Svay Rieng

We have been in the province of Svay Rieng since Monday of this week, and it has been a breath of fresh air- literally. After being in the crowded city of Phnom Penh for a while, it's nice to be out in the countryside where people walk their water buffaloes on the side of the road and the air smells more like plants than pollution. Every day, we head out to different villages in the surrounding areas. We have been loving the journey in the back of a bouncy truck, where we are often ducking and dodging trees and bamboo- it feels like a video game. Each village we have gone to has been such a blessing. Usually we spend some time sharing testimonies and just speaking with the adults of the village, and then praying for them. We have lunch at the home of someone in the village- an always interesting experience. And then the hosts always insist we rest, also known as mandatory nap time! So after we have had lunch and laid down for a while, in the afternoons we usually spend time with the kids in the village teaching them songs, performing skits, and playing games. We welcome the ride in the back of the truck to return to our guest house at the end of the day, it gives our clothes a chance to dry out from all the sweating we've done during the day. In the evenings, we spend time with a group of wonderful high schoolers. The organization we are currently working with, Kone Kmeng, has a dorm house here in Svay Rieng for teenagers who desperately want to go to school and get an education, but live out in the villages too far to make a daily trek to school. We walk to the dorm and are welcomed by shouts of "Brother! Sister! Hello," laughter and excited faces. We spend time sharing our testimonies, speaking with them, worshiping the Lord with them (in Cambodian and English), and then we teach them English and practice speaking with them. At the end of the night, they hug us and tell us how much they love us. Every night we spend with them, I return to the hotel joyful and fulfilled- what amazing people. I wish I could capture their joy and excitement for the Lord and for us in a bottle.

We have an amazing translator with us whose name is Seyla. He is our biggest blessing. He has such an amazing heart and goes above and beyond the role of translator. We all love him so much, and it is clear that he loves us as well. Praise the Lord for Seyla.

Our time here has been different than our time in Phnom Penh, but we are so blessed by the opportunities we have had to serve in the villages. Next week we will return to the city for two weeks, and then we head back to New Zealand! WHAT? Already? Then, after a week in New Zealand- I'm coming home. On December 2nd I will be back in Kansas City. I more and more often think of home and miss it, but the thought of leaving Cambodia and then New Zealand makes me sad as well! This chapter in my life has been an exciting one and I am so changed by the things God has done.

I am so grateful for a day off today since it is a Saturday- we have the opportunity for Internet use and to update everyone back home. And REST! I think I may nap today. Praise the Lord for busy days, but also for days of rest.

Thank you all so much for staying updated on what I am doing! And thank you for all of your support. Hopefully I will be able to update everyone again a couple times before I leave Cambodia. Saturdays are my day off, so look for another blog post or Facebook update!

I love you and miss you all heaps! See you in a few weeks..... Bless You! 

Holly

The group resting during one of our "mandatory naptimes" in one of the villages.

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

Some kids from one of the villages!

Cambodian Countryside- some women walking their water buffaloes in the rice fields.

Our ride!