Training camp is coming to a close.  It’s mid-afternoon on the day before we fly out! Woohooooooo!
 
While at training camp, we’ve received cultural briefings about the “do’s and don’t do’s” of Cambodia, had some wonderful worship sessions and speakers who have reminded me of my passion for justice and the power of God, spent time growing closer as a team, discussed expectations, and many other things.  We’ve also been roughing it: sleeping in a cabin with one little light that runs on a generator, porta-potties, taking cold showers from a hose, using the hose to brush your teeth, and no mirrors unless a girl bought her own.  Today was the first day I’d looked at myself in a mirror since Friday.  There is definitely a spirit of “ok…it really doesn’t matter what you look like….you’re training and getting ready to live somewhere more rural than this.”  They’ve also been preparing us with eating smaller portions and more simple foods.  I'm really looking forward to having fun with my teammates going to the market and cooking for outselves in our Cambodian home! 🙂

Here are some more details of our trip!  We’ll be arriving in Phnom Penh and being picked up from the airport by a youth pastor and someone else affiliated with the church.  They’ll take us to the daycare we’ll be staying at for a few days as we adjust to the city, learn about the culture and history, and explore a bit.  After a few days, we’ll go to Battambang to work at the Women’s Center.  We’ll help teach classes, as we were previously told.  Also, there will be little kids there to play with J We’re not allowed to take the women out, but I guess we can take them to the circus (!?) because it’s free for them, or to the lake.  We’ll be staying in the home of an American missionary who is married to a Cambodian woman.  They’re leaving when we come but the missionary’s mother in law will be there with us.  There will be 5 dogs that we have to feed…yahoo! Hopefully I’m not allergic.  The house has a gate, has a squatty potty, shower, some lights (yay electricity), a stove, among other things yet to be discovered.  Also, no internet at the house.  There are a few of us (including me!) who are excited about getting to cook for the team! How fun – making Cambodian kitchen experiments!
 
Near the end of October, some staff women will come meet us and we’ll debrief with them before moving locations to Phnom Penh where we’ll be working with an orphanage (something Hope…House of Hope?) and staying at the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base.  We’ll have beds.  This is not human trafficking work…which is slightly a bummer because that’s what we all signed up for and are passionate about….but I’m very much looking forward to spending time with the orphans.  They need people to tell them how wonderful, loved, and valuable they are.  I'll be their temporary mama! I will love them and care for them! I can't wait! 🙂

More to come.
Love,
Emily