"Chocolate will make everything better..."

"Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." --Isaiah 1:17

Sex trafficking was very prevalent at the first hotel we stayed at, along with the rest of Cambodia.  I couldn't stay outside of my hotel room without feeling a slight bit at danger.  One night I was feeling a bit venturesome when I decided to sit downstairs for a bit to journal.  There I spotted a beautiful young girl who must have been in her teens or early twenties.  She sat with her back against the wall on a single cushioned chair twirling a hotel key around her finger.  She was dressed scantily clad in a white pair of shorts, high platform shoes, a tank-top, along with curled hair and a face full of make-up.  She was waiting patiently for her next customer.  I must have sat on the stairs for no longer than ten minutes until a man came scurrying towards the elevator swinging his arms as if he was off to handle some business.  He goes into the elevator and beckons the young woman to hurry and follow his lead.  She gently gets up and slowly follows behind as her feet wobble in her platform heels.  As she walks past me her head begins to lower in shame for what she is about to do.  There were plenty more that I had witnessed who shared similar stories.

For the next couple of days I asked God what it meant to "seek justice".  How does it look like?  Especially with such an unbelievably huge problem that affects us globally.  The problem is beyond any of us and I struggled with trusting that God was still sovereign in the midst of such darkness.  I have a tendency to want to get up and make peace when I am faced with such injustice.  But who am I kidding, how would I be able to rescue the 27 million enslaved people in the world?

This brings me back to a time before our mission trip even began.  The team studied Nehemiah 1.  At the beginning, Nehemiah is notified about the tragedy of the exile of the Jewish people and the broken wall of Jerusalem.  The significance of this story is not only that he ends up rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem.  No, it is what he did before acting on anything.  "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." -Nehemiah 1:4  When he was faced with tragedy, he sought after the Lord.  It is near impossible to seek justice on our own strength.  It is only when we are weak that we are strong.  Nehemiah sat down and wept, mourned, fasted, and then prayed.  The very next day of praying Isaiah 1 I was struck with a fever which forced me to rest in bed for an entire day. It was exactly what I needed. I felt like God was forcing me to rest, not physically but emotionally and spiritually. I spent the day praying, writing, reading the Word, and resting.  I had forgotten to spend time alone with God with the accumulation of tasks throughout our days.  Sometimes He needs to break us down to remind us to take rest in Him, and I am so glad He did.  The very next day I woke up back to my old self again. Praise God, and thank you for all your prayers.

On day 6, we visited an NGO called the International Justice Mission (IJM).  IJM is a Christian human rights organization that fights against sex trafficking.  When I sat down preparing myself for a presentation I looked up at the first slide to find that God heard my cry.  The slide spelt out IJM and right below it read out "Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:17). My eyes welted up with tears as I chuckled to myself. God has such a sense of humor.  Before the presentation even began I knew this was the answered prayer I had been seeking for.  I had seen too many problems and no solutions.  But this was one example which answered my prayer about how it looked to seek justice.  IJM is a threat for those within the sex trafficking industry.  They have undercover agents to investigate the places where sex trafficking is most prevalent and hire well-qualified attorneys to put these criminals behind bars.  In 2009 alone: 54 victims were rescued, 33 perpetrators were arrested (26 were tried and 19 were convicted).  The average sentence was 6 years in prison.  We met an attorney who had moved to Cambodia earlier in the year with his wife, children, and even house dog all the way from the Midwest in the US.  This just shows how willing this servant is to fight for the injustice in Cambodia.  My experience at IJM gave me so much peace knowing that God truly loves His people and is bringing justice to this problem through these types of NGOs.  If I am torn up inside about this issue I can't imagine how much He is hurting as the Abba Father, Husband, and Maker of His beloved daughters. 

The thief came to steal, kill, and destroy but Jesus came so we could have life abundantly.  So although I was close to feeling defeated at one point I stand here today with much hope for the future of Cambodia.  I stand here today in victory and I refuse to believe that the enemy has a hold of this country.  There is light in the midst of darkness.

"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"            
--Hosea 13:14

_____

When I set off to do ministry where I am ideally "serving and blessing others", I in turn am blessed ten folds.  I can honestly say I am so blessed to be here.  Through serving the older orphans at New Hope Orphanage I have learned so much about love, faith, prayer, and encouragement.  The orphans are always so joyful, even when they have little to be ecstatic about in terms of their circumstances, they have the love of God.  They continuously remind us of that.  Their sincere reliance on God has shed a new light on what it means to have that childlike faith.  They understand what it means to go before the Lord before reacting in situations.  Maybe our comfort and privilege have blinded us in the States, which makes prayer and faith of less importance.  I have so much to learn from them.

Today was our last day working with them.  We went to the shopping mall and had lunch there.  Later in the evening we prepared food for the infamous annual barbecue GrX has in Cambodia.  It was such a delicious feast.  I had the best fried chicken tonight.  The kabobs were not bad either.  But the chicken gets an A+ for excellence.  We ate until our stomachs were at the verge of exploding.  We had great conversations through eating and cooking together.  After dinner the dance team performed for us and it was such a moving sight.  They were so passionate.  I smiled knowing that these girls and boys are the next generation in Cambodia.  I see bits and pieces of restoration through these children.  But it did not take long until the lights dimmed and a dance party began!  Chris brought couple of bags of glow sticks and the worship room quickly turned into a rave.  Hips shook here and there during some parts of the night (okay, baby hips & others who shall remain anonymous).  Jesus, please forgive us.

We said our goodbyes and it was the hardest thing to let go of their hands and their bodies pressed against mine.  I wanted to hold onto them forever.  But I told them it was not goodbye but simply a "see you later".  They prayed in a circle around us and we parted ways.  Although I am sad inside I am also feeling so hopeful knowing what God is doing in their lives.  He will take care of them with or without our presence.  I am excited to hear what lies in their futures.  I now have a family here in Cambodia, and I hope to return to them very soon. :)

In Christ,
Carrie Lau

Untitled

This being my (Eric) first trip to Cambodia, I felt it appropriate to name the title much like my expectations for the trip. Generic and blank.
..
As my teammates are starting to realize, my method of preparing is to overprepare and pack to be ready for any scenario. Upon further reflection, I believe I do this for two main reasons: One, it's a way of trying to control situations I cannot predict or control. Two, knowing my own limitations, it's a way of both pulling my own weight and being able to support others with health, understanding, and provision.
..
Flashforward to present circumstance. Day 6 of the grx cambodia trip. I'm still recovering from some infection/flu, was able to rejoin the team after sleeping all yesterday. Very thankful to be energic and able to be out with the team, spending time with the kids/teens at New Hope, and we also visited International Justice Missions to hear about their vision and work in this country.

