Even though we had just arrived at our new home in Gainesville Georgia, our emotions were still making their way back from Cambodia. Cambodia still felt like home in a lot of ways.
When only a couple weeks new to the area, we walked into a local high school on a crisp Sunday morning. This is where the pastor said to go. We walked up to the upper level. The service was in Cambodian and in English.
I couldn’t understand everything they were singing, but the synth and Cambodian tunes swam through my ears. I had missed that. The Cambodian worship music was so beautiful. I teared up a little.
We are still going to that church. It’s a small church, buried under the large signs of “Discover Life,” “Free Chapel,” and other local megachurches. There are a handful of Cambodian families that have struck together for the last 35 years. These people had fled from the genocide that struck the nation of Cambodia in the late 70’s. While a forth of the Cambodian population had been wiped out, these families were able to escape, some before the chaos erupted, and others after the Khmer Rouge soldiers had been subdued by Vietnam. Everyone’s story is different, but all of their histories are a bit unfathomable to the safe, American culture they have now grown accustomed to.
The one thing God spoke to me about this Cambodian church was this:
“I am raising up these people to be Moses to their people. Moses was saved from being killed. There was a head hunter out for all the first born Israelite boys. God brought him out of that into safety and royalty. But it was for a purpose. God saved him out of slavery to live like a son. When Moses saw his people enslaved it irked him. He knew there was more than their slave lifestyle. So God used him to bring his people into freedom, and unto God.”
I had not told anyone about what God laid on my heart. To make a long story short, one of the pastors of the church told me a few weeks ago that he was planning on going back to Cambodia.
This is the first time in 35 years that he has been back. The last thing he remembered was the killing fields. He was only 14 when he arrived to live in the States.
I am going with him. Every Moses needs an Aaron. When I told him I wanted to go, he was beyond excited. I was too.
I am excited for what God is going to do during this trip. On the 14th I will be heading over to Cambodia for two weeks. Not only to support my friend who is courageously facing the trauma of his past and his people’s past, but also to re-connect with people we love.
When we left we had 15 hours to pack and say good bye. Many of the people we had relationships with daily had no idea where we went. That kills me. We want to be intentional about continuing the relational foundation that we built while living there. Our goal is to touch base with people yearly. When we do move back, we have had developed the work there even while living in the States.
In sharing this I wanted to bring light to what God is up to. For those of you who have supported us financially and in prayer, I want you to know that God’s work is good. Even death, chaos, and the plans of the enemy cannot steal what God does.
If you see what God is doing here and want to be apart of that you can. Here is a LINK that will allow you to contribute financially. If you would like to pray, I am more than grateful for that.
Love you all!
