Tuesday Morning Excitement

Khmer lesson for the day...Fire = plerng cheh (just sound it out...this is not an exact science)

It doesn't usually phase me when Srey Mao, one of the Cambodian girls I live with, calls for Brittany and I because it is usually to joke around with us. So when she called for Brittany, I calmly sat eating my breakfast, thinking very little of it. But when Brittany said my name multiple times with a bit of urgency, I thought I should go see what they were looking at.

As I left the back door, I walked into a cloud of smoke. An apartment downstairs from ours was on fire.


The church I work with rents two of the eight apartments in a building...one downstairs for the boys and one upstairs for the girls. The one on fire was directly next to the boys dorm...although at first I was told that it was the boys dorm that was on fire. There was a rather large crowd forming outside and many of them trying to throw buckets of water on the flames. One of the guys from our class happened to be there and he was tossing water in using only his cupped hands. Only a few of the girls in our dorm were home at the time, but those few were frantically running through the house, grabbing all of their belongings they could handle and taking them outside...mostly clothes and school books. Srey Mao was actually trying to throw her mattress over the side of the balcony so as to not have the hassle of running it down the stairs.


There is always the question asked: What would you take if your house was on fire. The most common response at home seems to be to grab your photo albums and major memory things you can't replace. Well, I don't have that kind of stuff here in Cambodia. So the answer for me yesterday was: computer, iPod, phones, any chargers for the few electronics I have, my journals, Bible, wallet, three shirts and two pairs of pants. I was just packing those few things in my back pack and was going to leave...and I was rather calmly doing so, I might add. Sure, I knew that the apartment downstairs was on fire, and I know the seriousness of it, but at no point was I worried or afraid. The girls were still running in and out for their stuff so I figured I was ok. But I was feeling kinda foolish packing this bag to begin with.

Finally Brittany came up and contemplated packing a bag herself, but only because we both started to feel the frenzy of our roommates. It didn't take long for them to put out the flames and we both ended up going downstairs to join the crowd, trying to figure out what was going on now, leaving all our belongings upstairs. If I had felt there was a more of a threat to our house, I would have been throwing my stuff in bags and tossing it over the side of the balcony with Srey Mao's mattress (which we stopped her from doing since the fire was already out at that point, but she was on a roll).

The fire didn't spread and was relatively contained to just the one room where it started. We're not really sure yet what actually stared the fire. Those that live in the house will have to replace a few things, mostly clothes, but no one was hurt. Thank God. Please continue to pray for protection.

The Harvester's Class

Front L-R: Phoern (Pu-en), Thida (Tee-da), Vin (Win), Mala, Dee
Back L-R: Me, Phally (Paulee) Richard, Seyha, Sothea (So-tee-ah), Titi, Brittany

It's kinda crazy that it's taken us this long to get a picture of our whole class. Thanks for all your prayers...for each of them and for Brittany and I as well.

We will be going on our second missions trip to another province in about 3 weeks. I will post more details about it next week.

Missing a Milestone

I love this girl! And it hurts my heart that I am so far away from her on her birthday. For those that don't know, this is my youngest sister, Maurine. And today she turns 10.

I love that God has asked me to be in Cambodia and that He has blessed me with such joy at my life here. But it has not come without sacrifice. Being with this amazing kid...that is one of the biggest sacrifices I had to make. Sure, I miss the rest of my family and friends, but talking to them and catching up over emails is not that difficult (as long as we all actually write). Not quite so easy with kids. One of the perks of moving from Los Angeles back to the east coast was that I would get to see her more than twice a year. That worked great for the two years I lived in North Carolina. But here I am now, on the other side of the world, missing her like crazy.

God has a way of teaching me through the lives and actions of kids and that is certainly true of Maurine. I have seen His compassion and love through her eyes. And while I could fill this blog every day with stories about her, it would still not be enough to put into words how much I love her.

Happy Birthday, Emmy (my nickname for her)....! I love you so much! Save a piece of cake for me and we will celebrate in March when I get home.

A little paint and a lot of love...

There are only a few things that I can think of that would be a better experience than standing in a group of people that I love, serving God and listening to them share their faith. That is what last weekend was for me...


We took our missions class on their first trip last weekend. The church we worked with is about an hour and a half away from where we live. Once you leave the city, you are in the "country", literally. Rice fields, palm trees and cows everywhere. We were able to serve the church by painting their main meeting room a wonderful shade of blue (which inevitably ended up on each of us and we looked a little smurfish by the end of the afternoon, if that is even a word).

