Last night, I was helping a few of the eighth grade boys study for their exam tomorrow morning. We were practicing present, past and past participles such as be, become, became..ect. As 8:15 rolled around, the boys announced it was time to go into their rooms so they began to escort me to mine. Along the way, a bunch of the kids were escorting Emily as well when all of a sudden, shrieks from some poor animal came roaring across the field. Several of the kids grabbed me (and Emily) and told us to hurry, directing us towards the kitchen/area where the animals are kept.
There, before my eyes, several of the older boys whom I dearly love, where knelt over a screaming pig, knife in hand, blood oozing and gushing out everywhere as the poor creature fought with it's last remaining strength til the end.
It felt like the longest five minutes of my life as it's blood curdling screams and cries pierced my heart. The poor little pig, which would likely be my dinner tomorrow. Come to think of it, I probably ate its sister or brother for lunch today. I'm not normally a die hard animal fan, but "watching" and hearing the poor pig succumb to its death was not on my agenda for that day.
The kids around me were enamored. Smiles were displayed across each of their faces as they pushed me closer for a front row view of their idea of entertainment. They couldn't just make the death happen fast--they had to watch it slowly breath it's last right in front of them. Oh I am definitely not in America anymore, where we allow our animals a humane death with little pain. Here, a knife to the throat does the job. This is life in Cambodia. I've forgotten how in America we treat our pets and animal friends with some sort of decency. Here, I watch my precious little boys catch frogs, put them inside plastic bags and then chuck them as far as they can, checking each time they land to see if the frog has died. Oh life here in Cambodia!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Amongst the Bugs and Loud Funeral Music
I'm sitting in the school office on break time in between classes. My schedule changes daily; sometimes I teach two or three class periods, sometimes I teach only once. Today is one of those easier days, so I use my free time to catch up on e-mails, blogging and preperation for the next classes. While I was checking my e-mail, three boys came into the office apparently because of bad behavior. I'm not sure what the issue was..they were each disputing about each other's role in the issue. I may not be able to speak Khmai, but there are some things that are universal, such as a child trying to explain why he is not guilty, yet the other two are. The lady they were talking with is not the principal, but is "second in command" you could say. One of the boys exited the office, assumingly the unguilty party. Then I watched as the other two boys turned around, the lady grabbed a bamboo stick and swat each of them twice! One of them was considerably taller than the other and I saw her gain more momentum to make sure his were felt just as much as the smaller boy. I definitely did not expect to watch that happen in front of my own eyes, but I am much in favor of spanking to combat bad behavior. I'll deem that lady "the spanking lady."Definitely would want to be a good student here..that bamboo stick looks painful!
The weather here has been significantly cooler than the past three weeks. The recent amounts of rain, breeze from the ocean and significant clouds have given us some much needed relief from the heat! I'm still sweating, just not as profusely as before. I pray that this weather stays for the next two months!
We just came off our first weekend here as "teachers"in the orphanage. Sometimes I feel a little crazy from being confined inside the walls of the school and orphanage all day long, so we did spend some time outside the of the walls this weeend. I think we're going to make it a weekly tradition to have breakfast at a small restaurant here in Sihanouk ville called Sisters. They serve great breakfast food and make it known on their menu that the chocolate chip pancakes are *amazing* and the pumpkin and spice ones are *delicious.* I have to agree-pumpkin spice are my favorite. And even better, the price. An iced coffee, two pancakes and bottled water amounted to just $4. I sure love these cheap prices. =) Cracker Barrell..maybe you could take some lessons from Sisters. Our goal in having breakfast here is to develop relationships with the girls who work here and hopefully help them practice speaking English. We were too shy to tell them of our plans, but next week we will make our intentions known!
So far, we have eaten almost all of our meals at the orphanage with the kids. The food has been much better than I anticipated. I had visions of loosing a lot of weight from not being able to eat anything, but I feel like the opposite may happen instead! We always have rice. Without fail. Rice for breakfast. Rice for lunch. Rice for dinner. Oh, rice for snacks too! Cambodians cannot stand to eat a meal without rice. It's just foreign to them. It would be like peanut butter without jelly. Or a McDonalds happy meal with no french fries. The two cannot be seperated. I'm trying to get my body used to such a large intake of starch, but it's not agreeing as fast as I would like it too. I've come to the conclusion my own body cannot physically handle eating that much rice per day. So I try to supplement with other foods such as peanut butter, bread, apples and yogurt.
Meals consist of rice, some type of meat and some sorts of vegetables and fruits. Those who know me know of my disdain for vegetables. I'm happy to tell you Mom, that I'm slowly adjusting to these foreign substances which I do not care for. The good thing is most of their veggies do not have much taste to them! And I have found that you can add soy sauce to anything to cover it's stench or flavor. Soy sauce, seriously, you are my best friend! I've been eating some type of lettucey substance which looks like a mixture between spinach leaves and kale. It's kind of tastelss, but they seem to serve it in all of our lunches, so I have gotten quite used to it. I've also been eating something along the lines of green beans. The tomatoes here are yellow..I still haven't gotten used to them yet.
