I’m going to Cambodia…again!! Upon returning from Cambodia last year, I sincerely believed that it would be a very long while before I ventured out once more on another missions trip--but God obviously had different plans!
Firstly, I want to briefly share about God’s goodness and faithfulness during my first missions trip to Cambodia last year. As many of you know, I experienced a deep reluctance about going to Cambodia in 2008 as I was certain that sickness and infirmity would get the best of me on the field. Throughout my life, I was rather sickly and easily fatigued. Well, during my stay in Cambodia, I was full of energy and health until my last days there (minor food poisoning). In returning to Toronto, I felt that God had healed my body and set me free from my stomach ailments. In the past several months, I have experienced some of the same stomach issues that plagued me prior to my trip last year, but they have been more sporadic in nature and not chronic nor debilitating as they were in the past…praise the Lord! While in Cambodia, I was filled with many tears. Again, for those of you who know me well, it’s a known fact that tears don’t come easily to me. Well, God was clearly breaking my heart in a way that can only be explained as being the work of the Holy Spirit. Despite the shedding of a lot of tears, I was amazed that instead of feeling a sense of hopelessness and bitterness regarding the deep and pervasive suffering of the Cambodian people, God placed in my heart a tremendous sense of hopefulness! In seeing the many different organizations and groups of individuals from various parts of the world, including the nationals, working sacrificially on behalf of the Cambodian people, I recognized that God indeed was in Cambodia! I was honestly afraid that in returning back home I would feel hardened and pained from seeing the poverty and injustice in Cambodia, but rather, I came home with a heart full of gratitude due to God’s abundant mercy overflowing in the dark places of Cambodia. I returned humbled and inspired by the people who have literally sacrificed their lives in their efforts to bring hope and healing to the nation of Cambodia.
How is it that I’ve come to participate in yet another mission’s trip to Cambodia? To give a little context to my decision making, the previous year, Lisa (my spiritual mentor) had encouraged me to go on missions with her to Cambodia. As mentioned earlier, I had never been on a missions trip prior to her asking me due to my sickly constitution; I was afraid that I would serve as a burden rather than a blessing on the field and therefore said “no”. Nonetheless, God’s will prevailed; through a series of miraculous events, I ended up going to Cambodia and experienced something that will remain with me forever. Well, a few weeks following our return from Cambodia, over dinner, Lisa had asked me if I wanted to help her lead the 2009 team to Cambodia. I simply laughed at her and quickly dismissed her question; I felt totally ill-equipped and inadequate to lead. Well, some short time later, Lisa approached me again and asked me the same question. At that point, God reminded me of the tremendous blessings I received from the first missions trip, and how Lisa was absolutely instrumental in ensuring that I did not miss out on His blessings. Therefore, when Lisa had asked me the second time to partner with her in leading the 2009 team, I knew that I couldn’t dismiss nor discount her suggestion. As a consequence, I simply left her proposal in God’s hands. Firstly, I thought that Lisa was being flippant, or rather I was seriously hoping that she was being insincere as I felt utterly incapable of serving as a co-leader. I privately prayed about it that night and told God that it made absolutely no sense for me to be leading with Lisa as I had only been on 1 missions trip…ever! I told God that if it was indeed His will, then Lisa would have to approach me again without my prompting her. To my dismay, Lisa approached me the third time, with gravity and sincerity in her voice. At that point, I had to take stock of what Lisa had said and acknowledge the confidence she had in me. I knew that Lisa, being a woman of prayer, would not speak carelessly, so I told her that I would pray over the matter. Mind you, I clearly told her that I was not interested and felt ill-equipped, but Lisa had faith that God would do His work in me. I honestly thought that Lisa would not bring up the matter again, but she did! Consequently, I decided to commit that issue to prayer for 40 days. I asked God daily to give me signs (the Blackaby way) as I was absolutely terrified of the notion of potentially leading or misleading a group to Cambodia! As I spoke with my pastor and close friends about Lisa’s suggestion, naturally, highlighting the many reasons why it would make absolute sense for me “not” to go, literally everyone I spoke with responded with words of affirmation and encouragement. One friend even rebuked me and said that if I didn’t go, I would be dishonouring God. Everywhere around me, it appeared that God was saying “Go”. Deep in my heart, I felt a confirmation in my Spirit that God wanted me to go, but I continually chose to suppress that impression due to my insecurities. On day 39, Lisa, Charlene, (another co-leader—a natural born leader!) and I spent some time discussing our potential roles in Cambodia. During our meeting, Lisa asked me if I could give her a definitive answer the following day as it would be “day 40”. I told her that I would need 5 more days to make my final decision. Lisa inquired why I was requesting for more time. I told her that I needed additional time to wrestle with God over the matter. Well, while the three of us spent some time praying, I felt so convicted in my Spirit. I could hear the Holy Spirit saying to me that I must make my decision now and not wait as more time would inevitably create further confusion and self-doubt when I already new the answer. At that moment, I had to surrender, and I was compelled to declare out loud during our prayer time that I would go and co-lead the 2009 team to Cambodia. Hence, my decision to go on this missions trip. I was being faithless, but thank goodness, God is faithful!
Frankly speaking, I am filled with a fair degree of trepidation about this missions trip due to the great responsibilities I will have to shoulder. Nevertheless, I am hoping to simply be God’s hands, feet, and heart to the suffering people of Cambodia and also be an encouragement and support for my team members. I am looking forward to meeting up with the children whom I had connected deeply with last year and tell them that God has brought me back to see them again! This summer, for three weeks, we will be working at a place called “Daughters Cambodia”, which is located in a notorious brothel district known as ‘Stung Meanchey’. We will be having daily prayer ministry and providing workshops and skills-training for women, of various ages, who are either working in the sex-trade or are in the process of trying to leave the industry. The skills-training and workshops will include the following: budgeting, nutrition, anatomy, drug addiction, domestic violence, healing dance, haircutting, choosing a mate, spiritual warfare, healing prayer ministry and member care.
Prayer Requests:
1) For God to use every member of our team to love and connect with the broken women at Daughters Cambodia as we show them their worth in Christ’s eyes.
2) That despite our lack of language skills, we will be able to effectively equip these women with skills that will enable them to one day become financially self-sufficient and therefore find the confidence to leave the sex-industry permanently.
3) Spiritual and physical protection and blessings over my incredible team members: Charlene (co-leader), Joy, Lisa (leader), Marty, Melinda, Nancy, Peter, Prem, Stephanie, Tara, and Vidya.
4) Spiritual and physical protection for my friends and family
5) For my spiritual and physical health and energy level to be at its optimum
Thank you so much, and I look forward to connecting with you when I return to share how your prayers have made a profound difference!
Love,
Genie :)
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