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