The kids and the dorm moms love to watch our reaction to foods, especially mine as I am a bit more expressive and slightly pickier than Amanda and Emily. Every time its our turn to receive our bowl full of food, they all crowd around to see what my expression will be. For the most part, I have eaten almost everything in my bowl. But they love to laugh when I am sitting there looking at a bowl full of foreign, disgusting looking substances and trying to figure out how on earth I will consume it. The other night, they had a great meal of chicken, pineapple, carrots and onions. It's been my favorite thus far and the kids at the table all watched in wonder as I scooped up every last morsel from my bowl and then were amazed when I asked if I could have more.
The kids also love to give us new things to try. So far, I have eaten pig ears, pig intestines and pig stomach. They also made me try pig fat..and that was not a favorite of mine. The dorm moms are always cutting up different fruits for us to try. Yesterday, we had one that was a sour/spicy taste and they serve it with sugar. They all cracked up when they saw my "sour"face of disgust. The worst by far is the Durian fruit. Just do a quick google search and you will find that it is on the top list of worst fruits in the world. It smells terrible, looks terrible and tastes terrible. Yet, Cambodians love it. It's so nasty, that most hotels refuse to even let it in because of the stench. The markets reek of Durian. I will for sure NOT MISS it's rechid stench. The girls tried to get Amanda and I to eat some sticky sweet rice with a durian mixture hidden inside. Poor Amanda.. she fel victim to their evil plot. Fortunately, my stubbornness to never eat Durian fruit again prevailed! (I tried some in an ice cream without knowing it. It was terrible!)
Apparently our neighbors had a family member die because they have been blasting loud music from their house for the past three days. It's common in Cambodia that when someone dies, the body is displayed in your house, and you play the loud music to attract friends and loved ones to visit the deceased. This wouldn't be such a problem for me if the music wasn't unbearable to hear. Seriously, I wish they could pick some nice traditional, soothing music. But instead, what is blasting 24/7 is a tape which sounds like it got run over. I hope this family is not rich because rich folks keep the music blasting for 7-10 days, while the poorer families can only afford it for 2-3 days.
You know what I have found to be a fun sport? Dodging flying cockroaches and other flying bugs while in the shower. Have you never tried it? Oh, it is great fun! Rinse some conditioner out and swat at the bug, hoping it isn't one that bites. Then, you should try shaking out your clean clothes because the small knats have found a new "home"for themselves inside your clothing. Those smart bugs always go for my clean clothes instead of the dirty sweaty ones. I guess if I were a bug, I would too!
This seems to be a random sampling of my observations so far while here in Cambodia. I'm working on getting all of my photos moved onto a cd so I can upload photos. I hope it works, and that the internet here allows me to upload my rediculously large sized photographs!
I feel almost completely adjusted to life here in Cambodia. I just love being here and am so greatful for the opportunity. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am supposed to be here and I am so very glad I listened to the Lord's leading on my life. I cannot tell you enough how I am so glad the Lord's plans are so much greater and better than our own. I cannot believe that I almost missed this opportunity to be here. There is so much I am learning and experiencing each day. I have gained 75 new brothers and sisters. They are all so very precious to me.
The other night, a few of the boys decked me out like a princess! They gathered tons of flowers from around the orphanage grounds and laced together a large lei of flowers and bracelets and an anklet also made of flowers. A few of them even did my hair and I must have had about 50 flowers sticking out of my hair. It was great. The kids are just filled with so much love and are constantly wanting to give me things. It's so precious.
The school bell is ringing. Morning session has ended. Our two and a half hour siesta has begun! It sounds like an earthquake as hundreds of little feet come pouring down the steps!
More to come..
The weather here has been significantly cooler than the past three weeks. The recent amounts of rain, breeze from the ocean and significant clouds have given us some much needed relief from the heat! I'm still sweating, just not as profusely as before. I pray that this weather stays for the next two months!
We just came off our first weekend here as "teachers"in the orphanage. Sometimes I feel a little crazy from being confined inside the walls of the school and orphanage all day long, so we did spend some time outside the of the walls this weeend. I think we're going to make it a weekly tradition to have breakfast at a small restaurant here in Sihanouk ville called Sisters. They serve great breakfast food and make it known on their menu that the chocolate chip pancakes are *amazing* and the pumpkin and spice ones are *delicious.* I have to agree-pumpkin spice are my favorite. And even better, the price. An iced coffee, two pancakes and bottled water amounted to just $4. I sure love these cheap prices. =) Cracker Barrell..maybe you could take some lessons from Sisters. Our goal in having breakfast here is to develop relationships with the girls who work here and hopefully help them practice speaking English. We were too shy to tell them of our plans, but next week we will make our intentions known!
