I want to introduce you all to a beautiful Cambodian woman named Siep.  After dinner last night, I asked her (her daughter Cindy translated) if it was okay to share pictures of her on my blog, but more importantly share her story that makes her the woman she is today.  I felt her rough hands grab my arm and begin to hug me…   Siep was born and raised in the small town of Cambodia where I am located this summer.  She was married at a young age and soon after was sold into the sex trade industry.  Siep’s husband used her for money and sold her to men for...

Hello world! FINALLY I'm updating a blog again! Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been having serious blogging issues. IN A NUT SHELL, last week was really, really hard. Extremely emotional. And I hope that when I get home, I can adequately describe it when I get home. But let me tell you a little story. I waited until the last minute to pack for this trip. Shocker, right? Well I did. And my bible was putting my over my luggage weight limit by like a solid 5 pounds. So my mom suggested I take an old Bible she had. I took it, but I was honestly really upset. My Bible and I have...

Yep.  Technically it’s not called “Ramen Noodles”, but, there’s this fascinating pre-packaged over-seasoned noodly substance that we eat here for breakfast sometimes.  And it tastes pretty darn similar to the beloved 25 cent college staple we all know from home.  Oh Ramen.  And sitting here at the breakfast table, my hands clutching chop sticks that put up a most heroic struggle against my steaming bowl of broth and noodles which in turn makes my face steamy and sweaty, I am filled with bittersweet emotions.  I think fondly of...

2nd Timothy 1:7:   " For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." Early on this trip, Satan tried to use something from my past to bring me down.  Instead of bringing me down, it empowered me.  God told me he wanted me to share part of my testimony with the women.  I was nervous but I also wanted to do it.  God told me he would let me know when it was time.  Last Sunday he told me it would be this week.  I was going to tell my leader Brittany that I wanted to share. Funny thing is, before...

 I have never been so excited for the Fourth of July in my entire life. With each day being similar to the others, something different and out of the ordinary is a big deal. We decided we would take the girls to the “Asia Hotel” aka the only place we can get fries and a “chocolate shake.” BP had ordered red, white and blue drinks beforehand and we were going to go and celebrate this glorious day. When we showed up covered head to toe in red, white and blue and were handed red, white and green drinks. I knew this would be the best-and only- Fourth of July these...

             It’s amazing how much God works in our lives, day by day, week by week.  During my day so far in Cambodia I have noticed that God will put a theme or a person on my heart.  Last week, the week of June 24th, God took something from our team. Now I can see that it is a blessing in disguise, but two weeks ago it broke my heart.  The children that we have gotten so close with unexpectedly went home to families we had no idea they had, or moved in with other relatives.  Within three days seven out...

Throughout our weeks here so far, my team has been able to communicate the story of Jesus to this community. These people of Cambodia have become our family.  We have spent time individually explaining the relationship with God to the women and depicting who God is and why He is a God worth worshipping every day of your life.   We have also spent time with the women washing clothes in the dark in buckets, using a broomstick as a microphone singing Justin Bieber cleaning the kitchen, killing large bugs, laughing at ridiculous make up and outfits for our music video, and hiking...

I was feeling discouraged because of the language barrier between myself and the women. Our translator, Ratana, was not able to be with us this week. So instead of having English class—we decided to make a music video. It was SO fun to do with the girls. Because they take cosmetology classes, there is a salon and full hair and make up staff available at the snap of a finger. The first day we filmed- in the morning we scouted out locations. This consisted of Sengdy making us climbing a surprise mountain. We survived—barely.   The first day of filming everyone did each others...