Cambodia was AMAZING!
(I wrote this while I was still in Bangkok but couldn’t post it while I was there)
Well, today we’re flying back to LAX. Praise God!!! 
But honestly, I will really miss this place. I DEFINITELY want to come back, and bring Daryl and my sister Ashley too. I have so much to say and I have absorbed so much – I wouldn’t even know where to start!
We did SO MUCH in such a short amount of time – I am so ready to go home. This morning I’ve decided to spend alone, as well as last night when we got back from Cambodia. I wish so bad that I could speak Thai – as well as the Cambodian language. I LOVE the people here, and wish that I could communicate with them.
When we first got to the hotel in Cambodia (which was beautiful, by the way) we ate dinner and the fod there is AMAZING (I prefer it much more over Thai any day) there is so much more variety food wise.
Anyway, the next morning we walked across the street to the Genocide Museum – which was so hard but good to see. I felt like my heart was going to bust. I can’t explain exactly but my heart was broken and it was hard not to break down and cry most of the time we were there. The injustices…the children…especially the pictures of children and graphic images of people that were tortured or who died a horrible death. I bought a couple of DVD’s while I was there.
I don’t have much time to sit here and write, but I did want to share about “Tea” – a man who was begging outside our hotel. He looked like he had been burned all over his face and body – I heard later that many people there are punished by having battery acid thrown on them. I was also told that many, if not most of the beggars on the streets of both Cambodia and Thailand are controlled by the mob – so they don’t even get the money they make anyway. I’ve seen so many lepers since I’ve been here.
Well, the first time I saw Tea – he almost startled me…I hope that I can show a picture of him that my roommate (Lindsey) took if she sends it to me later. His face was completely burned and one of his eyes was completely gone, just a white hole of flesh. We were in a bit of a hurry to go meet some people at a ministry, so I didn’t stop and give him anything. But I kept praying for him and thinking about him. The next time I saw him, I decided that I would ask him if he spoke english, and while I was praying about what I should do then – he tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and almost screamed – partly because I was so deep in thought, but also because he honestly looked like something out of a horror picture. I thought of how some people, if they were scared of him or weren’t used to seeing that kind of thing (not that I am, but I’m ore used to it than others, living in LA) I would imagine that some people might get visibly upset, and yell or run away…and that made me so sad for him.
Anyway, I decided to give him a dollar (the average person in Cambodia makes LESS THAN ONE US DOLLAR A DAY) and then I asked him what his name was and if he’d mind taking a picture with me. I didn’t want him to feel like a freak, and I hope he didn’t…I kept touching his arm or shoulder and really, I wanted to give him a huge hug – but I didn’t want to freak him out. Lindsey took the picture and later she said that it was really cool to see because Tea was very manipulative (he’s a street hustler, what would you expect) and she could see his manipulating ways – but then she said that when I was interacting with him that she saw him become almost childlike and his maniputaing ways went away, because he saw compassion. I don’t know about that, but I really just had SUCH a heart for him. I didn’t give money to anyone else while we were there (or here in Bangkok) even though I wish I could give to every single beggar I see – but I’m really trying to be sensitive to God’s leading. I know that I can’t give to every beggar I see, especially if I can’t communicate to them in their language. Tea couldn’t speak english except for his name. I just pray that he felt God’s love.
Well I’ve almost been on this computer for an hour. It’s been nice to take a break and sit. We walk everywhere here. I’m so excited to come home!!! I have so much to tell, and even though I didn’t bring a camera (I know, I did take some ghetto pictures with my camera phone and my friend Kathy is going to send me some of her more professional pictures) I want to share my experiences with everyone!!! I think that EVERYONE should come here at least once. It is amazing, and I am over the fear of traveling out of the country (the main ones being the long plane ride, getting sick (which I didn’t) and BUGS!) The plane ride even though it was so extremely long – it was the most pleasurable I’ve ever had and pretty painless.
More stories when I get back!!! Hopefully, pictures too. Thanks so much for your prayers!!!