So far, we have eaten almost all of our meals at the orphanage with the kids. The food has been much better than I anticipated. I had visions of loosing a lot of weight from not being able to eat anything, but I feel like the opposite may happen instead! We always have rice. Without fail. Rice for breakfast. Rice for lunch. Rice for dinner. Oh, rice for snacks too! Cambodians cannot stand to eat a meal without rice. It's just foreign to them. It would be like peanut butter without jelly. Or a McDonalds happy meal with no french fries. The two cannot be seperated. I'm trying to get my body used to such a large intake of starch, but it's not agreeing as fast as I would like it too. I've come to the conclusion my own body cannot physically handle eating that much rice per day. So I try to supplement with other foods such as peanut butter, bread, apples and yogurt.
Meals consist of rice, some type of meat and some sorts of vegetables and fruits. Those who know me know of my disdain for vegetables. I'm happy to tell you Mom, that I'm slowly adjusting to these foreign substances which I do not care for. The good thing is most of their veggies do not have much taste to them! And I have found that you can add soy sauce to anything to cover it's stench or flavor. Soy sauce, seriously, you are my best friend! I've been eating some type of lettucey substance which looks like a mixture between spinach leaves and kale. It's kind of tastelss, but they seem to serve it in all of our lunches, so I have gotten quite used to it. I've also been eating something along the lines of green beans. The tomatoes here are yellow..I still haven't gotten used to them yet.
The kids and the dorm moms love to watch our reaction to foods, especially mine as I am a bit more expressive and slightly pickier than Amanda and Emily. Every time its our turn to receive our bowl full of food, they all crowd around to see what my expression will be. For the most part, I have eaten almost everything in my bowl. But they love to laugh when I am sitting there looking at a bowl full of foreign, disgusting looking substances and trying to figure out how on earth I will consume it. The other night, they had a great meal of chicken, pineapple, carrots and onions. It's been my favorite thus far and the kids at the table all watched in wonder as I scooped up every last morsel from my bowl and then were amazed when I asked if I could have more.
The kids also love to give us new things to try. So far, I have eaten pig ears, pig intestines and pig stomach. They also made me try pig fat..and that was not a favorite of mine. The dorm moms are always cutting up different fruits for us to try. Yesterday, we had one that was a sour/spicy taste and they serve it with sugar. They all cracked up when they saw my "sour"face of disgust. The worst by far is the Durian fruit. Just do a quick google search and you will find that it is on the top list of worst fruits in the world. It smells terrible, looks terrible and tastes terrible. Yet, Cambodians love it. It's so nasty, that most hotels refuse to even let it in because of the stench. The markets reek of Durian. I will for sure NOT MISS it's rechid stench. The girls tried to get Amanda and I to eat some sticky sweet rice with a durian mixture hidden inside. Poor Amanda.. she fel victim to their evil plot. Fortunately, my stubbornness to never eat Durian fruit again prevailed! (I tried some in an ice cream without knowing it. It was terrible!)
Apparently our neighbors had a family member die because they have been blasting loud music from their house for the past three days. It's common in Cambodia that when someone dies, the body is displayed in your house, and you play the loud music to attract friends and loved ones to visit the deceased. This wouldn't be such a problem for me if the music wasn't unbearable to hear. Seriously, I wish they could pick some nice traditional, soothing music. But instead, what is blasting 24/7 is a tape which sounds like it got run over. I hope this family is not rich because rich folks keep the music blasting for 7-10 days, while the poorer families can only afford it for 2-3 days.
You know what I have found to be a fun sport? Dodging flying cockroaches and other flying bugs while in the shower. Have you never tried it? Oh, it is great fun! Rinse some conditioner out and swat at the bug, hoping it isn't one that bites. Then, you should try shaking out your clean clothes because the small knats have found a new "home"for themselves inside your clothing. Those smart bugs always go for my clean clothes instead of the dirty sweaty ones. I guess if I were a bug, I would too!
This seems to be a random sampling of my observations so far while here in Cambodia. I'm working on getting all of my photos moved onto a cd so I can upload photos. I hope it works, and that the internet here allows me to upload my rediculously large sized photographs!
I feel almost completely adjusted to life here in Cambodia. I just love being here and am so greatful for the opportunity. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am supposed to be here and I am so very glad I listened to the Lord's leading on my life. I cannot tell you enough how I am so glad the Lord's plans are so much greater and better than our own. I cannot believe that I almost missed this opportunity to be here. There is so much I am learning and experiencing each day. I have gained 75 new brothers and sisters. They are all so very precious to me.
The other night, a few of the boys decked me out like a princess! They gathered tons of flowers from around the orphanage grounds and laced together a large lei of flowers and bracelets and an anklet also made of flowers. A few of them even did my hair and I must have had about 50 flowers sticking out of my hair. It was great. The kids are just filled with so much love and are constantly wanting to give me things. It's so precious.
