🔆Cambodia🔆

           CAMBODIA!! I cannot believe that I am here on the other side of the world. The culture here is so different from anything I've experienced before. We arrived a week ago & have taught English, Bible, & sports classes, tried exotic fruits, ridden local transport called tuk-tuks, and so much more. It hasn't been easy. I am just getting used to the heat & humidity, bug spray has become my daily perfume, & I sleep on the ground. Throughout the time I've had here, I'm learning to have so much grace for myself. Everything, except God, in my life is different. Also, there isn't a single thought or idea that I had/have that hasn't changed or been challenged. That's okay. I'm still young & I have a lot to learn. The things I do don't have to be perfect. I am in the perfect season to make mistakes. It is okay to struggle. However, all of the challenges have been so worth it! I have loved serving these kids and making an impact in their lives. Also, we have been an encouragement & help to the local pastors & teachers. Our presence here has so much power & purpose. In the hard moments, I can look back at God's faithfulness & the words He gave us. So many little things have happened but I don't have the time or energy to write it all done. Keep me in your prayers & enjoy the pictures!

 

~ Ministry pictures & updates ~

These past 10 days in Guadalajara have been so full & fun! We started our time by helping out the YWAM Zapopan base with some chores. Moving rocks, cleaning, helping with media, and more. It was a time of supporting this pioneering base & coming alongside their mission & what God has for them in the future.

During the we we also worked alongside a mission called Fuego Mexico with Andy Pricer. We had some amazing times of evangelism & mercy ministry. We did tattoo & dream interpretation in a market area. It was different but a cool way to open the door to sharing the Gospel. One afternoon we handed out sandwiches & connected with the homeless in a poor area. I talked to one guy for 1 1/2 hours & got to know him as a person & friend. Last night, we handed out toothbrushes & toothpaste to immigrants. They have come from the “Beast” train that runs from Guatemala to the US border. I was able to talk to an evangelist who was helping those people out & tangibly bringing the love of Jesus. We also ministered to 12 girls living in a Casa Hogar or a group home. We got to play games, sing, dance, & most importantly share how loved they are.

These times have been so precious & I’m thankful to be used by God. Doing different types of ministries has opened my eyes to new strategies & ways to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. I can't wait to do these things for the rest of my life. At home or in the mission field, there are people around me who need the Gospel. I will be a ready tool for God to use. No matter a person’s situation, Jesus calls us to step in & bring truth & love. I am going to obey that call.

Travel update: we're leaving for Cambodia on Tuesday!! Yesterday was our last day doing ministry in Mexico as a whole team. As someone who isn't well-traveled, I am so excited to see Cambodia. I will spend a whole month learning about the people, culture, and how to reach the country. Pray for safe travels & protection during ministry. Thank you! 

Outreach thoughts

I can't believe it's only been only 10 days since I left Mazatlan, but it also feels like its been a month. Time passes so differently here. Everything is new and changing daily. It's incredible. 

The biggest thing we've been doing is rehab ministry. Even though I don't relate to these people's lifestyles, I love these times a lot. They are just broken people who need to know the love & change that Jesus brings. They have such a hunger & our goal is to empower them to seek Him out personally. I've taught twice & help led worship as well. The first time was in a women's center & I taught in the woman at the well which went well. The women were touched & that story impacted them. In the other rehab, I didn't really feel like my teaching was efficient. However, our time there was beautiful so I'm just trusting the Holy Spirit & how He chose to move. In total, we will have done rehab ministry 11 times in 6 days. Sometimes, the spiritual atmospheres are heavy but I've been learning more about spiritual warfare & how to fight effectively. Our battle is not against flesh & blood but against principalities & powers of darkness. The Bible is clear on this & it's an important part of being a disciple of Jesus. There have been times when people are released from oppression & the change is evident in their physical bodies. Thankfully, there have been no demon manifestations but freedom has come. My team is ready; only because we rely on the Holy Spirit. That's an overview of rehab, but we've done other things as well. 

Over the weekend, we went to a community in the mountains called Jabalí. On Saturday we did a 2-hour kids' program about God dreaming with you. Then, on Sunday, we ran the service for the church there. There was worship, a drama, & one of the girls preached. Being there was so cool. The pastor was an evangelist & still has a heart for reaching the unreacted parts of Mexico. It wasn't easy though. We slept on concrete floors for a night & ate some food that wasn't my favorite. These are tiny things but worth mentioning. Serving God isn't comfortable all the time. However, in the eyes of eternity, it's always worth it. 

That's the end of my ministry update but I want to give you an overview of our coming plans. It's not much but we're leaving for Guadalajara on Thursday morning around 5:30 am. Pray for good rest & safe travels. Thank you!

All the fun pictures: