Waldo and a Rice Field...

I must say my Khmer language skills could be much better...or better yet they should be much better...but I am not completely lost. So when I was walking through the bookstore last week, I totally understood the conversation the workers were having. It went something like this:

A: "Did you see her? Come here. Look!"
B: "Wow! She has really white legs" (...I was wearing a skirt...)
A: "Yes, REALLY white legs!"
B: "So white."

I wish I was exaggerating, but alas, I am not. Nor were they exaggerating on the glowing whiteness of my legs...unfortunately. But they all want white skin here, which for the life of me I don't understand. I would rather have their beautiful, brown skin. When I am in pictures with people, there is never a challenge to find me. It is like the opposite of "Where's Waldo?" I pretty much stand out. With that said, you understand why I kinda laughed when I saw this picture from the most recent Harvesters outreach... {Oh, the white legs! Do you see me?}
All joking aside, though, I did smile when I saw this picture. We were walking around the village and stopping at different houses to talk to people. When we got here, we were told that the lady who lived there was out back...so we went to find her...working in the rice field.
One of the highlights of this group I was working with was their willingness to do whatever was needed with no hesitation to serve and love. Without being prompted in anyway, they all got down and started helping her pick the rice shoots to transplant them. I don't fully understand the entire rice growing process, but I do know they plant it, then transplant it into water and then harvest it again later once the rice has actually grown. The students knew the only way they were going to get to share truth and love with this woman was to help her in the field. And they did it willingly. It opened a door for them to talk with her and show the love of Christ in such a real, practical way.
I had to get a quick crash course in what to do, but I was happy to participate. Granted, I didn't last as long as they did since my (white) legs are not used to the famous Khmer squatting position that they all find so natural and simple. But I did what I could.
Below is one of the woman's daughters that was also out in the field. Something about this picture kinda grabs my heart.
The irony of the situation did not pass by me. Here are the Harvesters helping with the harvest. I love it. I love that this is my "job"...I love that this is my life!

[I am also grateful for the wonderful, photographic eye that my friend, Seyha, has. He is the one that took all these pictures.]

Partying it up...Khmer style...

I am big on birthday celebrations, especially when they are a surprise, even if they do involve getting icing in my nose and eyes and ears. I wish I was joking.

It is tradition to have an icing fight at birthday parties. This isn't even the worst that I have experienced when it comes to icing wars, though. Some of my friends and students surprised me with a cake this afternoon to celebrate me and I loved it! I must say, my heart is full and I am blessed...


{I only had my phone to take a couple pictures so they are not exactly the highest quality but you get the idea.}

Overlooking the Unusual

This is sort of a continuation of "Only in Cambodia"...trust me, I could start a whole blog just dedicated to that.

Do you have those things that you see or hear every day and they don't really strike you as odd because it has become a part of your "normal"? There seem to be a lot of those things for me around here...in various categories and various degrees of "did-i-really-just-see-that?!"

Like this:

This is the property across the street from the church. It only recently struck me a little odd. What exactly is the purpose of the door? I am all about "decorating," but functionality is also an important factor to consider and that seems to be lacking here...

And then there's things like this:

I eat less meat here than I normally do in the States. I am not a vegetarian by any means, but seeing this makes the whole thing a little more real. In America, we have trucks that semi-hide the chickens...here, you use what you have...a trusty moto.

Or this:

...a wheel-less back half of an American school bus. They don't have school buses here, which makes this that much more "hmmm..." to me.

Grammar...no thanks!

My English students LOVE idioms. I think they would be OK if I started teaching just those and not much else. I am not sure that would be very good curriculum, but it would get me out of having to teach grammar. The book I teach is a communication/conversation course and so obviously you have to include a bit of the dreaded grammar in there, too. Today it is on relative clauses. One of my recent lessons included gerunds and if I am gonna be honest, I don't remember every hearing that word and I am still not exactly sure how to explain what that is. I am sure I studied it years ago, but I had to sit and study in preparation yesterday. I even had to get a lesson from one of the Khmer teachers so that I could understand. Have I mentioned that I am not a fan of grammar? It does not equal my dislike for math, but it is up there. I am very grateful that this part of the lesson was a review of things they have learned already so I wasn't teaching it to them for the very first time. I just read the sentences from the book, had them repeat after me to work on pronunciation, and then happily went on.

Grammar is just something that I innately know how to use, but I can't explain the rules. I am asked a lot of questions because it would serve to reason that since I am a native English speaker, I should understand all these rules and terms and exceptions. Sorry, friends, I do not. I can tell you if something is grammatically correct or not, but not always the "why" behind it. My students are very gracious when I smile a bit embarrassingly and tell them "I don't know, but I can find out for you." I do appreciate how eager they are to learn and improve in their language skills. They practice and are faithful to learn.