The school bell is ringing. Morning session has ended. Our two and a half hour siesta has begun! It sounds like an earthquake as hundreds of little feet come pouring down the steps!
More to come..
Friday, May 28, 2010
Life in Cambodia
I have been here in Cambodia for almost three weeks. Each and every day is a new experience as I learn to surrender my own wants and desires and do what the Lord has called me to do. When I get weak and weary, I call out to Him and He is there to comfort me.
This week I started teaching again at the school. I am working alongside the Primary grade teacher, Daneth. We teach kindergarten-fifth grade, except for fourth. (I'm not sure why we don't teach fourth..) Every day is a new lesson and new experience as I work to help these children learn English. I've never done this before, nor have I done it on my own, but I'm learning each day how to go about doing this. For the most part, it's not difficult. The hardest part is managing a class of 25 kids who would rather be doing anything else than learning English! But to hear them laugh and marvel when I sing them American songs such as "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Father Abraham"sure brightens my day.
In the evenings, I teach English to a mixed group of middle and high school kids from the orphanage. It's much different than teaching the younger kids because they can speak and read much better. I love that class because I can really spend more time working with the students and helping them with pronounciations and such. The other day, the English teacher who works with me was not able to come because his house flooded from all of the rain. So it was me up against a class of 25 kids who did NOT want to be there. Amanda and Emily teach the first session from 6-7 and I teach from 7-8. They had run out of things to do, so they just played games with their classes. As soon as my class found out the first classes had played games, they just assumed we would too. Instead of my usual class, I had a few extra's show up to play games as well! Much to their dismay, I did mak them practice English for 20 minutes and review the lesson from the previous day. Then I let them play games and they had a blast. We'll just say we played English games. Haha.
Life is never boring here at the orphanage. There are 75 kids to keep you busy and entertained and I feel like the only place I can be alone is in the bathroom! But I wouldn't have it any other way. These kids are so incredible, each and every single one of them. They each have a different story of how they came to the orphanage, each have different personalities and mannerisms. I still can't remember all of their names, but I know their faces. Although, every day I feel like I see a kid I haven't seen before!
I feel like I'm becoming more Cambodian each day. I eat with one of those large spoons they have at Chinese restaurants. I eat rice for every meal. I've always been amazed at how much rice Cambodians can put into their mouth..and now I've amazed myself! I can eat a piece of meat or fish and spit out the bones onto the table just like they do. I forgot what a bathroom in the United States looks like. Here, we have a sink, toilet and faucet coming out of the wall..no shower or tub. I can wash my hair and brush my teeth in the sink at the same time! I've become a pro at this squatty potty business. Cambodians don't throw toilet paper in the toilet because it will clog. So we throw it all in the garbage can. There are flies around me every where I go. I've come to the conclusion that I will never, ever be dry here in Cambodia. You're either soaking wet from sweat, or soaked from the rain. Never a happy medium.
The weather here has been quite rainy, yet it has been so cool!! For the first time, I was actually cold after running through the rain to get from the cafeteria to my room. It was a great feeling. It rained for three days, straight. Finally today it has been sunny and hot again. I love the rain, but it is a little inconvenient. The roads and ground are all flooded and there are no dryers here, so clothes have to be hung out to dry..and when it rains, they can't dry! Having only brought enough clothes to last 2 weeks, I had to wait three days for laundry and was literally down to my last pair of underwear! =)
Every day I feel like I can't get any happier, and then I am even more happier than the previous day. I was uncertain about how I would adapt to being here. I wouldn't consider myself high mantenience, but I'm definitely not low mantenience either. Cambodia is making me more low mantenience every day. Haha. Most who know me know I cannot stand a dirty bathroom, much less to touch a wet floor after exiting the shower. Here, there is no seperation between shower and floor, so the floor is always wet. I'm slowly adapting and getting used to it.
Some days I shower multiple times, and some I don't get a chance too. I feel like I'm starting to smell like a Cambodian now...but it doesn't bother me too much anymore. Sometimes theres no point to shower..you're just going to get sweaty anyways!
I'm contiually amazed at how the Lord is providing for me here in Cambodia. Support both financial and prayer has been flooding in every day..and I'm just in awe. I need to raise between $1000-$1200 to stay..and I think I'm getting close. My parents are doing a great job of keeping track of what is coming in and making sure it gets to me. I'm trying to keep my expenses very minimal. Most of it is rooming, flights and visa fees. We eat at the orphanage every day and try to go out maybe once or twice a week. Today we went to breakfast and I got pancakes, an ice coffee and bottled water for $3.50. I don't think I'm going to like coming back to America and paying almost $10 for the same thing at Cracker Barrell!
