2 days!!!

Okay, so I am here and I am alive! The plane ride was wonderful because I got to talk about Jesus to a Korean Man, and also a Cambodian man on the connecting flight. The flight however, minus the conversation, was difficult. I got very sick every time the plane would take off, and 2 days of flying was just about exhausting. Okay so I am here! I am actually in Cambodia!! We stayed at a nice hotel in the city when I arrived. I got to eat breakfast with the whole Carson family. They have 2 little boys, Joe and Sam, I believe that we are going to be best friends! Sam and Joe are both learning English, its going to be fun to help them through this process. I got to meet all the children, the following day. This was so amazing! It was so beautiful to finally see all of there faces. Most of them don't speak any english so that is proving interesting, a few have been so helpful with spelling things out through hand signals and such. the first day here Ream took me to the killing fields, this was a horrible experience. Basically about 30 years ago there was a mass genocide of the Cambodian people, Reams father and brothers lived through this experience. She took me but could not go in because the memories are to hard for her. There were hundreds of young Cambodian faces on the walls. These faces were so proud, so proud in the midst of such horrible destruction. Also they had many of the torture rooms still open and set up like they were 30 years ago. I cant describe to you fully the feeling I got in this place. Evil is what I felt, the presence of sheer evil. After that we went to the kings palace, which was huge! Gold everywhere. I got to talk to Ream about the spiritually of the country. The country is so so so lost! Buddhist and idol temples are everyone. I literally mean, intense burning, animal sacrificing, old testament, pagan worship. This moved me beyond reason to watch these people pray and donate money to there golden statues. Ream said, " they pray to a God they made, there God isnt alive, they made it." This breaks my heart for the people. Cambodia first heard the name of Jesus in 1994, no one in the country had even heard the gospel before then. Now if your sick or demon possessed, the villages will say, "go to the Jesus people, they can heal you." Reams father has been used in crazy ways for the gospel, Ream has unbelievable stories of healing, exorcisms, and visitations from angels. The Lord is moving here, the gospel is fresh, the gospel is new, and the gospel is needed. I have never seen a people in such darkness. Morals don't exist here, life is not valued, most Cambodians have no moral code. Just get whats mine, as soon as I can. Jesus I pray you can use me here! I pray that you can let me shine like a light amoungest the darkness.

So today, we went to this mountain, I went with about 30 of the kids. We rode bikes through the rice fields and through the villages. It was crazy! Here I was on a bike with 30 smiley kids all around, speaking in a language I have never even heard of, and we are headed to the one mountain(hill) in the village. We get there and hike up about 400 stairs, no lie, me and the kids huffing and puffing the whole time. We get to the top and its beautiful. 100 plus year old temple ruins. The kids play and show me through all the nocks and crannies. We saw monkeys! We ate mangos at the top of the mountain, the kids put this white stuff on theres, so I tried. It was salt and ground up chili--the kids laughed as I swallowed politely but nearly spit it out. Since I am white, I stick out, alot!! Everywhere we go in the village people stare at me. As we rode by on our bikes the villagers would gather there families outside to stare at the white girl. This is an interesting experience. I got asked at the mountain today-if one of the guys could take a picture with me. He wanted a pick because I was white. Everyone is sweet though, especially in the village, its just a new thing to be an attraction. I wish for a tan soon, so I don't stick out so bad.

The Lord is here, in the Carson family. In the kids smiles and helpful gestures. They love the Lord in such a real and life saving way. I am so excited to be a part of the Lords beginning foundation. I will soon visit Reams fathers church, which could very possibly be the first church in the country---ever! This is literally the birth of the church in Cambodian and I cant wait to see how the spirit moves. He loves his children and now he is here, in Cambodian, renewing his bride, his world bride. The wedding bells ring!

pray, pray without ceasing that I could bring light to this lost nation. I am not exactly sure how this will look but I know that its in the Lords hard to move here. I am safe, I feel safe, certain things are hard since I am white and look like the perfect person to mug, so I have to pay attention. But the people are nice and willing to let me into there huts everywhere we go. I hope to learn Khmer, I pray by the grace of Jesus that he would transform my tongue and mind to catch the language quickly. I want to be able to speak to the children, bond with them, love on them in there own language. I want to be able to communicate with the village, to show Christs love in a tongue they can understand. Please pray that I can supernaturally grasp the language.

I love you, and sorry this so long. So much has happened in these 3 short days. I am here, so safe, learning and loving all I can. I really feel at home, I didn't think that would happen so quickly. This is were I fit for these months, I am here standing in the perfect will of God.

*KFC is there only fast food chain
*I slept under a mosquito net
*I am eating tons of mango seeds, beautiful fruit, super fruit, suppose to make you younger
*Other fun facts to come later

I love you, so very much. Thank you everyone who sacrificed time, money, heart space, loneliness, friendship, thank you so much for trusting in the beautiful will of our sovereign father!