I could learn a few things from them...practicing language and being faithful to learn. I have been here in Cambodia for nine months and I should be speaking a lot more Khmer than I do. I hear it all the time and am not completely lost in the world around me. I understand some...but it should definitely be more. I get some of the words and can piece together the main idea of what is being said. People say things or ask me questions in Khmer and I respond in English. I joke that I am being self-less, allowing them to practice their English skills. And while that may be the result, that is certainly not the motivation. I am a bit of a perfectionist and do not really enjoy looking foolish. There is no graceful way to learn a language. You sound foolish. You stumble over words. You mispronounce. You WILL be laughed at. You make mistakes in grammar. You "say" things you had no intention of saying. I once asked someone to make sure the guard opened the gate for me at 6:45 the next morning and they somehow got that I was asking for someone to make me breakfast at 6:45 the next morning. Those words sound NOTHING alike and I never mentioned anything about food, but that is what they got. Luckily the cook was informed of the mix up before actually making me breakfast (...or maybe that is unfortunate). There have been more embarrassing mispronunciations than that, but suffice it to say, there are some words I try to avoid saying just so that I won't accidently say the wrong one.

10 out of 245

Fact: It is currently day 245 of the 365 days of 2011.

Oh, the things you learn about me from the items I choose to take pictures of...some of them are insightful and deep, reflecting on truths that I am learning...and some of them are just fun and reflect nothing by the randomness that floats around in my head (and trust me, there is A LOT of that)!!

That being said, I am posting 10 more photographs from my picture-a-day project...

203/162...spot-on gift

I love fun jewelry and so I was super excited when one of my English students, Sotheavy, gave me this necklace for no apparent reason beyond wanting to bless me. I was even more touched when I found out that he made it himself.

205/160...addiction

I admit it...I have become addicted to iced milk coffee, or in Khmer..."cafe dteuck dah goh dteuck gahw(k). (I know you are all trying to say it right now!) I never drank coffee in America and yet, here I am wishing and wanting to have one of these tasty little treats every day...in large quantities. The actual flavor of the coffee is good, but then they throw in the sweetened condensed milk, and buddy, you have a winner! They only cost about 50 cents so when I have a craving in the office, I smile nicely at one of the boys I work with and offer to get them one as well if they will jump on their moto and buy me a coffee. There is little wonder as to why I love them...the coffees, I mean, though the guys are pretty great too.

213/152...noodle phenomenon

My friend, Eileen, introduced me to the famous Chinese noodle restaurant. GREAT food...cheap prices...authentic and fresh. The guy stands outside and makes the noodles non-stop throughout day. We got huge bowls of noodle soup (campbell's doesn't even deserve compare), a plate of 12 dumplings and a huge plate of garlic green beans and it was $3 each. I am looking forward to going back soon!

214/151...dragonfruit

Walking down the street in Phnom Penh offers a lot for the senses...sights, sounds, smells (and not always good ones)...I very rarely taste things as I walk, though. This fruit was an exception. My friend and I saw this huge stand of organic dragonfruit, one of the things that America is greatly missing out on! In an effort to make a sale, the vendor cut one open and let us try some. I have eaten the white ones a lot, but never the red kind. These were SO good, but the red definitely stains your fingers.

215/150...it's about time

I finally paid some long overdue attention to my hair, getting it trimmed and colored. It is now all back to brown with no more three-toned nonsense going on.

221/149...firsthand account

I asked one of my students to write a testimony of what God did in his life during his time in the Harvesters class. I will be including a translated version of it in my next newsletter.

227/138...shining through

Being that it is the rainy season, I see a lot of the inside of my umbrella. As I was taking this picture (in the safety of my dry room) and saw the light on the other side, I had one of those "get ready, a lesson is coming, God wants to teach me something" moments. The umbrella guards me from the rain, but eventually the rain stops and I can stand in the sun again. I can't stay under the umbrella forever or I will miss out on the good stuff. God covers me from the rain...during the times when I am weak and my heart is hurt, He hides me in the shadow of His wings. But eventually, I have to step out from the shadows. Stepping out is risky. Life is challenging and sometimes it hurts. But not forever. And the warmth of sun...the warmth of God's love...makes is all worth it.

229/136...rambaldi?!

