Cambodia 4

Today started a little earlier as the students gather starting at 5:30 am in the Worship room right outside our window. We are still not on schedule, so we were already awake and showered before they started streaming in. The early prayer meetings are convened in each of the four dormitories, so the crowd was not quite as big.

Electricity is not as available this trip........it seems "off" more than it is on, so I take little opportunities to journal here on my lap top and "hope" that it comes on during the day to send off a note to my precious family at home, and to each of you "rope holders"

The time of prayer was so precious. Jesus was in the room. The students have a precious way of making you feel like you are gathering up with them at the feet of Jesus and sharing the concerns that are on their hearts. One big concern is ALWAYS ....praying for their families who are not followers of Jesus. They also prayed for the people who would be playing soccer with the guys in the afternoon and their testimonies before them.  It was a sweet time, and the hour, though sitting on a hard tile floor, passed quickly as we heard their hearts.

Breakfast

After prayer we walked down the street to a local outdoor market for a breakfast of noodles and pork and ???? a few other things were in there?? We all squished around the table in the midst of morning traffic rushing by on the road........the sound thudding of the cleavers all around us chopping the morning meat. It was sort of like sitting IN a butchery........every animal and foul were being readied for the fresh sales of the day. The students are great...so full of joy and stories and they patiently accompanied us as we walked around the market, fascinated that there could be so many varieties of fresh vegetables, fruits,tons of  fish being scaled and set out in a beautiful fashion, chickens displayed in a variety of ways, but the feet always being highlighted, as the delicacy that they are. After trying a number of new fruits and making our purchases, we headed back to the dorm. 

We bumped into "Kouch", tall lanky, intelligent young man. I know him has Hut Sunneassey, but he is called "KOUCH- Dimple"............for obvious reasons. His facebook photo shows an American Soldier. His desire, to serve in the American NGO or army or something to do with the USA. I wish that I was smart enough to record our meeting,  but that would have probably ruined the moment. Diana and Greg Brown are his "prayer partners" I specifically asked them because of their son Derek being at West Point. They EVER SO kindly had given us a West Point sticker AND Derek's badge from his uniform to bring to him. Lynn had purchased an Army BB cap at the Army Navy store because we knew it was Kouch's birthday. Well, the presentation could NOT have been more auspicious. He got so emotional and was so honored by having the badge.....the West Point Sitcker went immediately on his bike. He is pondering where he wants the badge......."something that won't ever wear out"   What a treat for him to feel so loved. THANK YOU TO THE BROWNS FOR BEING SO THOUGHTFUL.........

We decided to check out if there was any possibility of seeing the Super Bowl, and I thought that maybe the US Embassy would know. Of course Kouch was all over that, and offered to motorbike the two of us to the Embassy...........so off we went, with Channy driving the other bike. Weaving in and out of traffic, unhelmeted isn't a problem...but I did notice that Channys fuel tank was well below the red E. I know that site well, because to Lynn's dismay, that is where mine usually is......he said NOT A PROBLEM...........there is plenty. Until about a block later, and we sputtered along, having lost Lynn and Kouch in the morning traffic. They found us....went to get a coke bottle of Petrol.........and we were on our way again.

haha....

Lunch of rice and veggies with the students and then on to see another Abolition ministry called Bloom Cafe. It was amazing. They work with trafficked women and teach them to make the most amazing cupcakes and wedding cakes, teaching them a trade with dignity and honor and it was very impressive.

Green tea on the roof with Vuthea and Dina. Will share more about them another day, but they JUST purchased the tea pot and cups and tea is "always at the ready" They have a desire to make that roof a really neat place for the students to invite their friends to "hang out" so they can share Jesus.

On to soccer........Lynn, of course, played!! and the kids were so proud of him. Remember most don't even have Grandpa's because of the Killing Fields, where almost 2 million people were tortured and annihilated. Grandparents are a treasure.......and so to get to play their favorite sport and have him a part of that, was such a treat. Many of the girl students come by to watch and cheer and we had fun on the sidelines "girl talking"

Back to have MORE rice and veggies with the students before a quick shower and we each went our separate ways to teach small groups. All of the students are divided up into groups of 4 or 5, so there are about 20 cell groups meeting around the city. My first time where the girls live...........hmmmmmmmmmmm, another blog!! But we had such a precious time of sharing from God's word and then Q and A. "Grandma, 99.9% of the young available men in this country are Buddhist and have no knowledge of God. How can we date or find a husband?"   Much of our time was spent talking and seeing what God's word has to say. SO precious.

I walked home on the dark street, very comfortable for the short block until I saw two young men running at me full tilt. I started, for just a moment wondering if there was a fire or something wrong?? Until I heard...........MOM, MOM...........and as we got closer was scooped up into an embrace and literally swept off my feet. MESA had arrived from the Pepper Plantation. We had met Mesa last January, and he was our faithful TUK TUK driver, brilliant soccer player and MAN OF GOD. He is humble, and commited to Christ. We had not yet seen him and they had just arrived. LOTS of tears and hugs and JOY.........We talked for a long time, and waited til  Lynn finished his cell group. We will meet early this morning for breakfast and get caught up before they head back to the Plantation tomorrow. 

The students wanted to end the day motorbiking downtown to the night market, but it was after 10 and the day had been quite full.............

Today is another day.............