Only in Cambodia...

I would venture to say that the phrase "Only in Cambodia" comes out of my mouth at least once a day, if not more. There are lots of things that make me smile...poorly translated signs, old traditions meeting the modern world, traffic (which makes me want to scream more than it makes me want to smile). Part of the "charm" lies in the fact that they are things so different from what I would find anywhere outside of Cambodia. I have found, though, that humor doesn't always translate so well and it is difficult in those moments to explain to my Khmer friends why I must stop to take pictures...so I am going to begin sharing those pictures with you, hoping that someone else will share in my idea of humor. Here are two signs that I have seen recently:

I have not actually been inside this convenient store so I can't compare the quality of slushies (if they even have them here), but I must say 6-11 doesn't have the same ring to it...

Exact translation is not always the most effective way to communicate...but at least you don't wonder what the purpose of the organization is...

Chocolate Mousse? Don't Mind If I Do...

I was invited to a proper "high tea" yesterday and this is something that I could get used to...but at the same time, I am also glad it is a beautifully rare treat. There is a ministry here in Phnom Penh that runs a lovely little tea room serving very good finger foods and arguably some of the best desserts.



This is me and Jenny. I live with her and her family. She has been living in Cambodia for 15 years now and is married to the pastor of the church where I work. I am very blessed to have her in my life! She has a unique perspective in understanding some of the idiosyncrasies of the Khmer culture, understanding and communicating in the Khmer language, and yet still innately looking at the world through an American perspective as I do.

At each of the plates, there were these rolled up pieces of paper with a quote on them. The owner prayed about what things to give us and then "randomly" placed them on the tables and we "randomly" sat down. This was the one that I got:

"God is with us in the midst of our daily, routine lives. In the middle of cleaning the house or driving somewhere in the car...Often it is in the middle of the most mundane task that He lets us know He is there with us. We realize, then, that there can be no 'ordinary' moments for people who live their lives with Jesus." (Michael Card)

I LOVE it...there are no ordinary moments. I read this and knew there was nothing "random" about it. This was a word directly to my heart...a reminder that I am in need of quite often...that God is in the midst of my life and is always there with me. There are moments when I feel like my "foreigner-ness" stands out more and in those times, I know that God is gently reminding me that He is the one who in fact made me NOT Khmer, but American. He made me white, not brown. He made English my native tongue, not Khmer. He put me in a family that raised me with a knowledge of and love for God, not the Buddhist traditions. All of these differences, and SOOO many more, set me apart in the world that I am living in. Sometimes those differences seem to fade away. And other times, well, they seem to be pointed out with big, blinking neon signs. But it is also in those differences that lie the amazing nature of God's heart and love for Cambodia and how He has imparted that to me. He imparted faith and hope so that I could share with those in Cambodia. He gave me a perspective that believes, not just for survival, but for abundant life. He made me to shine, not just because my skin is so white in a sea of beautiful brown hues, but to shine His light, His love, His presence inside of me. It is because I am different that I am here. He wanted me to BE the difference...and MAKE a difference...in Cambodia. And to that, I also say "Don't mind if I do...or am..."

I love that this is my life. It was a great way to spend a Friday evening, with good friends, lots of laughs, sweet reminders from God and, of course, the food.

The Generations That Have Gone Before...

It is estimated that about 75% of the population in Cambodia is under the age of 30. Something a little difficult to wrap my mind around sometimes. This is a very "young" nation. A good portion of the reason for this is the travesties that took place in the late 1970s with the Khmer Rouge and then the aftereffects that went well into the 80s and 90s. So it is not uncommon to see mass amounts of youth hanging around.

Because of this, the older generation seems to stand out to me. I have always loved listening to stories of those that are older than me and walked through life during a completely different time. Some experiences are so similar and span across all generations and others, well, life just looked different. Last weekend, when we were in the province, I met one of the most precious little old ladies ever.

