When I am so Weak, He is still so Strong
We have been in Stung Treng Province, Cambodia for a little over a week now. We have stayed very busy. For the most part we have been working with the youth, facilitating Bible studies, playing sports and leading several worship sessions. We have been on many prayer walks and I have preached twice to the youth group and one English class. I have made many new friends and learned many new life lessons in leadership.
The first three nights here our team experienced much spiritual oppression from demonic forces. For two team members, they were oppressed in a dream by evil spirits and woke up and began to pray. Jeremy and I are sleeping in hammocks downstairs, below the team. The exact same time the night these dreams occurred for the two members, Jeremy and I were experiencing the presence of the evil spirits they were praying away. Then when we joined them unconsciously in prayer, peace came and sleep followed for they were gone. We have yet to see them again.
Last week we went to Kampong Pang Province, in Cambodia nearly 45 minutes away from where we are staying. The guys started digging a well for a widowed woman during the day and visited with many families in the village in the evening. On the third day, the well eroded with sand and the mission for the completion of the well failed. Because we do not have the funds to complete the project we are praying that God will provide in His timing. The girls taught the children in the village new songs and shared stories about Jesus. One day they spent the whole morning washing so many children’s hair to get rid of lice and painted every girls nails that wanted to look beautiful.
We listened to many testimonies from the locals and learned so much about how faithful our God is even when we have so little. None of these kids go to school and the average income per year, per house is less than $100 dollars. Yet, if you were to visit here and I had not told you this you would have had never known. The kids are full of joy and long to learn more. They listen so well and immediately apply what they learn. The parents work so hard during the day and live in a communal lifestyle acceptant of all people. They are growing stronger in their faith even through persecution. They have seen God heal many friends and family members in their village simply by praying in His name. One of the church members shared that three months ago her husband was murdered because we was proclaiming the name of Christ. She ended her testimony by saying, “The gospel must go on.”
Monday we had a day of rest. Jeremy and I decided that we wanted to go on a mini adventure, seeing as we are only in Stung Treng once. We heard about a waterfall that was not far away from where we were staying. On the way there we had a wreck and were fairly injured. The moped rolled on Jeremy’s leg and I landed on my shoulder with few minor cuts. However, my pain continued to grow sharper internally as the day went on. Can I just say it was beautiful.
The plan was to leave to another Province called, “Ban Mai” in Cambodia on Tuesday. However, to get there, we would be traveling the river by boat for two hours. After we got back from the waterfall, I decided that I should get it checked out at the hospital to be sure nothing was broken before getting on this boat. After an X-Ray the doctor who was no older than me, said, “Nothing is broken, just bruised.” I felt comfort by his words but pain still increasing more in my shoulder as my mobility of movement was beginning to subside. Last night I couldn’t sleep at all from the pain.
This morning I woke up in the worse place possible, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Our team was leaving in an hour. I was not packed. I could barely get out of the hammock. I couldn’t even lift my toothbrush. After our team Bible Study I asked the leadership if I could go to a different doctor to have a second opinion on the X-Ray. The leadership decided that Jeremy and I should stay back as the team stayed the course. It just so happens that there is a local Vietnamese hospital in Stung Treng that specializes in bones.
As soon as the doctor saw the X-Ray, he said, “That’s obviously a dislocated joint and needs to be popped back into place.” He told me how to do it and after I tried to do it myself, he explained that I had waited too long from the time of the accident until now for it to work. Four hours later they gave me a shot to numb the pain and then popped it back in themselves. I have a video if you’d like to see it. Just let me know if I should post it or I can send it to you through email, [email protected]
After they popped it back in, I immediately felt better. It cost $156 for the procedure and it just so happened I received a donation that covered the expense. When I got home, Jeremy was also feeling a lot better. We asked the leadership if we could join the team in Ban Mai Province. After much prayer and consideration the leadership is allowing us to join the team.
This province is made up of several floating islands with cultures that worship many demonic gods and speak a separate tribal language. Many of the people here have never heard the good news of Jesus Christ my Lord. It’s because of my circumstances that Satan has attempted to cause me to stumble and fall that I want all the more to get up and go. We leave tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Please pray for healing for Jeremy and I and protection from the evil one. Our God is so much greater than the enemy and has proven that to me once again today.
So tomorrow, should I wake, I will go to pursued God’s people that He is real and ready to have a relationship with them too.
