Day 1 in Cambodia!!

Finally in Cambodia! What a relief to have gotten here safely and without complications!! Here is what has been going on so far: 

We explored a bit around the neighborhood but didn't get too far because we had no map and no sense of where we were in the city. That has changed however, because we got a map from Jenny last night with interesting places marked on it so hopefully today or tomorrow we can go out and explore some more!

Last night, we got a phone finally so now we have a way of communicating with the people from the agency! Also, I think I may have finally figured out my internet problem...we'll see, but crossing my fingers that it will keep working!

We had dinner with Jenny and Summer (staff from the agency) last night at a restaurant around the corner that we quickly realized was one we had visited two years ago...crazy! We've been pretty safe with our food choices so far -- fried rice and cashew chicken. Not branching out *quite* yet. ;) We'll get there though...I think. It was great to talk with them over dinner, and they answered a lot of our questions that had popped up throughout the day. We won't be starting a schedule until next week sometime because they want us to just get acclimated and rested and get a feel for our surroundings so that's probably good. We're meeting with Jenny tomorrow (Thursday) to try and figure out where we will be staying long term through the 6 months.

Our hotel is pretty nice, and it is in a nice neighborhood with a lot of little cafes and shops, but we want to be somewhere closer to where we will be working -- especially if we are going to be biking there every day. Not sure yet if we will be finding an apartment somewhere or staying in a hotel for our time here...it's an ongoing discussion between Julie and I, and I don't think we'll really come to a conclusion until we look around at some places.

Some quirky occurrences: We found some little lizards in our hotel, but they don't come out until night time so we haven't seen many! When we arrived at the hotel Monday night, two men from the hotel insisted on taking our luggage up three flights of stairs, and wouldn't let us help! We felt awful because they were like half our size and trying to carry our 50 lb suitcases...basically as big as they were. It was kind of humorous, but we tried to help and they refused to let us. We also attempted to find an adapter yesterday so that we could plug in our chargers...we were directed to 3 different stores around the neighborhood and I think only succeeded in completely confusing the store owners as well as ourselves in the process of communicating. We finally gave up only to find out later that night from Jenny that we don't need an adapter!! Our chargers fit right into the walls. So that was a fun but unnecessary adventure.

As far as jet lag goes, we are doing really well! Our first night we slept for a good 6-7 hours, which is pretty great considering. And then last night, we got about 9 hours of sleep so we are feeling very rested and ahead of the game. We have heard that the third day is the hardest though, so be praying for our sleep tomorrow :)

That's it for now! Thank you all for your continued prayer and support! We'll post more soon :) 

God's Work at Hand

This weekend I was reminded of God’s provision once again. Exactly 2 weeks before Becca and I leave for Cambodia, I ran a garage sale last Friday and Saturday. I had asked nearly 30 families from my home church if they would be willing to donate any large household items for my sale. With very few items the day before the garage sale took place and a mild chance of rain, fear and doubt had the upper hand. Becca sought to calm my fears by stating that “even if you raise $4. It’s $4 more than we would have had before.” 

Ye of little faith. 

Everything from the weather, to conversations shared, and the amount of money that came in...I was in utter disbelief. Not to say that everything went perfect but everything definitely came together. God's provision was easily displayed in big and small ways throughout the weekend. There were many people who sacrificed their labor, donated items, and gave up their time in order to make this garage sale a success. I COULD NOT have done it alone.

Though there were several hiccups during the weekend, I was able to raise nearly $500 in 2 days. Having an ideal location due to a friendly neighbor, great weather, willing donors, lots of help from my family, and God's perfect timing the sale went better than I could have imagined. I am so blown away by God's provision - yet why should I expect anything less? 

