The Journey Begins

I had originally planned on titling this "Afterthoughts" but upon further thinking, I decided that just because our team is no longer in Cambodia it doesn't mean that everything is over.  Instead, this is really the start of our church's partnership with Nathan, Priscilla and World Relief.

Our team debriefed with Brian yesterday and we discussed what we learned/brought back from the trip as well as what we thought we brought to the staff in Kampong Cham.  Hearing what everybody had to say about what they experienced really brought me back to our time in Cambodia and made me excited for future teams/visits back to Cambodia.

Speaking of future teams, I'll just do a little plug for anyone who might be thinking about going as it actually ties into what I learned/experienced on this trip.  One thing that Nathan often said on the trip was "Go! Go! Go!" which kind of became an informal motto for our team by the end of the trip (in fact we may have "Gone! Gone! Gone!" so fast one time that we might have left someone behind...).  When we brought up how often Nathan said "Go! Go! Go!," he said that there were two reasons for it.  The first reason was simply because we didn't have a lot of time there and our schedule was really packed having cut out a few days due to ticketing/flight logistics.  The second reason is something that really stuck to me.  He said that often times Christians tend to say that they're not sure if they should do something and want to wait for a clear sign before doing anything.  While it is good to have a clear sign to do something, if we're all waiting for signs like Gideon's or Hezekiah's then I'm pretty sure the majority of us will end up waiting for a long long time.

Instead, if we know our Lord's heart, we should know at least some basic things that he would want us to do.  For example, take Daniel's friends, they refused the king's sweet meats and wine because they wanted to keep themselves undefiled and clean before the Lord.  Then they also defied Nebuchadnezzar and refused to bow down to his golden statue.  In both occasions they did not receive any sign from the Lord to do either of these things, in fact, in defying Nebuchadnezzar they even said that they didn't know if they would be saved from the fire or not.

Another aspect of this is that the Lord does not need us to do his will.  If he wants something to happen, it will happen.  I don't think that any of us are arrogant enough to think that our God who created the heavens and the earth would need our help in getting something done, but sometimes we may forget and think that we are doing something for God.  Instead, if the Lord is going to get something done and we have the opportunity to be a part of it, why not go?

For example, my going on this trip was completely out of character for me.  There were several reasons that could have prevented me from going.  The facts that I can't stand the heat, public speaking, and teaching along with the fact that I had only started going to GRX for a few months still make me wonder why I actually ended up deciding on going and joining the team; however, I think that joining the team was one of my best decisions that I have ever made, just being able to see what the Lord is doing in Cambodia and being able to be a part of it is something that I really don't think can be described through mere words (and I had a lot of those in my first post and this one is getting a bit long too).

While I say that I was a part of it, I don't want anyone to think that I'm contradicting what I said about thinking that God needs us to do his will.  I have no delusions about being vital to God's plan in Cambodia or as part of the team.  There's so much evidence of God's work in Cambodia already that there's no way that I could think that I was needed to further any of it and I honestly do not think that the team would've been any worse for the wear if I had not been a part of the team.  Sure being the sixth member made it easy to split the team into three pairs for rooms, field work, and teaching, but I'm pretty sure they'd have been able to get by.

Anyways, I just wanted to write a little(?) about what I had learned during our stay in Cambodia (also Amy keeps on asking if we'll keep blogging after the trip).  So for those who are wondering if they want to go on any future trips, I sincerely hope that if possible, you'll be willing to go and be a part of our church's journey in our partnership with Nathan, Priscilla and World Relief as it really was an amazing experience for me.

My Story: World Relief Kampong Cham

This is a sample I shared with my class (advanced) on what our goals are for teaching english and photography. The goal for them is to make something similar showing: where, when, why, who, and what; we want them to share their story so that we can pray for them. We are trying to make the english sentences as simple as possible. They are very excited at learning, its a blessing to teach them.

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My name is Vermont Lasmarias. In June, I visited World Relief Kampong Cham.

They provided us very nice hosts. Tiang Sa and her family made Yen and I feel at home in Kampong Cham.

At the start of each morning and afternoon in the World Relief office, they worship God. It is beautiful to see. God is at work.

They prepare lessons for the community in Kampong Cham province.

For teenagers, they are teaching about “Good families”. A good family does not have violence. They treat each other with respect.

They go very far in the province to teach because they love their province. The bike ride is 40 minutes long.

They teach the teenagers to draw what a family looks like and to act it out too.

For children, they teach them about dengue life cycle with drawings, acting, and puppets! Humans, mosquitos, and flies are all part of the disease spreading process.

My church is in Kampong Cham to teach English. My class is very good at learning English and Sherry is great at teaching it!

Sokung shared that a cell group reaches out and prays for people with HIV. Before, the people were scared of HIV people. Now, they embrace and love those with HIV thanks to Jesus.

I am teaching Photography and my class learns very fast! I am very impressed.

Our goal for every student is to take photos and to share their stories about World Relief Kampong Cham. Just like this!

We want them to share their story so that everyone can pray for Cambodia. Please pray for them to learn how to share their story. They love God. They love their people. Pray for their outreach to save lives in Cambodia.