Saturday evening we ran a youth outreach party, doing skits, games and a testimony...

Sunday morning service meant another skit and a couple testimonies...


I have no kids, but I can imagine what it feels like to see someone that you are pouring your life into start to walk out in the lessons you have taught. That is what my heart experiences every time one of these 10 get up to share their life and their faith with others.

Beach Pictures

I got some of the pictures from the beach to work...it doesn't get much more beautiful than this...


...sitting in the chairs right next to the water...this is pretty much where I stayed for two straight days!


...women walk by and sell these squids, along with many other things...

A Little "I Love You" from God

I am convinced that every once in a while, God does something to bless me...just because. There's no reason. I didn't ask for it. I didn't have to really seek it out. He just shows me how much He loves me. That is what happened earlier this week.

I went to the beach with a few people from the church. They were having a conference and invited me to go along so that I could experience a new place here in Cambodia. And it was a GREAT experience. We sat on the beach for two days and relaxed. The beach is not a novel thing for me since I grew up in Florida, but this is so different than home. It's the kind of thing you see in pictures...little restaurants all along the shore with tables, chaise lounges, chairs and umbrellas right up to the edge of where the waves roll to. Rest assured, I sat under the umbrella the entire time and managed to escape getting sunburnt...that is the novel part of going to the beach for me.

Something else not like the beaches at home....the pampering. There are people that walk up and down the beach selling food, random things like bracelets, and doing massages. Yes, I got a massage on the beach (both days!), as well as a manicure and pedicure. I am all about embracing my surroundings and that was something that was not to difficult to get used to.

While we were laying there getting massages, my friend Brittany turned and asked me, "What did we do to deserve this?" The first thing that came to mind was so simple, yet when I said it out loud, it rang so true...I said, "All we did was leave home." Granted, it was not a "simple" thing to do...leaving my life, my friends, my family in America to come to Cambodia for these 6 months. But I was obedient and I feel like my little trip to the beach was God's way of blessing me and showing me that He loves me. And I would do it again!

Pictures and blogspot are not being friends again today so I will post some from this trip next week when I get to a different computer. Thanks for your patience!

Thanksgiving in Cambodia

For all those concerned, I did not starve on Thanksgiving here. It wasn't exactly the same as home, but it was great nonetheless.

On Thanksgiving day, we went over to the pastor's house for breakfast. His wife, Jenny, is a fellow American, so we had some time with her and helped prep a little for their dinner. She invited a few Cambodians over to eat with her that evening.

Brittany and I had our own little celebration by the light of a cell phone up on our roof. We had six Cambodian friends join us to eat chicken, rice and soup...with watermelon and baby oranges for dessert. Not the traditional meal you think of when Thanksgiving is mentioned, but we are getting used to things not really being what we are necessarily used to.

On Black Friday, I did get up at the crack of dawn, but not because I wanted to catch all the good sales. Our Cambodian roommates just get up that early! And they are happy to get up at that time...almost every day. So at 5:30 when they were having a very loud sing-along and making breakfast, I wanted to be sleeping since there was no store to rush to. (I didn't actually make it out of bed until 8.) We had a amazing Thanksgiving lunch over at another American pastor's house with many other ex-pats (which just means people who are living here that are not Cambodian). Most were American, but there were a couple Canadians and Austrailians in there too. That was a bit more like home...with stuffing (at the first bite, I almost burst into tears of joy!), cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, rolls, and pumpkin pie. Notice I did not say anything about turkey. Chicken works as a good substitute for turkey here, but I have to admit, I missed the turkey a little. Our neighbors across the street have a turkey running around their property. We hear it "gobbling" almost every day and as Thanksgiving approached, we wanted to ask them if they would consider letting us "have" the bird. We didn't ask, though. We ate chicken instead, and it was good. We stayed all afternoon playing games and enjoying the fellowship.

And as of today, I am used to the Christmas season "offically" starting...getting out the tree and decorating...all that fun stuff. It's a little different here, but I am looking forward to it.

Our Class in Action...

Last week was a big week for our missions class...

On Wednesday night, we were in charge of the mid-week church service. Two of the students shared their testimonies and one gave a short message about the love of God.

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And on Thursday, we had our first "outing" as a class.

