Outreach to Takeo Province

Attempt #1 at posting a video...failed.
Attempt #2...failed as well.
Attempt #3...stop trying to post the silly video, seeing as how this is just not working.

I am willing to admit defeat and am now going to just post a few of the photos from the mission trip. This does prove to be a bit more difficult since I took somewhere in the ball park of 800 pictures that weekend. These are a few of my favorites:

We painted the church building where we were staying. I loved this project because not only is it service, but we found out that the pastor had been praying for years for the means to paint the building. God used us as an answer to those prayers...


We had a small team from World Race Missions join us for the trip and we had a lot of fun building relationships with them for the month they spent at our church.

This one makes me laugh purely because of Leng's face, the guy to the far left.

It is inevitable that there will be small paint fights when you put rollers and brushes into their hands (ok, I wasn't exactly innocent either, but this picture does portray that I am being "attacked")

One of the finished walls.

After we finished painting, we went out to a neighboring village and let a children's program with games, songs, dramas and a Bible lesson.

We recruited a few of the kids to play in the drama/Bible story with us and are making them into lions for the Daniel story.

This is a drama that the students wrote to portray sin and Jesus' sacrifice.

The team...

Trying To Get On The Ball...

My poor, neglected blog.

I think of things to post, take pictures with the intention of putting them on here...and then, well, it doesn't seem to happen the way I plan. I was doing so well for a while and then I didn't. I am going to attempt to rectify that...Here are a couple highlights from the last month and a half:

The Harvesters Class...
We went on our second missions trip to a nearby province. It was a very busy 2 days, with painting, children's outreaches, testimonies, dramas, games, Bible lessons and more. I am posting the video slideshow we made for the church to give you an overview in pictures of what we did:



The class finished on May 8 with our graduation during the church service. We had a celebration dinner that evening...

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with each one of them and feel privileged to have led and been able to pour into their lives.

The Harvesters is on a break right now, working on preparations for the next term, which will start on June 7. We already have four students signed up and are praying for five to six more in the next couple weeks.

My New Office

I like organizing things. So when I was asked to semi-head up the the office cleaning day, I will admit I was kinda looking forward to it. It was definitely a big job, but we were able to do it quickly and things look great.

I was also excited when I went to get a desk and chair since I have been pretty much the office nomad, sitting wherever there is space for the last 4 months. I was not in the office when the desks were delivered and when I got back, this is where the boys had set me up...


I laughed so so so hard when I got back and saw this. The bathroom is HUGE and I guess it has been a long running joke that they could put someone's office in there. Don't worry, though, I am now nicely situated outside the bathroom. Now all I need is a plant for my desk!

More from my 365 Project

Here are some more pictures from my 365 Project...the picture-a-day thing that I am doing this year.

45/320...Matrimony

I piled in the van with many people from the church to join my friend, Phally, at his house for his sister’s wedding reception. Things are done so differently for weddings here, especially the clothes.

48/317...Fragrance of Worship

Taken during a worship time with the Harvesters. My prayer is that we would all keep our hearts focused on God and where He is leading us.

52/311...Dinner by Candlelight

I came home from work to met with darkness in the house. This is not an abnormal occurrence here in Cambodia, but this was the first time since I got back. I was not terribly excited that my milk might spoil in the fridge, but there was something familiar about this. As we sat down to eat, though, the power came back on!

57/308...a little too real

I like shrimp. But I have to admit that I prefer when it comes pre-peeled and de-headed.

63/302...Two favorites

Mango and my friend and co-leader, Seyha.

70/295...Cyclo

I love the idea of a cyclo, but I am pretty sure that if I ever got in one, especially this one, I would give the poor 80 year old man a heart attack as he tried to pedal. So this is about as close as I think I will ever come to having a cyclo experience.

78/287...Heaven by the cup full

I was introduced to a wonderful little place called “brown” by my friends, Eileen and Maija…and oh. my. gosh. I am in love. First off I felt like I was back in the states in this lovely coffee house. Second, I nearly jumped right there in the lobby because they had chai frappachinos. I ordered with great anticipation and to be honest, I was prepared to be a little disappointed with the quality but still pleased that it was a chai frappachino nonetheless. I had to concentrate to up myself upright when I took the first sip. HEAVENLY!! I drank it very slow so that I could make it last as long as possible. I even considered licking the cup when I finished, but have no fear, my social graces won out! I just need to work out a way to get back there very soon!

79/286...Mo-haa Kru-ah Sah

This was the giant family event for the New Life Fellowship churches throughout Cambodia. On Sunday they had all the churches present up on the stage and I have to say, it was hard to fight back tears to see the excitement that all of these people have for Jesus. Unfortunately all I had was my phone with me thus the quality (or lack thereof), but it is still project worthy.