One neat thing I've learned about NGOs, is that they add a very passionate yet purposeful vocation for those searching for a calling. For those unable or unwilling to stay at home, my previous two areas I lumped people into was the travelers and the expats. Travelers just travel, and expats want to experience the whole world in all it's glory. But now there's this NGO area that I'm aware of. Some religious, some secular, and it seems like quite a few Christian. They are the front line soldiers fighting for noble ideas, justice, truth, and fairness. I find the idea fascinating for capable/young professionals. Although I'm sure any age group could do it, I believe the easiest/best fit would be that group.
..
Cambodia is a beautiful country, full of color and life. Yet this beauty is marred by lingering shadows of sin. A sin that occured and I know I am capable of, that we all are capable of. Furthermore, a sin that we knew as a people and a country and did nothing. How does that speak to your legacy, America?

Yet hope remains. I see it in the stories of those here. Who choose hope and joy when they would not be faulted for choosing otherwise. Instead of complaining and blameshifting, they thank God for every blessing received, and want to give their lives in appreciation. Part of me is too jaded to believe it's true, but I'd like to hope this kind of pure faith still exists. And when I shake their gentle hands and warm hearts, and see their smiles, I am encouraged.

It's the end of our Tuesday night and the mood of the team is great. We are really starting to work cohesively even with our mix of personalities and backgrounds. I feel a much deeper sense of unity amongst the team and many of our individual strengths and weaknesses are coming together allowing us to be the most effective servants as we can be for the teens.

For the girls group we have been able to build relationships with them through intentional hangouts where we can just..."chill" as us Americans would put it. Each day we would schedule a time slot where we take a few girls out on tuk-tuks and they would be able to show us some of their fav hangout spots or even just a little of their everyday life in Cambodia. Today a few of the girls took us out to what I think she tried to translate to as Monkey Mtn where it was a huge park and we were able to feed and pet monkeys, quite the scene, never saw so many roaming the park and climbing on trees freely before. Besides just the fact that they were so excited to show us their hometown, this really gave us an awesome opportunity to ask how God has led them to the place and state they are now. Because language barriers seemed to be an issue for these particular girls, I was very encouraged when one of the girls opened her bible to show me her fav passage. This was a simple act but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this was something very amazing- Gods Word is universal and even language barriers don't hold back the joy of reading the Word together in both languages while bringing glory to the same Father in heaven.

Today the girls small group covered the passage John 15- the vine and the branches and the fruit they bear. We had each girl write a strength they possessed and then talk about how their childhood has brought upon or produced this trait. Because Amy, Carrie and myself felt that the specific needs of the girls were confidence and not getting easily discouraged from their past, we figured this might be the best way to empower them and really allow them to see themselves as a huge contribution to the Lords kingdom. The stories and testimonies were so inspiring. I think this time of sharing was really good for them because Many of the girls hold onto these dear stories and never get the opportunity to express how they really feel or how they have healed from it. Ive come to know and love these girls so much already that I'm already dreading the day we have to leave. I want to make sure I leave them all knowing that they are valued, treasured, princesses of God. 
After today's session I am convinced that this team is following the road that God has paved for us. It would be impossible to say that it was any of our teams efforts that has caused the growth and the relationships that have formed thus far, it is truly God. The guys group have even taken the guys to their high schools just to see where they hangout and study everyday. There is finally a sense of trust and this was exactly the larger vision we had for this trip.

So as I close, just wanted to share a few of my personal thoughts. I wanted to thank all the prayer support back home. Besides the first few days being huge adjustments and culture shock for me, I really sense that there are and will continue to be many road blocks ahead for this team. Of course Jesus is strong at work within the vision of our team, but I also see many spiritual attacks on the team overall- sicknesses, conflicts, emotionally drained from different things we come into contact with..etc, but praise God that through these issues, Our team is aware of the importance of unity and teamwork as we go forth strong with Gods vision on our hearts. I wanted to thank everyone who has partnered with us and have continually been praying diligently for the teams. We are incredibly impacted by your prayers!! Our trip would not be the way it is without your prayers...seriously. Thank you!!

-Lizz

Guerrilla Warfare

-- guerrilla warfare noun
irregular warfare, conflicts in which a small group of combatants uses military tactics, like ambushes and raids, to harass a larger and less-mobile traditional army.

When we started this trip six days ago (already), we came armed to the teeth with things that we thought we would need. Because of the unpredictable nature of the work we were doing this trip, we over-prepared and had contingency plans for almost every situation. General Victor said, this trip was like going to war, when going to war, we want as much weaponry as possible. We may not need the sniper rifle, but we want one on hand just in case we might need it.

Well, luckily for us, God pretty much dropped a bomb on all our plans and blew them to smithereens. What once was is pretty much no more, except for a few remnants.

Our vision for this trip was to teach the older orphans how to be missional. We wanted to teach them how to love and serve their community just the way they have been served and loved on by foreign missionaries. To do this we had prepared a series of bible studies and activities that taught them this vision. We expected to hold meetings with them each day and drill home this vision.

But that has changed. After the first few days of trying to execute our plan, we found out that it wasn't going  to work. So like any good team, we had to make adjustments and we did.

-- guerrilla warfare noun
irregular warfare, conflicts in which a small group of combatants uses military tactics, like ambushes and raids, to harass a larger and less-mobile traditional army.
We ran into two major problems trying to execute this vision.

The first major problem we ran into was the age of the students we were working with. We were working with university students. And we were trying to force them to fit into the schedule and itinerary we had planned for them... Well, college students in Cambodia are very much the same (in some aspects) as college students in America, they are unpredictable and busy and have lots of things going on in their lives.

The second major problem we ran into was that we knew very little about the students themselves. How can we teach students ANYTHING of depth if we know nothing about them? If we know nothing about their pains, their struggles, their happiness, their hardship?

Hence, birthed the new vision of our trip. Part one of the vision is to find out the orphans stories. To find out about their background, their dreams, their pains. And then from this, build relationships that are hopefully longer lasting than just this missions trip. And also from this, to find ways to encourage and support the orphans to finish their college educations, because one of the biggest problems orphans face is dropping out of university (physically and emotionally). That is the new two part vision.

We immediately found out that trying to have a hard schedule for this type of work would not suffice. Hence, we switched to (Victor's favorite phrase of the trip)...  guerrilla warefare.

Instead of trying to fit the orphans into our schedule, we embedded ourselves into theirs. We used smaller groups for versatility and gave each group the freedom to be creative and imaginative. For the last couple of days, we pretty much fit ourselves into their lives. This gave us the ability to get to know the orphans more closely and just see what a normal everyday life of a Cambodia college student looks like.