"Sick thoughts"

Thank you for all of your prayers while our team has been here! The last few days have been pretty rough for me, but I am now recovering ... I think. I've been having gastroenteritis (the misnomer is the stomach flu … I've had a whole day alone in a guesthouse by myself too weak to do much but lay in bed). Since I spent so much time in bed, I had a lot of time to pray for the team as they were out in the field and teaching for the first day.

I was asking God why He had me come to Cambodia if I was going to be sick and unable to teach, especially leaving Vermont, my teaching buddy, by himself on the first day. I didn't have an answer. Nathan suggested that maybe God called me here because God is just pleased that I’m here. I agree that being obedient pleases God. Maybe it’s to show the power of prayer, as I felt so much better after a few days because of your prayers. Maybe it’s for me to remember that I often draw closer to God with people and He wanted to show me how to do that alone. Then I remembered during prophetic worship at Blazing Fire Church months ago that I had the vision of being in the shoes of a prostitute in Cambodia needing to hear that God still found her precious, loved her, valued her, and called her daughter. My week last week spent with all the organizations and ministries targeting anti-human trafficking allowed me to come face to face with many former prostitutes and current prostitutes and I tried to pray for each of them.

I think God showed me several reasons and as I reflect more, I think I’ll realize even more.

Of course, the thought did cross my mind about being out of commission, “Really, God!? Again?” (Referring to my first GrX Cambodia trip in 2007 when I sprained my ankle). Even Nathan asked if every time I came back to Cambodia, something bad happened to my health. (For the record, no, I was fine in 2008 and 2009). But at least I had an “again” to think about. Since my first trip here, God has really been growing the seed He had planted in me for my heart for Cambodia, for the marginalized, and answering the question: What do I do about it now that I’m home? Regarding my spiritual walk, each time that I've returned, God has personally spoken to me about my Walk with Him. I once learned that if we’re not moving forward in our spiritual walk, we’re moving backward. There’s no stagnant place. All of my missions trips have rocketed me forward with my relationship with God, but it’s up to me when I return home to use what I learn to share with others, to spark interest in others about what I’v learned and to hopefully join together so that it’s not as difficult by myself. That’s how Steep, the small group, was birthed! God has revealed more of Himself to me not because He wasn't trying to this whole time, but because I had the eyes to see.

God also wants us to see His work as a whole picture. Since my first trip here six years ago, I've gotten to see the drastic change that God has been doing here. One anti-human trafficking NGO we visited, Daughters of Cambodia, didn't start until 2007, the first year we had our Cambodia trip. Now, it’s grown into a well-known, healthy and holistic NGO. Last Friday, we visited World Relief in Phnom Penh. Yen shared about his experience worshiping in Khmer with the staff. When they prayed for us, I got the vision of a flower blossoming from an aerial view, maybe how God sees Cambodia turning into the redeemed country that He intends for it to be. 

Hospitality and Simplicity

(I can't believe I have 3G access here)

For the next few nights, the team is separated into pairs and staying at different staff homes throughout the town/village. Couple of thoughts so far after the first night....

 First, hospitality is serious business here. There is a joy in "successful" hospitality that resonates with my Chinese culture. Alex and I can see the relief and joy in our host's eyes as we ask for seconds during dinner. They have gone above and beyond in making sure we feel as comfortable as possible and it's hard not to be humbled and moved in response. In many ways, it makes me think about how we approach hospitality back home, or even in our small groups. Our hosts have little to give but their love for God, and us, is hard to mistake through their simple offerings. It's not just the food but how they go out of their way for our benefit, like waking up at 4am so I could use the restroom outside because my fear of dogs. Yes, that really happened. It's not too different from our small groups or Sunday mornings at GrX, where we put out snacks and coffee before service begins, where the power of hospitality is not in the coffee (yes, we are aware that the Sunday coffee leaves much to be desired)... it's us, the hosts.
My second thought: simplicity is refreshing to the soul of those with a cluttered life, namely me. There is a simplicity of life here that is void of numbing busyness, cynicism, and #yolo culture/jokes back home. Don't get me wrong... people are busy here. They wake up 4am to start the day. The husband cleans up the house, does laundry (by hand), while the wife prepares breakfast. They then drive off to setup their "shop" at 5:30am, selling rice and chicken from a trolley of sorts. They work hard here. They also never talk about how busy they are. They just own it and live their life with obedience and faith. I would like to think that busyness is relative because the truth is... I enjoy talking about how busy I am. As I lay here, 4:30am under my mosquito net and listen to the roosters wake up the neighborhood, I also can't help but wonder if what comes out of my mouth ends up affecting my character and soul more than I am aware of. For once, I am not feeling busy. I feel content.
-Victor
Picture is a panaramic of our living space.
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Day 5: Workout, Missionary Care, Superman, and Prayer Walk

Prayer request:

• Victor's ankle is killing him. Please pray for quick healing.
• Sherry is starting to get under the weather, please pray for healing.
• Candace's sinus to not affect her
• Yen's arms are really sore so please pray that he heals quickly
• Vermont has been coughing a lot lately (pollution? hope it's not tuberculosis). Please pray for it to subside.

