Cambodia Mission - July 17
Today was a day of things not going as planned and I am perfectly okay with that.
Though not necessarily on the schedule, we had prayer service this morning. This would delay our floating village departure but no one and I mean no one would want to skip prayer service. This specific service was and is life changing for me. I received the peace God had been trying to give me here in Cambodia. Today...I got my joy. I honestly feel like I could float. I won't even need a plane to fly home the way I feel. I laughed in the Spirit like I have never laughed before. What was emptied out of me earlier in this trip has been replaced with JOY!
When we arrived they tried to charge us $25 per person. (Last year they paid $5 per person and on the website it was only $5.) It was obviously not meant for us to go out to the Floating Village. We looked around and took some photos but ultimately boarded the bus and returned to Brown Coffee in Siem Reap.
Brown Coffee is a better than Starbucks. First because the prices and second because the vibe. It is an open and airy shop. They have a full menu of beverages and food. Since the floating village was off the agenda, Brother Wes treated us to lunch at Brown Coffee. I had a Carmel coffee and Chicken Kiev Pasta...my word it was good. My total was well under $10 for a full meal and a delicious coffee.
It is technically monsoon season in Cambodia. We have been truly blessed with amiable weather; however, leaving Brown Coffee we got a taste of what our trip could have been like.
We returned to the hotel for about 2 hours of down time before heading out the last time to the villages.
We congregated at Pastor Veng's church and school before splitting into teams. We had about an hour to go house to house. This was my first opportunity to go our with Ruben and Faith. They are so dynamic. Ruben really has an evangelistic heart, that fire for "just one more" burns so bright in him. Faith jumps to every challenge she has been faced with. As teams have changed, I have seen many different dynamics. It makes me recognize how God uses each of us. I have been pouring into one young woman that she does not have to be her mother, yet I hold myself responsible for being a version of others too. God has a purpose and plan for each of us...just as He made us.
Our team led 5 in the prayer of salvation and prayed blessings over homes. Pastor took us to a home where a man was very ill. He was not a believer. The nature of the home prevented us from entering, both Ruben and I are larger than average Cambodian people...we were a little worried about the house falling. (That is not a joke.) The mans daughter is Christian. Pastor entered the home and Ruben lead the prayer from the entryway. The man prayed the prayer of salvation and we prayed for his healing. When we departed he said he felt better, we believe he will fully recover and will be a leaders in that village. (Soon as he gets Buddha's picture off the wall.)
We left that house and returned to the school. The girls led the kids in some songs. Sister Regina shared the Word of God. Elizabeth led them in the prayer of salvation. Once the "service" was over, we prayed over each and every child present. Then we prayed for the Pastor and his wife. Sister Regina tagged me in to pray for the young teachers. I did not hesitate. In the past I would have stepped back, but I felt the Spirit stirring and I prayed with fervor. These three young women will impact these children, a generation of this village will be taught through them. What a mantle of responsibility and blessing they carry.
Our departure was delayed. No one wants to leave the children. Please understand, the adults in these villages are precious. The children steal your heart.
Then we pass Momma Joi and her team stranded on the side of the road. Their Tuk-Tuk had a flat tire. I suppose we all got an adventure this time. Ultimately, everyone got back to the hotel safe. That is what mattered. The drivers did ask for more money. This is not uncommon for them to try and hustle a deal. In his wisdom, Brother Wes accommodated their request. There is a great relationship with the hotel and the drivers that needs to be maintained for future trips.
I do not run, especially up stairs but this time I ran to my room, praying she had gone up. It turned out she had walked up to the room with another adult. She followed the rules. No one did anything wrong or inappropriate. I was awash with frustration because she did not tell me she was going. I had to apologize to her for what I am sure seemed like anger. I was concerned and scared...#mommabearmode. This was my moment on this trip for melt down. Some melted down with culture shock, some missing their family, whatever I had not reacted or over-reacted too thus far boiled out in this situation.
Caitlin and I planned ahead and wore our swimsuits under our clothes at dinner. Soon as we finished eating we headed for the pool.