We were walking around the village, talking to people at their homes and we visited this older couple and found that they have believed in God for years and years. I unfortunately don't know her name because they all just referred to her as "Yay," which means grandma, as a sign of respect and never actually learned what her name was. She shared a little of their story, which I unfortunately missed a good portion of due to the language barrier, but what I didn't miss was her heart. She was...and still is...so full of faith despite all the difficulties that she has endured in her life. She was a Christian before the Khmer Rouge and has never walked away from her passion for God. I sat down to talk to her for a few minutes through a translator and shared with her a word of encouragement that was laid on my heart...that God is so blessed by her and the response of her heart despite circumstances that might make others fall. I felt like she has a heart similar to Job in the Bible, declaring that no matter what happens, even to the point of death, she will praise God and speak of His goodness.

She said that when the Vietnamese were coming through the country after the Khmer Rouge had been defeated, everyone was worried about what was going to happen now. Her response to those around her that were panicking: "Do you see the Vietnamese? No? So don't worry and trust God." I can not imagine what it must have really been like for those living during those years of tragedy and uncertainty and despair. But my heart was so blessed to see and hear and know that there were those like her who held on to hope and never let the light of God fade in their hearts despite the darkness around them.

Bright Colors, Bright Hearts

There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to brighten up a building...and even brighten up the neighborhood.

When we arrived in the province, we were told that because painting the church would take too long, we would only be doing the outside property wall instead. OK. So we started sanding and painting. And when one is sanding a concrete wall, one needs to wear a mask! Thankfully they are not too hard to find seeing as how these masks are for sale everywhere as a normal accessory. Here I am with one of my amazing students, Dina...

The sun was brutally hot on Saturday and there was no shade. Don't worry, I loaded up on the sunscreen and did not get burnt at all, which in and of itself is a miracle, I might add, since I have the unique ability to get burnt in the shade. Not sure how it is possible, but it does happen...and I have witnesses who were just as confused as I was. But I digress..It would have been very easy for everyone to move slowly, work with no drive and complain with what I would see as just cause. But none of those things happened. Everyone worked hard and we were able to finish the wall in less than an hour. They then realized that we would be able to sand and paint the building as well. And we did. In record time. I think we shocked them...and maybe ourselves a little bit too! They love bright colors! The walls went from concrete gray to this peach-ish orange color in no time! Here is the side of the church building...

I love that we are able to meet a relatively simple need/desire as we serve with all our hearts. And people notice. Not that we are doing any of it to be noticed, but it says in the Bible that our offerings will produce worship and thanksgiving in the hearts of others so there is a double blessing! Here we are offering our lives, our time, and our hearts to bless this church. And it wasn't just people from the church that noticed, but others from the village would stop and comment as they passed by the church property.

After we finished painting, we quickly cleaned up and headed out to visit people at their houses. Some that we visited were already believers and we were able to encourage them and pray with them. Others were not and they allowed us to share with them about Jesus, about how He has changed our lives and how much He loves them. If I may, I am going to brag on my students a little here. They are amazing!! The group may be quiet and a little reserved as a whole, but when given the chance to share with someone they have never met before, they don't hesitate. They all support each other as one talks, they all engage in conversation and they share truth. They are not discouraged when, at the end of our time with them, the people do not decide right then and there to make a decision for Christ, but they are encouraged that those we are talking to were willing to listen and seem receptive. They always ask how they can pray for them and are sure to bless them in prayer before we leave if the person is open to it. These students really are great!! I wish you could meet them and see exactly why I love them so much!

Sunday morning rolled around and the kids showed up at the church for games, songs, and a lesson.

One thing that I have learned beyond any doubt is that they love of messy games! This one in particular makes me laugh. There are balloons filled with powder and strung up high on a rope. The kids then put a headband on their heads with a straight pin on the top and have to jump up and try to pop it, sending powder everywhere. The team that popped the most in the shortest time won.