Today was a really good day. At 6 AM, Sherry, Yen, and Vermont went to the rooftop to workout. Soon after, Victor popped up and was surprised that we were there. He did his own intense workout. Meanwhile, Alex was running up and down the stairs. Candace really needed her rest to withstand the long day today so she rested up.

At 8AM, we ate breakfast as a group and Sherry led devotions (Phil 2:14-15) where we reflected on where we struggled so far in the trip and how to be light to the world. After that, we split into groups where one group went to the Russian Market, another group to go purse shopping, and another group rested up.

The main focus today was to support our missionaries, Nathan and Priscilla. So Victor bought lunch from the Russian Market and we feasted at Nathan and Priscilla's house. We wanted to do whatever we could to care for them. Nathan really wanted to play Settlers of Cattan but unfortunately we ran out of time and had to go out and watch Superman (3d!) while we treated Priscilla to the spa. Honestly, after spending time with them for the very first time the last few days, to see the sacrifices they've made, the mercy and obedience they do to serve the Lord, and their faithfulness to God's call, this is the least we can do. They truly love God and live and breath His mission, 100%, every single day, every hour, minute, and second.

Superman was good. We had bubble tea while we watched the movie. The action was amazing, very much like Dragon Ball Z, Android 17 and 18, and Cell. The storyline and acting left much to be desired, but it was still the best Superman in recent memory. After the movie, we went back to our hotels and rested before dinner.

We went to a French restaurant for dinner and had great fellowship. Nathan spoke about MST: basically a bi-monthly prayer walk/mission in red light districts in Phnom Penh. They pray as they walk around town, they approach people in groups of 2-3, and start conversation. They do what they feel God calling them to do, for example, if someone praying says God told them to speak to someone in a red hat, they do that. Really, the goal and measure of success is to do what God tells them to do that evening. While the groups go out and about, another group prays for the entire evening, wherever God leads their hearts to pray. A sample success story is where they spoke to a person and after an hour conversation, the foreigner decided to go home rather than seek out intimate companionship.

One of the important points Nathan wanted us to realize is that every "John" has a backstory. His reasons are sinful as our reasons when we disobey. One sin is not greater than another. It is important to not judge, and to see these people as creations of God and need God just as much as we do. This was hard to do when we later went to to the red light districts to experience it ourselves.

Before we delve into that experience, we asked Nathan and Priscilla what they felt was their greatest sacrifice being missionaries. Nathan responded, "God desires mercy, not sacrifice." He said that they haven't really sacrificed anything, just some parts uncomfortable here and there. Priscilla agreed and said that it is their honor to serve God.. I would have expected some mention of salary, living conditions, etc, but to them, these pale in comparison to their genuine desire to see God's kingdom grow and their faithfulness to serve the Cambodian people. For me personally, there are plenty of "distractions" to steer me away from this type of passioe towards God: career, being busy, etc; in reality these distractions are deeply engrained idols needing to be torn down. To see Nathan and Priscilla cast these asides to follow our Creator deeply inspires me to do better.

After a great dinner and dessert, Nathan again put us first and spent the next hour doing a prayer walk in the red light district. For all of us, this was the first time, so it was great to see what we heard and learned about in action. He took us to three places: imagine Santana Row with only 8-12 shops on either side. The first place was meant for foreigners. Practically every girl on that block was a working girl. We were quickly angry at these foreigners but we also remembered Nathan's earlier lesson to not judge these individuals. We also prayed that these foreigners go home alone rather than with a working girl. For the second location, it was meant for Cambodians and we prayed for the girls there to find their beauty in Christ rather than in physical. Finally we went to a location that was a mall like atmosphere, but girls approach men in hopes of servicing them. We prayed for the children there (age 3-5) who begged, as this type of lifestyle will be normal in their eyes having seen it from such a young age. This cycle needs to stop.

After that, we went back to our hotel in thankful spirits for the experiences we were blessed with today, the inspiration received from such wonderful missionary partners, and being able to experience a prayer walk and to feel God's work in a place of darkness.

Day 4: World Relief and Tears of Joy

Today was a bit special for me as we got to visit the World Relief staff in Phnom Penh for the first time and this occurred smack dab in the middle of their morning worship. Prior to this moment, my emotions were more or less off partly due to jet lag, reading ahead about Cambodia's painful history, and the sheer quantity of knowledge that was being shared to our team during our NGO visits. Somehow when we entered worship, everything about why we're having a missions trip in Cambodia and partnering with World Relief and Nathan/Priscilla became very real for me.

Although I had absolutely no idea what the staff was singing nor what the pastor (?) was preaching, once everyone started singing together in Cambodian AND English from Candace/Sherry, I truly felt like this place was a holy place filled with the love of God. There was so much passion for God in the room that I found myself tearing up a bit. Nathan introduced us to the staff and they told us to stand in a circle in the center so they can pray for us. As the staff simultaneously prayed over us, I again had no idea what they were saying, but then I realized they probably prayed the same prayers that we might pray - For God's love, strength, justice, grace, forgiveness, reconciliation, and joy to shine through in the faith and the work we accomplish over the next few days. I teared up again (whoops!)

Nathan then shared with us some of World Relief's values, which can be seen below - they're awesome!

