Christina's October Letter

Dear fellow laborers for Christ,

Sometimes I cannot believe that I have been here for almost four months already. There are some days when I feel like I just arrived and there are some days when I feel as if I have been here for a lifetime. I have spent the last ten years of my life preparing for this calling. I have dreamt of the day when I would live in another country and be able to share the Good News with the people. Well, the dream has come true and I find myself struggling with this new country and its culture. Sometimes I want to take the easy road and go back to what I have known for 29 years. There are times when I question whether I can do this type of work. Am I strong enough, good enough, spiritual enough? The truth is I am none of these things. In the words of Jim Elliot, “Missionaries are very human folks just doing what they’re asked. Simply a bunch of nobodies trying to exalt Somebody.” I take comfort in 2 Cor. 12:9,10, Isaiah 40:28-31 and my all-time favorite verse Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.” Amen.

Even though things have been difficult for me, God has showered me with many blessings and encouragement. One of my greatest passions in life is relationships. I love when God brings people into my life with whom I can love, encourage and talk about the wondrous workings of God. I have been blessed to have the privilege to disciple one of His children. Her name is Roath. She has been a Christian for one year and has a desire to grow in her faith. She is a medical student and she is the only Christian in her entire immediate and extended family. Please remember to pray for her. God has opened the door for me to have a relationship with her family so please pray for my time spent with them.

God has opened up another way for me to have a relationship with another Buddhist family. I mentioned in my previous letter about my Christian tutor, Srey Hoeun. She is getting married this month and has asked me to be a bridesmaid. In this culture, the actual wedding ceremony is only seen by the immediate family and the wedding party. Foreigners are rarely asked to be part of the wedding party so this is a very high honor. The funny side of this opportunity is that I have to change into ten different dresses. Anyone who knows me knows that one dress is one too many so ten is an atrocity! One of the reasons I am doing this is so I can continue to have a relationship with her family. Who knows what doors this may open for the spreading of His kingdom. I trust that God not only has a sense of humor about this but has a divine purpose. So please pray for me as I will be completely out of my comfort zone.

My language study is progressing. I have completed the first level of Khmer and am currently studying in Level 2. Besides language school and discipling Roath, I am leading a small bible study with medical students every Saturday morning. Please pray for this time. Our team also does medical ministry outreach to the villages once a month. My role is to register the patients and triage them. I am thankful that I am able to use my nursing skills to help with our ministry.
God is working here in Cambodia. Even though it is difficult right now, I am thankful and humbled to be a part of His work here. Thank you for all your love, prayers and support. I know there is a solid fortress surrounding me that consists of your prayers. Keep praying, my friends. Keep praying and have faith that God is doing a mighty work here.


Sincerely,
Christina

October Update

"How many of us have said and sung with all our hearts 'Anywhere with Jesus,' but at the same time we did not realize all that it meant for us. Indeed at home, and surrounded by all that home means, we could not know. When the test comes we must not forget that 'anywhere' means for missionaries something different from life in England, and let us take very good care not to make a misery of anything that 'anywhere' brings us. To us in Algeria it must mean sometime or other, Arab food. Do we object to it? And mice, do we mind them? And mosquitoes, do we think them dreadful? In some parts it means close contact with dirt and repulsive disease. Yet if Jesus is there, what have we possibly to complain of? It means living among a stiff-necked and untrue people and struggling with a strange and difficult language. And yet let us evermore write over all our miseries, big, and for the most part very little, these transforming words 'With Jesus.' And then the very breath of Heaven will breathe upon our whole being and we shall be glad."



I found this quote from Lilias and it was exactly what I was thinking. She was a missionary in the late 1800's to Algeria, North Africa.





The first picture is at a youth retreat that I attended in August. Around 100 students attended and 7 prayed to receive Christ at the end of the weekend. I was able to share my testimony with them.




The second picture is of my tutor, Srey Hoeun.




The third picture is of the girl I am discipling, Roath.





The fourth picture is of a small bird that I ate. Yes, I ate it. Brain, beak and all. We were on a five hour bus ride to visit her family in Battambang and we stopped for a snack. Roath said I had to eat it if I want to be khmer. It was not that bad actually but it's the first time I have eaten a whole bird.







This is a buddhist temple that I visited. We just had the Pychum Ben Festival and that is a time where the Khmer people pray for and offer food to their ancestors. I went home with Roath during this time and we went to the pagoda with her family. However, we did not pray or offer food to the ancestors. Her family knew that we would not do this because we are Christians. We honored her parents as scripture says by going but we did not participate in the activity.





This is a picture of Roath' mother standing beside a buddhist statue. I am really working on developing this relationship with her. She does not trust many people but by the grace of God, she trusts me. I know there is a divine reason for this.