We split them into groups of two and gave each team $2. They had to pray and ask how to use the money, whether it was giving it to a beggar, buying a meal for someone, or meeting some other need that they were aware of...and they had to talk to the people that they were led to about their faith and share a little of their testimony.

This was the first time for most to speak in public or to approach someone they don't know to talk about God. I am happy to say that all went great. I am so proud of the way they all meet challenges even if they are nervous or it throws them out of their comfort zone. I love each one of them so much!



Front: Phoeurn ("Pu-in"), Thida ("Tee-dah"), Vin ("Win"), Brittany and Richard
Middle: Seyha
Back: Sothea ("So-tia"), Dee, Titi and Me

Flood Update

Yes, folks, it is still flooded here in Phnom Penh Thmey...especially on our road. It's only 1/4 of a mile from my house to the church and that is the worst part! The water at some points has reached past my knees. Traffic is mostly on foot now since the small motorcycles get water in the engines and the cars don't try forging the river unless they are 4x4 vehicles. About halfway between the church and my house is a mattress factory. Up until last week, the trucks were still going back and forth like normal. But with the water as high as it is now, they have come up with some creative ways to keep business going without risking their trucks being weighed down too much by the mattress.



They rigged a raft out of barrels and they float the mattress down to the end of the street and then load the trucks up.

And yesterday, I saw this alternate mode of transportation.



You have to look closely, but what you are seeing is an bathtub boat. I am not sure if they are transporting goods from one end of the street to the other or if it is just to keep dry, but I wish I had a spare bathtub to use myself.

In the province

Last week was the Water Festival here in Cambodia. It is a week-long holiday that brings tons of people to the city of Phnom Penh. So what does that mean for us? We leave the city for the quiet of the province.

We went with the Pastor's family to his home about 30 minutes outside the city and it was such a great experience. The village was such a peaceful place...dirt roads with little traffic...quaint houses...rice fields on every side with the most amazing color green...beautiful smiles from all the people...

We are slightly a novelty when it comes to the color of our skin so as we walk through the village, people shout "Hello" to us. We do attract a little attention to ourselves...as well as make ourselves and everyone around us laugh...when we use rice fields as our backdrop for a impromptu photo shoot...



This is Brittany and I jumping...













This is Naro (left...Cambodian...we were staying with his family) and Eddie (right...another missionary from Nigeria)...they jump MUCH higher than we do...






We are back in Phnom Penh now and have classes again this week. The students will be speaking in a church service on Wednesday, giving a short message and testimonies. Please be praying as this will be the first time for many of them to do something like this.

Wedding

No, I wasn't kidding...I really do wear the rubber boots, even if I am dressed up...

This was last weekend for our friends' wedding - Vuth and Neth (pronounced night). I was so excited to be here to share in this day with them. Neth has been living in the dorm with us for the last two months and it has been great to get to know here a little more. She doesn't speak English (other than some very basic words) and I speak about as much Khmer (which tells you how much English she speaks!) so it makes communication interesting. But we always find a way to say things, through smiles, other facial expressions and lots of actions and pointing.

Weddings in Cambodia are different than in America. They have their ceremony first thing in the morning (around 8) and it tends to last about 2 hours. Everyone goes home and comes back at 4 pm for the reception. There's food, music, and dancing. They LOVE to dance. And for anyone that knows me well...you will be shocked to hear that I don't just sit in the chair and watch. There is no level of skill for dancing in me whatsoever, but I get up and do it anyway. I can almost imagine the shocked faces and laughs that some of you are trying to hold back right now. ;-) Thankfully, though, there are no pictures of that, so you are left to you imagination (I am not sure which is worse).

I am again fighting with blogspot to post pictures. Obviously sometimes it works and sometimes it makes the picture larger than the actual page. I don't understand. Oh well.

The Beginning

Last Tuesday was the start of our missions class, which is called Harvesters. 

I've been here in Cambodia for 8 weeks, preparing and waiting for this to happen.  And when it did, something inside of was leaping for joy.  We have 12 students, all ready to learn and be changed and share God's love with others.  