Nathan gave us a presentation on how World Relief Cambodia works with local children, teens, and parents to educate and empower the local community via daycare, sex education/prevention, financial management, and more.

While Vermont & Alex were helping the IT guy downstairs, Candace, Sherry, and I tested and inventoried a bunch of cameras; I can safely say that we all have a greater appreciation for Inventory Management now haha.

We had probably 3 times this amount toward the end...

We had lunch at Daughters of Cambodia's lunch spot, Sugar & Spice and got a chance to worship in their prayer room (look at Victor's post). After relaxing (30 mins of swimming & 80 burpees in 6.5 mins in 85+ degree/humid weather), we had dinner at this awesome Indian restaurant with Nathan, Priscilla, Simon, and Jane and the food was AWESOME!

Finally, we dropped off at a sports bar to watch a rerun of the 4th quarter of the NBA finals lol (note huge screen & Candace lol)

Worship and Mission

@ Daughter's of Cambodia: House of Prayer

Being reminded that worship and prayer always makes more sense within the context of mission.

Praying that this may also be the case for us back in Union City.

- Victor



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Location:Street 430,Phnom Penh,Cambodia

No post today because...

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Location:Street 460,Phnom Penh,Cambodia

Day 2: Out Of These Ashes Beauty Will Rise

"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." - Isaiah 61: 3

If there was one word I would use to describe today, it would be "HOPE."

Yesterday was a tough day, where our team was confronted with the reality of darkness and brokenness that was so intense some of us had a hard time processing how there could be such evil in the world.  For me, it brought up the age old question of how God could allow things like genocide to happen.  However, throughout the day, I felt like God was really reminding me about how he has not abandoned the people of Cambodia, and how he has been working here all along, even in the midst of the darkness and brokenness.

We started the day at an NGO (non-government organization) called Action Pour Les Enfants.  This is a secular organization that works to bring justice and healing to children victims of abuse and exploitation.  Though they had many heartbreaking stories, they also told us about their part in breaking cycles of abuse and bringing perpetrators to justice.

We then had a delicious lunch at Daughters of Cambodia's Sugar and Spice Cafe.  Daughters is a Christian NGO that reaches out to girls and ladyboys (boys who dress like women and sell themselves/are sold to men) who have been sexually trafficked or exploited.  Rather than housing women in shelters, Daughters provides a way out for women and men who wish to leave the sex trade, while still allowing them to live in their communities.  Daughters trains these women and men in skills such as sewing, screen printing, design, woodworking, and food service, and then provides employment for many of them at fair trade wages.  They also provide free childcare for children up to 5 years of age, free basic medical services, free counseling, and education.

Currently, Daughters runs a couple cafes, a boutique where they sell items made by their clients, a spa, and they will soon be opening a guest house.  All of these businesses employ women from their programs.  They also talked to us about how their Sons program, a relatively new program that reaches out to ladyboys, has been growing.  Though, participation in religious services is not mandatory for being part of Daughters (in fact, they so far have not turned anyone away), they do share the gospel with those who come through their doors and offer them the opportunity to learn more about Jesus through church services and prayer.  For Victor and Sherry, who were part of the first GRX Fremont Cambodia team, they were amazed at how far Daughters of Cambodia has come, since their first trip.  It was a clear picture of how God is working to redeem, heal, and empower the women, men, and children who have been victims of sexual exploitation.

Finally, we visited Precious Women, a Christian ministry run by a Cambodian woman whose heart was broken for victims of sexual trafficking/exploitation, and who felt God calling her to do something about it.  In response, she started Precious Women, a ministry that trains and employs women in skills that will equip them to live and work in an environment free of sexual and economic exploitation. Several things struck us about this ministry: 1) This was the first organization we went to that was started by a Cambodian rather than a foreigner, 2) It is a very grassroots ministry, started by one person who felt called by God to make a difference, and 3) It is still young, but growing.  It was awesome to see that from one person, God could do such amazing things.

For me, the time at Precious Women was also a time where God reaffirmed in my heart the theme of hope and restoration.  This morning, during my quiet time, as I reflected on the experiences of Day 1, God reminded me of the Steven Curtis Chapman song, Beauty Will Rise.  In the song, there is the line, "Out of these ashes beauty will rise."  During our time at Precious Women, a volunteer mentioned that she had shared Isaiah 61:3 (the verse that inspired that line) with the women (see verse at the top).  It was one of those moments where I really felt God was showing me, "I am here bringing beauty out of the ashes in Cambodia!  There is hope, even in the midst of darkness."

Thanks again for all your support and prayers!  Please look for more updates in the days to come!

<3 Candace

Day One!

Seeing as the rest of the team appears to be suffering from jet lag, I took it upon myself to write about our first day into Cambodia =D

**warning: a post that is probably too long below**

So before I even get to how my first day went, I'd just like to mention that for Candace, Sherry, Yen and myself, our flight from San Francisco to Phnom Penh went very smoothly with the only hiccup being the one part that we didn't think could go wrong, waiting to be picked up from the airport.  Due to a slight miss-communication about airlines/arrival times, our little group of four ended up waiting a little longer than we expected after going through customs without any problems.  Just thought that that was amusing and wanted to let everyone (especially those who prayed for us to have a painless trip!) know that we got to Phnom Penh without any problems.