And this has lead the team to some pretty wild adventures. Some of us guys went to school with a couple orphans today (we took motorbikes, such fun). Some of the girls went to a monkey zoo today to hangout with some female students. Tonight, we took a bunch of kids to the local arcade to play video games that are twenty years old (no joke, they are still on Time Crisis 3, when Time Crisis 10 probably exists in the US). We've been spending time each day tutoring, hanging out, eating with them and just shooting the breeze. In those moments, we have heard some pretty amazing stories, some heartbreaking, some so inspiring, some making me ask how God can be so cruel, and others showing me how good God can be.

At times, it does feel like we are not doing much except chilling with the Cambodian kids in cafes or restaurant. At times, as a working American, i want to do more. To be active, to work, to be busy. But that's not the Cambodian rhythm of life. The Cambodian rhythm of life is a much slower than the busy-ness that floods us in the States. Falling into this rhythm of life has been a challenge for me, but I'm slowly adjusting. But by falling into this rhythm of life, we can hopefully better start to relate to the Cambodians we are trying to serve.

There are so many stories to share, but no time right now (i'll probably save that for my personal blog)... The wait will be worth it, I promise.

For now, i just want to thank you all for your support and your prayers. Carrie is pretty much 100% (that girl ate like a whale today) and Eric is back from the dead. Continue to pray for our physical strength as this team seem more susceptible to sickness than the last couple of  years teams.

Steve T

Looking for the answers to the questions....and there You were

Today is Tuesday and it's already been 5 days since we've arrived in Cambodia and it has gone by in a flash. It's been quite tiring as 3 people have been hit with stomach/flu ailments along with the humid heat and untimely hits of jetlag. Despite these physical challenges, we are pressing on towards the goal of listening and living out His call to us while we're here. Please continue to pray for the team's health in the coming days.

I began this trip with 3 questions in mind:

1) Where in the world do I feel is home for me?
2) What should I do with my career in order for it to be fulfilling?
3) What is God doing here in Cambodia and how can I join him?

Ravi Zacherias - "Culture is the dress of religion"

During our visit to the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng prison, I unexpectedly gained a new perspective on my parent's trials of growing up in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. While the details of the genocide were gruesome, I feel desensitized to it all because frankly I've seen enough injustice in the world to not be naive. However, this is the first time it's been personalized and that's moved my heart and leading me to action. First, my relationship with my parents is difficult to say the least. My mother was born in Phnom Pehn however the past is rarely discussed and family history is really unknown to me. Up to this point, I had underestimated my parent's struggles and it's allowed me to see God's perspective of them rather than my own. Ultimately, understanding them is really about understanding myself, seeing what impact that had on me to this day, and setting me free on who I will become in Christ in the future. My mother is Catholic however she is Chinese and Confucianism after 4000+ years is a big part of who she is. Now I want to study Confucianism in order to understand more.

Jack of all cultures, Master of none

We visited Hagar International and House of Smiles yesterday. Hagar is a comprehensive organization that focuses on non-profit/social enterprise work who focus on sex trafficked women. They provide holistic care (food, shelter, counseling, rehabilitation) to those they take in and subsequently provide skills training and education to reintegrate them into society and rebuild their own lives. House of Smiles is a family shelter that caters to the mentally disabled (one of the most marginalized people in Cambodian society). It was very enlightening for me to see all that these NGOs are doing here and the struggles they have in fundraising, finding best practices, dealing with internal problems and finding the experienced people necessary to make their organizations function.

Many of these people who work in World Vision or Hagar are from around the world. They come and spend on average 1-2 years here so turnover is very high. Hearing their stories of their dynamic struggles from deciding when to repatriot to their come countries to where to start a family to having to make new friends over and over was actually one of familiarity rather than amazement. But what was amazing to me was how this expat community knows each other so well. It's a small world here. After hearing these stories, I felt this expat side of me has been the most important part of my life in who I am. It's a life that's difficult to understand unless you've moved and lived away from your home country. I'm an expat and that's how I feel most at home.

I immediately started imagining myself here long term. Cambodia is much like Vietnam and the language is more fun than I expected. I pictured myself working for Hagar or World Vision and interacting with the expat and local populations here. But most importantly, I'd be doing God's work here of contributing to fighting injustice in this country (and world). Law, education, psychology, and social enterprises have been the interests I've been thinking about moving into over the last year and a half. And to suddenly find they're all here in Phnom Pehn is mind-blowing to me. Perhaps this is God's call for me. Perhaps it's not.

We will see.......

Simon Tang

Thy Kingdom Come

When I returned to the hotel room today I checked my email and a friend who was encouraging me about my time in Cambodia said "kind of crazy that you're almost at the halfway point of the trip already!". When I read this, I thought no way, my super-on-top of it friend somehow counted wrong. The reality is that I feel like we just got our feet wet. We changed our lesson plan three times, strategically decided to attack our vision from a different angle in the midst of acclimating to a new culture and environment. But we are all tired and "happy happy".

Over the past 4 days all of us have shared and faced so many challenges. These challenges vary from realizing the injustice of the academic system to the marginalized, witnessing sex trafficking at our hotel, facing physical sickness, dealing with processing a genocide and other mind bending experiences. To say that we are disoriented would only be scratching the surface.

I know must of our blogs have been about what we do on a day to day basis but I would like to share how powerful the movement of the Lord is, a movement that transcends the limits of politics, socioeconomic constraints and human will. Over the past few year I have been given the opportunity to meet people who are solely investing in the redemption of Cambodia. A women named Sotia who is dedicating all her energy and heart into providing education for the children in the villages and reaching out to their families. A man who works everyday to raise funds to keep over 70 orphans housed and sponsored. Another lady from New Zealand who is so in love with the holistic vision of recovery that anything short of that is unacceptable. Another little man who silently shutting down brothels in a very dark town. These are the faces of this story. God's army in Cambodia is praying, working and loving.

Being here I see bright lights that are beacons of salvation in the darkness. This salvation is pouring out little lights into the darkenss, lighting areas of Cambodia that are horrific but must be revealed. There is a generation of kids seeping into the mainstream community of Cambodia and making huge changes. These kids do not have any assurance but the assurance of His sovereignty. With that assurance they plan to be self sustaining but also to give back and serve the marginalized. "These kids" are the future of Cambodia. There is a college being built with crazy plans. Ultimately, they want to start to do small group with each of the students families in the rural villages. First by understanding their needs and meeting them. An almost completed women's shelter is going to open their doors to less fortunate kids to their preschool programs in their community. God is clearly victorious in Cambodia. He reigns.


   " 'Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name,
 your kingdom come,
   your will be done
      on earth as it is in heaven.

Will you pray for us?