I'm going to try to keep this updated as much as possible. I just wanted to update all of my friends and family and let you know how I'm doing. Please check back and bear with me as I add photos and keep updating it. For now..there's some kids waiting for me to go jump on the trampoline with them
Blessings,
Sera
This week I started teaching again at the school. I am working alongside the Primary grade teacher, Daneth. We teach kindergarten-fifth grade, except for fourth. (I'm not sure why we don't teach fourth..) Every day is a new lesson and new experience as I work to help these children learn English. I've never done this before, nor have I done it on my own, but I'm learning each day how to go about doing this. For the most part, it's not difficult. The hardest part is managing a class of 25 kids who would rather be doing anything else than learning English! But to hear them laugh and marvel when I sing them American songs such as "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Father Abraham"sure brightens my day.
In the evenings, I teach English to a mixed group of middle and high school kids from the orphanage. It's much different than teaching the younger kids because they can speak and read much better. I love that class because I can really spend more time working with the students and helping them with pronounciations and such. The other day, the English teacher who works with me was not able to come because his house flooded from all of the rain. So it was me up against a class of 25 kids who did NOT want to be there. Amanda and Emily teach the first session from 6-7 and I teach from 7-8. They had run out of things to do, so they just played games with their classes. As soon as my class found out the first classes had played games, they just assumed we would too. Instead of my usual class, I had a few extra's show up to play games as well! Much to their dismay, I did mak them practice English for 20 minutes and review the lesson from the previous day. Then I let them play games and they had a blast. We'll just say we played English games. Haha.
Life is never boring here at the orphanage. There are 75 kids to keep you busy and entertained and I feel like the only place I can be alone is in the bathroom! But I wouldn't have it any other way. These kids are so incredible, each and every single one of them. They each have a different story of how they came to the orphanage, each have different personalities and mannerisms. I still can't remember all of their names, but I know their faces. Although, every day I feel like I see a kid I haven't seen before!
I feel like I'm becoming more Cambodian each day. I eat with one of those large spoons they have at Chinese restaurants. I eat rice for every meal. I've always been amazed at how much rice Cambodians can put into their mouth..and now I've amazed myself! I can eat a piece of meat or fish and spit out the bones onto the table just like they do. I forgot what a bathroom in the United States looks like. Here, we have a sink, toilet and faucet coming out of the wall..no shower or tub. I can wash my hair and brush my teeth in the sink at the same time! I've become a pro at this squatty potty business. Cambodians don't throw toilet paper in the toilet because it will clog. So we throw it all in the garbage can. There are flies around me every where I go. I've come to the conclusion that I will never, ever be dry here in Cambodia. You're either soaking wet from sweat, or soaked from the rain. Never a happy medium.
The weather here has been quite rainy, yet it has been so cool!! For the first time, I was actually cold after running through the rain to get from the cafeteria to my room. It was a great feeling. It rained for three days, straight. Finally today it has been sunny and hot again. I love the rain, but it is a little inconvenient. The roads and ground are all flooded and there are no dryers here, so clothes have to be hung out to dry..and when it rains, they can't dry! Having only brought enough clothes to last 2 weeks, I had to wait three days for laundry and was literally down to my last pair of underwear! =)
Every day I feel like I can't get any happier, and then I am even more happier than the previous day. I was uncertain about how I would adapt to being here. I wouldn't consider myself high mantenience, but I'm definitely not low mantenience either. Cambodia is making me more low mantenience every day. Haha. Most who know me know I cannot stand a dirty bathroom, much less to touch a wet floor after exiting the shower. Here, there is no seperation between shower and floor, so the floor is always wet. I'm slowly adapting and getting used to it.
Some days I shower multiple times, and some I don't get a chance too. I feel like I'm starting to smell like a Cambodian now...but it doesn't bother me too much anymore. Sometimes theres no point to shower..you're just going to get sweaty anyways!
I'm contiually amazed at how the Lord is providing for me here in Cambodia. Support both financial and prayer has been flooding in every day..and I'm just in awe. I need to raise between $1000-$1200 to stay..and I think I'm getting close. My parents are doing a great job of keeping track of what is coming in and making sure it gets to me. I'm trying to keep my expenses very minimal. Most of it is rooming, flights and visa fees. We eat at the orphanage every day and try to go out maybe once or twice a week. Today we went to breakfast and I got pancakes, an ice coffee and bottled water for $3.50. I don't think I'm going to like coming back to America and paying almost $10 for the same thing at Cracker Barrell!
I'm going to try to keep this updated as much as possible. I just wanted to update all of my friends and family and let you know how I'm doing. Please check back and bear with me as I add photos and keep updating it. For now..there's some kids waiting for me to go jump on the trampoline with them
Blessings,
Sera
Intro and Background to the Journey
Dear friends and family, Greetings from the Kingdom of Cambodia! I've called this place my temporary "home" for the last 2 weeks, but should actually be back in the United States right now. I missed my plane that departed on Friday night, purposefully because there is a greater plan at work. I apologize ahead of time because this will be long, but PLEASE continue reading because I have much to share with you.