Anyways, for those of you who don't know, I really don't like the heat.  In fact, it was actually one of my personal prayer requests (that I would be able to get used to/stand the heat in Cambodia) that I had for our Cambodia Team Prayer Night.  When the airplane landed in Phnom Penh and we were walking out on to the walkway, I could feel a sudden increase in temperature and humidity and was instantly worried thinking that if the insulated walkway was this bad (though still tolerable), how bad would it be once we got out of the airport?

Luckily, however, when we actually got out of the airport and waited to be picked up, I found out the insulation on the walkway was pretty much non-existent and it felt pretty much the same as it did outside as it did inside the walkway.  So overall the day was, in my opinion, actually quite tolerable though still definitely uncomfortable.  Another helping factor was the fact that both our van and our hotel rooms have air conditioning (which is the only reason why I am writing this post as I would not be enjoy having my laptop fan spewing hot air into an already hot hotel room), this will hopefully allow us to get used to the heat and humidity a bit more before next week when we move out of our nice air conditioned room into the outlying provinces...

I realize that so far I haven't actually talked about anything that we did in Cambodia so I'll get to that.  The first thing that we did after getting picked up and dropping our stuff off at our hotel was to go to a buffet for lunch with Nathan.  There we got our first taste of Cambodian food (as I'm not going to count the order of fries that Yen ordered at the airport Burger King in order to get the wifi password to contact Victor and Nathan) which included a dish that had several winged ants in it.  I personally believe that they were cooked in as part of the meal but I think that I'm the only one so I'll leave it at that.  What we did next may seem like a bit of a downer at first, but I hope that you will be able to read through to the end and see how it might not be a totally dark experience.

After the buffet the four of us left for the killing fields while Nathan went home and Victor waited to pick up Vermont as he arrives after us.  At the killing fields, we followed the audio tour and learned about the terrible things that were done to the people of Cambodia.  While all of it was terrible, two things stood out to me the most.  The first of them was something that was called "the killing tree" which was a thick tree that was part of the killing fields.  The tree was given that name as it was used by the Khmer Rouge to smash open the heads of helpless infants and babies as they held them by their feet.  The second was while walking along the trail, Sherry and I saw a part of a jaw just laying on the ground, not part of any exhibit that was formed by the staff there, but just laying there on the ground.

After going through the killing field tour we went to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum to see the things done by the Khmer Rouge in the high-school converted to a security prison.  Again the things that were described there were terrible and I personally felt like there was no way that I could actually connect with how the Cambodian people must have felt at the time as I have never been through anything remotely close to what they've been through.  The part of the Museum that felt the most real to me was a series of rooms, one after another, of boards filled with pictures of all the people that were put through the prison.  It just seemed to go on and on; some of the boards contained pictures on one side of the board but many contained pictures on both.  Each picture was of an individual, each different and unique, who just got assigned a number and eventually tortured and executed.

You may now be getting depressed hearing of atrocity after atrocity; I'll admit that I was starting to feel down myself.  At dinner, however, Nathan mentioned that he didn't want to show us these things just to show us how bad things were, but also to see how things are getting better.  After hearing this, I thought a bit about what we had seen earlier in the day and realized that I was missing a vital part of the experience that Nathan was trying to get us to see.  From the killing fields, there was a Stupa made to honor and remember those who were killed in the killing fields.  The act of creating a tour of the killing fields means that they want to spread the word on what happened and they want the world to learn from what happened in Cambodia to prevent more genocides from happening.  From the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, there was a section at the end that was set up by the Hiroshima Peace again showing that they are hoping the rest of the world would be able to learn from the genocide that happened in Cambodia, along with those around the world, and to prevent genocide from happening again.

Well hopefully you did manage to get through to see the light at the end of the tunnel as I was brought to see with the help of Nathan.  After the museum, we didn't do anything as intense for the rest of the day.  By the time we were done with the museum, Victor had just picked up Vermont and they were on the way back to the hotel so we headed back there so that we could meet up with our final team member and get together for dinner.  For dinner, a few of us tried fried tarantula and there was much screaming and fright XD

I apologize for the lack of pictures (and in the case of the tarantula eating, videos) as I did not actually bring my camera or cellphone.  I'm sure the other members will upload them in a post once they're all over their jet lag though.

So guess you'll just have to check back if you want to see pictures/videos of people eating tarantulas!

(check back anyways even if you don't, you can just skip that part if you want, there will be plenty of other good stuff)

PhamJamStudio to Cambodia - why oh why?

--- Once Again I say to you - My Beloved Family and Friends ---

This passage below sums up my reason for travelling to Cambodia

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a]31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12: 30-31

STEEP bought backpacks and filled them with school
supplies to give to low income students

Seems like I have a heart for the impoverished, neglected, marginalized, widows, orphans, oppressed, vulnerable, dis-empowered, and so on. I suppose this was a gift from God? :)

For me, I live in conflict knowing that there are so many people out there that for systemic and or individual reasons, lack the basic amenities that most of us middle class folk enjoy daily - food, shelter, nice clothes, safety, freedom, peace, health, smartphones, and so on. 

