Cambodia Mission - July 10 (Because I don,t know what day it is anymore)

Lets just call this July 10th. I slept deep last night and woke ready for the day. I am not nervous. Honestly, it is an uncomfortable peace that has settled on me. I say uncomfortable because I never feel this peaceful unless I am deep in prayer.
We enjoyed a beautiful breakfast. I tried several new things, like Dragon fruit. I had a lovely lemon tea drink that very refreshing. After breakfast, Brother Wes and I had a chat. As usual, he called to things very deep in my heart. He only know a portion of all that has been going on in my life, but the words God gave him for me rang true nonetheless.

Now I am sitting in the lobby of this beautiful place. Sitting on a swing suspended from the ceiling. I have read my Bible and completed my devotion for today. It seems easier to read my Bible here. Why? I can’t speak to that other than the fact my distractions are gone. Brother Wes told me to on me, that this is my time to recceive from God. I can’t force this, I can only worship, praise and take things as God reveals them to me.

Morning Meeting

We met together to go over general information and to be lifted up. We shared where we had already seen God in this trip. For me it was meeting Gun on the plan to Shanghai and then a moment in the elevator at Shanghai where members of the team instiictively laid hands on a team member who was having a difficult moment. So many times prayer is prompted by one party or another and this was spontaneous and genuine. Just a moment but it resonates in my heart.

During the meeting Brother Wes charged each of us with a prayer partner. Someone for us to lift up in prayer throughout the day – each time we saw them or they crossed our minds. He could not have known that the young woman he partnered with me has been on my heart. What grace and mercy our God gives us.

God’s Preparation

A few weeks ago I shared a message that Pastor Will preached on Father’s day about honor. In the course of this trip I have already seen how that message was preparation for me and others from my church. Miss. Joi brought us to remembrance of this message but it had been on my mind from the first day of the trip. We have a responsibility to show honor not only to God and our leaders, but to one another. We are called to be submissive to our leadership and to show them proper honor. I am returned to when Miriam tried to correct her brother Moses and God corrected her. Though nothing has happened for me to question or push against my leaders, I know my nature. I submit that “why” in my mind to Christ and pray for humility and spirit of love.

During this morning meeting we divided up the shoes, school supplies, and clothing we would be carrying to the churches. What a blessing these will be to these people. I consider it an honor to be God’s hands and feet as we prepare to bless the people here in Cambodia.

Finally Tuk-Tuk

Our primary transportation in Cambodia will be Tuk-Tuk. These are carts pulled by motorized bikes. Driving or in our case riding in Cambodia is an adventure unto itself. Our translators are not available until tomorrow July 11th, so we had a scavenger hunt in Siem Reap to acquaint us with the city and culture.

In the city, many of the people speak at least some English. Communication is still interesting when you try to understand with dialects and accents. We had about 10 things on the list to take photos of before meeting for dinner at an authentic Khmer restaurant. I will have to post scavenger hunt photos later. Our list included getting a fish pedicure. Now, anyone who knows me, knows I have  a thing about feet…even my own. The fish pedicure involves sticking my feet in a tank of water with fish that eat the dead skin off. Once I got over my minor freak out and the ticklish feeling of fish nibbling at my feet…it actually felt kind of good.

We were told to get a photo of the new King. They meant a new Burger King being built, our driver helped us find and actual picture of the new King in Cambodia. We also learned that the oldest son of a king is known as the new king, regardless of the present king’s reign. Another item was to purchase mangosteen at a local market. This fruit is actually quite good, sort of like Kiwi without the bitter.

Travelling through the city you see children on motor bikes with their family members and no one is wearing a helmet. You see dogs running around, not exactly a leash law. Smells assault your senses. Sometimes they are rather foul, but I have not yet encountered anything that was so pungent as to make me feel sick. The people in Cambodia are very kind. There is a gentleness to the people we have encountered thus far, that is long since absent in American culture. In the restaurants and at the hotel, they are beyond gracious and accommodating. They go out of there way to assist you. You have to understand jobs are limited here. Many of those serving us at the hotel or in restaurant are making $4-$6 per day. You read that right…a day. I read before coming on the trip that an monthly salary of $126 put was the median salary for this area. That is my groceries for a week in the US.