As many of you know, I co-lead a trip of 14 students from my school, Southeastern University to Cambodia for two weeks. Our mission was to teach English in a school run by missionaries and love on 75 children in an orphanage there. I would come home May 22, and leave four days later to work with Camp Winshape for the summer. My summer was planned, financially, emotionally and physically..or so I thought. I thought this was all part of God's great plan for my life... While here in Cambodia, I began to feel the Lord telling me my time here is not yet finished. I agreed, but knew that I would have to go home because of my "plans" but would definitely come back to Cambodia whether through another mission trip or as a long term missionary.
One of my friends on the trip is staying here in Cambodia with her sister to complete her internship for her major. We both have the same major and she is a year ahead of me so naturally I would do my internship next summer. We'd joke around a few times about me changing my ticket and staying alongside her, but I never thought about it seriously. Then..some dynamics regarding my internship began to change. The missionaries we are working with who run the school and orphanage are leaving on furlough for 1 year starting next June..right in the middle of when I had hoped to do my internship with them. So I began to realize summer 2011 is out of the question, and so is the following summer in 2012 because they will not be back yet from the states. Either I find a new place to do an internship, or stay..now.
There are many reaons why I have wanted to do my internship here. For one, I've developed relationships with the missionaries, the teachers and children in the school. I would have to teach 300 hours of English, and I could do that in the school since they teach in both Khmer and English. Also, I love Cambodia. I love the country, the people, the children..everything about it. The one thing keeping me from actually making the decision to do it here is selfisly, the heat. It's very hot here. The worst heat I have ever felt in my life, and air conditioning is not easily found.
Halfway through my trip, I heard the Lord whisper to me again that my time here is not finished. Thougths of me staying began to churn around in my mind, yet I never mentioned them to anyone. Then one evening, Kelly (the missionary) asked to talk to me and what I had been thinking about. I hadn't mentioned anything to him yet, but I knew he knew what I was thinking about. I began to pray about whether or not I should stay. I had many reasons to come home including a great summer job waiting, family and friends anxious to see me. I e-mailed back and forth to my advisors at school and they would not allow me to use this summer as my internship because I was lacking one class. So, even if I stayed here using this time as my internship it wouldn't count and I would still have to do another internship. It seemed like a door being shut, but I didn't feel peace about their decision. I felt even more energized about staying andwas ready and willing to fight it. If I wanted to do my internship in Cambodia, it would have to be now as there is no other time I can. I would have to worry about getting credit for it later.
One day as I was journaling the Lord revealed this to me: "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." --Isaiah 43: 18-19 A new thing. Staying in Cambodia sure would be a new thing. Rivers and deserts.. those sounded like advisors saying no to this internship. I still prayed, journaled and asked for guidance from my parents and close friends. They were all in support of whatever I felt the Lord leading me to do. And then I had to make the decision. It didn't matter about my internship anymore. This was about what God wanted me to do. And I did not want to say no to God.. So I decided to stay. Here.
In Cambodia.
My team was overjoyed.
The kids at the orphanage were ecstatic.
Kelly had already bought a bed for me beliving in faith I would stay.
I told one of my friends at the orphanage and she already knew. She told me God had already told her.
Though I decided to stay, I was still in disbelief. To me, it is crazy that I would even consider staying much less decide to. I raised $2100 to come here for two weeks, and in order to stay another two months, I would need to raise at least another $1000. I decided that there would be no denying what God is calling me to do and that I needed to step out in faith and believe Him for what He has laid on my heart.
Here's where it got even crazier... The day I would have left to go home, the missionaries told me there was a complication with my airline ticket. Bottom line, if I didn't get on the plane that night with the team, I would be counted as a "no show" and loose my ticket. What's worse is a one way ticket back to the USA would be $975. I was shocked. Floored. In utter disbelief. Upset..that's an understatement. I cried out to God for over 2 hours asking what He wanted of me. I was trying to do what He had asked me to do by staying. I had already contacted the camp and told them I wasn't coming, and now it seemed a huge door was slamming in my face. I didn't want to doubt God, but raising $2000 became so overwhelming.
As I was praying, I flipped open my Bible randomly to Isaiah 52. Since I wasn't hearing God's voice, I figured reading may yield some kind of answer. As I read the chapter, I came to verse 12 which says,
"For you will not go out in haste or in flight, for the Lord shall go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
Everything inside of me stopped. Was this an answer from God? I'd never read this verse before. How often does the Bible talk about flight? I was trying to make the decision of whether or not I should get on this flight to go home. This could not be a coincidence..
Again the Lord spoke to me as I continued reading through Isaiah, "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." --Isaiah 58: 10-11.
I can't think of anything else that better describes Cambodia than "sun scorched land." (NIV translation) And that was the verse I had put on my support letters.
Yet..I was still afraid. I wavered back and forth and finally came to the conclusion that if the travel agent did not call back with the news my ticket could be transfered, I would indeed go home with the group that night. As I sat praying and reading my Bible, I'd pretty much convinced myself that it would not work out and I would be going home. Yet I kept telling God that if He wanted me to stay, He would have to make it clear NOW by letting my stay. But if He wanted me to go home, I would indeed get on that plane.