83/282...Rambutan

This is one of my favorite fruits. I love the unique look on the outside with the spiky things all over it and then the "meat" in the middle. There is a huge seed so there is not too much "actual fruit," but what is there is so good! And it makes it all the more exciting because you can’t get this in the states so it is my asia treat!

87/278...Remembrance

This is the memorial holding all the skulls found in the Killing Fields at Chhoeng Ek. There are nearly 10,000 skulls there and that is estimated to be less than half of what is actually buried in the immediate area. My heart aches for this country to know what they walked through only 30 years ago. I am so grateful for the way God is pouring His grace, healing and hope into this land!

Four Months

Today is the four month mark of how long I have been here in Cambodia. It is hard to believe sometimes that it has been that long, or short depending on how I look at it!

Life is definitely getting busier in some aspects for me. I am beginning to do a few things in the administrative area here, which is probably not surprising to anyone that knows me. The only surprise is that it has taken this long!

Next week is Khmer New Year, which is the biggest holiday in Cambodia by far. If I had to compare it to something, it would be on about the same level as Christmas for us in America. Everyone travels to see family. Schools shut down. Stores shut down. From what I understand, Phnom Penh becomes a pretty deserted place. The actual holiday is only from the 14th to the 16th, but there is already a noticeable drop in student attendance for my English class. So much so that I don't think I am really going to be teaching any new material this next week because I would just have to teach it again later so that they are all on the same page. I am grateful, then, that the other teachers are wanting to play the traditional Khmer games this week with their classes and you can bet that I will be bringing my class along to join!

I am not by any means a professional English teacher and there are some days (especially grammar days) when I feel almost ill-qualified to teach. But the fact that it is my native language, that makes me "qualified." The school here is not just to equip the students with "marketable" skills such as English and computer, but it is also to share Jesus with them. On average, I have about 30 students in my class. Some are already believers and attend the church. Some are not. But they are loved all the same. And my struggles with grammar are worth it when I am able to watch one of my students accept Jesus!!

Punlock has been in my class for the last 2 months and like all of my students, I have been praying for him. Two weeks ago, there was a huge event for our church...a meeting of all the New Life Fellowship churches around the country. I saw a couple of my students there, all of which were already members of the church. But at the invitation at the end of the Sunday service, I saw Punlock out of the corner of my eye walking down to the front to accept Jesus!! In the last two week, I have been able to give him a Bible and he is now going to be a part of my cell group. I couldn't be more excited for Punlock and this new adventure he is on with God.

Kampong Thom Mission Trip

"Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength...Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30,31)

When I think about the Harvesters Mission Trip that we took in early March, this is the verse that stands out in my mind. On our drive back to Phnom Penh from the province, I looked back in the van to see every one on the team sleeping. It had been a full weekend and they were tired. I kinda considered this to be a sign of a good outreach as well as a great team. They had given their all. They had loved God with all their hearts, souls, minds and definitely with all their strength. They served hard and loved those that we were sent to well. There was no issue of complaining, but an amazing willingness to do whatever was asked of them. They were flexible to the greatest measure as our schedule seemed to continually change.

We arrived in Kampong Thom in the morning and immediately started the service project...in other words, manual labor ;-) There is an orphanage that was recently built, but all around the building, there were holes and unlevel ground. We broke up some of the extra dirt from the back of the building and hauled it to fill in the holes.




We led a youth program for more than 50 young people from surrounding villages on Saturday afternoon with games, dramas, songs, testimonies and a short lesson. I love hearing the places that God has taken these students from and where He has brought them through their testimonies. Right after we finished, we walked around the village, speaking with people, praying for them and sharing God's truth with them.



Sunday brought the morning worship service and the afternoon children's program. We went to a nearby village and once again performed dramas, sang songs, did dances, played games and taught a lesson about Daniel and the lion's den.
Following the program, we provided lunch for more than 115 children. This may be the only food that some of them ate that day, or even for as many as a few days. At one point, I looked over at one of my students, Sareth, and the compassion he was showing greatly touched my heart. There was a very small girl who was there by herself and had no one to help her. She has having a difficult time getting any soup into her bowl. He knelt down beside her and scooped some out for her, making sure to get more than just broth. He then cut up the food so she would be able to eat it. He even spooned a couple bites into her mouth for her. I could almost see Jesus "on him" as he helped this little girl.

I was so blessed by the team! As I watched the students do the various ministries, I couldn't help smiling and feeling like my heart was going to burst with joy. They are living out the truth that God has put in them. They are walking in their callings to be the light to others.

A Grateful Heart

I must say first that I have written quite a few blog updates in the last couple weeks. The only problem is that have all been written in my head and never ended up on the actual blog. The Internet is not working at my house and so it made updating left to my phone Internet and I was kinda dreading that. So I waited. But here I am to tonight doing just that...typing on my phone. But I couldnt wait any longer.