Children might be the best at praying!

Don't you wonder what life for everyone would be like if we all followed God's two greatest commandments above? I think we'd ALL be better off so likewise, I'll go live out my faith, this time, by travelling to Cambodia.

Teaching ESL to adults in Cambodia

If you haven't read my support letter, here's your 2nd chance to support us! Though I am being laid off (surprise!) as of June 14th, I don't actually need financial support from anyone.  Actually, I can spend a good part of my savings to buy enough cameras/PC's for World Relief on my own. Supposedly it shouldn't be hard for me to find a new job, but I may be humbled real soon!

Despite my somewhat cavalier outlook towards my financial stability, I do want to encourage you to participate in God's work - would it not be beautiful to help uplift a country that has struggled through years of civil wars, a recent massacre, human trafficking, and the highest HIV rate in all of Asia? We seek to empower the World Relief staff by teaching them ESL, photography, and IT/network maintenance

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.- Luke 12: 32-34

Even though I speak of supporting a struggling country like you might expect from faithful Christian, I also pray that I am humbled by God's work in Cambodia while I learn a little more about them. I also pray that my heart is filled with the loving heart of Jesus Christ so that among many other things, I can return home and share with you all of my experiences - maybe you'll feel a twinkle in your heart telling you to reach out in your own way :)

Please pray for my team and me - we're leaving in 10 days!!!

Yen

He walked a mile

And everytime I close my eyes 

I see the nails, I hear the cries 

He did not keep Himself away 

He was no stranger to my pain 

He walked a mile in my shoes 

He walked a mile

Growing up, Clay Crosse's song, He walked a mile, was a song that I often put on repeat. Over, and over, and over. If you have not heard it before, watch the Youtube video above, highly recommended. I really like it that much. For God, to walk as we did, to suffer pain, absolutely amazing, His love for us. It meant a lot to me. 

There are several ancillary reasons why I am going to Cambodia. The first being is that my wife wanted me to go: photography and computers are my passions and she said it would be a good match. We also wanted to build community with our church, and what better way would it be to go to the trenches with brothers and sisters and to serve our Lord and Cambodia by providing support for NGOs. It would also allow us to see the church's vision in helping local and global communities and to participate in helping serve wherever we may. These are small, but important steps for us.

For me, this is the main reason that I am going: for my dear friend, I will walk this mile. This August, I'm going to be my friend's groomsman. While he is Chinese, his future wife is Cambodian. If it meant so much to him that I should be his groomsman, he equally means so much to me that I want him and his new family to know God's love. Whatever seeds may be planted, whatever conversations may be started, this trip will allow me to experience and serve Cambodia and to bridge my cultural understanding of his fiance's motherland. This is a mile that is worth walking.

19Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

1st Corinthians 9:19-23

The Long Road to Cambodia

Cambodia 2013 has been 4.5 years in the making for me.

When embarking upon my teaching career, one of my hopes was that I would be able to participate regularly in short-term missions during my summers off.  Soon after I first joined Great Exchange Fremont in 2008, the second Cambodia team from GRX was sharing about their experience from that year’s trip, but at the time I didn’t really have a personal connection with Cambodia.

As 2009 rolled around, I was burnt out from my first year teaching and decided on vacationing instead of missions.   Then 2010 came and went because I planned on getting a dog.  Finally, I was ready to consider going in 2011, but due to transitions within the church, Great Exchange Fremont didn’t send a team that year.  2012 came around and the trip fell after my school year would begin.  I remember telling one of our pastors, Victor, that I would go the next year if the trip fell in June.

By God’s timing, this year’s trip ended up falling (quite unexpectedly and at the very last minute) in June.  However, the decision to go was still a struggle.  The older I get the more responsibilities seem to tie me down: my house, my dog, family responsibilities, etc.  Additionally, I have wrestled with the questions about the value of short-term missions.  How much can really be done in two weeks?  Am I just trying to “take the easy way out” in terms of evangelism by going on a mission trip to feel good about myself rather than staying and reaching out to those around me here?  What if when I come back life just goes back to normal as if nothing happened?

So what made me finally decide to go?

11)    I couldn’t get past the whole God’s timing thing, and the fact that I had essentially promised to go if the trip fell in June.

22)    I received a mission support letter from my cousin Eric, who will be going to Rwanda this year for missions.  In his letter he talked about how time has flown by and he’s found that he’s gotten settled in his comfortable suburban lifestyle, but how God was calling him to go!  It reminded me of two things.  First, life is not going to get any less busy as I get older.  As a single woman, I have relatively little responsibility compared to my cousin, who is married with three kids.  It also reminded me of the desire God had put in my heart when I graduated and planned on doing missions during my summers off, and it reminded me that it’s been 7 years since I last went on a mission trip!

33)    One of my biggest fears is still that I will come back from this trip unchanged.  However, over the past 4.5 years, I have supported my friends who have gone to Cambodia each year through prayer and financial support.  Through hearing their stories my heart for the country has grown.  Supporting others has also given me to opportunity to see the impact that this trip has had on numerous lives.  Because of Cambodia missions, one of my small group members moved to Cambodia, one of my small group members embarked on a 1.5 year missions trip (she has since returned and is on our team again this year!), and several friends have gone back to Cambodia multiples times.  Additionally, Steep, the small group I currently attend was born from the first Cambodia trip in 2007.