We meet on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and the first couple classes were introduction, laying foundation on what the class is going to be and what it means to be a disciple.  One of the threads that ties it all together is the character of God.  Each class time, we are discussing one specific characteristic, using verses that they read and meditated on prior to meeting.  The first class time, we did an example on God as our friend.  A few people stood to share what the verses meant to them.  One guy stood and nearly preached a sermon.  He had main points and everything!  I was so excited to hear him share because I hang out and goof off with these guys all the time.  And I love it.  But what I love more is to hear their hearts, to hear what God is speaking to them, to hear their passion coming out.  And this was just the first class.  

Please be praying for the students as they continue to learn.  And for me as I continue to learn while I am teaching.  I am coming to a realization of the enormity of what I am doing...how much God has entrusted me with to be a teacher for these students and live my life alongside them as we learn about Him together. 

Birthdays...Cambodia style

I have never been happier being so messy!

I would not really classify myself as the type of person that enjoys getting messy, but this is how they celebrate birthdays here in Cambodia (or at least how my friends do it).  It was Kim's birthday (the one on the right with the blue and white jacket...and somehow the least messy!).  The cake was cut and passed out, but everyone one only got a couple bites before we bagan slathering frosting on each other's faces...and in my case, chunked in my hair too.  It's a strange joy to be so messy with such great friends.

The four girls...Thida (bottom middle), Bopha (bottom right), Kim and Srey Pich (top right)...are in their last year of high school.  Mala (top right in white) works with the church as the accountant, English teacher, and soon to be the translator for our missions class.  The guys on the left, Seyha (bottom with his face completely covered) and Titi (top left) are both preparing to start university next week, by the blessing of scholarships they recently received.  They will also be students in our missions class.

We have just a few days before the class starts and we are very excited on how it is all coming together.  Please be praying for Brittany and I as we finish all the last minute preparations.  And please pray for the students as well.

By the way, I am not sure why the picture came up so large, nor can I figure out how to make it smaller.  One would think you would just click the "small" option on the picture upload page...if it were only that easy.  Bear with me (and good ol' blogspot)...

By the light of a cell phone...

One thing is certain...Cambodia is HOT! 

I thought that I was sufficiently prepared being from Florida, experiencing the heat and humidity there.  Well, I was wrong!  There are some days that I feel like it is a little difficult to breath because the heat and humidity is so thick!  The major difference between here and America is that there, I would go from my air conditioned house to my air conditioned car to my air conditioned work.  I didn't do much outside when it was dreadfully hot there.  But here you have no option...

Because of this fact (which I do not by any means want to sound like I am complaining), we have been "forced" to eat on the roof every night for dinner.  The sun goes down and there is a little respite from the scorching heat, but it is still hot.  We hope for a little wind while we dine up there...by the light of our cell phones since there is no electricity.  The best part about it though is the friends that invite over to eat with us.  There are a couple regulars and we love to share this meal with them.  We end up sitting on the roof for hours talking about some pretty great things.  I have been so touched the last few days by the conversations I've had, amazed that God has blessed me with such an amazing group of friends here.  And while I am away from my family in America, these people have become my Cambodian family.  

A Brief Reflection...

One of the great things about having countries so close together is that it makes it easy to travel...

I am going to Thailand for a week to visit Bangkok and Ratchaburi (about 2 hours from Bangkok), which is where I went for an outreach during the summer of 2007.  I am so excited to see the couple that hosted that trip for me and hopefully some of the students that I became friends with.  There is something amazing about getting to go back to a place where I

 have been on a missions trip before...seeing the changes in people and knowing that for a short time, God used me in their lives.

This is a lesson that I have learned on a personal basis...seeing others that I have affected.  But the most recent "twist" to this lesson is the importance of me telling another person the way that they impacted my life.

One of the main ministries that I worked with while here in Cambodia in January and February was in Sen Sok, a village about 5 miles out of town.  We partnered with Vuth (pronounced Whut) as he was starting a church plant.  We helped with renovations on the building, seeing the start of new English classes, prayer walking through the village and stopping at houses to talk to people.  It was on one of those house visitation days that God really touched my heart and asked if I would be willing to come back to Cambodia.  People asked questions about God and who He really is...not the typical response when trying to share the Gospel.  As I saw the hunger in their spirits to understand truth (whether or not they were fully aware that that was what was happening), I knew that there was something God was asking of me...was I willing to come back and not only answer those questions, but was I willing to come back and impart what I know of missions to the Khmer Christians so they can be fully equipped to answer...even better than I can.