Fifteen minutes before we needed to leave for the airport, the travel agent called and said she was able to transfer my ticket and I would come home on July 12th. Better yet, the transfer fee would only be $200 as opposed to $400 or $500 which they had originally quoted. I was staying. I WAS STAYING. We took my team to the airport and watching them leave was so hard. In my mind, I kept feeling like I should be on that plane with them. Even though I knew I should stay, I was still confused and afraid.
In the last two days, I have sought the face of the Lord and finally found the peace I so desperately needed to stay here. If I could just trust in the Lord and not doubt him, a lot of the emotional stress could have been avoided. I'm still in awe of the verse he showed me in Isaiah 52, and yet I still doubted Him.
So.. here's the conclusion to this very long, detailed letter. =) I am staying here in Cambodia until July 12th. I will be teaching English in the school, working alongside the teachers and also tutoring in the orphanage in the evenings. I'm staying with my friend Amanda and her sister Emily and the three of us will be living at the orphanage. Let me mention, there's no air conditioning...I really will need to trust God for that one! In order to stay I need to raise about $1000 more to cover living, traveling, food and insurace expenses. I didn't expect this to happen, but I have no doubt that what the Lord has began, He will continue to see through and that He will allow every penny to come in. I need you to prayerfully and financially see me through this trip.
If you are able to help me stay, please e-mail me at svmanubens@mac.com Or talk with my parents, Claudio and Nancy (407) 376-5776 and they can give you details on how to help.
I know most of my friends are poor college students just like myself, and I totally understand that feeling! Please pray for me..that I would raise the needed funds and I would continue to trust in the Lord's plan for my life.
When I left the states two weeks ago, I had no idea what would happen here. The Lord is doing many great things in my life and I cannot wait to see what else happens. What I do know is that there are students in need of learning English and orphans to be loved. There is a God more wonderful and amazing than we could ever imagine who orchestrates all of these plans for his purpose and to bring glory to his name. It's not about what we can do, but what God can do through us. Surrendering our lives, our plans, everything to Him..that's what we are supposed to do if we want to be Christ followers. Thank you for reading to the end.. =) I love you all and am so greatful for your presence in my life. Please pray for me..and help me stay. Love, Sera Manubens
svmanubens@mac.com
As many of you know, I co-lead a trip of 14 students from my school, Southeastern University to Cambodia for two weeks. Our mission was to teach English in a school run by missionaries and love on 75 children in an orphanage there. I would come home May 22, and leave four days later to work with Camp Winshape for the summer. My summer was planned, financially, emotionally and physically..or so I thought. I thought this was all part of God's great plan for my life... While here in Cambodia, I began to feel the Lord telling me my time here is not yet finished. I agreed, but knew that I would have to go home because of my "plans" but would definitely come back to Cambodia whether through another mission trip or as a long term missionary.
One of my friends on the trip is staying here in Cambodia with her sister to complete her internship for her major. We both have the same major and she is a year ahead of me so naturally I would do my internship next summer. We'd joke around a few times about me changing my ticket and staying alongside her, but I never thought about it seriously. Then..some dynamics regarding my internship began to change. The missionaries we are working with who run the school and orphanage are leaving on furlough for 1 year starting next June..right in the middle of when I had hoped to do my internship with them. So I began to realize summer 2011 is out of the question, and so is the following summer in 2012 because they will not be back yet from the states. Either I find a new place to do an internship, or stay..now.
There are many reaons why I have wanted to do my internship here. For one, I've developed relationships with the missionaries, the teachers and children in the school. I would have to teach 300 hours of English, and I could do that in the school since they teach in both Khmer and English. Also, I love Cambodia. I love the country, the people, the children..everything about it. The one thing keeping me from actually making the decision to do it here is selfisly, the heat. It's very hot here. The worst heat I have ever felt in my life, and air conditioning is not easily found.
Halfway through my trip, I heard the Lord whisper to me again that my time here is not finished. Thougths of me staying began to churn around in my mind, yet I never mentioned them to anyone. Then one evening, Kelly (the missionary) asked to talk to me and what I had been thinking about. I hadn't mentioned anything to him yet, but I knew he knew what I was thinking about. I began to pray about whether or not I should stay. I had many reasons to come home including a great summer job waiting, family and friends anxious to see me. I e-mailed back and forth to my advisors at school and they would not allow me to use this summer as my internship because I was lacking one class. So, even if I stayed here using this time as my internship it wouldn't count and I would still have to do another internship. It seemed like a door being shut, but I didn't feel peace about their decision. I felt even more energized about staying andwas ready and willing to fight it. If I wanted to do my internship in Cambodia, it would have to be now as there is no other time I can. I would have to worry about getting credit for it later.
