English Camp – Day 2 and counting

It’s truly amazing the energy that the students bring to camp. Each morning Ron and the Cambodian band get things going with music. The students all love the song “I am Free” and we’ve heard several of them singing or humming it on the way home after camp.

Each class has also been competing in games throughout the day. The classes have really enjoyed cheering each other on and some are quite competitive. It’s been rewarding to get to know some of the students and see them learn as well as hear their stories.

Each day seems to bring with it a new set of tastes and food. For breakfast, we had a form of noodle soup/broth. Lunch included fish baked with some kind of ginger and soup that was made with pig skin. Supper was stir fry with a pineapple sweet and sour sauce that was really yummy. Rice seems to be the standard starch, much like bread is in the US. There are many other veggies that do look familiar, but my stomach is still adjusting to the new tastes and many of us are still perfecting the art of chopsticks.

I sense a pattern of walking away from these days feeling mentally and spiritually filled. On one hand, I feel energized, on an emotional high from all the smiling and laughing faces but also physically drained from the heat and humidity. Today is the last day of our first English camp. Thank you so much for your prayers – God is good. Pray that God would work through us to show His love to the students and that lives would be changed for His glory.

English Camp - A blast...we're exhausted...the end

Despite several obstacles leading up to today, God delivered an amazing first day of camp. Enjoy some pictures.  Please continue to pray for the health of our team, the kids, the missionaries and camp.

Sunday worship

Today we got the privelage of worshiping with the people of Cambodia. We started at a small church on the outskirts of Poipet. Four wheel drive was needed to get there due to the muddy conditions from yesterday's rain. Their worship is much like ours in that it includes singing, bible reading and preaching. The youth gave a skit that was simple and powerful to me. It reminded me of all the lost people in this world. We then headed back to CAMA services for the second service of the day. At both services our group sang a song and a couple of us shared our testimony.

After lunch, several folks split up and went to remote villiges to participate in worship there. One team was able to witness a couple accepting Christ. As part of their first act of becoming christians, they cut off the "spirit" bracelets of their twin babies (my understanding is that this is an occultic practice meant to wart off evil spirits). By doing this, they were demonstrating their new faith and trust in Jesus.

Several of us swept and mopped the church in preparation for english camp. We gathered for supper and Ron was able to unpack and set up the electic keyboard and cajon (square drum) we brought. They had made the flight without damage! Several of the youth enjoyed making music with the new instruments.

Tomorrow we start the first day of english camp. Since this is the first time most all of us have done this, I'm a little unsure what to expect. Pray for all the logistics of running a camp to get sorted out and for a great time to bond and share with the students. Please continue to pray for the health of the team.