We both seem to wake before the 5 am alarm each day.....not sure if it is because at home we never use an alarm, and just wake early but here we want to be sure we don't oversleep, or if it is the dueling roosters or the cacophony of barking and howls from the neighbourhood dogs. One dog starts and then there is literally a chorus from all over the neighbourhood. Prayer meeting starts at 5:45 am but it is right here in the room the other side of our window so we don't have to go far or find a tuk tuk. Sitting on the hard tile floor for an hour or so, these young people pour out their hearts and burdens to our God. They pray for each other and the variety of ministries God has allowed them to be in....but it seems their #1 concern is their families...locked in ancestral Buddhist tradition. During the day, I prayed with four different students who were headed home for the weekend and concerned about their family.
After prayer, about 15 of us walked to the local outdoor market for breakfast. I smile. That sounds like we went to Panera.....
NOT!!!! We all squish around a tiny table, behind the lady that is making the soup, chopping with her cleaver the whole chicken....bones and all that will be sprinkled on top of your rice porridge or noodles ( the two choices offered for breakfast) and surrounded .....literally, by the vendors who are have all manner of fresh meat from a variety of animals and fish that they are chopping up and selling. It is Friday morning and the place is a BUZZ of activity.
I had two English classes today while Lynn has found some time to prepare for his two hour long messages on Sunday. I decided to talk about
"special days" in class today, and started with their favorite birthday memory in the Provinces.
I can tell you that discussion did not take very long. NOT ONE of all the students that I had in class had EVER had their birthday acknowledged at their home....EVER. Some were not even sure when it was. OK Judy, try not to act sad, or incredulous about what their " norm" is just move on to your next discussion point.
After class, we found a tuk tuk to take us down to meet Chet and Virginia Quinn....brother to Liz Trautman and Margie Quinn. Their ministry is with Daughters of Cambodia....a ministry involved with the restoration of young men and women ravished by Human trafficking. The stories of God's redemption of those caught in this horrendous lifestyle were heart breaking but these are the ones who have Victory stories. They are being given an economic trade, and dignity is being restored.
Afternoon English class was followed by a walk to the soccer stadium. The guys are LOVING having Grandpa Lynn play with them. Yesterday we walked a little early. That always brings a little consternation because we are usually always flanked....in front, and on the sides and the rear by students. ESPECIALLY crossing the roads. Lynn really wants to just sit and take a 5 minute video sometime. When you say busy it really doesn't begin to describe the traffic. It is not just busy traffic, it is CRAZY traffic....where each one does what is right in his own eyes!!!
Jessica is the single missionary from Seattle who is here holding the fort here while David and Moonjung Ooi are in the States for a year. Last night none of us were speaking in small group, so we took Jessica down to the river front and had some food and......yup, ice cream, and just walked along the river a bit. It was a gorgeous evening....and it was nice to have some alone time with her to hear her heart for what she is doing. It is very lonesome.........
We were back home by 10 PM when I remembered that I had left Lynn's rather pungent soccer clothes soaking on the roof after the hot and sticky soccer game, so I needed to go free up the washing basin. I think one of my favorite times has been at the wash basin. With so many students living here, there is almost always someone there to "scrub with."
Last night it was Tearit. We more often see him as the soccer goalie. His English is quite good, which of course helps with the depth of the conversation. I asked him if it was hard to be doing his own laundry since coming to Crossroads. Once again.....( you would think that I would get used to their looks of surprise) "NO GRANDMA!!! I have been washing my own clothes since I was 10 years old. When I lived in the village I had to cook my own food, and care for my clothes since 10. I wanted to go to school but my parents had no money for books or uniforms or school fees, so I started to work when I was a little boy as a guide to tourists. That is also how I learned to speak English and French fluently." His Mom was lead to Christ by missionaries many years ago. He asked for prayer for his Dad, not yet a Christ follower.
We sort of fell into bed a little after 11, thankful of the power of Gods Word reaching to this part of the world...and thankful for Kingdom opportunities to share His love....even over a wash basin on the roof under the starlit full moon Cambodian sky.
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