Laughter and joking abound. You cant help but enjoy time spent with these precious girls. They have poured so much of themselves out and remained kind to one another. That speaks volumes of who they are in Christ. Tonight, we had a cultural experience I had not thought to caution them about.
If you have been to gender segregated spa facilities, you may be used to the occasional person enjoying facilities with less clothing (or none). We were nearing the end of our time in the spa. Most of us ready to go to our rooms and rest before the marathon that would begin the morning of July 18. All the girls but Amahri were completely out of the jacuzzi, starting to dry off. Amahri was sitting on the edge with her feet in the water. An Asian woman came over to the jacuzzi. As she approached i thought she had on a tube top...I was wrong. Once in the water and relaxed you notice her bosom was not covered. I have to give credit to these girls, ages 13 to 17. No one laughed or reacted inappropriately. They quickly gathered themselves so we could depart. Amahri was in a little shell shock. I suggested it was time to turn in for the night, which helped her unfreeze.
Though no fault of mine or the girls, I felt necessary to let Sister Regina know what had happened, especially since one of the missionary daughters was with us. Both Sister Regina and Pastora were not mortified, as I was. I suppose in their travels they have seen more than I can dare to imagine.
Though not necessarily on the schedule, we had prayer service this morning. This would delay our floating village departure but no one and I mean no one would want to skip prayer service. This specific service was and is life changing for me. I received the peace God had been trying to give me here in Cambodia. Today...I got my joy. I honestly feel like I could float. I won't even need a plane to fly home the way I feel. I laughed in the Spirit like I have never laughed before. What was emptied out of me earlier in this trip has been replaced with JOY!
Floating Village Bust
We were supposed to go to the Floating Village this morning. We arrived, very much ready to see this historical and cultural phenomenon. Villages full of generations of people not permitted to step foot in Cambodia, but not permitted to return to their home lands. Refugees. People without a country who in most cases never put their feet on solid ground. These are a few photos approaching the floating village tour dock.
When we arrived they tried to charge us $25 per person. (Last year they paid $5 per person and on the website it was only $5.) It was obviously not meant for us to go out to the Floating Village. We looked around and took some photos but ultimately boarded the bus and returned to Brown Coffee in Siem Reap.
Brown Coffee is a better than Starbucks. First because the prices and second because the vibe. It is an open and airy shop. They have a full menu of beverages and food. Since the floating village was off the agenda, Brother Wes treated us to lunch at Brown Coffee. I had a Carmel coffee and Chicken Kiev Pasta...my word it was good. My total was well under $10 for a full meal and a delicious coffee.
Great Adventure
I love riding in the Tuk-Tuk but especially when you are larger, it can be an adventure. We rode out to a village that took us about 30 to 40 minutes to reach. Driving through town was not too bad but then we left the main road. It was bumpy and shaky and frankly scared me enough I spent a righteous amount of time praying in the Spirit. We finally made it to the village safely.
We congregated at Pastor Veng's church and school before splitting into teams. We had about an hour to go house to house. This was my first opportunity to go our with Ruben and Faith. They are so dynamic. Ruben really has an evangelistic heart, that fire for "just one more" burns so bright in him. Faith jumps to every challenge she has been faced with. As teams have changed, I have seen many different dynamics. It makes me recognize how God uses each of us. I have been pouring into one young woman that she does not have to be her mother, yet I hold myself responsible for being a version of others too. God has a purpose and plan for each of us...just as He made us.
Our team led 5 in the prayer of salvation and prayed blessings over homes. Pastor took us to a home where a man was very ill. He was not a believer. The nature of the home prevented us from entering, both Ruben and I are larger than average Cambodian people...we were a little worried about the house falling. (That is not a joke.) The mans daughter is Christian. Pastor entered the home and Ruben lead the prayer from the entryway. The man prayed the prayer of salvation and we prayed for his healing. When we departed he said he felt better, we believe he will fully recover and will be a leaders in that village. (Soon as he gets Buddha's picture off the wall.)
