Cambodia - Part 4.

So I won't lie, I have been surprised at how little I seemed to be affected by the poverty around me.

But today, I figured things out a bit. It was a day filled with ackwardness, shame, humility, hilarity, and absolute joy. What a combo.

The pastor at SLM here brought two friends from Phnom Penh to here (Sihanoukville) to meet Brianna and I - and let me tell you he had a not so hidden agenda of a potential hook up. It was ackward. For Cambodia, these men are incredibly rich. Like, we all climbed into a Lexus SUV rich. Like, work for the government rich. They are also 30 something years old (insert big collar tug here). We ate lunch with them, and then the pastor left with our friend and got us and our brother here to hang out with these men.

It was really hard. Why?

1) It looks bad to see foreign women with rich Khmer men. It kind implies we're using them for their money. In... questionable ways.

2) How could I possibly ignore the incredibly poverty around me and enjoy the rich life in Cambodia? Or anywhere? I almost cried in the vehicle at the thought.

You see, it's not that I have not been affected by the poverty. I have been aware of it all along, and my response has been to view each person as equal in worth and value. So being in a position where I was appearing like an ignorant North American... it was painful. I'm not opposed to riches entirely (obviously), but I am opposed to the rich forgetting that there are those who have little to nothing, and their blessing could bless others as well.

Sigh.

But then tonight redeemed it all. We went to Brianna's Cambodian family's home for dinner. It was just a wonderful time of joy, laughter, westerner mockery (in a delightful way), pictures, and fun. Their hospitality astounds me, and fills me with a desire to always seek to offer that to others.

"Do not think of yourself more highly than you oughts, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you". (Romans 12:3)

Over and out.

Cambodia - Part 3

Well it has been one working week that I've been in this country now.

There's so much to say and never much time to say it. I shall share the highlights. If you want to see pictures, please look at my facebook album, because I'm having a hard tiem uploading them onto here. The nets a little slow you know.

+ Brianna is pretty much my hero. God is doing good things in her and through her, and it's pretty beautiful to see.

+ Driving here is insane, and hilarious. But now that I've been here a few days, it doesn't seem so scary.

+ All the girls I've met in Cambodia are just charming. They are so sweet and delightful.

+ Jonah, Brianna's "boss" (the pastor here at the school) is trying to set us up with people. At first I thought it was a joke, but then i realized he's kind of serious. Akward...

+ It's hot here all the time.

+ Apparently it's not really common for girls (or guys I think too) to burst out into laughter. Well if you can imagine, it's kind of hard for me to be culturally approp with that one, so you will often have people staring at brianna and i as we drive around on her moto laughing our heads off at something random.

+ Brianna and I had a spontaneous dance part to the backstreet boys in her room the other day. It was a fantastic time.

+ Um.. i might go to vietnam for a few days. YEEEHAWWW!

That's all for now I think. We have internet all weekend so i'll post some good stories when I'm able to think of them.

Cambodia - Part 2

Greetings from the other side of the world (unless, of course, you are Brianna reading this, in which case I say greetings from right beside you).

I made it! After a lot of time on planes and in airports, I finally got here to Cambodia. I arrived in Phnom Penh yesterday and hung out there. I have not been affected to badly by jet lag, which is exciting. The flight from Vancouver to Hong Kong was 13 hours of having the man in front of me reclined as far back as possible, and four crying children surrounding me (one of which considers kicking the back of my chair a air born pass time.

For the record, my feet are enourmous from traveling. It's funny. Check it out. Ummmm actually don't yet because I'm not putting hte picture on until tomorrow when I'm not so tired.


From what I've seen so far, Cambodia is really beautiful. Phnom Penh, not so much, but outside of it is a different story.

Tomorrow morning I start teaching english. You know, I'm not sure it'll be my thing but I'll find that out tomorrow - a little nerve racking, but nothing next to a 13 hour flight.

Anyways, I'm off to bed. Hope you're all well.