Only in Cambodia would you ride in a train made out of bamboo

This week has been so much fun here in Battambang. I'm seriously loving outreach so much. I just noticed yesterday that we've already been in Cambodia for a month. I can't believe it... it's gone by so fast. So much has happened already, but it still feels like we just arrived. There's been so many fun memories made and i'm sure we will have plenty more memories to come. We are all having too much fun living the "Cambodian" life.

Ministries were great this week. SALT practice was a lot of fun and I feel like I'm really building long lasting friendships with the girls there. On Wednesday the main guy who started the SALT organization got back from a trip and we had our first day of intense practice. I'm definitely staying in shape while I'm here, which is good because I have been eating my body weight in food everyday. I don't know what's wrong but I'm always hungry. Luckily there is a gas station very close to the base to get food and of course the donut stands that are even closer to the base. Anyways... the orphanage was great this week too. On Thursday, Campbell and I were the only ones who went. So we hopped on the back of our translators motto and rode off to the orphanage. We brought paper and crayons and had the kids draw what God meant to them. After we were done drawing our pictures they got to explain their drawing and tell us what God means to them. It was really touching the things that they wrote and how much time they took to make the pictures really good. A little girl at the orphanage named Obe drew a heart and wrote words in the heart like "love" and some other khmer words. After they explained their drawings, Campbell shared a message and we held hands all together in a circle and prayed. Many of them have a cold right now and they asked if we would pray that they wouldn't be sick anymore. It was a really touching moment because as I was praying out loud I heard the mumbling of many kids praying to themselves. They have so much faith that God is going to pull through and as they pray it is so evident that they are talking directly to God. Campbell and I have a huge heart for the orphanage. This includes: fixing up the place, starting small groups, having weekly teachings, making the orphanage a place that they can feel excited to go home to after school, and a lot more. We are praying a lot about the future of this orphanage, even if we just plant the seed, we are hoping that other teams can continue this project.

The youth center has been a lot of fun this week. My students are getting more comfortable asking questions in class. In my conversation class we'll end up chatting the whole time. Which is perfect because the class is called "conversation" and I really get to know my students that way. In my photography class, Grace and I had our students draw different angles of a camera and label the parts. We quizzed them on Thursday and they are seeming to pick up photography terms very easily. We told them what each button is called and what its function is. That class is going to be so much fun, I'm really excited to see the pictures that they take in class. Grace and I are going to be printing out their favorite picture each week and put them up on the wall. Once we get to the last week we will put together a portfolio for them to take home. I'm so excited because one of my photography students named Ratana wants to hang out on the weekends. She works a lot, but she said next Saturday morning she wants to take me out on her motto around town and maybe out to the rice fields. It should be fun! I'm really excited about Ratana's friendship, she is a really sweet girl and always gives me a big hug before and after class.

This week has been a really fun week with our team. On Tuesday I hung out with Laura at Gecko Cafe and we chatted for a couple hours. I love my leader Laura, she's so great and always seems to be in good spirits. Even if she thinks she isn't, I always feel like I can be myself around her and talk to her about everything. I'm really grateful that she is my leader. After chatting for a bit and eating cream cheese wontons (they are soooo good!) we walked around in the market trying to find measuring cups to make no bake cookies for Laura and Campbell's cooking class. It was definitely harder than it sounds. It was very funny though. When there's a language barrier and you are trying to explain what a measuring cup is....well you could imagine that visual might be funny. After no luck we decided to buy the ingredients for the cookies and head back to base.

Many more great things happened this week but I might save those stories for when I get home. I want to let everyone know that I'm having a great time here and this outreach experience has seriously been a blessing. I know that God wanted me in Cambodia for a reason and He has definitely revealed to me why He wants me here for this time. I love the culture here and have fallen in love with every ministry I've been involved in. This week is my last week doing SALT, which I'm a little sad about but it's been a great experience and luckily I get to keep in contact with the girls over facebook. Once SALT ends I'm going to be filling those mornings in by going to a village and doing ministry there, I'm also picking up one more day at the orphanage. So I have a lot to look forward to still here. I really appreciate all the prayers that everyone has been praying for our team and for Cambodia. They are working and this nation has great hope for the future. The generation that we are working with right now are going to be the generation that changes this nation!

The internet connection is really bad so I can't upload any pictures. But they will be up on facebook shortly!