He clung to me, desperately he clung, he was dirty, his hair smelled like it hadn't been washed
in weeks, lice? maybe, he lived in the slums that out skirted the city, why because the city decided it didn't want "his type" to "degrade the cities image"
Whether he had parents I really don't know, but this frail boy could not have been more then six or seven, still he clung.
From the moment I got out of the van upon our arrival there were children everywhere, many in very simalar situations as this dear young boy, all wanting to touch us, feel us, and be held by us. Ultimately they just wanted to be loved. So for much of the next hour I did my best, when I was standing, he was on my back, shoulders or I was holding him, when I was sitting he was on my lap, and quite possessive of it to, when other kids tried to sit on me with him, he wasn't the most gracious and would push them off:). As time went on it struck me to the point of goose bumps, that though it might just be a tiny representation with many flows, it really was a picture of what my heavenly father has done for me! I'm a smelly, dirty child. a down and out, helpless, pathetic frail child. yet my precious father still loves me, and I dearly love him! Thank you Jesus
So yes after an amazing 10 days in Cambodia I'm back in Thailand for another term of classes. It may be difficult to sit in classes again, (ministry trips are more down my ally, classes not as much so) but I really am excited for what God is gonna do.
now for some pics
our team on the plane headed to Phnom Penh
the joys of teaching children with short attention spans :)
Bree reading to us all
kids clubs in the slums...awesome..love those kids
KaLynn and Sheri making friends
our team should get stars for being the most studious
packaging bags of rice to hand out in the slums
the young and old eagerly lined up to receive our bags
cousins rock
I thought theses pictures went well together, the Cambodian flag with the Ankor Wat temple on in representing the strong Buddhist influence on the country...which in turn leaves many of the people hopeless
visiting the killing fields.. a heartbreaking place were just forty years ago around three million people were brutally murdered by Pol Pot, the ruthless dictator at that time
Landon, a great energetic teacher
the kids eagerly waiting at the gate for clubs to begin
a bit exhausted after teaching
our team...they were great! me, Landon Nolt, Bree Lavy, KaLynn Yoder and Sheri Byler
18 hours on a train is enough to make anyone go a little crazy :)
all in all an amazing trip...God worked in some big ways! Thank you Jesus
photo credits to Bree Lavy and KaLynn Yoder :)
photo credits to Bree Lavy and KaLynn Yoder :)
