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Hello, dear supporters, this will be the last update we will post to the blog and mailing list.  Esther, Hyun Gu, Kevin, and I have left Cambodia (and we didn’t break it!  PTL).  Kwan Soo will be there forev… I mean, until next July.  We’ve said it before, we say it now, and we’ll say it again – thank you for your prayers and support.  I know, I know, get on with it… I had to say it though….

The question that some of you have already asked and that more of you will be asking is “How was it?” In my frustrating search for a concise, one-word or one-line answer, I have decided never to ask that again of anybody who goes on a mission trip.  Nonetheless, I will attempt to answer that question.

It was good.  I say this because God taught us and blessed us in this trip, and he is greater than our team’s most severe shortcomings and so we entrust him to have blessed (and continue to bless) the people in Cambodia through us.

But what else?  Surely there is more to be said for a trip that lasted two and a half weeks and cost many millions of Riel.  Yes, there certainly is and in the rest of this post, I will do my best to speak for the team.

It was a great learning experience.  We learned what little some people live on, of the country's scarred history, how often families are broken, and how Buddhism prevails in so much of Cambodia.  We saw the need for hope in that place but few want to hear about where true hope is found, almost as if any dissatisfaction or pain they have in life is outweighed by complacency or fear of rocking the boat.

It was humbling.  We witnessed the love that the missionaries and BGU students have for Christ and their desire for people (friends, family, students, or countrymen) to come to faith.  It was refreshing and even rebuking to see their passion – the kind that evokes the original meaning of “passion,” from the Latin meaning “suffering.”  Christianity is not always welcomed, accepted, or tolerated in Cambodia, but they carry that cross.

It was tough.  Leaving behind the comforts (and personal comfort zones) of our homes, we went and served.   Some of us had stomach problems, some of us served as the weekly special buffet for the local insects, and some of us discovered that roosters don’t crow at dawn – they start a couple hours early.  Sometimes we gave more than we expected to give and other times we probably let opportunities pass us by.

It was inspiring.  We saw how a place like NIBC could provide needed education while being a source of gospel truth and fellowship, and the continuing need it has for money, for workers, and for prayer.  We got to know the long-term missionaries and the Cambodians through whom God will build his church in Cambodia.  We met other people from around the world, answering God’s call to go and serve.  In different ways, we were each challenged to think about what we will bring back and carry with us.

All said, it was good.  Praise God for all that he is doing in Cambodia and for the chance that KCPC has to build a working partnership with NIBC so that we might support the kingdom work happening there.  If you would like to hear more, we are more than happy to talk more – just ask.  There is much to be said that doesn’t fit on this blog, from personal reflections to funny stories.  Please continue to pray for Kwan Soo, for Jessica who will be joining him for the year-long stay, and for Cambodia.

-Danny


P.S. I’ve been informed that it was somewhat frustrating not to have the respective authors of each blog entry sign off, so allow me to apologize and clarify.  In reverse order, “Final Days” from Monday, August 2 was written by Kwan.  “Send the rain Father” from Wednesday, July 28 was written by HuGu, and “It’s Saturday!” from Saturday, July 24 was written by Esther.  “There/Here” was written by yours truly, the old guy on the team.

Geckos that make strange noises and, according to the missionaries, have razor sharp teeth with which they sometimes bite the heads off of baby birds.

Enormous spider

Same spider, up close

The NIBC dog, Harry

A family's home/yard near the site of one of the next elementary schools

Cambodian countryside

Eating fruit at Ju Hwan and Hwa Yeon's house

Kyung, who will be starting the next kindergarten at near the family's house shown 3 pics previous

Flossing

Dental hygiene is very important

The floating village on Tonle Sap

At Kontrak, BGU student Tiffan helping the kids

The board we made for Rainbow's next theme, communicating around the world.  Funny/horrible quote heard in the late night hours as we were putting this together: "Oh crap... oh well." -HG

Nathan Chan (wearing the striped polo), a bay area transplant, runs Hagar Catering, a restaurant business affiliated with Hagar International

Riding a tuk-tuk in Phnom Penh with Boram

In front of the royal palace.  HG's friend Daniel is on the far right.

The view from the FCC Cafe, a place on the riverfront in Phnom Penh where we had dinner one night

Kwan Soo, apparently not enjoying his elephant ride, with Peter, a guy from NJ who came to NIBC for his own 2-week stint while we were there

BGU teachers grading student homework.  HG seems to be giving his paper extra close scrutinty.

Pray for this guy.  He's still there.  I mean not there on top of the temple standing in that spot, but there in Cambodia.