Monday 19 November 2012
I woke up at 5:30AM after staying up until 11:30PM on Sunday doing aerobics with Sandra. I think we went to bed last every night; it was hard to tell if we were tired because of sleep deprivation or jet lag! We went to Gateway for breakfast (I told you to get used to hearing that!) and it was delicious! If you are ever in Phnom Penh, make sure and eat there! We had plenty of yummy food, but more importantly, hot coffee! The coffee in Cambodia is strong too, so that was a blessing!
Then, we went back to the hotel to get all of our stuff together for crafts and Dave led us in an amazing devotional! God definitely knew what he was doing when He made him for our trip pastor!
From my journal: "It has been amazing how much God has shown up on this trip! I just feel like every single detail has been preplaced... Haha probably because it has! God is so good."
Next we went to SVAY PAK! DAY 1!
We arrived at Rahab's House a little before 9AM and went straight off to work. We all had a specific role from 9-11AM every day. I taught CPR every morning to about three of the disciples and my translator, Neath. I don't know what I would have done without her! My make shift sign language is pretty sub par! In two hours, we learned unconscious choking, rescue breathing, and CPR! I was amazed by their attentiveness and desire to learn.
After CPR, we went to the brick factories. I wrote about the brick factories a little bit before, but I will do it again now. The brick factories are where the poorest of the poor live. The workers are essentially enslaved there. We brought them rice, which most groups bring when they go visit; however, unlike anything that other groups give, we brought fish and sauce for them as well. The way their faces lit up when they saw the fish...I don't think I have ever experienced something like that before. So we got to give them fish, but we also got to give them something better than that.
With every fish, one of us would say "Brey Jesu pro tienpo," or "God (Jesus) bless you." We wanted them to know that we were not the ones providing for them -- God is their provider! Vince also spoke to them in a large group and shared the gospel very plainly with them. It was amazing.
After we handed out all the food, we saw the places that they lived. I don't know if some of the places could be called shacks, maybe roofs would be a better way of putting it. Some of the people were already preparing their fish as we walked around! It was so sweet to see that we really were meeting a legitimate, practical need at that place.
We got back to Rahab's House at 12:30 or 1PM for lunch with everyone. Today was rice and fried chicken! I understand it is a famous recipe. I think the Khmer word I want to use is "lana," which means "delicious" or "very good."
Once we were done stuffing our faces and meeting the American stereotype, we headed upstairs for Kids' Club! This could be it's own blog! The best way I can figure to relate Kids' Club to Americans, is VBS for brick factory kids. We started with some singing and dancing, led by the always amazing Chris Clayton. Then we introduced ourselves to the kids and prayed.
My job for kids club was to narrate the stories. We made a series called "Walking with Jesus" (named by the lovely Sharon Rice!) and the first teaching was on Jesus feeding the 5,000. While I told the story (with the translation expertise of Ratanak -- Praise the LORD!), my team acted everything out behind me. They were so funny! The kids loved it; they were so engaged!
From my journal: "They were becoming so much more open and loving towards us as time went on; I can't wait to see what time holds at the end of the week!"
Here is essentially how the story played out:
--Set up with Jesus and everyone else sitting around him.
Narrator: One day, Jesus was teaching people on a hill. Five thousand people to be exact! He taught all day -- from morning until night -- and the people were very hungry!
--Sitting people rub bellies like hunger pains.
Narrator: The disciples knew that they didn't have enough food for the people so they wanted to send them home, but Jesus had another plan in mind...
--Maybe have one person be a disciple and everyone else is a hungry sitter? Disciple shrugs shoulders or looks confused??
Narrator: Jesus asked who had food in the crowd and 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish were found. The disciples were confused about how that was going to feed 5000 people!
--One of the crowd members gives Jesus a fish and a piece of bread (maybe cut out of paper?) and the disciples laugh
Narrator: Jesus trusted God to provide for the people. He prayed for the food and gave it out.
--Jesus prays for food and maybe tears pieces of the fish and bread paper and gives it to the crowd?
Narrator: Everyone got fed and there was even some left over! God made something out of nothing. God provides for us and meets our needs when we trust in Him!
After the story, we did crafts and played a game. Our craft was making crepe paper covered fish to remind the kids of how God multiplied the fish and bread to feed the 5,000. Our game was snake tag; it was played with the same theme in mind. It started off with one person, but when you got tagged you joined a chain of "It" people. Only the ends of the "snake" can tag more people. The kids had so much fun! I am just amazed by how much happiness and laughter they have!
Especially when you consider that 50% of the kids there are still being trafficked... some even that same night.
After Kids' Club, it was time for us to break up into our individual assignments again, and this was the moment I had been dreading for months. Aerobics. I can barely
God. That's how.
From my journal: "After some last minute prayers, I went out and began with about four students. By the end of the hour, I had at least 70. God is so awesome. Enough said."
God took total control! I was able to make it through the full hour with a huge smile on my face!
Then, we went to a fancy restaurant with Christa. The traffic was INSANE though. Barack Obama was in town, and political opinions aside, he was causing plenty of traffic issues for us! Half of the roads in Phnom Penh were shut down for him! Despite all of that, we made it to the restaurant and t
he food was so amazing! Everyone's looked incredible!Funny story of the day (Sorry Sandra!): I was laying in bed, writing my journal, when I hear screaming coming from the bathroom! It was a cockroach! If you know me, you know I can do snakes or spiders, but I can't do cockroaches. I don't know why, but I can't deal with them for one minute, and this guy was prettttttty big! So, I did what any girl would do. I went across the hall and found a man (Dave) to come squish it and throw it away for us :) Myyyy hero!
Then, it was bedtime, after a long day.
Which sounds a lot like I'm feeling right now! I have got to quit staying up until 3AM writing these things! Oh well, at least finals are over...
Thought of the moment: Make God the focus of your day today! I dare you!
Verse of the moment: 1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." It is so easy to get caught up in what we want or what we want people to see in us. Remember, a man cannot serve two masters; pick God! He is the only one who will never let you fall!
Gosh here is so much more to write! I can't do it tonight though; I will tell a couple more stories tomorrow.
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