Life Lessons from Cambodia

So, the dreaded time has come. Tomorrow, we hop on a plane (more like 3 planes) back to the frigid US. Sorry for keeping all of the heat here in Cambodia. As this trip is coming to a close, the inevitable has happened. I’ve started to reminisce about all of the experiences we’ve had during our time here in this beautiful country. I thought I’d give you a little recap of what has happened over the past few days. Yesterday, we concluded the youth rally in Battambang. We shared heartfelt goodbyes with the youth and took several selfies before making our way back to Phnom Penh. Today, we visited the Killing Fields, a place of mass executions, and the Royal Palace. Tomorrow we will worship in the morning, do a little shopping, and then head to the airport. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve learned some things (actually many things, but I’ll keep this brief).

1. God is calling us all to something. A few nights ago, I gave a little message to the youth about how God called me to Cambodia. I also shared that God calls us all to live a Christian life, but our calling does not stop there. I’ve started telling myself every morning that waking up is a sign from God that He’s not done with me yet. He still has a plan for me. God is calling every single one of you too. Are you listening?

2. Cambodia is a country with a dark history. The torture and killings that took place in the 70s have had a lasting impact on everyone in this country. The children in Cambodia also share stories of the difficulties they have faced growing up as Christians. When I hear their stories, I feel guilty for thinking that I’ve had challenges along the way. But God doesn’t compare us to one another. Just because we haven’t faced the same difficulties does not mean that our challenges aren’t real (sorry for the triple negative). The devil tempts each and every one of us. If there’s one thing I’ve learned this entire time, it’s that we all need to strap on the armor of God and keep fighting the good fight.

3. God places every person in your life for a reason. The youth here have taught us so much about completely surrendering your life to God. They worship with their whole beings and love with their whole hearts. Esther and Soury have been amazing. Without them, we would have no idea what anyone was saying or what to do next. Esther is the missionary who we’ve been working with and Soury is an intern in training who works with Esther. She is from Cambodia, so she was also our translator. Finally, the team is incredible. We didn’t know each other before this trip other than a few meetings, but we’ve connected through this experience. We greatly missed PT and Will, but felt they were here in spirit (and also in the form of Flat PT and Flat Will).

Thank you all for your prayers. See you soon, America!

Leave a Reply