44)    I truly believe in purpose of this trip.  During my time at Great Exchange I have seen my church’s relationship with Cambodia mature, which reminds me that this trip is more than just a two-week trip, it’s about growing a long-term relationship that has already been established over the past 6 years.  It is an exciting privilege to get to be a part of what God is doing in Cambodia, and to be a part of deepening the relationship between my church and our partners in Cambodia.

In short, God called, and I decided I better start listening.  Please continue to keep myself and the team in prayer!  Thanks for your support!

<3 Candace

Why me?

Why am I going to Cambodia?

I've grown up in a Christian family and the churches that I've been a part of have mostly been about teaching doctrine.  While there have been mission trip opportunities I never really thought about actually going always thinking that I wasn't ready, there wasn't time, or some other excuse.

Fast-forwarding to 2012, still without having giving much thought as to going to mission trips, I ended up in Fremont due to a job opportunity that the Lord had provided for me.  Not knowing anybody in the area nor having a church that I was planning on going to, I fell into a cycle of thinking that I’d find a church the next week.  Finally at the urgings of brothers and sisters in LA to find a church I decided to take a look at GrX Fremont as it was close and a sister from LA had told me about it.

After attending GrX Fremont for a few months, I found out that they were planning a missions trip to Cambodia for two weeks.  When I first found out about it, I thought that it sounded interesting but didn't think that I had enough vacation days accrued to take two weeks off so I didn't give it much thought.  Wanting to learn more about what the church was going to be doing in Cambodia, I attended an info-session about the trip even though I wasn't planning on going.

During the info-session, Victor had brought up that the main purpose of the trip was not to go and try to help the people there, but rather to try to learn and to start building long term relationships with the Cambodian staff already working there.  This was interesting to me as almost all the missions trips that I had heard of were about going and doing things, such as building houses, teaching vbs, or some other service to the people.  Still thinking that I didn't have enough vacation time accrued, I didn't think about it too much after that.

After hearing a few people talk about possibly taking unpaid time off for the missions trip, I thought that maybe I could do that and decided to actually calculate how much time off I would be able to take by the time it was time to go.  To my surprise, it turns out that I would have just enough to take the two weeks off!  Once I found that out, I was still hesitant as I wasn't sure if I was ready to go until I thought again on what Victor had said during the info-session about going to learn and build relationships with the staff there.  I decided that I would probably always have reasons to not go on missions and felt like God had led me to this opportunity to go to Cambodia.

So here I am on the team and about to leave in just a couple short weeks!  Thanks for all your support and please remember us in your prayers!

Why am I going on this Cambodia 2013 trip?

Where to start ... from the beginning: I went on our first ever missions trip to Cambodia in 2007, which was also my very first missions trip. I was debating on whether or not I should go ... Victor straight up said to me, "Sherry, you should go."

And as cliche as it sounds, it changed my life ... but not in the romanticized way most people would imagine it. The first 10 hours we had set foot in Cambodia, I sprained my ankle severely while playing with the kids at the first orphanage we visited. That's not what changed my life though. =P What changed my life was sharing just 10 days with people that had yet to overcome so much strife and seemed so poor,  in our American middle-class eyes, but were so rich in their faith with the Lord. God was in every part of their lives and they were forced to depend on Him because they had nothing else to rely on! How blessed was I to be a part of His hands and feet in this country that was once so dark? When I returned, a few of us on that trip started the small group, Steep, with the vision of steeping every part of lives in Jesus. Missions should be embedded in our lives and not just across the world.


Here I am relearning how to walk with the help of these sweet kids after spraining my ankle.
Cambodia 2007

Short term missions changed my life so much, I returned to Cambodia with GrX in 2008. Plus, I had yet to really set BOTH feet on Cambodia soil for more than 10 hours. I wasn't sure why God called me there again, but I obeyed, and while I was there, I got His call to GO. Go ... where!? That started the new adventure of quitting my job, moving to Hawaii to do God's work with the non-profit, Surfing The Nations, and through them go on more missions trips, including the Philippines, Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. And when I returned, I led a GrX trip to Japan to help with the tsunami relief effort. They were all adventures of sharing the love of God through actions, conversations, relationship-building, prayer, struggles, miracles ... and fun! Each time, God shows me more of who HE is, in which I'm challenged to bring home and live out in my life back here.

Which brings me to today! I think in the past six years, one of the most important things I've learned about God from my own experience is that He doesn't NEED us to do His work. God exalts us, not the other way around. And if I'm not obedient in doing His work, then someone else will be ... but I'd miss out on the adventure that He's called ME on. I'd miss out on witnessing the work He's doing in Cambodia through our missioanaries there (Nathan & Priscilla). I'd miss out on the new relationships I'll have, the challenges of living uncomfortably, the skills He's equipped me with, the team He wants me to be a part of, the stories He wants me to bring back to you! Because not everyone has this opportunity to go, but I do! So I hope that I can be a faithful servant, team member, body of Christ to represent those who are unable to go, which leads me to the importance of those that are here. You're just as important in His plan for the Cambodians who we go to love, and your prayers are what makes our team be equipped with the armor of God, able and willing to complete His work. Thanks so much for sending us!    

