Beach Bums

So...this past week I found out that Cambodia has beaches. It takes two long bus rides to get there,(5.5 hours from Battambang to Phnom Penh and 3.5 hours from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville) but the bus rides were well worth it. Sihanoukville is Cambodia's tourist beach town, and apparently it is a much more popular spot for Europeans to visit than for Americans.

It was a fun, relaxing week of vacation, but it did not feel like I was in Cambodia. Our team met up with the Siem Reap team and the Phnom Penh team to share stories and catch up before the two month outreach students went home and the three month outreach students (that's me) went back for another month of ministry. I ate Western comfort foods such as pizza, pasta, burgers, and shepherd's pie, which was a nice change from rice twice each day. This debrief time almost felt like we were back in Kona, because three fifths of our Compassion school was reunited, hanging out at the beach and even taking a one hour boat ride to the beautiful Bamboo Island for the day.

Our team also had some great "halfway" debrief meetings during which we shared what God had been teaching us through our outreach time so far. We encouraged one another as well, which was very uplifting. In addition, we filled out self-evaluation forms and listed all of the ministry activities we have been a part of in both Bali and Battambang. It was so cool to see all that God has done through our team, and we still have a whole month left. I believe God will do some amazing things during this last month, because we are settled into our ministries and we can further develop relationships that we already have. We can also finish projects that are in the works.

It was so good to have an evaluation time in the middle of outreach because it gave me a time to reflect on what God has taught me and still wants to teach me. If we only had debrief at the end, then I am sure there would be more things that I would realize that I needed to work on, but it would be too late because outreach would be over. God continues to show me how I need to refocus and view people and situations with his eyes and his heart.

For example, on the way back to Battambang at the end of the week, I was sitting next to a middle-aged Khmer man on the bus. Fir the first half of the bus ride, I did not say one word to him. I had been asking God if he wanted me to strike up a conversation with this gentleman, but I still have a hard time talking to strangers. I worried that he would not speak English, or that I might say something stupid and make things awkward since I had to sit next to him for the duration of the bus journey. All of these fears are so silly. This is called the "fear of man," and it's something that I cling to in order to defend my pride and dignity. However, if I am operating in the fear of the Lord, I will step out of my comfort zone and talk to this man if I feel the Spirit leading me to do so. After all, this stranger to me is no stranger to God. He is one of God's beloved, unique creations.

God was really nudging me to talk to my neighbor, but I think eventually God said to me, "Alright, if you're not going to initiate this conversation, then I'm gonna let this man start it up." As I got back on the bus and walked back to my seat after a rest stop, the man smiled at me and offered me a sausage on a stick. I declined, but this interaction broke the ice between us and began an hour long conversation. It turns out that my neighbor is a government official. His name is Bunnal Ky (or Ky Bunnal, because you write the family name first in Khmer), and his title is "Project Officer - Prison Health." He told me that he is in charge of the health of all the prisoners in Cambodia. Most prisoners have very bad conditions and only get about 37 cents each day for food. He said that most prisoners are also either stressed out, hopeless, or bored.

When he found out that I was working with a Christian missions organization, he was excited for the possibility of my team going out to the Battambang prison and visiting prisoners. God is so good!!! He's always opening doors and opportunities for ministry, and this would be such a Biblical ministry if we were able to do it, since Jesus commands us to visit those in prison. I am thrilled that God used me to get our team and YWAM in general in contact with a prison official. Please pray for God to open the doors to this opportunity.

Thanks for all the love, support, and prayers. I look forward to seeing you all on Easter Sunday! I fly into SFO on Friday, March 21st at 9:15pm. If you would like to meet me at the airport, contact my parents and arrange a carpool or whatever.

Love, Dan