Hey everyone,

I wanted to shoot out a prayer request to our friends and supporters. One of the members on our team, Carrie, is sick with a fever. It doesn't seem too serious at the moment but we are taking every precautionary measure, especially through prayer. It's important to note that we are all in good spirit here. I have no doubt that she'll be fine after a days rest and that God is working unexpectedly through this, as He seems to do in situations like this.

Please pray for:
1. Quick and complete healing for Carrie.
2. Greater awareness for the team of what God is doing through this.
3. Against the enemy as I'm positive he would love to use this in a variety of ways in disrupting our team and ministry.

Peace,
Victor

Day 2

Hello friends,
So we finished up our second day in Cambodia and it's been another activity-filled but rewarding experience. As many of you know I came to Cambodia last year and seeing Phnom Penh for a second time I am continually amazed by the work God is doing in this country. This evening we met up at New Hope for Orphans for a prayer meeting in which many members of NHO came together to pray for the construction of their new orphanage. Specifically, the members wanted us to pray for continued funding for the building so they could finish up this project. As I interact with the people here I am constantly confronted with the reality that so much of NHO's success is based on an unwavering faith in God's provision. When I ask those around me about how I can help, the first answer I always get is to pray for them. These answers always blow my mind because, coming froma  culture where everything from money, to clothes, to food, is available, I have been raised to think in terms of action steps. What do I need to do to get X, what things do I need to prepare to finish Y, how can I make everything OK? Coming from a culture of privilege I have become so reliant on my abilities and the materials that I have accumulated in order to give myself a sense of safety and stability.

Coming here to a country where you don't know what's going to happen the next day or where your next meal is coming from challenges all of my preconceived notions. I really feel that people here, through their faith in God's provision, live so much closer to Him than I do, and it is humbling.

- Chris

From The Ashes ...

Hey everyone, this is Steve, I'll be your lead-off blogger for this trip. Again, this is the team blog and we'll try to update this probably once a day, so please keep checking back!!

Before I start this update, i have a personal prayer request. I just heard from back home that one of my really close friend got into a serious car accident. She has a broken leg and a couple of broken ribs, but according to the doctors, the surgery went well. She's recovering from the surgery now but still is having trouble breathing. Can I ask you guys to pray for her, her recovery, for her husband and for the doctors?

Thanks a lot, i literally just got the news via email about five minutes ago in the hotel lobby. It's shaken me up quite a bit.

----

Wow... So day 1 has been a whirlwind of non-stop activity. We got off the plane at 11AM in Cambodia and have been pretty much been going since then. It's 8:30PM right now and most the team is in their rooms preparing for bed. The itinerary for today was to visit the Toul Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields, something we usually do the first day of the trip. For those who don't know anything about Cambodia, the country went through a  mass genocide back in the 1970s. Over 2.5 million people died. The Killing Fields and Toul Sleng Museum are two "shrines" to the catastrophes that happened 30 years ago.

Two things really amaze me. First it amazes me how far the city has come since the genocides. I have to constantly remind myself that just forty years ago, the capital Phnom Penh (where we are staying) was razed to the ground by rebel forces. It was completely obliterated. Here's a picture that one of our team members found giving a good look at Phnom Penh during the genocides.

And these days? Phnom Penh is a bustling commercial city with skyscrapers, traffic, restaurants and tourist. The turn around has been pretty amazing.

Secondly, even though most remnants of the genocides are gone, the memory of it is still pretty fresh in a lot of Cambodians. Happening right in the capital right now are war-crime trials for some of the people who participated in the genocides. The trials are followed pretty closely by most of the Cambodians we talk to, indicating a heavy interest in it. Most of the people , especially the older folks, knew someone who was a victim of the genocides.

That's the lesson i'm trying to remind myself of today. That even though things may look okay on the surface in Cambodia, it's not. The people are still struggling with pain, trying to forgive, and trying to overcome the past.

Anyways... the first day is always the roughest, since we're all travel weary and worn out. We look forward to sharing your more (happier!) stories in the upcoming days.

Steve T

Countdown to departure

As I mentioned on this blog a couple weeks ago, I will be going back to Cambodia this year for a missions trip. This will be my third such trip and probably the most 'interesting' one I will go on. Before I share my thoughts on the trip, let me first give you the hard facts.

When : June 24 to July 3. Our team leaves SFO on Thursday at 2AM PST. We go feet wet at 2:15AM PST and arrive in Cambodia approx 15 hrs later. We will be on Cambodian soil for nine days after that. We return to SFO on July 3rd, 8PM PST.

Who : We have eight people on this years team. The smallest team we've ever sent. For the first time ever, half the team will be returning members. Me, Victor, Amy and Chris are coming for the second consecutive year. Carrie, Lizz, Simon and Eric are the newbies. This is us



Where : Cambodia, Phnom Penh. 90% of our time will be spent in the capital. We might make one or two forays into the villages.

Getting Updates : We will be updating the team blog throughout the trip. And I will tweet when I can. So follow us and RSS us if you wish.

Why : To change the world. And that's not me being bombastic (as I am sometimes on this blog). We have a fairly ambitious, never-attempted vision for this trip and that is to teach the orphans how to give love. The thinking behind this is that the kids who live in the orphanage are very accustom to people (missionary) coming into their lives and showing them mercy, whether it be giving gifts, spending time with them, or teaching them. All their lives these kids have been the recipients of many kind and generous acts from foreigners. We want to flip this model around just a little bit and teach them what it means to do the same in their (the Cambodian) community. One of the studies that we have planned is about the Parable of the Good Samaritan. We want to teach them that even though they might not have much (physically, like the Samaritan), they can still do much for their community. And we want to teach them that loving your community is not optional as a Christian.

In addition we will also be visiting organizations like Hagar and IJM this year. We hope to learn more about the problems (like trafficking, poverty, unemployment) in Cambodian society and what these organizations are doing to help.

Me : How do I feel about the trip? My feelings for this trip fluctuated quite a bit in the last few weeks. At times I was excited, at times nervous, at times scared. I think i've settled into a quiet anxiety about the trip. The good kind of anxiety, of not knowing what's going to happen, but anxious to get started and see what God has planned. The planning for the trip has been nothing short of a hurricane (the leadership team was named Team Hurricane) as we juggled lots of unexpected personnel changes, plan changes, schedule changes and distractions, but somehow we have a plan for the next nine days. We put this trip together in less than a month, probably half the ideal time.

There is a high degree of uncertainty to this trip. The plan that we have for the orphans (teaching them to be missional) has (literally) never been attempted before (by our church, or any church, the orphanage told us this). We have no idea how this is gonna be received or how this is gonna play out. For all we know, this could be the biggest bomb in Asia since Hiroshima. Needless to say, this has added to my anxiety.