Well, I came back and am in the process of figuring out what that "impartation of knowledge" looks like.  But I was taking to Vuth a few days ago about his ministry in the village and was sad to hear that for the time being, there is no longer a church out there.  The reasons have nothing to do with dedication to God or spreading the Word.  As we talked, something in my heart knew that I needed to encourage him in his decision to step down for now.  He knows he made the right decision, but I felt the urge to quiet the lies being whispered to his heart that he had failed.  I shared my story with so many people back in America of how working with hi was a huge part of my decision to come back to Cambodia.  I believe that God used Vuth and the Sen Sok village to show me what He wanted for my life.  And my heart is at such peace being here because I know this is right.  But I had never actually told him.

It was such an honor to encourage him in his ministry and knowing that even if he didn't see immediate results in the village as he had hoped, my life and heart were impacted beyond what I could have ever imagined  He is part of my testimony.

Who has left a lasting impression on your heart, knowing that God has used them to bring you to where you are today?  Have you ever told them?  You should try it...because it is God that receives the glory through your words.

It worked!

I got it to work!  I am so happy!  It took a couple extra steps, but I am now able to upload pictures.  

I will put more on here in the next few days, but this is one that I took within the first day or so of being back and thought it was great.

Someone carved my name into a tree at the church after I left in February...

I can't tell you how much the people here mean to me...how happy my heart is to be here with them and following what I have been called to do...and it warms my heart to know that they love me and missed me too...and that I have a special place here, immortalized in a tree...

The Sights of Cambodia...

As I am sitting in the office, writing this blog, the scene happening just outside the window is one that I find slightly humorous and I thought I would describe it for you...

There is a decent-sized field out behind the church and, like most roads and open areas here in Cambodia, there are often cows roaming free.  Well, today, as the cows meander through, there are 3 small dogs (no more than 15 pounds each) barking to protect their "territory".  

Not something you see ever day...

There are many things that I see here that are so different from America.  I have taken pictures of some of these things...and yet each time I try to upload them to the site to share them with you, nothing happens.  Denied.  So sad.  I am guessing my page is just not functioning properly because I do not think it is a blogspot-wide problem since others are able to successfully put pictures on.  I do not plan on just describing things for you (I am just not that good with words to be honest) and I will work something out.  But for now...just imagine the cows and the dogs, and I will keep working on this.  Thanks for your patience...

Getting Started...

Brittany and I met with the Pastor and his wife a couple days ago and were able to share more with them about the vision we have for our six months here.  The meeting couldn't have gone better.

We are wanting to start a missions program at the church.  I had spoken to the pastor briefly about this before I left earlier this year, but didn't realize the extent that this is a huge part of his personal and corporate vision for the church.  It was really exciting to see the meshing of ideas and goals...and to know that we all seem to be on the same page.  So here are a few things that we are working on....

October will be the beginning of a 10-week missions course that will meet a few times a week, both for lecture/teaching times, training on how to share their faith with others, as well as local community outreaches.  One of the locations for outreach will be Aspeca, the orphanage that we worked with in January and February.  I will continue to keep you updated as we prepare the curriculum for this course.  

We will also be helping to teach English lessons, both for high school/college age students and preschool students.  I know this seems like quite a stretch in ages, but they really believe that knowing English is a key to the future of their country so there is a focus on this generation getting into the "workplace" as well as training the younger ones to have a head start on it all.

Please be praying for us as we plan the missions course and recruit students.  There is already a great interest in it!  

Also please pray that I will start picking up some of the language.  I have learned a few words here and there...and remember a few from my first trip.  Most of the people want to practice their English with me, but I really want to have a relatively decent vocabulary and be able to have simple conversations in Khmer.  It's not a latin-based language and they have completely different symbols for letters, so that does not help in making it easy.  Just means I have to try harder...

Rubber boots, anyone?

It's days like this that I wish I'd bought those big boots at Target.  They seemed so impractical...but they were cute.  It doesn't rain much in Charlotte, but I thought about buying them to bring to Cambodia.  Needless to say, I talked myself out of it and figured that I would just wear flip-flops that can get wet.

BIG MISTAKE!

I should have followed my gut instinct and bought them, no matter what kind of space they took up in my suitcase...because I can hardly step out of my house without losing my feet in the water and mud.  I actually lost a flip-flop the other day and thankfully another girl came along and was able to get it out for me.

The kind of "vehicle" we tend to ride around in is essentially a cart attached to a motorcycle....not a closed cart, mind you.  So when you are sitting in the back and there is near monsoon weather going on around you...well, you are going to get soaked.  

