Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The 1st Week in Cambodia

We have now been in Cambodia for a full week and it has been packed with incredible experiences! Thank you for your prayers - everyone on our team is healthy and doing well.

As we have been introduced to the amazing work the missionary team is doing in Pursat, we have spent  a lot of time with Cambodian believers. We attended a church service and multiple Bible studies. It is moving to see our God at work in the hearts and the lives of the Cambodian people. At the beginning of our trip Scott led us to pray for God to expand our vision of Him and His world while we are here in Cambodia. He indeed has been faithful to do so! The missionary team is teaching us so much and beautifully modeling cross-cultural ministry and life. They have been a tremendous blessing to us!

We have had many opportunities to engage with Cambodian culture and history. Last week we visited two historical sites in memoriam of those who died during the Khmer Rouge Genocide. Although they were sobering experiences, we were grateful for what we saw. Also, visiting such sites has deepened our understanding of what it is like to do ministry among a people still in need of healing. We have also visited multiple Buddhist temples, called Wats.

Other incredible opportunities have included riding bikes through the villages alongside open plains of rice fields, meeting a local musician who crafts traditional Cambodian instruments, and meeting with a monk to discuss Buddhism and Christianity. Just this morning we had the opportunity to visit the local prison where we shared Bible stories and made friends. We have also had three Khmer language lessons, which all of us thoroughly enjoyed! We are trying to use more Khmer everyday :)

In the next few days we will be traveling again - please pray for our safety and the opportunities ahead. We are all praying that God would continue to speak to each of us and give us true hearts for Cambodia.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Blessing, much love and prayers as you continue to walk in His way. XOXO. Mom

Unknown said...

Thank you for the update Lindsey! Continuing our prayers for you all!

Meg said...

Love the update... Thank you! Praying for you all! LOVE YOU!

Steve and Sharon said...

Lindsey, so happy to know that God is opening doors of opportunity for his people, God Bless!

Ron Turner said...

6-13-13, Thurs, 1:18 am
Dearest Lindsey, My Sweet First-Born, Why am I not surprised that you would be right where you are meant to be at this very moment? When you were 10 years old, we were sitting at a stoplight, and you asked me, "Daddy, how am I supposed to know God's will?" So, I asked you, "What do you love to do more than anything else in the world?" Without hesitation, you replied, "Sing". So, I said, "Then take every opportunity that presents itself to pursue what you love: Attend every concert and every clinic given by your favorite singers, audition for every solo, take every lesson, join every excellent singing group..Do all you can to improve, cultivate, and thoroughly enjoy God's gift to you, and 9 times out of 10, you will find yourself in the very CENTER of God's will for your life at that moment. Well, Honey, you've done exactly that. And from that time until now, your pursuit of excellence in singing led you to sing in Disneyland, Sound Connection, CBU, UCO, numerous worship teams, as well as record several albums, and lead an ISP singing group to Japan. And in the midst of those pursuits, your deep desire to reach hurting people led you to Fuller, Cross Cultural Studies, and Ethnomusicology, which has built such a strong foundation for deeply understanding how native cultures can be respected while effectively sharing how Jesus is relevant to their culure. And to then see how the Lord brought you and Brenden together, whose heart for music ministry blends so very well with your own heart to serve God's mission for this world. It is beyond amazing to watch you pursue your love of singing, and see how that has been such a springboard for God's obvious direction for your life these past 17 years. No Daddy could be more proud or more humbled. I learn so much from you every single day, Lindsey. I love you with all my heart. -Daddy xoxo wseeeeeee