clawed. When Yim took her from me to comfort her, I looked down I realized that in her struggle she had knocked out six of my stitches from the motorbike accident.
The next morning, I was able to grab a coffee with one the best Barista’s in South East Asia and my friend NubKaka. I am so proud of him pursuing his dreams. He was such an encouragement to me in that last day. Then Bong Dina picked me up and took me straight to the airport as I went on my way to a connect flight to Singapore.
Thank you again for everyone who gave money to support this trip. I look forward to sharing more with you all in person and I am so thankful that you believe in the need to just love Cambodia.
Please watch this video to taste more