The Village Visit

After 5 evenings of prep we headed to a nearby village about 45minutes away from the town of Battambang. Our mode of transport was an open top truck. This was the cheapest option as there ended up being 26 of us total and we all crambed into/onto our vehicle, some perched on the sides, some standing, 7 of us were inside the driving compartment but we all made it there in one piece. We arrived and were greeted by applause from about 100 kids all standing in lines and all applauding as the pastor gave them the signal. We felt honoured that they were all waiting for us and had made such an effort. The pastor wanted us to start the kids camp straight away, so after introductions and an impromtu meeting we got to work singing kids songs then splitting into groups for games and activities.

The girls quaters - ligitimate wooden housing! (18 of us slept in here)

I was so proud of all of the youth as they all got stuck in, running games, Bible stories, craft activities and generally loving on the kids. They even got to work on what needed doing around the sight, working together pumping water from a well a few houses down. Amom
(picture above) also did all of the cooking over a coal stove. Rice for breakfast lunch and dinner! Highlights for Izzy and I were when we had just got back from a walk to see the view from the hill next to us, a Cambodian gentleman who taught English near by came to ask whether we could come and talk to his English class. He said, "Can you come and share the message of God's love with my class, they have never met Americans before." We said that we did have time to go and went and shared the gospel with them. I've never seen Izzy so inspired as she taught from the front of the class but she preached for about 15mintues passionately about God's love. We were so pumped after this as it was another arrangement that we couldnt have planned for ourselves if we'd tried. They asked us to go back the following day as well.

I still dont get this game but it entails pulling on someones ear, funny to watch.

The youth spent one afternoon pumping and carrying water from the wells.

The second day the youth performed the drama that our Montana DTS team had taught them for all of the kids. It was the best performance that I'd seen them do, afterwards Amom and Dara explained the skit and Kalyan gave them a chance to respond and ask God into their lives. This was all going on in Khmer but as she finished talking about half of them enthusiastically raised their hands and followed Kalyan with a prayer. It is so encouraging to think that this is continual fruit of layers and layers of the work that YWAM teams coming and doing ministry in Cambodia, passing the gospel to the Khmer people so that they can continue to pass it on to their own people. Even the pastor's Bible had been given him to YWAMers about 15years previously. I felt like God wanted us to pray for healings for any of the kids that needed it. About 25kids came forwards which was a shocking number to me, illness is what these kids have to deal with everday because of the conditions that they live in, and yet they were still coming along to this kids camp and playing with loads of energy. Most of the illness wasnt as serious as it was mainly colds and headaches, so I prayed a general prayer for them and then we with the pastor prayed for the kids with more serious symptoms. One girl had pains in her legs which she said totally went after we prayed for her. Another boy had the shakes which also disapeared after praying. God is so good and His heart for these kids is so big!

Snack Time!

The Loo

In the afternoon we visited the pastor's son. We went into the grounds where he lived and we chatted for a bit before he showed us his moto accident injury. His thigh had a massive skin graft on the quad on his left leg. The ligaments on his ankle were not there any more so he had to use crutches and was limited in his movement because of the pain. They had done all they could in surgery and had done a good job but they asked if we could pray for him. Whitney felt like we should keep listening out to what God was saying as we were praying and pray into what ever he was showing us. This was one of the most dynamic prayer times that I have ever experienced. Praying for healing in a village in Cambodia to a God that can do all things, listening to what he wanted us to pray. It totally broadened my perspective of spiritual warefare, we got loads of pictures, words and scriptures. As we prayed it was like pickaxing at the strongholds keeping this guy from fullness of life. I felt like God was saying that he was going to completely restore his leg but it was going to be a battle. Some of the youth left but about 5 of them stayed to pray with us. We spent over an hour being lead by God and praying stuff out. By the end we were tired Kalyan got the Number 24 right at the end one of the youth Got 2 years. It was getting late and time to leave. It was really difficult to leave without seeing what God had spoken happen in front of our eyes there and then, especially as we felt like we were meant to wait for it like the first Christians were told to wait for the holyspirit in Jerusalem (Luke 24). But we kind of felt like it would happen in 2years/24months time. This is similar to the healing that happened on my DTS outreach. The lady we prayed for got healed 2 weeks after we prayer for her and turned from Buddism to follow Christ. God got all of the glory because we werent around to receive any praise for it. I'm excited to see what happens here and I really feel like that time of prayer was really significant personally and for all that were there. God is moving. The one time that I felt goose pimples was when I told God that I was willing to go where he wanted me, that I laid down any unforgiveness in my life and profecied that there would be a revival in Cambodia starting in the villages where there will be healing and demonstrations of the Spirits power.