This is the design on the wall around the church. Often as I look at it, something inside of me involuntarily jumps with an odd mixture of emotions that I can't quite make out and yet, I must say, makes me feel a little embarrassed by. This design is eerily similar to the Rambaldi symbol from Alias. If you are not an Alias fan, well, then you are going to find me even more peculiar than you might have already thought up to this point. If you are, however, also an Alias fan, you probably have the same mix of 1. fear (thinking that Rambaldi...and thus Sloane and all his minions...have some sort of connection to this place), 2. worry (that one day the world is really going to end with a giant red ball of water), 3. excitement (that there is a chance that Vaughn will come save my life...wouldn't that be great!), and 4. foolish (because none of it is real). Commence laughing at me...now.

237/128...i don't like hell

I am not attempting to state the obvious or to say a "bad" word, but just wanting to point out a little funny irony that I find in the Khmer language. The word for spicy hot in Khmer is "hell"...so when people ask me about the food that I like and don't like, I have to tell them "Ahwt joel jet hell" which means I don't like spicy...I don't like hell.

239/126...gleekin' it up

I love Glee. I mean, REALLY love it! So when I found out that the one and only real movie theater in all of Cambodia was going to be playing the 3D Glee concert movie, I was elated. This is Eileen and I, in all our Gleek glory. I had to display a great deal of restraint to not bust out singing through pretty much the entire movie.

Wearing My "Hats" Well...

Every single time I have ever done a personality or giftings test, the results are always the same: administrative, critical thinker, etc. This probably comes as very little surprise to those that know me. It's like stating the very obvious...like saying the grass is green. Not much to debate. Sure there are different shades of green and I am not much for debating that. The fact is...the grass is green. And the fact is...I am wired to be administrative and a critical thinker.

In many ways, though, I let this become my identity rather than just a part of how I was made. I would naturally fall into doing administration wherever I was. I could organize projects and tasks in my sleep. My head was able to look at a task and figure out the best way to get it done. My friend, Chris, once told me that I was good at making plans. And if "Plan A" wasn't working, my "Plan B" was figuring out how to make "Plan A" still work. "Plan C" was then coming up with a different "Plan B." I laughed when he first said this to me, but only because I realized how true this was. It is not a bad thing...and I am the type of person that helps keeps things running with you work with lots of visionary, big picture leaders. I knew my role. I reveled in my role. I knew who I was.

A few years ago, I felt led to start working more with people and less with projects. Yes, there are still things to organize when it comes to working with people, but the difference is the hearts of the people are involved. My focus was not necessarily being changed and my administrative gifts were not being thrown out the window...that would have made Chris panic on more than one outreach ;-) No, it wasn't erasing every way that I was made...it was broadening that focus. I joked that projects were easier because they didn't talk back, they didn't hurt my feelings, they did what I created them to do and if not, there was usually a clear cut, easy-to-see way of fixing the problem. People...not so much. I was in for more of an adventure than I thought I signed up for and, truth be told, it was probably better that I didn't know at the time because I may not have agreed.

I began working with schools, outreaches and a lot more people-focused ministry. This doesn't mean that I was a super introvert that avoided people at all costs before, but I was the behind-the-scenes person to the core...and yet had a great passion for people. God is working on me...a lot. He has shown me so much of Himself through this type of ministry. He put this "hat" on my head with a lot of grace and directed my way. It was through staffing the schools and outreaches that I even came to Cambodia in the first place and God was able to fully awaken the love for this nation in my heart. I actually find it a little humorous (in my own sort of way) that my main ministry focus here is discipleship and leading teams...all "people" stuff. And I love it. Not as a pat to my back, but I would say that I possess fairly good interpersonal skills...and learning to utilize these in an inter-cultural setting is always interesting. Stretching. Challenging. Exciting. Fulfilling. I am humbled that God pours Himself through me and into the Harvester students, my English students, the small group, and hopefully anyone else that I meet. The most recent Harvesters group just completed their three month course and we had a small graduation ceremony this past Sunday.


Lately, I have been doing more and more administrative tasks, helping the pastor with organizing incoming outreach teams, writing church newsletters, doing communication with foreign contacts and, in general, wearing the "pastor's personal assistant" hat. In the last few days, after meetings and making calendars to organize things, there is something inside of me that is breathing a sigh of relief for being utilized again...and also groaning a little like a muscle that hasn't been used extensively in a while. But I love it!

Please pray for me as I work on maintaining the proper balance for the different ways that God is using me...the ways that God is continually developing me. And if anyone ever wants to come to Cambodia for an outreach, rest assured that I will be planning your time with the utmost care and skill...but making sure there will be fun in there too!! ;-)

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.