One of my favorite parts of the sale was engaging in conversations with strangers in the community about the purpose of the garage sale, sharing with them of my past experience, and hearing their own stories. Even if they didn't buy anything they were made aware of the cause for the garage sale. One lady in particular, after asking questions, preceded to look through every picture from my Cambodia photo album. As our conversation progressed she felt lead to pray with my sister, mom, and myself in a circle together. Here we stood, on the corner of Outer Drive, holding hands praying for safety, strength, and peace for my parents. The strangers prayer was beautiful, every word powerfully and deeply struck me; it was as though God was directly speaking to me. It was such a wonderful awestruck moment that I will never forget. What a beautiful gift God blessed me with. It’s amazing how God can work through ANYTHING, even our own doubts. Thank you to everyone who helped this weekend, it took lots of donated items, lots of helping hands, and lots of prayer. Thank you to each and everyone of you that contributed in one way or another.

This is just one example of how God is already working and moving. I cannot wait to see what happens next!

ONE MONTH.

In 30 days, Julie and I will be boarding a plane to Cambodia and won't be back for 6 months!
It's been such a crazy journey so far getting all the details figured out, but God has seriously provided in so many ways. He has been so faithful in big and small things throughout the planning process, and we feel so incredibly excited and blessed. We talked yesterday and were just saying how excited we're getting as the time gets closer and how we really cannot imagine doing anything else at this point in our lives!! Cambodia is truly where God wants us for this next chapter, and we couldn't be more ready to get there and start helping out.

A quick update on financial things...the not-so-fun part of the trip...we have collected around half of what we will need for the 6 months. Our goal is $5000. While this is a bit daunting a month away, we started this on complete faith that God would provide everything we need to follow Him and that faith is still what we are clinging to. We hope to have most of the funds before we leave, but having a donation button here on the blog helps so that we can still receive support while we are there as well.

Yesterday morning, I read Numbers 9:15-23 and was amazed with the faithfulness and obedience shown by the Israelites. They followed God's lead and only moved when He signaled for them to move. It was a great reminder to me that Julie and I are moving to Cambodia because God told us to move. We are following his lead and that gives me such peace about the more scary or unknown things surrounding this journey. I am so grateful that I serve and follow a God who is in control and knows my next move before I do.

God is great, and I cannot WAIT to learn more about Him and what it is to serve Him this next 6 months.

I'm not ready!

It’s difficult to imagine how drastically different my life will be in less than two months. I’ll be the first to admit I’m scared. This may come to a surprise especially to my family and close friends as most of the time I put on a fairly calm front. I’m worried. I’m nervous. I’m afraid. I've always struggled with acknowledging God does not need me, but chooses to use me. I'm willing, but I just cannot see how God will use me in this situation? There's multiple barriers including language, culture, and gender to name only a few. I worry that I will be more of a nuisance or a bother to the people of Cambodia than any form of help or encouragement. I'm constantly questioning how God will use me and what I have to offer. In all honestly, I have nothing. I don’t know what will happen in Cambodia, how I’ll change, or how God will use me. I don’t know when, where, or in what ways but I don’t need to know. I can trust in the fact that God continually uses the weak to lead the strong. I am confident now more than ever of God’s love and provision for me. Through inspiring conversations, prayer, encouraging notes, and unconditional support from friends and family God has covered me with confidence and strength.

I’m again reminded of the verse I used to sing to myself to sleep at night when I was scared lying in bed in the dark, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.” (Psalm 56:3-4) God may not take away my fear completely, but I WILL continue to trust in Him having the confidence that He will use me you ways I may never know.

Things are getting REAL.

Quick update on the plans for Cambodia so far:
Julie and I are starting to look into plane tickets and trying to find deals, dates, etc. So hopefully we will actually know the day we leave very soon!! Crazy...we're planning on it being around September 20...so we're exactly 2 months away from that goal today. I have no idea when it got to be so close, but we are excited to be getting details figured out...even if it's happening slowly.
We have been receiving some really generous donations towards our trip, and we couldn't feel more loved and supported!! I don't know if anyone is really reading this, but it's just amazing to know that we have family and friends who are willing - or even overjoyed - to share their resources towards our vision and dream. Thank you so much!!