We left that house and returned to the school. The girls led the kids in some songs. Sister Regina shared the Word of God. Elizabeth led them in the prayer of salvation. Once the "service" was over, we prayed over each and every child present. Then we prayed for the Pastor and his wife. Sister Regina tagged me in to pray for the young teachers. I did not hesitate. In the past I would have stepped back, but I felt the Spirit stirring and I prayed with fervor. These three young women will impact these children, a generation of this village will be taught through them. What a mantle of responsibility and blessing they carry.
Our departure was delayed. No one wants to leave the children. Please understand, the adults in these villages are precious. The children steal your heart.
Tuk-Tuk Tapout
The return trip was far more adventurous than the trip to the village. Our driver kept making wrong turns to get out of the village. Then he was trying to move fast to get back and we teetered and titled all the way back out to the main road.Then we pass Momma Joi and her team stranded on the side of the road. Their Tuk-Tuk had a flat tire. I suppose we all got an adventure this time. Ultimately, everyone got back to the hotel safe. That is what mattered. The drivers did ask for more money. This is not uncommon for them to try and hustle a deal. In his wisdom, Brother Wes accommodated their request. There is a great relationship with the hotel and the drivers that needs to be maintained for future trips.
The Devil is a Liar
Image you are in a foreign country (or amusement park) and you turn to look for one of your kids and they are gone. The sudden rush of panic and adrenaline overwhelms you. You slip into crisis mode, which usually results in some potential overreaction. Amid the confusion with Tuk-Tuk fares and flat tires, one of the young girls riding with me had vanished. I asked others had they seen her, checked the restroom and there was nothing. Our whole team was not yet present, so I had no idea who was there or not there.I do not run, especially up stairs but this time I ran to my room, praying she had gone up. It turned out she had walked up to the room with another adult. She followed the rules. No one did anything wrong or inappropriate. I was awash with frustration because she did not tell me she was going. I had to apologize to her for what I am sure seemed like anger. I was concerned and scared...#mommabearmode. This was my moment on this trip for melt down. Some melted down with culture shock, some missing their family, whatever I had not reacted or over-reacted too thus far boiled out in this situation.
Final Night
We went to dinner at the hotel. It is an international dinner. The food is actually rather good, but with the adrenaline rush, I felt nauseated. I ate very little. We did watch part of the dinner show. I know it was a story from the Buddhist religion. Though the content disturbed me, you could not argue with the artistry of the performers.
Last Call for Spa Time
It was at least a half hour before anyone else joined us. It was a great chance for Caitlin and I to talk and hang out. When the others arrived we enjoyed talking and hanging out in the pool. This evening the pool was rather chilly, so before the 9 PM pool closing we headed over to the spa. It was another adventurous night with the teen girls.Laughter and joking abound. You cant help but enjoy time spent with these precious girls. They have poured so much of themselves out and remained kind to one another. That speaks volumes of who they are in Christ. Tonight, we had a cultural experience I had not thought to caution them about.
If you have been to gender segregated spa facilities, you may be used to the occasional person enjoying facilities with less clothing (or none). We were nearing the end of our time in the spa. Most of us ready to go to our rooms and rest before the marathon that would begin the morning of July 18. All the girls but Amahri were completely out of the jacuzzi, starting to dry off. Amahri was sitting on the edge with her feet in the water. An Asian woman came over to the jacuzzi. As she approached i thought she had on a tube top...I was wrong. Once in the water and relaxed you notice her bosom was not covered. I have to give credit to these girls, ages 13 to 17. No one laughed or reacted inappropriately. They quickly gathered themselves so we could depart. Amahri was in a little shell shock. I suggested it was time to turn in for the night, which helped her unfreeze.
Though no fault of mine or the girls, I felt necessary to let Sister Regina know what had happened, especially since one of the missionary daughters was with us. Both Sister Regina and Pastora were not mortified, as I was. I suppose in their travels they have seen more than I can dare to imagine.
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