The last morning that we were there after games with the kids the youth encouraged them with their personal testimonies of how God has worked in their lives. Again they all did amazingly and we as leaders were all so proud of them as they allowed God to use them. We said our thank yous and goodbyes and headed back after a short but seemly mamouth trip. A great way to end our one month outreach!

Training SALT Soccer Coaches

http://www.hometeamz.com/saltacademy/

This picture is taken after I got the chance to put theses lively guys through a grueling training session. We started early morning to avoid the heat of the day and the guys were awesome to work with. They were loving the aerobic warm-up and all beat me in our sprints. The guys all get on so well as a family feel to the group has emerged as SALT has been running for a while now. Sam who runs the ministry wanted to give the coaches a chance to work on their personal fitness as most of the times they are just running training sessions for the 100s of kids that they train each week.

Potential Youth Mini Outreach

Izzy, Kalyan, Whitney and myself were thinking of ways that we could help encourage the youth to move on in their faith. We waited on God and got to the idea of taking them on a Mini-outreach Village Visit. About 20 kids want to come and the last few evenings have been meeting up for last minute prepping us all for the trip.

They have all been asking questions like, "How do I know God is really there?".
The first evening we had we did a session on "Hearing Gods Voice." We told them what God had been speaking about them when we as leaders were praying for them and at the end we had a time of just soaking in worship music and listening for what God had to say to us there and then. Some of them shared what they heard; Sopeak said, "I was looking at the stars and noticed one was shining brighter than the others. I felt like God was saying, "You shine brightly for me like the stars."" Dina got a picture of himself on a mountain surrounded by sea and no where to get off the island. Another guy heard the words, "You are mine." And Sean saw a picture of a village with mountains and trees around it. He also got the verse about going and preaching the gospel to all people. This was so kewl to see them hearing from God like this for the first time.

We felt like God was saying that some of them were held captive and the key to free them from this was through worship. We taught them a few songs in English but sitting in church today I was thinking, "It would be awesome if they could worship in their own language." I came home to Kirt and Dara sitting in Kalyan's porch learning to play "Jesus Lover of my soul" In Khmer. They are getting good at it and are getting into worship. They also love doing dramas. The DTS team who have been here for two months have been working on a drama of the gospel with them.

Yesterday evening was one I wont forget: Izzy shared her testimony and then we asked them in pairs to share about their own stories; how they came to know Christ. They all sat around in groups on the tile outside of the hut and as they began to share there were a lot of tears. It was touching to see them comfort and pray for each other as they opened up to each other with personal stuff.

We asked if any of them wanted to share when we all came together again and Lume shared how she became a Christian. It was so moving and had most of us in tears. She said that she had a hard upbringing and didn't experience much love. Her parents sent her out onto the streets to beg because they were so poor. After years of doing this she decided that she didn't want to do it anymore. So instead she went to hang out in the pagoda grounds, climbing on animal statues. This is where she met Kalyan, who asked her whether she knew about Jesus and wanted to become a Christian. She said that she did and so Kalyan prayed with her. This is what made Kalyan want to start the feeding program to help street kids who didn't have enough food. Lume liked coming to Kalyans house to hang out, so continued coming, but still found it difficult at home and her parents fought and drank a lot. One time her Mum got so angry that she threw something at her Dad's head and gave him a bad head injury. Lume was so upset but prayed that her Mum would realize what she had done and ask for forgiveness from her Dad. She knew this would be a miracle if this happened as her Mum had never been sorry before or admitted that she had been in the wrong for anything that she had done. God answered her prayer because later her mum did ask for forgiveness from her Dad, kneeling on the floor in front of him.