July update

Dear fellow laborers for Christ,

Chum riap sur!!! That means hello in Khmer. I can’t do the symbols but that is the phonetic way of writing it. I have been here for seventeen days but it seems like it’s been longer. I am currently in a state of culture shock. Even though I have traveled the world, there is a drastic difference when you know you are not going home any time soon. Then you say to yourself, “I am home.” I LIVE IN CAMBODIA. That is when reality hits you square in the face. So the adjustment is a process but I am beginning to feel “settled”. Here are some interesting details of my life.

I live with an Australian missionary named Michelle. She has been here for 3 months and is a tremendous blessing to me. She is able to show me where to buy food, where to load my cell phone, where I can get on the Internet, etc. She also has to handle all the affairs of our home as she speaks more Khmer than me. I bought a bicycle and ride to school every day. There are literally few traffic laws in Cambodia and there is no rhyme or reason to the flow of traffic. People also travel on the “wrong” side of the road and I must admit that I have done that myself. I have already experienced my first wreck but do not worry. My foot took the brunt of the fall so my bicycle would be spared. Priorities are of the utmost importance!

I have been sleeping well but I do have an interesting guest by my window. There is a lizard that resides in a crack somewhere and it makes an unusual noise all night long. For you southern boys, it is like it revves up its engine (throat) and then lets out 3-4 “uh-kah” sounds which are quite loud. I can still hear it clearly through my earplugs. My roommate assures me that I will stop noticing it in a few months but I am still skeptical. However, I prefer the lizard to the nuisances that follow me constantly in the house. The wretched mosquitoes!!! They follow me morning, noon, and night. Michelle rarely gets bitten but I average 5 bites a day. Even the bug repellant is no match for them. They are relentless in their quest for my blood. I do have peace at night when I sleep under my mosquito net. Pray that God would protect me from malaria or dengue fever.

My health has been adequate. My emotional state has been fair. I am only feeling homesick occasionally. (The notes from Northpointe church were absolutely wonderful. I have them taped on my wall to give me encouragement.) My spiritual state is wonderful. God has been right here with me and holding my hand throughout all this. There is no doubt He has me here for a purpose and He will work through me to further His kingdom among the Khmer people. Please keep praying for me. Pray for God’s grace on my language studies. I have a wonderful tutor and she is a Christian. Pray for my adjustment to the culture and the people. Pray for the people. They are so loving and sweet but they desperately need Jesus. Please keep sending me e-mails and I would love to get some letters.

“You need not fear the terror of the night, not the arrow that flies by day. Though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come. And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun and hold you in the palm of His hand.” On Eagle’s Wings by Michael Joncas.


By the grace of God,

Christina

Christina's New Home

Christina took some pictures of her new apartment, so we could see where she's living now. She took this first one on her front porch. Notice the dead rat in the corner. She said the cats occasionally leave presents for her.

Here are some views from the porch:



Christina bought a bike so she can get around town.






Now, we move inside. This is her living room.





...And her kitchen.




...The powder room.


I had to ask her why she included a picture of a bucket. She said this is the way they flush the toilet. They fill the bucket and then pour it into the tank.




...The laundry set up...



...Her bedroom...




...And her roommate Michelle (with a bug zapper racket??)

Christina has arrived in Cambodia

Christina has arrived in her new city and will move into her home on Tuesday.

She asked us to pray for the people of Cambodia.

- Pray that God will open the hearts of the people... That he will give them ears to hear and eyes to see so that they may receive the Gospel.

Psalm 146:8 "The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down..."

- Pray that they will be given understanding as to why she is there. Pray that she would love them with the love of Christ.

1 John 3:23 "And this is my commandment, that we believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us."

- Pray for their healing spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Malachi 4:2 "But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out like calves from the stall."

Dear fellow laborers in Christ,

The time has finally arrived. This has been such as awe-inspiring journey as I have seen God work in my life and answer prayer after prayer. One thing that God has taught me throughout this process is that He is the only one that can completely satisfy me. It is difficult to leave the things that we think satisfy us such as family, friends, jobs, and comfort items. I thank God that He has taken all these wonderful blessings away from me because it has made me look deeper at my relationship with Him. He is to be my all in all and the lover of my soul. What a wonderful blessing it is that the God of the universe desires such an intimate relationship with us.

I want to thank each one of you for the different ways you love and encourage me. I want to thank you for being a part of my ministry. God has placed a burden on your hearts for evangelism and spreading the gospel and it is wonderful to see His people have a desire for the expansion of His kingdom.

I have attached a prayer letter. Please pray for me and the work that He has called me to do. I cannot do this alone. I desire for my brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage and uplift me. I will also be praying for you. Please feel free to email me with any prayer requests that you may want to share.

I will send a newsletter once a quarter during my eleven-month internship. If you have any questions about the work or about me personally, please email me and I will try to answer them for you.

I look forward to continuing in ministry with you. Let us work together as the body of Christ. We should set an example for how amazing the love of Christ really is so that the world may be drawn to our wonderful Savior. Let us pray for one another and love one another so that God may be glorified through us. May God bless you.

Sincerely,

Christina

I'll be in Phnom Penn for the next year.

Join me on this big adventure!