You know in sports how before big games sometimes athletes get nervous, but once the game starts everything is okay? I feel that's where I am at now. Nervous excitement. I can't wait for this trip to start... And i can't wait to write about it when I get back.

GRX: Cambodia 2010

~~ Hello Friends ~~
Great Exchange has ventured over to Cambodia every year since 2006 bringing different teams each time. We have moved beyond visiting but into relationships with life-giving organizations. This is the official blog journal for the Great Exchange Fremont 2010 Cambodia Missions Team. (You will also find posts from 2009). We will try our best to post different stories, thoughts, events, feelings and anything else that will give you a deeper picture of our team's time in Cambodia.

Also, we want to extend our complete gratification to all those who have supported us financially and in prayers. We could not have done this without you. Thank you for being part of this story.

Let's Go!

Vision of our Trip:
To empower the young adults within New Hope for Orphans and continue to build upon our partnership their organization.
To learn and witness how God is using various organizations and people to bring restoration in Cambodia.

Who We Are:


Eight people will be stuck with each other from June 24th to July3rd, 2010.


About Cambodia:


Cambodia is a very broken country, still recovering from a mass genocide almost thirty years ago. Between 1975 and 1979, over 2 million (current population about 13 million) people died under the deadly rule of the Khmer Rouge. This act of terror wiped out an entire generation of educated Cambodians, and plunged the country into years of poverty, despair, and hopelessness.

Though the memories of the genocide will always remain in Cambodian adults, most Cambodian children are free from these horrific memories. These are the leaders of tomorrow that are the hope to lead Cambodia out of the darkness and back into the light. Cambodia is an open country, and we feel it is the right time to go in there and see what work God can do through us.


Partnering With:

This year we will be visiting and working with:


NEW HOPE FOR ORPHANS

At NHO, we realize that every child is unique and has a gift or gifts waiting to be revealed and nurtured. NHO seeks out each child's individual needs and addresses them with the love and concern that any loving and God fearing mother or father would. Our vision is to rebuild a new, young generation in Cambodia. And our mission is to nurture the orphan children through the Word of God in order for them to have a brighter future and to become a good citizen of the country.

This year GRX hopes to focus on building relationships with the young adult population at New Hope for Orphans in Phnom Penh. Recently, NHO has built a dormitory for the older individuals that house at least 40 young adults. The team has put together a loose curriculum designed to challenge the young adults' life mission and goals. We will be sharing stories, teaching one another and fellowshipping with them.

Additionally, our team will be meeting up with several different non-governmental organizations such as INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION and HAGAR CAMBODIA

On our last night in Phnom Penh..

Hallelujah from Cambodia on our last night.

Greetings, brothers and sisters, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your faithful prayers.

Yes. Indeed there is a sense of unspeakable evil and hopelessness in many parts of Cambodia. On our first day we walked through the killing field. Boeurn, director of New Hope for Orphans, told us some of his personal stories as we stood next to the tree against which the Khmer Rouge soldiers bashed countless infants to their death. Later we walked through the halls of Toul Sleng prison where tens of thousands of people were imprisoned, tortured and torn into pieces. As I found out later, of the 20,000 people imprisoned there during Khmer Rouge era, only 7 survived.

A few days later, we walked through a small town about 11 kilometers outside of Phnom Penh called Sway Pak. This is where children from 5 to 14 years of age are forced into sex work. The majority of the kids have been sold by their own parents.

Why? How?

These words echoed through our hearts the remainder of the trip.

But God’s Grace cannot be held down regardless of the magnitude of this evil. God’s light will shine through any darkness. I say this with conviction that God’s heart is breaking for Cambodia and his work has begun on this land. We witnessed an old child brothel that has been converted to a church and we worshipped the Lord in an orphanage built on an old land mine. His work has begun.

Our hearts break over this land because God’s own heart is breaking. We shed tears because Jesus’ own tears have been shed. We know God walks through the streets of Cambodia because we know he is with us as we walk through them. Praise God!

Tonight was our last night with the kids at the NHO orphanage and we decided to throw a big barbeque bash! What I can say is that these kids have not forgotten that everything is a gift from God. We pray and thank God for our food but we have forgotten that it is truly a gift from God. They have not.

We ate, we danced, we sang, we laughed, and we worshipped. There was pure, unfiltered joy.

After, the kids wanted to pray for us. We kneeled down in a hot, humid room with 30 kids surrounding us, with their tiny hands upon our shoulders… praying for us.

Some of the kids started to cry as some of us started to cry.

It was finally time for us to say goodbye. After saying the most difficult goodbyes I’ve ever had to say, I went back to the hotel.

The biggest realization for me during this trip is that we are all just brothers and sisters in Christ who need to help each other and pray for each other. Whether you’re an American or Cambodian, young or old, we’re all people who are in desperate need of a Savior. We are all broken people and God’s love shines just as bright in Cambodia as it does in America.

So I encourage all of you this one thing. When you pray globally for the people who are hungry, mistreated, and persecuted, pray with them. Not for them. We’re all in this together. Amen.

Jake

Business Makes the World Go Round...

Souresday from Phnom Penh!

Today was our second to last full day in Cambodia, and although things move a lot slower here than in the States, none of us can believe how quickly the time has gone by. We spent most of the day hanging out with the kids at the Phnom Penh orphanage. While most of the team led the kids in the children’s program, John and Steve gave a workshop on Microsoft Word to some of the older kids at the orphanage. They also worked their IT magic and debugged all the computers in the New Hope office, as well as hooked up all the computers with wireless Internet. Dr. Jake had the opportunity to learn about some of the children’s health issues, as well as give some medical recommendations. All in all, I’d say it was a very “productive” day.

I want to take a step back and write about some of my thoughts regarding the social enterprise* portion of our trip. As someone with a strong interest in business, this has been the one of most intellectually stimulating and challenging aspects of the trip for me. It has also been a source of immense encouragement and hope in a nation that is caught between a violent, broken past and a future that may be forcing Cambodia to develop at a speed that it is not prepared for.

A few days ago, we had the opportunity to sit down with Tim and Oloff from Hagar Enterprises and to learn about how they are using business to bring change to Cambodia. They explained how through enterprises like Hagar Catering, Soya, and H.O.T., they are able to rehabilitate and reintegrate victims of sex trafficking and sexual abuse back into society. Personally, it is so encouraging and inspiring to see that a business can thrive and be profitable, while maintaining high values and a social conscience. Wall Street definitely has a thing or two to learn from these guys...

Finally, I want to leave you with some food for thought. While we were at Hagar Enterprises, Tim made the interesting comment that every time you and I purchase a product or a service, we are in essence “casting a vote.” We are casting a vote for whether or not we support a business’s values and practices. Through as simple of an act as consciously choosing where to buy a shirt from, each and every one of us possesses the power to shape this world into a place that more closely resembles the Kingdom of God. What kind of world have you cast your vote for today?