One day as I was journaling the Lord revealed this to me: "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." --Isaiah 43: 18-19 A new thing. Staying in Cambodia sure would be a new thing. Rivers and deserts.. those sounded like advisors saying no to this internship. I still prayed, journaled and asked for guidance from my parents and close friends. They were all in support of whatever I felt the Lord leading me to do. And then I had to make the decision. It didn't matter about my internship anymore. This was about what God wanted me to do. And I did not want to say no to God.. So I decided to stay. Here.
In Cambodia.
My team was overjoyed.
The kids at the orphanage were ecstatic.
Kelly had already bought a bed for me beliving in faith I would stay.
I told one of my friends at the orphanage and she already knew. She told me God had already told her.
Though I decided to stay, I was still in disbelief. To me, it is crazy that I would even consider staying much less decide to. I raised $2100 to come here for two weeks, and in order to stay another two months, I would need to raise at least another $1000. I decided that there would be no denying what God is calling me to do and that I needed to step out in faith and believe Him for what He has laid on my heart.
Here's where it got even crazier... The day I would have left to go home, the missionaries told me there was a complication with my airline ticket. Bottom line, if I didn't get on the plane that night with the team, I would be counted as a "no show" and loose my ticket. What's worse is a one way ticket back to the USA would be $975. I was shocked. Floored. In utter disbelief. Upset..that's an understatement. I cried out to God for over 2 hours asking what He wanted of me. I was trying to do what He had asked me to do by staying. I had already contacted the camp and told them I wasn't coming, and now it seemed a huge door was slamming in my face. I didn't want to doubt God, but raising $2000 became so overwhelming.
As I was praying, I flipped open my Bible randomly to Isaiah 52. Since I wasn't hearing God's voice, I figured reading may yield some kind of answer. As I read the chapter, I came to verse 12 which says,
"For you will not go out in haste or in flight, for the Lord shall go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
Everything inside of me stopped. Was this an answer from God? I'd never read this verse before. How often does the Bible talk about flight? I was trying to make the decision of whether or not I should get on this flight to go home. This could not be a coincidence..
Again the Lord spoke to me as I continued reading through Isaiah, "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." --Isaiah 58: 10-11.
I can't think of anything else that better describes Cambodia than "sun scorched land." (NIV translation) And that was the verse I had put on my support letters.
Yet..I was still afraid. I wavered back and forth and finally came to the conclusion that if the travel agent did not call back with the news my ticket could be transfered, I would indeed go home with the group that night. As I sat praying and reading my Bible, I'd pretty much convinced myself that it would not work out and I would be going home. Yet I kept telling God that if He wanted me to stay, He would have to make it clear NOW by letting my stay. But if He wanted me to go home, I would indeed get on that plane.
Fifteen minutes before we needed to leave for the airport, the travel agent called and said she was able to transfer my ticket and I would come home on July 12th. Better yet, the transfer fee would only be $200 as opposed to $400 or $500 which they had originally quoted. I was staying. I WAS STAYING. We took my team to the airport and watching them leave was so hard. In my mind, I kept feeling like I should be on that plane with them. Even though I knew I should stay, I was still confused and afraid.
In the last two days, I have sought the face of the Lord and finally found the peace I so desperately needed to stay here. If I could just trust in the Lord and not doubt him, a lot of the emotional stress could have been avoided. I'm still in awe of the verse he showed me in Isaiah 52, and yet I still doubted Him.
So.. here's the conclusion to this very long, detailed letter. =) I am staying here in Cambodia until July 12th. I will be teaching English in the school, working alongside the teachers and also tutoring in the orphanage in the evenings. I'm staying with my friend Amanda and her sister Emily and the three of us will be living at the orphanage. Let me mention, there's no air conditioning...I really will need to trust God for that one! In order to stay I need to raise about $1000 more to cover living, traveling, food and insurace expenses. I didn't expect this to happen, but I have no doubt that what the Lord has began, He will continue to see through and that He will allow every penny to come in. I need you to prayerfully and financially see me through this trip.
If you are able to help me stay, please e-mail me at svmanubens@mac.com Or talk with my parents, Claudio and Nancy (407) 376-5776 and they can give you details on how to help.
I know most of my friends are poor college students just like myself, and I totally understand that feeling! Please pray for me..that I would raise the needed funds and I would continue to trust in the Lord's plan for my life.
When I left the states two weeks ago, I had no idea what would happen here. The Lord is doing many great things in my life and I cannot wait to see what else happens. What I do know is that there are students in need of learning English and orphans to be loved. There is a God more wonderful and amazing than we could ever imagine who orchestrates all of these plans for his purpose and to bring glory to his name. It's not about what we can do, but what God can do through us. Surrendering our lives, our plans, everything to Him..that's what we are supposed to do if we want to be Christ followers. Thank you for reading to the end.. =) I love you all and am so greatful for your presence in my life. Please pray for me..and help me stay. Love, Sera Manubens
svmanubens@mac.com
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