Too busy to type

It is hard to believe but it is now more than half way through our trip. Due to the full schedule that we have each day, it is difficult to take time (and energy) to stop and type, thus, I woke up at 3am to take time to type and do a few other things (it is now 430am). One of the ways I approach trips like this is to be very intentional with how I use my time and energy and the habits that I carry into the trip or out of the trip. For meals, I try to make it a point to sit with different folks and as a group as much as possible. It gives the opportunity to bond through the sharing of stories and helping each other process the thoughts and emotions evoked by our activities. Each day is filled with various elements and opportunities to be present with the people. By the time we return to our hotel, I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted but not in a bad way. 

Joining this church short term mission trip to Cambodia for the third time, I was well aware of what I would be faced with and took on the challenge with prayer and excitement. Unlike other mission trips, this one has the possibility of taking hold of your heart, attaching itself, and never letting go. The various people we encounter share their stories with you and as you listen and form friendships, you become part of their story and they become part of yours. Reuniting with many former students has been such a blessing because in the culture and society here in Cambodia, it is unclear what their future may hold. Yes, you may think “Well Melody, it is unclear what the future may hold for any of us.” While that is very true, the future of the students here may or may not include school, marriage at a young age, moving, or…other things. They are never far from my thoughts as I pray for them and organize ways to support them. 

Sleep awaits me as I must prepare for another long day so I will close with a thought: “Telling the stories that I have accumulated here will be one of the best ways I can support the people, especially the children, of Cambodia. Bearing witness to the ways God has worked and continues to work and sharing these blessings with others to let them become intertwined with the depths of others hearts to forge an emotional connection one cannot ignore but must act upon.”