Today was one of those days that I felt overwhelming gratitude to God for the ways that He has blessed me in the past and still continues to do each day in some way or another. I bought a Khmer Bible for one of my English students that had mentioned something in passing to me a few days ago. She said she wanted to read the Bible and study it but didn't have one yet because she couldn't afford one. Let me give you a little perspective into that sentence. Bibles here are not really that expensive compared to other places. A small Bible costs $3. That's it. So tonight after class I gave Pisey a Bible. I wanted to bless her with something that her heart desired...a way to get to know God. She was near tears.

I dont tell you this to share the fact that I was blessed in my own heart by this, but to share the reflection point that God opened my eyes to...to be grateful and not take for granted the ways that He has poured Himself and His blessings out over my life. I have never NOT had a Bible. I have always had more than one sitting on my shelf. I was raised in a family that loved God and was very involved with church. I learned Bible stories with the infamous flannel graph Jesus and various other characters. I have sung "Jesus loves me" more times than I think is possible to count. All of these things were a huge part of my life. They have all played a part in who who I have become today. The problem is that I have taken for granted that truth has always been shown to me. And today my heart realized that it should not just be a statement of fact for what my growing up was like, but a point of extreme gratefulness to God!

I am grateful that He has blessed me with a family who has directed towards Him. I am grateful that I have always had the freedom to worship Him. I am grateful that He continually shows me His grace and mercy. I am grateful for my Bible. I am grateful that He has called me to Cambodia to love the people the way that He loves them. I am grateful that He loves me.

I am grateful that I have the opportunity to take the Harvesters class on their first missions trip this weekend. We are going to Kampong Tom, a province about 2 1/2 hours away. It is going to be a full weekend! We start out tomorrow morning at 5:45 to leave for the province. We will be running a childrens program right after we arrive. There will be songs, skits, games, and a lesson about God's love and protection that we can see through the story of Daniel and the lions den. We are going to be preparing and serving lunch for all the kids, which we are estimating to be somewhere around 100 kids.

Once we finish with the lunch, we will head over to an orphange to help with some of the finishing contruction things as well as cleaning up the building. The biggest project we will be doing is filling in the land with fill dirt to make it all level around the building. The evening will be a youth program and then on Sunday morning, a church service. We will also be going out to one of the villages to talk and pray with people afterwards. Like I said before...we are going to be busy!

I will definitely post pictures from the weekend when I get back to Phnom Penh. Please keep me, Seyha (my co-leader) and the students in your prayers. I am believing for BIG things!

A Taste of Home...

This is buttermilk coffeecake...

and it is arguably one of the best things in the world!! I made this for a breakfast fellowship time that I have once a week with some other ladies. I was rather impressed with how it turned out. It made me miss home, though, because this is the traditional breakfast for Christmas morning in my family.

Meet The Harvesters

Back Row (L-R): Savery, Leng, Seyha, Sareth, Borath
Front Row (L-R): Mary, Naro, Narath, Ming Phansee, Mao, and Heather

The past few days I have felt very aware of the responsibility that has been given to me as a leader and as a teacher. I speak and people listen (at least that is the hope)....which makes it very important that I speak in love and truth and confidence. I feel the weight of the mantle that has been placed on my shoulders, but I also feel God encouraging me that He has been preparing me for "such a time as this."

These students have been so open to what God wants to teach them using me and I have been so grateful. And so excited to see their hunger to learn and the way that they respond to Him. The teaching today was on intercession and I felt very blessed to be a part of this group that is really grabbing hold of God's heart for others.

We are planning for our first missions trip to one of the provinces in the next couple weeks. I am waiting on more details from the Pastor that we will be partnering with and as soon as I know, I will post an update.

Down In My Heart

Today was one of those days for me that I definitely have joy overflowing.

I got to have dinner with some of my favorite people!

This is Naro, TiTi, Seyha and Mala. This is the first time that I have seen these 4 together since I got here 2 1/2 months ago, which is strange for me because they were the ones that I used to hang out with the most. These guys have been friends of mine since my first trip here to Cambodia in January 2008. I have sat here staring at my computer screen for a long time, trying to find a sufficient way to describe them to you and I am finding it strangely difficult. Not out of a lack of love for them, or even of things to say about them. Maybe the problem is there is too much to say. With each of them, I have story after story of our friendship and the way that it has developed in the last 3 years. I have spent many a meal with these boys, talking nonsense, talking deep stuff....and laughing a lot. For me, these guys definitely a source of those deep belly laughs that everyone should experience!

Tonight we went out to pizza...always a favorite! Don't get me wrong, I like rice (not as much as them though) and I really do like the Khmer food, but you don't have to ask me twice if I want pizza! And yes, that is ketchup sitting on the table because they put it on their pizza. This, however, is not something I understand and will not try to explain. I feel no problem with these guys to shake my head and tell them how strange I think it is to do this, but they like it and I guess that is all that matters. I have even seen someone put mayo on their pizza. No joke!

My heart is definitely full!