Thank goodness I don't melt.  And even though I am not the biggest fan of getting muddy, it does wash off pretty easy.  Not even the change in climate like this makes me, even for a second, wish I hadn't come to Cambodia.  Just that I had bought those silly rubber boots...

(still having trouble with pictures...for all those blogspot friends out there, do you have any suggestions?)

Stepping on Cambodian Soil...

I couldn't have imagined what it would feel like to step foot on Cambodian soil again after 6 months of being at home in the states.  I admit...I was a little nervous because I didn't know what to expect.  I knew it wasn't going to be the same as it was when I was here in January and February, but beyond that...I was hoping and praying for the best.  And it was...

As soon as I walked out into the luggage area, I saw the pastor waiting there for us.  Our visas, which originally were not going to be ready for us, had been finished and approved the night before at 5 pm when their offices were closing.  It was a complete answer to prayer so that we didn't have to get a different type of visa and then have to change it.  Now we have an NGO visa (which came at NO charge...free...YEAH!) and we just have to extend it once.  

After getting our luggage and walking outside, I saw many of my friends standing there to greet me.  It was a great reunion that I wish I had enough eloquent words to describe it to you.  We drove back to the dorms where Brittany and I are living with 5 Cambodian girls...we are hoping to learn a bit of Khmer (the name of the language here) and to help them in their English skills.  We will also be doing devotions a couple times a week and I am looking forward to the relationships that we will build with them.

My heart is at such peace being here.  In the last few days, everything has felt "right"....that there is no question that I have followed as God led and I am exactly where I am supposed to be!  It's an amazing feeling.

I am having some problems uploading pictures to my blog, but I am working on it.  I promise I will continue to try and get some up here for you.  Thanks for your patience and your prayers.

It's time...

In about 5 minutes, I am getting in the van...to go to the airport...to go to Cambodia!

Someone asked me a few minutes ago if I was ready. My reply: "I'm packed." I always seem to require the all-night packing session before I leave the country....I tried to be proactive and start early. The problem, however, was that I finished late. I could have used more time, really.

But there is no more time. I have been waiting for 6 months for this moment...to go back to the place where so much happened in my heart and God did some amazing things in me. Now that it is here, my excitement is a little overshadowed by the pain of saying goodbye to my friends and family. Communication over there isn't terribly difficult, but it isn't the same.

Please pray for safe travels and for a peaceful transition as I settle into my new life there. I will write more once I arrive.

For now...goodbye.

If only Mary Poppins was real...

...and she could come help me pack the same way she helped clean the kids' bedroom.

I am currently procrastinating in the whole packing process. Before you judge, I did come to the office to do legitimate work that has to be done before I go. However, this short visit has turned into a much longer one because I know going back to my house will prove overwhelming for me.

I don't know of anyone that really enjoys packing, but it is probably one of my least favorite things to do. I usually wait until the last minute and stay up the whole night before I leave in order to really even start. Not wise, I know...but I am good at it getting it all done. I am trying to avoid that undue stress I put on myself that last day though. I want to spend the last week before I leave for Cambodia with friends. I want to enjoy those times, rather than have my to-do list hanging over my head.

What?! Heather's finally writing again!?

Yes, it's true...take a deep breath to get over the shock of it all and read on. ;-)

I have thought about this blog many times in the last year and a half...the last time that I actually successfully wrote anything on here. But there is a lot going on and I want to keep you all up to date on my life and what is happening...

It would take far too long to go back and start from the beginning of 2007 to catch you up, so I will give you the highlights and the upcoming stuff...

February 2007...travel to China
March-June 2007...staff for the Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Monroe, NC
June-August 2007...travel to Thailand and Scotland
September-December 2007...staff for another DTS
January-February 2008...travel to Cambodia
March-September 2008...short term missions trips in the states...and preparing for all that is to come

What is the preparation for? For my return to Cambodia! I am going to moving there for 6 months, leaving on September 4 and coming back to the States the first week of March 2009. I, and my one teammate, Brittany, are going to work at the same church we were with earlier this year.

There are so many details that I could include here, but in an attempt to not overwhelm anyone reading this, I will do it in small doses. Please keep checking in because I will be updating this with stories and pictures of Cambodia and other fun stuff, and I hope with quite a bit of regularity while I am gone.