FOOTSTEPS TO CAMBODIA 2

The mission team was broken into 2 groups:

Team A: Rev. Peter Chin, Ps Robert, Sabrina, Rachel, Aloysius, Amanda and Shiao Yong.

Team B: Ps Anba, Ps Rueben, Joann, CK, Jasmine and me.

Team A goes to Koh Kong island, where they have to travel by boat there, while Team B (my team) goes to Baray Village in Kampung Thom. We arrived at the Phnom Penh( city of Cambodia) and both teams were separated from there to their respective places.

Our team travelled to Baray Village in Kampung Thom ( tengok the map below) which is about 120 km away from Phnom Penh. We were greeted by Sokha and Sophoan, Ps Anba's adopted children. Sokha is our team's interpretor and she's one cool and funny interpretor :)

We travelled by van to Baray Village and the journey was like SPEEDY GONZALES!!! , For a momentI thought i was sitting in Michael Shummacher's car (Probably the driver is related to him :P!!!)!! Everyone on the road are driving recklessly, honing at one another.The road is very dusty. Traffic lights are rare ( dunno whether government dun build or maybe many kena knocked down by vehicles!!)...You can even see motorcycles carrying 3 to 4 passengers without wearing helmets....I don't think you will even dare to cross the street.......

Phnom Penh Airport!! I thought they were welcoming us, but actually not!! haha

Rumah orang kaya in Phnom Penh

Sungai Mekong, as we r crossing the bridge

A garden in a roundabout!! Saw the pistol with the end twisted and diikat? It signifies end of war

Halfway we stopped by at a bread shop to buy some buns and bottled waters. That was the first time I have the chance to practice my Khmer language taught by Ps. Anba . I was asking how much is the bread and the waters in Khmer: "Ni te lai ponman." But then when they answered back. My whole brain bengang cox I don’t really understand what the lady was talking about. Anyway with Ps Anba's help, the confusion of language was settled..haha!! Anyway, the exchange in Cambodia is in USD and Riels.

We stopped by at a restaurant overlooking the MEKONG river ( Remember!! the sungai our Geography lessons taught us one!!) Unfortunately, the rain must come and spoilt everything....the restaurant was leaking....so we have to faster makan and cabut cox we still got a veyr long way to the village and it's so dark ady....

Dun ask me what's the name of the restaurant cox i TAK TAU BACA!! Plus my job is to MAKAN nia!!

VEGETABLES in OYSTER SAUCE... HO CHAK

Cambodia's famous dessert "Fresh leave cake"

Cambodia COCA COLA....

Makan time...Sokha busy on the phone while Joann posing!!

We arrived in Baray Village kinda late, about 10.30pm thanks to the heavy rain...We were greeted by Aunty Esther DIng, who is a long term missionary in Cambodia. We stayed at her place called Khmer Village Homestay. And the place TAKDA ELECTRICITY punya...The entire Baray Village don't have electricity....*GULP*... There is a generator which only works for 2 hours from 6.30pm to 8.30 pm for people to have dinner and their baths. Since we arrived late aunty Esther was gracious to extend the generator until 11.15pm. We practically got less time to finish unpack our stuffs and also bath...SO we cepat cepat sat down under a hut and discussed bout the agenda for the next morning...After that we cepat cepat dash into the toilet...It's kinda horrifying to bath with the bugs, spiders and beetles ( i think the whole family is there)...But then wut to do...terpaksa ady...if not this aint call missions ady...After bathing we cepat cepat balik our huts...My roomate is JAsmine...We slept on the floor in a mosquito nets...Was a great challenge to sleep cox the bugs are so determined to masuk into our territory..must been a very long time since these bugs have guest!! But then since we were too tired, kenot layan them much ady..will wait for the next day to entertain the bugs....

Part 3 coming up soon...

FOOTSTEPS TO CAMBODIA 1

Yellow yellow ppl....Sorry for not updating lately ( blame the ASTRO la cox i was addicted to the TVB dramas lately....I noe some of u wanted to know how was my experience to Cambodia for the mission trip....anyway it's gonna be kinda long la ( gonna break into parts)...so tahan sikit la...if tak tahan then letak sum EYEMO to freshen up ur eyes...WIthout furtherado...LETS START

The actual journey starts as soon as I made the decision to go. The journey to making that decision itself is very mentally torturing. This is my VERY FIRST mission trip, summore all the way to CAMBODIA...Worries and fears of being kidnapped, stepping into landmines and getting diseases such as hepatitis B and typhoid cholera has been a barrier for me to step into that country.

Adding more worries is when I have the worst eczema flare-ups 2-3 weeks before the trip and it was during my final exam. The mental agony deprived me of my rest, stripped me of my rationality and filling me with inner and outer restlessness. This was when the real decision steps in: to rest at home or to go Cambodia right after exam. At this moment I did not think of spiritual attack until Joann called. Many encouraged me to go but some say don’t go. I was confused to what God wants me to do. The Bible also says to rest, but it also says go and make disciples of all nation. CONFUSING rite?? I was totally unaware that satan was using the Word to make me confused, to felt as though it is God Who wants me to rest. Part of me says rest, part of me says go. I was in a tug of war, where I’m in the middle pulled by satan in one end and the other end pulled by God. I have no peace at all. Pastors and the rest of the team prayed hard for me, giving me encouragements most of the time. Not to forget GEPC, SACC and my own cell group as well. Their aggressive prayers have been answered. My skin starts to improved tremendously 1 week before Cambodia trip. Even my housemates were amazed. But some of them think it is because of the steroids not God. I believed it is God who is FAITHFUL to heal through the faithful prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

I was thrilled yet worries and fears of having second flare up in Cambodia overwhelmed me. I still remember Pastor Rueben said that ‘don’t let discouragement stop you from seeing a greater miracle” and Pastor Anba who said” The devils bring sickness and God brings healing”. Satan was definitely trying his best to stop me from going to Cambodia. Yet I still need to make the decision. Now a big part of me says go. Tuesday morning, I finally made my decision to go. REALLY GO!!! Messages were being sent out to the rest of my team bout the good news. Right after that decision was being made, peace overwhelmed me. I felt as though the chains were totally broken and I felt so happy... Satan was defeated at that point (I bet that fella must be crying). And that’s when I start to prepared myself to go and let God take charge of my health. Joshua 1:9 says “ Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go”.

Many of their encouragements have kept me going. Praise God for that...

I LOVE ME

I went back yesterday(Saturday) to GEPC to shared our Cambodia mission trip testimony with my other Baray team members...Was really happy to meet all of my bros n sis back....But first thing some of they asked me :HOws the bush?" "You kena kejar ox ar?" I guess all my funny and humiliating experiences during the mission trip TERBONGKAR ady....wonder WHO'S RESPONSIBILITY was that??? haha...
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Anyway, for the past 2 weeks, my heart was totally burdened, i don't feel like praising and worshipin God, I don't feel like praying, I don't know what's the reason....But I'm glad that when I came back to church yesterday, God had lifted up the burdens from my heart....At first I thought i carried some unforgiveness in my heart, but after Ps Anba prayed for me, he said that all this while I have not been loving myself..He said I am able to show great love towards others who are hurting but towards myself I am not able to do so.....He said that " We should love our neighbours as ourselves"...You must be thinking how I don't love myself...The signs and symptoms of not loving myself - low self-esteem, low self-confidence, ......(dun worry, it's not any suicidal thoughts at all.:)) All these negativities have eaten my thoughts away, had let satan the opportunity to have a foothold in my life...

But I truly thank God for revealing His love to me yesterday, today and forever. God is my confidence, my strength.

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