I spent the past week of my life in complete bliss, immersed in love and joy. It was the best week of my entire life.
This past week, I served at a Christian school in a poverty-stricken third-world country, Cambodia. Nothing was as I expected. In fact, it is still so difficult for me to put into words how awe-inspiring this entire experience was, but here's the best way to sum it up:
When I brought my heart to Cambodia, I absolutely did not think that I would leave such a huge piece of it there.
I left a piece so huge, that my heart now aches to return--every part of my being longs to be in the arms of tiny little beaming preschoolers again, to be under the Cambodian sunshine, to hear words being spoken in imperfect and broken English, to live my life as it is given to me and not as I want it to be......Cambodia is where my heart is and where the rest of me wishes to be this very second. My life is changed because of one rash decision that I made on a cold winter night to embark on a week-long missions trip to Phnom Penh. And I am beyond grateful. I am beyond blessed.
This past week, I served at a Christian school in a poverty-stricken third-world country, Cambodia. Nothing was as I expected. In fact, it is still so difficult for me to put into words how awe-inspiring this entire experience was, but here's the best way to sum it up:
When I brought my heart to Cambodia, I absolutely did not think that I would leave such a huge piece of it there.
I left a piece so huge, that my heart now aches to return--every part of my being longs to be in the arms of tiny little beaming preschoolers again, to be under the Cambodian sunshine, to hear words being spoken in imperfect and broken English, to live my life as it is given to me and not as I want it to be......Cambodia is where my heart is and where the rest of me wishes to be this very second. My life is changed because of one rash decision that I made on a cold winter night to embark on a week-long missions trip to Phnom Penh. And I am beyond grateful. I am beyond blessed.
I did not do anything heroic. I didn't plant a rice field that could feed a village. I didn't build a well that would end dehydration. I didn't administer vaccinations to children in slums. Those are things I only wish I had the courage to do, but that's not what my week was. My week was only full of love and laughter. All I did was give my all to a tiny school in a small alley of the hustling and bustling capital, and that was already everything to me.
My heart has never been so full. Ever. In the fifteen and three-fourths years that I have been alive, never have I ever felt such a deep love and fulfilment. This Cambodia trip was a God-given blessing that came in the sweetest possible form of happy, laughing preschoolers whose lives I had the utmost blessing of impacting. I still cannot believe that the Lord has blessed me so much to allow me to meet these tiny, energetic little ones. It could have been anyone, yet He chose me. With Cambodia being my first missions trip, I believe that God truly put this country in a special place in my heart and allowed me to see things I have never seen before. He gave me my very own glimpse of a beautiful, perfect, paradise.
He gave me my glimpse of heaven.
My heart has never been so full. Ever. In the fifteen and three-fourths years that I have been alive, never have I ever felt such a deep love and fulfilment. This Cambodia trip was a God-given blessing that came in the sweetest possible form of happy, laughing preschoolers whose lives I had the utmost blessing of impacting. I still cannot believe that the Lord has blessed me so much to allow me to meet these tiny, energetic little ones. It could have been anyone, yet He chose me. With Cambodia being my first missions trip, I believe that God truly put this country in a special place in my heart and allowed me to see things I have never seen before. He gave me my very own glimpse of a beautiful, perfect, paradise.
He gave me my glimpse of heaven.
On our very first day in Cambodia, I didn't think that I'd be able to do it. The work that needs to be done there is for a hero. It takes someone with infinite power and resources to change the fate of Cambodia--except that someone already exists. Oh, how He loves us so. How He loves Cambodia so. Our Creator is cradling this beautiful country and its people in His hands. He already is. And I know that He used me during my week in the stunning city of Phnom Penh to do the work that He has appointed us. I am no superhero. God is my superhero. But I am beyond proud to be able to say that I let Him use me during my week in Cambodia to serve this amazing country.
Finally, if you know me, you know I love the show Jane the Virgin. Gina Rodriguez, who stars as Jane on the show, said in her touching and profound Golden Globes speech, "Today is a great day. I can and I will." This is a phrase that was constantly on repeat in my mind. It doesn't take a billionaire to change the world. It just takes one person with heart, with passion, with love, with courage, to do so, and I believe that person is in everyone. Even little Sovan (pictured above) knows it. One. Just one bright light in the darkness. And if you blame the dark for being dark, why not blame the light for not shining as bright as it could? YOU have the light. So be the light.
Stepping into Cambodia, I had my doubts. I didn't think I could change anything. Cambodia would stay a poor country, and life would go on. Boy, I wasn't wrong. Cambodia is still a poor country. Life there still goes on. But despite the fact that I didn't end hunger or human trafficking, I gave love. I loved on those little miracles that eagerly ran up to me every morning, yelling, "Teacher! Teacher!" And to me, that is everything I never knew I needed. It was everything I never knew I could do to help change the world. It was my light.
My eight days in Cambodia were all great days.
I can, and I did.
Stepping into Cambodia, I had my doubts. I didn't think I could change anything. Cambodia would stay a poor country, and life would go on. Boy, I wasn't wrong. Cambodia is still a poor country. Life there still goes on. But despite the fact that I didn't end hunger or human trafficking, I gave love. I loved on those little miracles that eagerly ran up to me every morning, yelling, "Teacher! Teacher!" And to me, that is everything I never knew I needed. It was everything I never knew I could do to help change the world. It was my light.
My eight days in Cambodia were all great days.
I can, and I did.