- Michelle

*Social enterprises are social mission driven organizations which trade in goods or services for a social purpose.

Starfish

Thank you so much for your continual support and prayer. This community has brought heaven just a little closer to earth for me. You are in our prayers as we voyage onward to explore more about this great nation.

Today we went to:

• Pursat: for a building dedication of an orphanage that our church helped lay the foundation for last year.
• Svay Pak: to walk the streets of a community where child sex trafficking is widely known. This was led by a staffer in Chab Dai.

The main focus of my post will be about be Svay Pak.

As soon as we made the turn into the alley that led to Svay Pak I heard John utter to me "we enterin' into this hood, I don't know about that...". As we drove through the mud all of us quieted as we observed our new surroundings. In an instant we went from a main road into this small hidden community that was full of Vietnamese children ages 5-9 running around in the streets and older people sitting outside watching us intently. Each house we passed they would stare into the window and peer at our faces. I immediately felt a shift in the atmosphere. A sister quickly questioned "Is this even safe?". After a couple minutes driving through the streets our van stopped and we were greeted by Yeng and welcomed us all into "Rahab's house":

Rahab's house was formally a brothel that they had converted into a church. When you step inside you see a massive empty room. But upon closer inspection, you can see where walls were knocked down, speckled and painted over. Yeng showed us the small rooms (smaller then most American bathrooms) that had been used to hold girls. The brothel used to be just a hall way of doors. The girls would be locked there and were left to only expect a "customer" to come wanting there service. Hopeless. Upstairs, there was a "VIP room" where they held virgins and higher paying clients would go to exploit these girls.

Immediately, I felt the pain and heartache as I couldn't imagine the desolate environment these girls were in. Yeng led us outside to walk the streets of Svay Pak. He cautioned the men to stay close to the group as we were foreigners and the girls' would solicit thier services. I felt my soul writhe with anxiousness and pain for these children and women.

As we stepped into the street I felt the same as when entering the killing fields and the prison. The sense that the presence of God is being fully masked by the dark evil that filled the streets. I had to ask God to be close to my team and me as we pushed through. I had to cling onto His power to really engage in what was going on. Yeng began to share with us about how the moms of these Vietnamese families would sell their children for extra cash and not for survival. He also informed us the people who are seemingly relaxing outside of their homes are not really relaxing they are waiting for clients. The coffee shops are not just coffee shops but have brothels hidden in the back room. All this information was very alarming. We were in the midst of a city that has been posted online to foreigners that this is a place where you can pay to have sex (child or adult women).

We asked Yeng what was the age range where daughters would be sold into the trade and he replied 5-14 years of age. I thought of all the orphans that I have grown attached too and have blessed me with their smiles, my heart immediately began to break. I prayed for more of God's strength and for His eyes.

We walked through an alley where two girls brushed past us and Yeng informed us that "girls that age will ask men for sex. Sex with mouth." Our whole group grew silent. I felt all of us take in the heaviness of that statement as we walked on. A few kids began to follow us, one boy tugged on the pants of a team mate that I was standing near. I saw him jump in agitation.

As we entered another street Yeng received a phone call. After the end of the call, he informed us that we had to head back, as it was getting late, it would be dangerous for us to continue. Erin inquired why and he explained the gangsters will be coming out and foreigners will be coming in. I am guessing they didn't want us to stick around and disrupt their business especially if we were not going to pay. On our way back, he did point out a few brothels that were locked because the police finally took notice and imprisoned them for10 to 15 years. The total amount of brothels that have been closed was less then 5. But some cases take up to two years for Chab Dai to work on and fight.

When we entered the van my mind was racing. Even as the chatter started to pick up I still was having trouble wrapping my mind around everything: The families, the exploited children, the customers, the government not cracking down, the industry and etc. After walking in the midst of a city where trafficking was obvious, it finally became real. I tried to process everything with Steve and Erin. We were all at a loss. I laid my head down and prayed for the city and for Chab Dai. I prayed for redemption among the darkness and that He may fill the girls' and children's heart with hope.

I began to remember Hagar. Originally, we were supposed to visit Svay Pak first before going to Hagar but plans changed. I believe God wanted to give us a story of hope, the result of His everlasting redeeming character. I clung onto the stories Amy (from Hagar) shared. The mission of Hagar to focus on healing the individual in a holistic way. I remembered how obvious God is moving. I recounted the story of Rahab. That her house was located in an area that hated the Israelites yet she was able to protect the Isrealites and in turn God kept her family safe. That she was also a prostitute. Rahab's house sometimes fills up to over 60 people from the streets of Svay Pak. I thought of Yeng and how the community has warmed up to him. How they know he is not there to judge but to help. How the brothels were being shut down and how there has been a response from the government.

I found hope.

Then I remembered Freshmen year of college and in the middle of studying slavery for a History requirement, I questioned my courage and faith. I wondered if I was born during the times where slavery was so prevalent in the south if I would have taken a stand? What would I have done? But, now the question for myself is, there is sex slavery in America, what will you do? Will you take a stand? As I begin to wrestle with this question I will remember the story Erin used to encourage our team:

Once a man was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a young girl going back and forth between the surf's edge and and the beach. Back and forth this person went. As the man approached he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide.

The man was stuck by the the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish. Many of them were sure to perish. As he approached the young girl continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he came up to the young girl he said, "You must be crazy. There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can't possibly make a difference." The girl looked at the man. She then stooped down and picked up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He turned back to the man and said, "It sure made a difference to that one!"


Please pray for Chab Dai and Rahab's House. (to learn more click on the links).

Love,
Amy

Sues'day! (that's hello in the Khmer language) First of all I would like to thank you for all your prayers for our group during this trip. We truly appreciate all your support. This mission/vision trip so far has been pretty amazing. It's difficult to describe in words the experiences that I've gone through the past week. Everywhere we went there was brokeness, from just seeing the endless poverty on the streets when we're travelling in our van and hearing tragic stories of orphans and victims of sex trafficking. But despite seeing all this darkness I do see hope for this country. I see God setting beacons of light to slowly change things for the better, through the churches, orphanages, and NGOs. For me it has been a while since I've visited a third-world developing country and I am reminded of all the corruption and struggles that are faced with the people at these places. Although I am still processing everything here there were a few experiences that really moved me spiritually. One was our attendance at the church service at New Hope for Orphans. Eventhough I didn't understand their language the majority of the time during the sermon and worship I felt really joyful just to be in the same room praising God with them. Despite our differences in culture and background we are all related as brothers and sisters in Christ. I was also thinking of our church service back home and seeing some things that might be still lacking, one is the disconnection I still feel sometimes and not really having that family feel. Hanging out with the numerous orphans that we visited was also a great experience. It's encouraging to see how strong spirited these children are despite all their tragic family backgrounds. I truly believe the struggles that God put in our lives will make us stronger people. For these children I can see them growing up to be leaders of this country. Visting Hagar, one of the christian NGOs here, was pretty inspirational. Social enterprises that just focus to make money for social causes is so different from the typical corporate mentality back at home. All enterprises should be social enterprises is the philosphy of one of the Hagar staff. Well there are still so much other stories that I have yet to share but honestly I don't really like blogging :) So I hope to share more with you guys in person when I return.

