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I didn’t travel with the morning group to Cambodia. The second team of 22 brethren were booked on another flight that same afternoon, and I had gone to the airport scratching my head over HOW to check in 22 people in the fastest, most efficient way. I am no travel agent, and the thought of managing such a big group was putting a few grey hairs on my head.
Everything worked out very well, however, with help from a couple of folk and even a parent who had come to see her two children off for the camp! We checked in quickly and then gathered for prayer, and after that, scattered for lunch or shopping.
No head count was made until we were in the airport in Phnom Penh. Thank God, none were missing! It was at the airport that we heard about the first group which were delayed due to the van breakdown. There were two more vans waiting for us, and we certainly prayed that neither of these would break down too!
Our five hour journey to Koh Kong was quite uneventful. We stopped for a late, late dinner at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere. It was close to midnight when we finally arrived at the guesthouse. We awoke most of the youth from the first group, who came rushing out to the streets to greet their friends with squeals and shrieks, and that, of course, must have awakened every one else up and down the street!
We saw the stars as well, from the window of our van as we sped through the night, crossing four bridges to reach Koh Kong. After the long journey and reaching our destination at such a late hour, all I could think of was to get a hot shower and fall into bed but oops, there was no hot water! My room at this guesthouse was freezing cold, however, due to a very powerful aircon. Ahhh, never mind about the lack of hot water, it was still a tremendous blessing to reach Koh Kong safely, to have clean sheets and a cool aircon room to sleep in, and revel in wonderful dreams of what the rest of the youth camp would bring us in the days to come!
The shock of everything is now starting to sink in and the dust is starting to settle some.
The ultrasound specialist, after much trying, was finally able to see some of our unborn baby’s face and mouth and confirmed the cleft lip which is on the right side. She also said that she saw a gap in the hard palate which is the front of the mouth. It is… Read More....
There was the old grandma who was being cared for by her daughter and son. One day as I was reading my Bible, the daughter asked me about it and I told her what I was reading. She was excited and told me that she had one too and was a part of God’s family. I knew there was something different about her. She took such gentle care of her… Read More....
A few months ago I was thinking to myself, “I don’t have any real China stories.” A ‘China’ story is the kind that can only happen to you in China (of course) but really sets your time here apart from anything else you’ve experienced in your life; it’s something that you think, “I’ve never experienced anything like this!” and somehow it changes you. Well, it finally happened. After two years… Read More....
Indeed, God always test His people to bring about conforming to His teachings/image/walk. Wonderful to know that although late, the spirit of the campers were not dampen but still very high. PTL This only happens when God/bible believing christians travel, not your usual tour group who would have demanded for all sorts of compensations.
Compensations?? Oh yeah I can quite well imagine THAT – What?? Fully booked? We get downgraded to cheap hotel? No hot water??? Grumble, grumble… I want my money back! but Thank the Lord, there were none of that, only thankfulness in every single person’s heart that God is GOOD and He is GREATLY to be PRAISED!
Just an observation when I was there. Passing through the village of Koh Kong where the church building is and walking through it to the ferry or pier, I noticed the signboard spell it as Pak Klang and not what we have been spelling in the blogs “Bak Klang”.
Good observation! There is another sign in that area which is spelled “Bak Long”. The English spelling reallly does not matter, I guess, cos they are all a translation from Khmer and it all depends on the person who made or advises on the English equivalent of the place! Fyi, there is another slum area in Cambodia which we have an outreach in and sometimes visit and it can be spelt Stung Hau, Steung Hav or Steng Hao or a combination of any of these
Thanks Deb for sharing your knowledge of Cambodia’s names of places. Will look out for them next time. It’s just like our Lord, with many names but referring to one and only Lord Jesus.