Hello everyone! I have finally found internet and a chunk of time to write. Since leaving Kona over a week ago it has been an amazing adventure learning how to lead a team of 11 all the way to Battambang, Cambodia. Our trip took us from Kona, Hawaii to Bangkok Thailand where we spent the night and left the next day for Cambodia. We had to leave one of our students back in Kona because of visa problems which ended up causing him to have to join our Haiti team. We had a three hour drive to the border which ended up being more than just a normal border crossing.
Our van driver that picked us up from Bangkok drove us and dropped us off at a official looking small office where a very polite, English speaking Cambodian man greeted us and had us sit down to start filling out visa paperwork. He kept talking to me and telling me all about how great the visa process was and how fast they get it done. I started feeling very uncomfortable looking around at all of the workers staring at me. We were just about done filling out our paperwork when the man began to tell me about the price. He was asking for 1200 per person baht which is the Thai currency. Now it's been a while since I was in Thailand and the numbers were not making sense in my head. grabbing a pen and paper I realized that he was asking $40 to process a $20 visa. This is where I started getting a little frustrated. I looked behind me to see if the van that dropped us off was still there and I didn't see it! I quickly realized that the van driver had moved the van and was sitting right behind me.
So I spent a few minutes arguing with both men about the price and why it was so much. The Cambodian man, swearing that he was an honest man, was trying to tell me that he could get it done in 10 minutes and that the real border would take 3 hours and since it was closing in an hour that we wouldn't make it in time. At this point I was angry that we had wasted our time there and knew that we were right in the middle of a scam. We packed up in the van and headed for the real border. Getting out of the van the second time was a little different. We were surrounded by men asking to carry our luggage and to help us get visas. We kept our mouths shut and walked across into Cambodia.
Battambang is a pretty large city about two hours east of the border. It is very hot and humid especially when it rains. I would compare it to breathing through a sock. The streets are pretty dirty and and very busy with people on motor bikes and a random Lexus SUV. Right now we are staying at a house that is owned by a retired Cambodian pastor. We were able to sit down with him one night and hear his incredible story of how during the time of the killing fields him and his family were taken across the border into Thailand for two years to work in deadly conditions. He was an English teacher at that time and since he hadn't worked for the government at that time he was not a target but out of suspicion there was a order sent for him to be killed three times. The man in charge of the camp liked him and protected him each time since he knew he was a good man.
The ministries we have worked with so far both involve teaching English. One of the ministries is a restoration ministry that takes care of girls that have been rescued out of sex slavery or abusive situations. The other ministry is in a poor area of the city that teaches kids English and is an amazing opportunity to disciple new Christians and share the love of Christ with the ones that aren't Christians. We will start teaching more specialty classes when the youth center starts its new quarter after next week.
I am amazed at how much English the Cambodian people speak compared to Thai people. It is amazing because it is allot easier to do friendship evangelism since open evangelism is illegal in Cambodia. A few days ago we found a gym and went that night where I met a young man named Ponits. He was a very good English speaker and very talkative. We didn't have allot of time to talk but we planned to meet back at the gym another night. I am amazed at how open and excited the people are to hang out and talk. We are very excited to spent six weeks here and live life with the Cambodian people. We are definitely getting Gods heart for the people and excited to see what God is doing in their lives.
Well that is a taste from week one. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to settle in here and build more relationships with the people. Thank you for all your love and support! God bless.
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