This puts me in a different mindset when we stopped at a store in the market. I suddenly did not want to negotiate prices in the market. I also looked at things and asked myself, “is that worth a days wages?” That being said, I did buy a fan and a hat. They were inexpensive and items that will be beneficial through the trip.

Ants - Anyone?

Let’s jump to dinner. The food was different. It was fresh and seasoned differently than what we are accustom too. We tried a number of things and I ate a little of everything. The crab fried rice, ribs, and zucchini were my favorites. (Not zucchini like we see in the US, but just as good…without the seeds too.) I tried a piece of chicken with a few different sauces. Pepper sauce with seemed like watery pepper, good but as a pepper person it was strange to have it that way. A sweet and hot sauce that was very good. The last sauce when I tried it, I thought it was dragon fruit with some sort of sauce. I could not place the flavor, I just assumed based on what I saw with a quick glance. Turns out it was fish sauce with ants…ANTS. I ate ants and did not even know it. It actually tasted good to me…but my children can be proud…Mom ate ants. So did Momma Joi.

Another thing you encounter at the restaurants and at the hotel is being presented with a chilled cloth that is usually lightly scented with mint or menthol. When I get home, I buying wash clothes and putting them in my fridge with essential oil on them. It is the most refreshing thing I have had, aside from the lemongrass tea at breakfast.

Time For Church

Once back at the hotel we went to our conference room for church. We opened with Sister Regina praying and young Faith leading us in worship. We had an amazing message delivered by Pastor Mark from Forward church about unity and the fire of God. The presence of God’s spirit was thick in the room.

I am going to paraphrase the quote Pastor Mark shared from Corrie Ten Boom, “ In a forest fire, there is always a place the fire can’t reach – where it has already been”. He stated this as both challenge and commission, to be at a place in God where the fire of the world can’t touch my life. This sounds very similar to Pastor Luke speaking of building on the firm foundation of the Word so we were built on a rock where the storms could rage but we would not falter. It sent shivers through me to recognize how God has been preparing my heart to receive on this trip.

As he spoke of unity he touched on guarding our hearts. Why did Mary, the mother of Jesus, leave to go to Elizabeth? I was always led to believe it was a cultural thing. Pastor Mark stated that Elizabeth would speak life into Mary. It wasn’t about scoffers or rumors, Mary was with Elizabeth so she could be built up. (Mind blown) Another quote I will paraphrase comes from the book “God Chasers”, “When we pursue unity, we set the framework for revival.”

Wherever God sends us, he goes with us. Pastor Mark quoted Thomas Watson, this quote I googled, “Satan doth not tempt God’s children because they have sin in them, but because they have grace in them. Had they no grace, the devil would not disturb them… Though to be tempted is a trouble, yet to think why you are tempted is a comfort.” When we resist the devil in the name of Christ Jesus he has to flee…he has no choice.

A powerful time of prayer followed this message. I have only been slain in the spirit once before tonight. I felt such a hunger for God to use me. Amplified 100, 1000 times what I have felt before. I also felt joy. When our service was over I returned to my room and went on the balcony. I prayed the prayer in Ephesians over my young charge. I read God’s word briefly but I prayed. I prayed with a vigor I have not felt in my private prayer time before. God is doing a new thing. I came to Cambodia anticipating a dramatic shift in myself, in my faith, and in the impact I would make for God’s kingdom. God is meeting that anticipation wave after wave.

My Challenge To You

I will close this blog with a question posed to us by Pastor Mark in service tonight. “What is your appetite for?” Eat of us feeds our appetite. You crave pizza, you eat pizza. You crave pampering…you go to a spa. What happens when your appetite is for the things of God? God gives us the desires of our heart. So once again I leave you with the question, What is your appetite for?