I was telling Steph tonight at church that I just couldnt do this post. Earlier, I stared long and hard at this screen in hopes that the words would just come to me... but they didnt.
I learned so, so much. I experienced so, so much. I loved and hated so, so much. I was broken and humiliated. I was loved and praised. The Cambodians affected us in such a huge way. We all couldnt get over the joy of these people. Ask anybody who went on that trip what stood out the most.. and they will tell you the joy of the Cambodians. They work almost to hard to do everything and the whole time they smile, laugh, sing, joke. The respect in Cambodia is another new concept. Our so called "respect" is not even close to the attitudes and respect the teenagers have for one another and their elders. NO one has any sort of frown when they are asked to do a task.. especially when most of their tasks are not easy. We did all sorts of things with the Cambodians; together we all took on the tasks of literally building a fence, cooking whole, huge meals from scratch, aids camp, planting rice fields, doing the whole moringa process (which included cutting down the trees, planting new ones, sorting the leaves, ripping the leaves of the branches, baking the tons of leaves in the sun and turning each leaf into a small, fine powder... this process took about three days) and many other things. Each task took atleast a whole day and our bodies just plain werent used to this much stuff... so we ended each day soaked (SOAKED) in sweat, with mud and dirt covering our bodies (no matter what we did), tired, and hungry. They ended the days with maybe a little sweat and dirt but looking happier than ever, like they just woke up and were ready for a clean fresh day. It was amazing how deep and true their joy was. No matter how miserable physically we were.... we couldnt help catching on to this joy... we all wanted to sing, dance, laugh and joke with them too... and we did. None of us will ever forget this joy and I know I desire daily to have the same contagious joy that only comes from the Father we share.
Semboc. This man was the true light. We all saw this joy from every Cambodian which was a true testimony and showed us what being a christian meant to them, but Semboc. This man smiled 100% of the time. He really has no reason to be so happy and to make so many people happy, but he knows his Savior... and that's good enough for him. Probably the most tedious and wretched job for us was the job they do the most... planting rice. Semboc ended with us and right when we had all about had it.. he started singing with his huge smile, "I'm so happy, so very happy, I got the love of Jesus in my hearrrrrt!" At the time it was just me, Cal and Dave next to him. All three of us just stopped walking and turned to him in disbelief. As we stood there staring at him, he smiled and said, "You too? you have the love of Jesus yes? sing!" wow. wow. wowwwww. We just all couldnt help it... we all just smiled and smiled as wide as our lips could hold and sang with this man of God proudly.. cause he was right.. we had reason to sing.
I have returned to my battlefield. It was easier there. But those Cambodians are such warriors and I aspire to be like them. I know we were all taught our specific things. I know this trip changed our lives forever. I'm just thankful that I now see that that same God that is there with the Cambodians is here with me too.
There were hundreds of troubles, thousands of jokes, millions of laughs, trillions of experiences for each team member. If you would like to hear any of the many of crazy, hilarious experiences we had.... ask me sometime. Call me up or text me, we'll go get coffee, you tell me about your two weeks, and I'll tell you about mine.
just a few highlights (you want more.. look at my billions of facebook pictures that i am adding... now :p):
-food (if I didnt try it all.... rebecca and david did)
-animals (wild dogs, snakes, crabs, scorpians, lizard mania, kittens, cows, water buffalo, donkeys)
-temples
-killing fields
-truck bed
-pictures
-toooo many planes
-hotels
-so many forms of transportation : planes, tuk tuks, motos, trucks, trains, lorreys, subway, cars, taxis, ferries, more planes
-so many different swimming views: water hole in Cambodia looking out on rice field, swimming pool in Hong Kong in the middle of the city, at night, looking up at billions of lit up skyscrapers, Chinese sea looking out at the Chinese mountains and blue sky.
-floors
-new games
-new songs
-flowers
-luggage
-chopsticks
-oceans 14
-climbing up mountains with 50 llb. bags
-chiliiiisss, baby back ribss
-bartering, shopping
-so much more.
-digging, hammering, shaping, pulling, napping, swimming, drinking, smashing, planting, picking, nailing, placing, playing, singing, dancing, acting, flying, tasting, harmonizing, listening, crying, praying, praising, braiding, lugging, climbing, holding, teaching, sweating, missing, seeing, smelling, sleeping, reading, learning, creating, petting, cheering, hearing, loving, running, walking, hiking, eating, riding, laughing, chopping, ripping, sorting, slicing, sifting, experiencing : Cambodia
this is getting ridiculous.