We Need Your Prayers!

Dear Supporters,

Here are some simple things you can pray for as our team prepares to go to Cambodia:

1) Team Unity - as we have such a fast-forwarded timeline for this trip, there is only a small amount of time for us to bond as a team before heading to Cambodia.  Please pray that we would make the most of the little time we have to grow closer to one another through prepping and fellowship.

2) Hearts Ready to LISTEN and RECEIVE - It is tempting to go into a mission trip with the mindset of DOING something awesome, but we really believe that God is calling us to have hearts that are willing to listen and learn.  Please pray that God would continue to reveal to us how he is already working in Cambodia (specifically through World Relief and Nathan & Priscilla) and how we can be a part of God's Kingdom work there.

3) Nathan & Priscilla and World Relief - Our team is only going to Cambodia for two weeks, but our partners, Nathan, Priscilla, and World Relief are in it for the long run.  Pray that God would continue to motivate and sustain them and those they serve.  Also, Nathan and Priscilla have a newborn and the week we arrive, Priscilla will be returning to work at Hagar from maternity leave.  Please pray for strength and wisdom and rest, as they are new parents.  Please also pray that our trip would be a time of encouragement to them.

Thanks for your prayers!

<3 Cambodia Team 2013

T-Minus 2 weeks!

(L-R: Alex, Vermont, Candace, Sherry, Victor, Yen

...in case you were wondering...this picture was taken late at night after a long day =P)

Dear Friends,

Welcome to our Cambodia 2013 Missions Blog!  I can't believe the trip is in 2 weeks!  Here is some basic info about our trip:

When?

June 17 - June 28

Where?

Phnom Penh and Kampong Cham Province

What's the purpose of the trip?

World Relief

Great Exchange Fremont has decided to partner with World Relief Cambodia.  World Relief is a Christian NGO that seeks to serve and share God's love for Cambodia through its work in five key areas: HIV Prevention & Education, Maternal & Child Health, Micro-Enterprise Development, Church Mobilization, and Trafficking Prevention.

Our team will be spending a week with the World Relief staff to:

1) Build Capacity - World Relief believes that the best people to reach Cambodians are Cambodians themselves.  This is why the staff is almost entirely made up of Cambodians.  We will be building the capacity of the Cambodian staff mainly through ESL training, basic photography training, and IT support/training.

2) Share our Lives - Our MAIN focus will be  building relationships with the World Relief staff through serving alongside them as they do fieldwork and possibly through staying at their homes.

3) Learn - For many of us, it will be our first time in Cambodia (for missions), and we would like to learn about Cambodia and the work that God is already doing through World Relief.  We have so much to LEARN before we can even begin considering what we could possibly do to support and serve Cambodia and World Relief.

4) Change - Our desire is that this trip will change us and how we live when we return to the states.  We are not entirely sure what this will look like, but we hope it is the start of something new!

5) Prayer - "When we pray, God's hands move." (Nathan & Priscilla)  When we are in Cambodia, one of the most important aspects of the trip will be prayer for the programs, the staff, the volunteers and the people that World Relief serves.

Nathan & Priscilla

Great Exchange Fremont has also partnered with Nathan and Priscilla, who are long term missionaries in Cambodia.  Priscilla is a legal advocate for victims of trafficking and works with an NGO called Hagar, which strives to protect and walk with women and children who have been victimized as they journey through recovery, empowerment, and reintegration.  During our time with Nathan and Priscilla, we will hopefully learn much more about the complex issue of human trafficking, what God is already doing through ministries and NGO's in Cambodia, and what we can do at home to help promote anti-trafficking.

How you can partner with us:

1) Prayer! We totally believe that what has and is happening in Cambodia is spiritual warfare.  Therefore, prayer is an essential part of the trip.  We will be posting prayer requests here periodically and emailing out prayer requests to those of you who have said you will support us through prayer.  Please check in for updates on how you can pray for us.

2) Donations - World Relief needs working laptops and cameras.  If you are able to donate a laptop or digital camera, please let Yen Pham know as soon as possible! (email: yen.pham83@gmail.com; phone: (408) 384-9367)

3) Financial Support - Each team member must raise approximately $2200 to cover travel expenses and room & board.  We believe that how God will use this trip is worth the cost and would love to invite you to partner with us through giving financially.  You may give toward an individual member's expenses or towards the general fund.  Please contact a team member for more information on how to give!

Stay tuned for future posts detailing why each of us has decided to go on this trip.  We are so appreciative of your love and support!

<3 Cambodia 2013 Team

Testing 1, 2, 3...and GO!

Welcome to our GRX 2013 Cambodia Missions Trip blog! We hope to provide you timely updates as we draw closer to our trip!

One of our tasks this week is to learn about the atrocities that occurred in Cambodia by watching the documentary, "Return to the Killing Fields" which you can watch by following the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRpGJ2pPjIM&list=UUuBS9hgHCBKlWIcv3qgfwVg&index=15

Thanks for visiting and God Bless!
Yen