Hey everyone, Battambang is starting to feel a little more like home. I'm learning about the best places to eat, where the nice pools to swim at are, and where to find internet. This is a beautiful country because of the beautiful people that live here. I was able to visit an orphanage a couple of times already. It has quickly become my favorite place here in Battambang. The children are amazing here and have so much joy. There are no sad faces or any signs of self pity. When we arrive they light up and joy fills the orphanage. I can't wait to be back and I would spend all of my time there if it were possible. Sompath is 21 years old and still stays at the orphanage. I hope to learn his story soon. When I first got to the orphanage he sat right next to me and we talked as well as we could with my very limited Khmer and his very broken english. But we've begun a relationship and I've been praying for him a lot. I really feel like he has an opportunity to be a light to many other people his age. I talked to the whole orphanage yesterday with a translator and I told them that there was hope for them. That there is hope for their future and that God has a purpose and a plan for them. I told them that we wanted to tell them more about Jesus so that they could go out and tell others about Jesus. Many in this generation are hungry for something besides Buddhism and I want to lead them to someone who loves them so much that he died for them. About 80% of the population here in Cambodia is under the age of 30. That's exciting for us because that means this country is on the verge of complete change. Many of the youth know that the government is corrupt and see many of the issues facing this country. They want to see change and they are beginning to see that there is more to life than Buddhism.
I also had the opportunity to meet with the principal of the Salaa Hope School. A few members of my team and I met with him and talked about what it would like to teach english and Bible there at the school. He was a very friendly guy and was so excited that we wanted to help out at the school. It is a christian school and had tons of life with a whole bunch of children running around playing. He asked me if I played soccer and I told him that it was my favorite sport. He then asked if I liked basketball and I said I like any sport. He told me the only thing he played was ping pong and he was real excited when I told him that I loved playing ping pong. He invited me to play sports with the children everyday and 3. So far my schedule is open and I had looking for an opportunity to play sports with some kids here.
There are a few other things going on here with some other people on my team that are very exciting. God is doing things with this team that have not always been done in the past. People are finding ministries here in Battambang that they have passions for, but that they did not expect to be able to do here. One example is a a girl on my team is a cosmetologist and never expected to be able to do that here. Just yesterday she was able to plan with the leaders of the organization how she could teach women who have been rescued from sex trafficking how to cut hair. Here is a link to their site (http://www.raphahouse.org/#/what-we-do). The place she is teaching is called the "Freedom Center". It is part of an organization called "Rapha House".
God is doing some amazing things here and its so fun to be apart of. It's only just beginning, and already we can see that God is here and that God loves the Khmer people. Its a privilege to be the instruments that God is using to love these people.
You might not always see it on the outside, but inside many young people of this next generation is the passion and determination for change.
Meet Mohey, he's the cutest kid I've met here in Cambodia.
I met him at Jeevit's House (http://jeevitshouse.org/). It's a place
that helps out the neighborhood and beyond. They supply food to families and children are often invited to play in the yard.
This is the Phsar Nath Market. You can find knock-offs for just
about anything. Some "Nike" or "Puma" shoes can be bought for
only $10.
Not much of mall, but this is called the Battambang Mall. Its
mostly empty as the city is being more developed in this area.
The base leader, Garth, is trying to keep his title as pit spitting champion at our 4th of July day party.
Garth failed to spit a pit further than this DTS Staffer named Pok
Road 3 in Battambang. There's never a lack of motos or any
vehicles on this road.
Josie, one of my teammates is sipping some coke in the best way possible... a glass bottle.
Some beautiful children from a village about 15 minutes away by
tuk tuk.
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