On to Another

Well, I have been in Cambodia for nearly a month, and today is my last day! It's crazy how fast it all flew by. I have grown so much, and I was able to experience so much. Today, my parents and I are headed to Hanoi, Vietnam. In Vietnam, we are going to visit the family of the boy I have been sponsoring through world vision for 6 years. I can not even express with words how thrilling it is going to be to be in Nam's (the boy) village, with his family. Surreal. This whole trip is surreal!

I am blessed beyond compare, and excited to share my journey with others when I come home.
I am ready to see my friends, relax in the comfort of my own home, and sleep in my own bed.

Thank you, to all who kept me in your thoughts and prayers. In 6 days, I will be back in California, and able to tell stories :)

River

Siem Reap

I feel spoiled. I'm staying in an extravagant hotel, AND my parents are here. I'm having an amazing time. Yesterday, we took a boat ride (on a very secure, steady boat...not) on the Tonle Sab River. It was incredible. Making our way down the river we were surrounded by river villages, and the scurrying of Tuk Tuks and Moto's was replaced by the steady drifting of hand-crafted boats. The markets and venders I was used to passing on the sides of roads, were now in boats, making their way from house boat to house boat, offering supplies and produce. It was remarkable to see how the people created an entire community, and that the majority of them had lived that way their entire life.
Today we worked at a school and family encouragement center. We helped garden, paint, and build a mushroom house. What a character building day! I am exhausted and the day is only half way done! I miss my friends, and I am excited to see good old Lodi again, but I am enjoying myself SO much. Cambodia has proved to be an excellent growing experience for me.

Kep

My mom has been here for two days, now, and it has been so nice to have her here with me. Upon her arrival, I could sense the excitement that radiated from both of us, and the excitement grew and grew as she was introduced to more and more that I had been experiencing. I took her to S.21 and The Killing Fields, where, as I described in previous blogs, action was taken in regards to the Khmer Rouge. She was affected similarly to me; it is a truly upsetting experience.

Today however, her third day, has proved most interesting. We thought that we would take an excursion to the coast, about 5 hours away. We found what seemed to be a reliable company that would be able to guide us along the way, even stopping at tour hot spots. We stopped at a mountain about two hours away from Phnom Penh, and climbed high to an old Buddhist temple that had been destroyed by war bombs. The history of the temple is incredible, but it was hard to discern between myth and reality. My mom and I enjoyed standing in the same spot the old King would have stood, looking over at the valley below, and the river where he would have watched boat races. A long, stone staircase, now crumbling, stretched its long arm down the mountain and into the valley, disappearing into separating roads. As we climbed down the mountain with our guide, I could sense that both my mom and I, were getting an uneasy feeling. I don’t think there was a definite reason why we were both suddenly tensing...we just felt uneasy and no peace. After leaving the temple and driving another hour away from Phnom Penh, we stopped for lunch. At this point the balance due for the trip got confusing and sketchy. The communications we had made with the company previously to setting out on the journey were seemingly misunderstood, and now we were asked to pay cash for a trip that we thought we had already paid for, and now, that we were entirely unsure about completing. We left lunch, after a long discussion with our guides about the destination, towards the coast. Ten minutes into the drive, however, we decided that our spirits both felt very heavy about the trip. We told the driver that I am very tired, which I am, and that we think it best if we made our way BACK to Phnom Penh.

I write this in the back of the car, silently, with my ipod in ear. I’m listening to my favorite worship music, and finally, for the first time today, I am feeling peace.

I have no idea why my mother and I, both, felt uneasy. I have no idea why our spirits were so heavy. Perhaps it was the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we were not destined to be in Kep, the coastal city tonight for reasons we will never know. And perhaps there is no reason at all, no explanation at all. All I know is that I thank God for directing us on a path where, now, I feel peaceful and safe. I am also glad that my mom is here with me.

A weird day! Hard to explain the feeling thoroughly. I would say there is something we can all learn from this, though. Sometimes in life, stuff happens; we get stuck, or uncomfortable, and we don’t know why. We just have to rely on God turning us back around and helping us find peace. He does bring peace that surpasses all understanding, safety, and joy.

With my spirits lifted, and my mom by my side, I am ready to take on another day….No matter how weird. : )

Pictures

Scroll all the way down :)

I don't want to live a normal life.

I don’t want to live a normal life; I don’t want to blend in with the crowd! I want to stand out. It’s ironic, because here in Cambodia, everywhere I go, I am the odd one out. I am stared at, smiled to, and in some cases misunderstood. People are curious about me. They recognize my different nature, and it arouses questions and curiosities.

Shouldn’t this be how we live as Christians? We should be recognizable. Maybe not so much by the way we look, but by the way we act. If our hearts are in the right place, people should be able to set us apart. I think that too often, we attempt to blend in with the crowd, so that we are socially acceptable and “normal.” Was Jesus socially acceptable? Was He normal? Um….no…he definitely wasn’t. I think if we simply practice integrity, others, whom are not Christians will see us, and become curious. Just as I am asked the questions daily, “Where do you come from?” or “What do you do?” People will ask us, as Christians, “Why are you different?” or they will simply recognize the difference. When we spark others attention about what our “difference” is, we give God the opportunity to water that seed.

I constantly lack the integrity that should be radiating from me. I want people to see what God’s love does to people. I want to be that example. I encourage you too, believers, to take a stand! Just for one day, practice integrity; be intentional about doing good, and praising God with the way you act, think, and live.

The perfect love is Gods love...so share it :)

Now as for CAMBODIA!!! I am still thoroughly enjoying my time here. Although I miss people back home, I am learning so much and experiencing so much. I love the Khmer culture, and I am even learning a little bit of the language. I think that some day I would like to come back to this beautiful place. (But I am sure to think that about every place I visit)

This trip is producing a girl who now wants to travel her whole life. I love the feeling of being away from my comfortable American life…with so much unknown and waiting for exploration. Daily, my eyes are being opened to new and exciting experiences. Back home, people get so (too) comfortable with the way they are living, that the simple idea of going abroad is frightening and just too big of an idea. But there is so much work that can be done overseas! There are so many people that need help, and so many jobs that need educated minds to operate.

To experience a new culture is the largest adrenaline rush for me, satisfying in every way. I am so blessed to be here and share love with anyone I come into contact with.

Ah…now that I am tired and hot and sweaty (because the humidity here is literally worse than a sauna)…I think I will eat some delicious Khmer food, and sleep. Love you all!

Always on the go!

I miss home! I miss my friends! I miss my famillyyyy. BUT, I am enjoying this country SO much. I am trying new things, daily. I cannot get enough of the food here. Thats DEFINITELY not a good thing, seeing as though im getting little to no exercise...
I am enjoying the markets, especially, because I love walking through and seeing all the fresh produce and meats. (and buying delicious fruit that I have never seen before) AMERICA HAS NO IDEA what it is missing out on. The flavors here are UNREAL.
I took a Khmer cooking class, and BOY did I learn a lot. I can't wait to make some "fish amok" for friends and family when I return home!!

Well, as I do everyday, I must go teach some english to some adorable children!