Author: Adventures

Once Upon A Dream

My team has been plagued with “Only-One-Month-Left” syndrome. Home has been a huge topic of discussion as well as the countdown until we’re home again. I try to not take part in these conversations because I’m trying to stay present while I’m here, but it is incredibly tough when I miss home so much.                       This brings me to the dream that I had the other night. I dreamt that I was on an airplane on my way from Guatemala to home and my mom is...

Continue reading

Holding the Hand of a Broken Little Girl

  Yesterday I heard and saw firsthand the best of God’s creation and how easily it can be destroyed by sin. I was more excited to go to the children’s hospital this week than other weeks because there was going to be a team from the states performing cleft lip surgeries. When we got to the hospital, we were greeted by a couple ladies on the team who were very surprised to see a bunch of young white people at the hospital. While we were talking to them, Pastor Roni was in one of the rooms talking to one of the patient’s mother. He left the room and called me...

Continue reading

Yes, Jesus loves me

           This story is not easy for me to write about. Vilvia is 10 years old and she is currently at the hospital. I met her today and when Kathy relayed to me the information given to her by Pastor Roni, I was speechless. I walked in the room with Kathy and saw Norma, Vilvia’s mom drying her tears.             It’s been 8 days that Vilvia has been in the hospital. The reason being is very tragic. She was sexually abused by her 18 year old uncle. Her mom found them inside...

Continue reading

Lessons from the Locals

Another few weeks in Guatemala have come and gone, and I may just finally have a blog. We are continuing to do ministry every day and still have the two time slots (morning and afternoon) in which we go out into the community. Recently, the group has been going to an orphanage and more frequently helping out at a children’s hospital. I’ve seen things here that have made me think twice about the many opportunities and privileges that I have in the States. By no means is that intended to insinuate that America is better, in fact it’s the exact opposite. I can’t express...

Continue reading

So along Battambang….

    The last ten weeks have gone by so incredibly fast in Battambang.This week was our last week there, and it has impacted me so greatly and put the plan God had for us in such a clear perspective. God had a plan for my team and I to love on the city and show the people the love of Christ without expecting anything in return, and we did just that.          God has taught me so many wonderful things on this trip from learning how to trust him completely, listening to his voice, stepping out of my contort zone, and allowing myself to be completely...

Continue reading

Baby I’d Be a Saint!

Hello all! Well, we’ve left Battambang and are now living out our last month of ministry in Cambodia in Phnom Penh! (I had a mini-culture shock when I walked into the first grocery store I’ve seen in over 2 months. Haha.) I’m sad to leave behind some amazing people in Battambang but I’m looking forward to starting ministry at the orphanage and we’re hoping to get to work some with an anti-sex-trafficking ministry too. A few days ago I read a former World Racers blog that did a really great job of putting into words what I’ve been experiencing and...

Continue reading

Contentment in Serving the Lord

When we arrived in Cambodia in September I didn’t have any idea what ministry was going to look like. We were told we were going to be working with victims of sex trafficking but after a little miscommunication we ended up doing a completely different thing. Serving here in Cambodia has been nothing like what I expected but surprisingly I am okay with that. God has blessed me in so many ways on this trip and one of the ways is the contentment that he has given me in serving. In the last few weeks, God has revealed to me how much I enjoy serving others. And even though I thought...

Continue reading

From BB City to PP City

We said our good byes to everyone in Battambang two days ago. There was a party at the centre, it was so much fun! Although it was so hard leaving behind those we’ve formed relationships with these past two months. It was especially hard saying goodbye to Phearum, Sahan, and Huah, as well as Mr. Seng and Manny. I haven’t cried yet but I know it’ll hit me soon enough. Expect me to be a blubbering mess when I come home, Mummy. But we have safely arrived in Phnom Penh! It’s a pretty big shock from Battambang. PP City is twice the amount of people and twice the size...

Continue reading

Learn to Love the Unexpected!

  Ten unexpected things I have had to learn the hard way in Cambodia:   1.     Never use Thieves wipes as a substitute for toilet paper (for those of you who don’t know what Thieves wipes are, imagine it being like using lemon and salt on an open wound)—ouch. 2.     Don’t drink water that is deemed “safe” because it might be rain water. 3.     You WILL get razor burn if you shave with goosebumps—no stopping it. 4.     Do everything the exact opposite of what the...

Continue reading

Now that I have seen, I am responsible

     I am responsible for what I've seen: Luke 12:48 says that much is required from those to whom much is given.  We will be held accountable for what we know.       This week I spent some time internalizing this, remembering once again the great charge I am given in my life in general as well as how Cambodia changes my charge.      In Luke 12, Jesus tells a parable about His second coming by relating it to the servants in their master's house being ready for his return at any moment.  Peter's then asks Jesus...

Continue reading

Choum Reap Lia, Battambang!

When it was time to say goodbye to all my friends and family back home two and a half months ago, I remember saying (and being told), "It'll be over before you know it." Now, I have to admit I was quite skeptical about that part… Over before I know it? Yea. Right. Back then, I thought three and a half months away from home was a lifetime. And yet, when it came time to board the bus yesterday and move to Phnom Pehn, I had to wonder, "Where did the last couple months go?" I will miss Battambang and all the people we met there, but I feel so much peace in Phnom...

Continue reading

11.11.11

Constantly I find there are more layers. More layers of me to unravel, more parts of God to discover. Every time I think I have this God thing figured out, this walking with the Lord, I find that it’s just another call to go deeper. There are no plateaus in the Christian walk.If there are, it is us who put them there. When I can’t comfortably put God in a box anymore, when I refuse the call to go deeper, I am creating a plateau that isn’t even there. I build the wall, the flat place, the spot where I draw a line in the sand and say Here God, but no further. This goes...

Continue reading