Sufficient Grace
I know I've said it before, but time here continues to go by quickly. This week we will have been here one month.
I want to give you an update on what I've been doing here. Last week we had a team from Mississippi come to help HPC out, so that left us interns with some more random jobs. On Monday I got to babysit the director, Alli's two little girls which was very fun. She is an extremely busy person, so I was glad I got to help out a little bit. Then I was put in charge of organizing a couple of things. The first was a room in Alli's house which will become a team hangout room. It was filled with many random things that I organized and but into boxes. Then I was put in charge of organizing the craft/game/costume/office shelves in the staff office. This was quite a task because organization is not a valued skill in Khmer culture. But after a few days of cleaning and organizing, it looks awesome! I've also been doing outreach at Wat Phnom. We go for a few hours in the afternoon and try and get to know some of the prostitutes working at the Wat and eventually invite them to the safe house. The safe house is open every afternoon for women to come to. They can shower, sleep, cook, play games, paint nails, etc. at this house. We try and build relationships with them and refer them to other organizations or services that may be of use to them like an organization called Daughters of Cambodia that can help get them safe jobs or send them to safe house that takes underage girls. I'm very much enjoying doing both of those ministries, I'm learning a lot about the importance of empowering the Khmer staff to reach these girls and women because they are a part of the same culture.
I have been experiencing some culture shock these past few days. I think the excitement of the city is starting to wear off and the little things like bugs, heat, and cold showers are starting to make me miss home. As I've talked to people, I've realized this is very normal, but it is still hard. I wasn't really expecting it, but there are definitely difficulties in living in a place so different than home. As my friend, Noelle reminded me this morning, this is a great time to draw near to the Lord and rely on the Holy Spirit for strength. Which is a prayer of mine that I'd love for you to join me in. Also prayer that we could find a center for girls. We have one for boys and they are wanting to open one for girls this summer, but it has been difficult to find a place within our budget. So prayers that God would provide a center for the girls that have been coming to the Boys Center would be great! They have been the highlight of my days these past few weeks and I would LOVE to see them get a girls center before I go :)
"'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." -2 Corinthians 12:9-10
I want to give you an update on what I've been doing here. Last week we had a team from Mississippi come to help HPC out, so that left us interns with some more random jobs. On Monday I got to babysit the director, Alli's two little girls which was very fun. She is an extremely busy person, so I was glad I got to help out a little bit. Then I was put in charge of organizing a couple of things. The first was a room in Alli's house which will become a team hangout room. It was filled with many random things that I organized and but into boxes. Then I was put in charge of organizing the craft/game/costume/office shelves in the staff office. This was quite a task because organization is not a valued skill in Khmer culture. But after a few days of cleaning and organizing, it looks awesome! I've also been doing outreach at Wat Phnom. We go for a few hours in the afternoon and try and get to know some of the prostitutes working at the Wat and eventually invite them to the safe house. The safe house is open every afternoon for women to come to. They can shower, sleep, cook, play games, paint nails, etc. at this house. We try and build relationships with them and refer them to other organizations or services that may be of use to them like an organization called Daughters of Cambodia that can help get them safe jobs or send them to safe house that takes underage girls. I'm very much enjoying doing both of those ministries, I'm learning a lot about the importance of empowering the Khmer staff to reach these girls and women because they are a part of the same culture.
I have been experiencing some culture shock these past few days. I think the excitement of the city is starting to wear off and the little things like bugs, heat, and cold showers are starting to make me miss home. As I've talked to people, I've realized this is very normal, but it is still hard. I wasn't really expecting it, but there are definitely difficulties in living in a place so different than home. As my friend, Noelle reminded me this morning, this is a great time to draw near to the Lord and rely on the Holy Spirit for strength. Which is a prayer of mine that I'd love for you to join me in. Also prayer that we could find a center for girls. We have one for boys and they are wanting to open one for girls this summer, but it has been difficult to find a place within our budget. So prayers that God would provide a center for the girls that have been coming to the Boys Center would be great! They have been the highlight of my days these past few weeks and I would LOVE to see them get a girls center before I go :)
"'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." -2 Corinthians 12:9-10
I have been loving your updates and beautiful pictures. We have been praying for you. Continue to be strong and courageous! You will never know which seeds you plant that God will grow... so keep planting them! I think Craig may have broke his foot playing softball so that is the excitement here. :-)
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