-John

It's been interesting waking up each day thinking that you know what is going to happen but as the day progresses, God inserts mini detours along the way.


Our first activity Friday was attending the building dedication ceremony for the Pursat orphanage. We were all suprised at grandeur of the event as the provincial governor was an honored guest, along with a few other government officials. The governor, who is not Christian, shared a mini-biography about his life that was pretty inspirational. He too was an orphan whose parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge. He encouraged all the orphans at the ceremony that anything is possible for them as well. The governor also shared that he was amazed that coming from such a business-oriented profession, that the people of our church would just give money to build an orphanage all the way across the world. Who would have thought that the orphanage itself would be a witnessing tool to others in the community, especially the provincial governor?


The next item on our agenda was to meet with Yeng from Chab Dai to learn more about sex trafficking. Instead, we were asked to drop off some people at the Kompong Chhnang orphanage since they were on our way back to Phnom Penh. The drop-off turned into a mini-visit and we were all worried about the time since we had to get back to meet with Yeng. I'm really glad that we stopped there because Boeurn showed us these wells that were dug a couple years ago. At first there was no water and the orphanage did not have water to shower, drink, or cook, so they just prayed. After several days, water appeared. We were all amazed at the faith they had to simply leave up it to God to provide such a basic necessity to live. Later I spoke with one of the orphanage parents and asked some questions about the orphans, which he told me all of their parents died of HIV. I didn't know HIV was so prevalent here, which is really sad because it shows how prevalent the trafficking and prostitution industry is.

Our last stop was our visit to Svay Pak, a small village 30 minutes outside Phnom Penh, that is well-known for using children for sex. This was the most horrific, but eye-opening experience of our visit. The moment we jumped outside our van I could feel this overwhelming darkness and evil present. Yeng first showed us the community church, Rahab's House, which was a former brothel. He gave us a tour and showed us a small room that they had preserved that used to be a cell where they would lock a child in while waiting for customers to come in. It was surreal to be standing in a building where so much pain, suffering and evil took place. I tried to imagine what everything looked like before it was converted to a church. Next, Yeng took us around the community and pointed out which buildings were brothels, even though they had a front of another business like a coffee shop. The fact that children were locked in those buildings and we physically could not do anything about it broke my heart. There were also other small children about 5-9 years old following us around. Yeng asked the guys in our group to stay close as he explained that some children might come up to the guys and offer sex to them. Standing in the midst of the village gave me an overwhelming sense of fear, pain, hopelessness as the children stared at us and the villagers watched us walk around. I couldn't help but ask God how this could happen; how people could be so heartless and cold-blooded. I wrestled with so many emotions.

Yeng quickly scurried us back as the sun was setting and he warned us that customers would start coming by and we needed to leave for our saftey. Although there is so much pain, brokeness, and suffering in that community, the fact that the church was present gave me hope and showed that God is working.

~christine

Prayer Requests

God has really been reminding us about the power and importance of prayer. We met all day with several people at the Hagar Shelter today and Hagar International Office. Each person independently incorporated prayer into their conversations with us in different contexts, both on personal and global levels.

Our team has been encouraged by your thoughts and prayers. With this please continue to pray for health and safety of our team. Victor and Jake are now not feeling well and are starting to develop cold symptoms. On top of that our team has to leave Phnom Penh by 4:30am and drive out 3-4 hours to the Pursat orphanage for the building dedication ceremony where Victor is supposed to be speaking at.

Thank you for your continued support!

HAGAR: Social rehabilitation; Economic empowerment

Today our team visited Hagar, which is an ''organization committed to the recovery and empowerment of women and children who are victims of human rights abuse; particularly human trafficking, sexual exploitation and domestic violence." We met up with Aimee, who is the Communications Director and were able to tour one of the shelter facilities where women and children who have been raped, sexually abused or are victims of domestic violence live. We were also able to see firsthand one of the counseling rooms where group and individual therapy for these women takes place. We ate lunch at Hagar's training Bistro (where the women are trained before they are actually hired on for their Catering Business, which is one of Hagar's Social Enterprises.) Before we ate, we were able to meet with one of the women, Srey Neang, who was the victim of an acid burning. Her face, hands and neck are severely scarred because of what was done to her, and we were informed that this is a common occurence and oftentimes happens because of jealous rage. Battery acid is purchased easily at any market. She shared with us how she felt suicidal upon entering the shelter, and how being a part of Hagar and going through counseling and their career pathways program helped her believe that she was worthy of living again. Now she works for a tailoring botique named Ëlsewhere and she is one of the best seamstresses there. She was quoted in a newsletter and shared with us today saying: Ï do not want to die anymore, I want to survive. Before I was so weak and always wore a mask when I would go anywhere. But now I am strong and recognize myself. If I do not recognize myself, society also does not recognize me."

She hopes to one day open up her own dress shop.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 58: 6-14

For me personally and professionally, visiting Hagar was something I felt very close to my heart. I was very impressed with Hagar's training and holistic approach. They believe in fully investing in the women and children that come into their shelters: spiritually, educationally, emotionally & mentally, even though it is extremely costly. They believe this because they have tried and seen that beyond prayer, it is the only way that works for these people to be reintegrated into society effectively after the horrible atrocities that have been done to them. They truly believe that only with God can the pain and wounds of sexual trafficking, domestic violence and rape be diminished and people be made whole again. They believe that God is hope, and that with His (and the community's) love, care & restoration, people can be changed and healed.

It is very apparent to me in Cambodia how pervasive and real sin and evil is and how it continues to effect generations and nations down the line. There is a definite corruption here -- especially among the government. There is a lust for power and money and generally women and children suffer and end up paying the cost. While discussing how Aimee (who is originally from Canada but moved here almost a year ago with her husband and began working for Hagar shortly after) she shared with us the passage from Matthew 26:11 which reads "The poor you will always have among you, but you will not always have me" And shared how many of her friends back home have used this verse to turn a blind eye -- but how this attitude of complacency really only perpetuates the problem.