These kids definitely have to deal with different stuff than what I had to growing up, but at the same time there is a lot of overlap as well. I'm loving getting to know them and looking forward to seeing what God will do on the village visit!

Siem Reap

At the moment I am sitting in an internet cafe with Izzy. Outside there is a pool with fish in. If you put your feet in all the fish swim up to your skin and suck off all the dead skin. A peculiar sensation.

We arrived in Siem Reap on Friday after a three hour Khmer style taxi ride from Battambang. We had four adults squeezed into the back seat as well as a nursing toddler and no seat belts. We prayed before we left and although there were some near death experiences we made it in one piece. On the way back to Battambang we will travel by bus!

Yesterday we got to tour the town a bit before visiting the White Doves ministry that YWAM run here. Iz and I wanted to do a village visit this weekend but it wasnt working out, so at the last minute we arranged to come here instead. Definently a God appointment. A couple called Martin and Dary set up the ministry which offers a way out for women at risk having to earn a living in the sex trade. They give them a salary making craft items as well as getting to learn about the gospel and having the chance to go through prayer councilling. The house is set up with sewing machines and a place to teach the ladies beauty therapy. I didnt know how I would react to meeting the ladies yesterday but I've been thinking about them ever since. They just don't have any sparkle, they are so broken in spirit. Its like I just wanna bring Christ to them and mend them up, soak them in worship music and give them hope. I'm wondering if God wants me to come back here in the future.

http://www.uofncambodia.org/siemreap/whitedoves.html

Siem Reap is bitter sweet; there are a lot of people in crappy darkness and yet knowing that there are awesome ministries here brings hope and restoration out of exploitation and pain. Add to this the tourist factor: East meets West, poverty and riches side by side. Street kids walking around, people living in slums and tourist coming to get some culture, drink, party and visit brothels. Its a weird experience being here. Like its not exactly nice, but at the same time there is so much need for Jesus to fill that it is good to be here.

We were walking down the road yesterday and there were these two kids one girl about 5 carrying a kid about 3 these were the first street kids we'd met they looked pretty skinny and poor they came over to us and the older one had a story about how they were orphans and lived with their grandparents. It seemed like a well rehearsed story and she had good english for a Cambodian 5 year old. We asked them if they wanted something to eat and they definately did. It kind of seemed like even though they were young they had been trained up to beg from foreigners. They lead us to a shop, and they wanted us to buy them milk formula. I've heard that there are schemes here with milk formula, how people beg for it and then sell it for other things so didnt really wanna buy it. But we got them an icecream each to eat there. This really faced us with the issue of what do you do about kids begging for stuff, you wanna help them but whats the best way to do it? Walking out of the shop, about 5 other kids run up to us asking for stuff.

Heather was the lady from yesterday who we talked to about the White Doves ministry, she works there fulltime. I asked her, "How do you not get overburdened from living in the mist of so much need?"

She said, "I just take each day and do what God has for me that day. Not putting the second commandment; to love people above the first commandment; to love God."

Heather with a bag woven by the girls at White Doves.

Ankor Wat

After sneaking around this ancient temple just before closing I turned around to capture a snap of the nation's highest pride: Ankor Wat. We then continued to the exit, splashing through the warm puddles with bare feet. As we cycled back to our guest house a thunder storm brewed and lightning bolts gashed through the grey backdrop sky. I felt like it was God showing how he felt about the overtly prevalent idol worship in this country.