This term for the Harvesters Class is going to finish on August 28, only a few short days away. This is a group that I have thoroughly loved working with and can't wait to see how they continue to grow and be the ones that transform this nation.

...and we're off again!

Fact about Heather: I always have been...and probably always will be...a late night person. I try to go to bed early, but it just doesn't work so well for me. This, in turn, also means that getting up in the morning is one of my LEAST favorite things to do. Really, really don't like it. My alarm is my nemesis and I play the "snooze game," at which I am a gold medal champion.

There is always a groan in my heart when I have to get up earlier than normal. Like tomorrow morning. I have to be at the church around 5:45 (yes, that's AM, folks) so that my team can go to the province at 6:00. Chances are we won't actually leave at 6:00 since "on-time" around here is usually left to some loose interpretation. But I have to be on-time. I am the the one who dislikes early hours such as these and yet I am the one that picked the time to leave. What was I thinking?!

Oh, yeah, I was thinking, "We are painting a church and it is going to require a lot of time to get it done." The Harvesters Class is heading out again tomorrow for an outreach to the Takeo province. It is very soon after our last one, but we actually only have one more week of the class before graduation so here we go! We will be painting, going to talk to people in the villages, leading a children's program for about 80 kids, and taking part in the Sunday morning worship service at a local church.

This is where I love to see the students shine. I am all about knowledge. I love learning. I even enjoy teaching. But the application is where the proverbial rubber meets the road. This is when they get to take the truths that God has been pouring into their hearts and watch it overflow in love for the world around them. And they definitely have a lot of that love to share. This is a group of people with what I see as very sensitive hearts and spirits, ready to hear...and ready to obey...the voice of God.

Please pray for the health of the team. There has been a lot of flu/strep/cold sickness going around the office, church and dorms lately. Also, please pray for boldness and faith as the students are given opportunities to share the reason for the hope that they have. Pray for the people that we will meet in the village that they will see the love of Jesus shining out of us and respond to Him in a real way. I will post a report and pictures early next week and let you all know how things went.

And yes, it will all be worth the early morning :-)

Outreach Continued...

The rain held back and we went forth on day two of our trip to the province.

Again we broke into small groups, walking around different villages and talking to people at their houses. As we sat and shared with them the reason for our hope, everyone seems very receptive. We even met a little old grandpa who had been a Christian for years...one of the very few in the area. Here is one of my students, Srey Rath, speaking with a lovely woman in the village:

At the last house that my group visited, the Christian grandpa came strolling up just after we had all sat down. He told these people that he has known for years that he believed in Jesus. The response from the house owner floored me. He looked at the grandpa and said "You've known about Jesus for so long. Why have you never told us?"

Wow.

Not what I expected to hear. This statement was not intended to be accusatory at all, nor do I think that anyone took it that way, but it was one of the most honest questions I have ever heard. He was really amazed that he had never heard from his friend. What happened next touched my heart a great deal. The grandpa began to share his faith and tell the story of God, right from the very beginning of the world. My students and I just sat and listened and never spoke a word of what we believed...it was the grandpa's turn. And my heart was rejoicing!

Here was a man who had the boldness to share his faith partly because he had seen us doing the same thing. He followed our example. And if you read my post from Friday, you will see that I think that was a pattern lesson that God was wanting to teach me...and my team. That we can become leaders even without knowing it. We can influence without setting out with that exact intention. And my prayer is that he will continue to walk in confidence to speak to others in the village, answering their questions and pointing them to the truth of Jesus.

And no trip would be complete without a children's program! By the afternoon, the clouds broke and the rain put a bit of a damper on part of our plans, but it was still amazing.

And who doesn't have fun with random balloon games. Here they have to try and break all three balloons first and for the little ones, this proves rather difficult...and with no shortage of funny faces!

This is the classic "Pharaoh Pharaoh" song with actions. They loved it...though I am not sure who more...the students or the kids!

Thank you for all your prayers for the trip and for the Harvesters as they serve God in Cambodia!