With our departure date around 2 months away, I have been feeling a little overwhelmed lately with our plans. Cambodia is slowly transforming from a faraway plan to a real thing, and that can be a little scary. It sounds silly because we have been talking about going for awhile now. It's not like it's a new development or anything, but as it gets closer, fears start creeping in.

Recently, God really brought peace to my worries over the details though, and I just wanted to share what he told me. I was just praying about all of the little details and all of the things that really start to make me doubt my plans - anything from plane tickets to eating that food for 6 straight months to safety to missing my family and the holidays. It can be daunting when my mind just explodes, going through possibility after possibility of the "what ifs." BUT -- right in the middle of me praying/complaining to God about all of these things, he stopped me with this simple and quiet statement --

                                                                  This is not about you.

This is not about you. Cambodia, this trip, Transitions, all of the work we will be doing -- none of it is about me and it never has been! It's so easy for me to get caught up in my perspective, but one of the purposes of this trip is to break myself out of that perspective and to realize how huge God's work and God's love can truly be. How far his plans reach, and how he can do amazing things if we just obey.

Julie and I are not traveling to Cambodia to vacation for 6 months. We are not going there to be tourists and buy some souvenirs. We are going because God has placed a passion in our hearts for Cambodia and for the girls and women who do not have control over their own lives because of the sex trafficking industry. We want to do whatever we can to help our sisters there break out of that trap, take back control of their lives, and most of all experience the pure joy of freedom and love found in Christ and in knowing themselves.

These are our goals...these are the reasons for our journey...and this is what it is about. Not our own comfort. Not our own peace. But the peace and comfort that can be found only in the arms of Christ.

We so appreciate your prayers - long or short - and we will keep you updated on things as the plans come together!

Here are a few pictures from Julie and I's first trip to Cambodia in January 2011 :) 

Prayer Support

It has been 15 months since Becca Smith and Julie Jongmsa first stepped foot unto the beautiful country of Cambodia with a group of students from Spring Arbor University. In was in those 3 short weeks God opened up a passion in our hearts towards global injustice specifically sex trafficking and extreme poverty. Though these issues exist all across the world, sex trafficking is extremely prevalent in developing countries such as Cambodia and across South East Asia. It is not until we had the opportunity to go outside of our comfort and familiarity of the United States that we understood the influence the American culture has had on our faith journeys. Traveling to Cambodia has forever changed us. Since our experience in Cambodia, our lives will never be the same. God has been moving in huge ways since our time in Cambodia. I have ran a half marathon to raise support for the Not For Sale Campaign, joining a modern day abolitionist group at a local church in the Jackson county, and gaining more knowledge through films, lectures, and speakers on the issue of slavery in the world today.
After graduating just over one month ago, both Becca and Julie have undergone much anxiety in deciding their next step in life. Since the beginning of this year, an opportunity has presented itself; though we cannot put into words the exact direction He is leading us, we have responded to Him with a “yes”. Through much prayer, fasting, and time with God, we have decided to serve in Cambodia for 6 months. We will be leaving in late September and returning the end of March. We will be serving in different agencies and organizations including: AIDS orphanages, schools, anti-trafficking agencies, and churches. As scary as this decision has been, we have felt God's peace through all of this. Though God is not limited to a specific destination, we can say with confidence that I would be disobeying God by not returning to Cambodia this fall. With a large step of faith and an understanding that all things are possible, we will soon be embarking on a new and exciting adventure.
This experience will only be possible with your help. With both excitement and much uncertainty, we ask for your prayer support for the trip, our hearts, and the country of Cambodia. I also ask that you be praying for the following:
• Clarity, peace, contentment as we plan ahead for the future
• Boldness, courage, and wisdom
• Interning at Transitions in Phnom Penh
• Doubt, fear, and hesitations will not distract us from hearing God’s voice and direction
• Physical, emotional, and spiritual health
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. It means more to me than we could ever express. God is good!