We also asked her the question we have been struggling with since the onset of our arrival in Cambodia: We are only here for a short trip, how do you deal with the pain and suffering you see on a daily basis?? She replied with the following message:

Ï can see God moving through and in this country. I have learned that I have to be okay with the mess. I don't like it, and yes, there is a sense of holy rage, but I have to learn how to dive in and learn to release and submit it before God. I have seen people's lives transformed and changed. I am constantly hearing stories of redemption and I focus on those. Living in Cambodia I've learned to believe in redemption like never before."

I feel her telling us this only confirms what we've been studying in the lord's prayer book for devotions every morning. Learn to live in the tension, learn to acknowledge and trust that God is bigger. He is a God of redemption and healing -- and while I have only been here for five (six?!) days, it is very evident that Cambodia is a nation He is restoring.

I'm not sure what all of this looks like personally for my future, but I do sense a strong connection with Hagar's holistic, specifically therapeutic approach to counseling and restoring these women and children.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.

We are so thankful for you!

Much much love,

<3erin

PS HAPPY 27th BIRTHDAY CHRISTINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This link will take you to Hagar Project (focused on reintegrating victims of sex trafficking and abuse/domestic violence)

http://www.hagarproject.org/c_cam.php

This link will take you to Hagar's Social Enterprises -- While I didn't discuss this portion of our day in this blog, I know a lot of you would be interested to hear about the going-on's and this website will help explain more in detail the different enterprises they have set-up. It's extremely interesting so you should check it out!

http://www.hagarinternational.org/hagar-social-entre.php

Prayer Request

Hey everyone,

Thank you for all the support and prayers. It's been a powerful couple of days and already I am amazed by all that's happened. Much of it could not have happened without all of you behind us which is why I'm coming to you now.

Someone from the team has been sick for the last 2 days. She has symptoms of headaches, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. Praise God that we have two medical staff on the team (though none of them practice general medicine) but have been extremely helpful during this time. We are hoping that it's just a severe case of indigestion and are closely monitering the situation. Just to be on the safe side, we decided came back early to the main city so that she can get some rest and be near a hospital. I am praying that rest is all that she needs.

We have a full schedule today and will be leaving for the rural parts of the country late afternoon. Again, just to be on the safe side, I've asked her to stay behind at the hotel if there are no signs of improvement by then, and two members of the team have volunteered to stay behind to be with her.

Would you pray for Joanna?

Pray for healing

Pray that this would not hinder, in any way, what God wants for her here.

Pray that she would be able to come with us to Pursat today.

Pray against any guilt that she may have.

I am also asking if some of you would fast for her as well.

And of course, please continue to pray for our team.

With much peace and hope,

- Victor

______________________________

*Update*

Joanna woke up this morning feeling a lot better! (6:30am right now)

A Child-Like Faith

I am at a loss for words to describe everything that has been going on for me. The only word that can sum up my experience so far is 'crazy'. The trip has been a huge learning experience for me from our interactions with the orphans to our meetings with Chab Dai and other random missionaries that we've met to roaming the streets of Cambodia. I didn't think I would see God actively working and changing Cambodia in such an obvious way. I feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity to be here and see everything that I have seen and to have met so many different people; every night I feel refreshed and overjoyed.

One thing that God has really been showing me is what genuine, child-like faith and joy is through the 3 orphanages we have visited so far. First, it is hard for me to grasp how these kids can be so happy despite their poverty and history of hardships, whether it be losing their parents or being sexual abused. At first I wasn't sure if their joy was genuine but the more I watch them and spend time with them, I realize that their happiness is sincere. I can't even begin to imagine how I would deal or react if I was in their position. How can they still have so much trust and faith in anything good or even God after enduring so much pain and suffering?

There are 3 kids that have really stood out to me. The first is a 4-year old girl who I thought acted very ADD. She was bouncing all over the place more than a normal toddler does and everytime I tried to take a picture with her she would react negatively. I then found out that she was sexually abused and when she first arrived at the orphanage she refused to talk or play with anyone. It broke my heart to know that something so cruel could happen to such an innocent person (or anyone, for that matter). The second is a 6-year old girl that the orphanage just recently found out has HIV, which she most likely contracted from her mom. She has 2 brothers and 2 sisters, but none of them have HIV. When she first found out she had HIV, she refused to eat because she thought she was going to die anyway. I didn't know this when I was watching her play and was actually surprised because she was really assertive and bossy towards me and the other kids. The third is a 2-year old boy who lost his parents. My first impression of him was that he was adorable with his chubby cheeks. Later, the kids started singing worship songs and he danced, but right when they started singing "Open the Eyes of my Heart" he immediately threw up his arms in the air and closed his eyes and sang (see pic). Again, I thought this was 'cute'. Later, the orphanage 'mom' told him to pray for me and he closed his eyes and laid his hand on me and just started praying in Khmer. I have no idea what he was saying but he just prayed. He has also prayed for Joanna, Victor, and Boeurn (the churches chief admin and our tourguide/translator). To me he is more than just a 'cute baby' but someone who has taught me what true faith can look like. Hearing these 3 kids' stories and seeing their restored joy, hope and faith has shown me what an unhindered faith looks like.

God has also been reminding me of the power of prayer. When we met with Yeng, the facilitator for Chab Dai, we asked what we could do for the organization. He simply responded, "Pray." Our team prodded him to give us a 'deeper' answer and he repeated, "You can pray for us." Apparently that answer wasn't satisfactory so we asked him again, but his answer did not change. It made me realize that as Americans, we are so action driven and like to take things into our own hands, when in actuality it is out of our control. It reminded me of many missionaries' stories that I had heard in the past about overcoming intense struggles simply by praying and trusting in God. Prayer is the most powerful tool we have. This really spoke to me as I have just recently learned what it means to truly trust God and let Him take control of my life and seeing Him answer many of my prayers this year.

Other interesting events that have made this trip fun was getting to ride on the back of Boeurn's motorcycle sans helmet dodging other cars and motorcycles and then burning my calf on the exhaust pipe. Second was watching Victor kill a chicken and then eating it as part of our dinner...Yes, you read that correctly but I'll let him tell the story. It is the freshest chicken I have ever eaten.

These are just a few things I wanted to share with you. Everyday, God has been really humbling me and teaching me through his people here in Cambodia. Our entire team has been blessed by his people here through their faith and their love for us. It made me wonder what it would look like if they sent their own missions team to us to help us strengthen our faith.

~christine

"The joy of the Lord is my strength"

PRAYER REQUESTS

- Joanna: she is pretty sick, please pray for healing and strength to continue the rest of the trip.

- For our team to understand the power of prayer and to pray diligently

- For each individual team member to start thinking about how we can put into practice all that we are learning here when we return home.

- To continue to serve the church, orphans, and Cambodians with a humble attitude

- To learn more about NGOs and how we can serve and pray for them