“My beloved spoke and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.”
– Song of Songs 2:10 NIV
The Lord invited us to go on a pilgrimage of sorts, drawing us away to speak to us. We, the Blue team, were exhilarated because we were going into the unknown with our friend the Holy Spirit. Initially thinking that we would literally have to ask right or left. Instead, he brought us to a sanctuary.
After some extensive traveling from Vietnam, we arrived in Kep , a rural town in Cambodia late the evening. We were met by our hosts, Stephen and Mandy. They were so happy to see us and that alone made us feel welcome already. We were to stay with them at Roots, an ecofarm and community centre.
We were quite excited to be in a rural area for a change, after staying in cities for the most part of our journey thus far. Jesus knew we needed some more time in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
As our ministry in Cambodia started, we also went on a phone fast. As with any fast, the Lord comes to work in ways not considered or treads in areas not yet explored. We found ourselves diving deeper into the word and being creative when it came to worship. Time that would’ve been spent on our phones became time to commune with Him and each other.
Work wise we broke down a dilapidated bungalow, cleared the rubble, tended to the garden and removed weeds from a large pond. In the afternoons we presented English and creative classes to a group of children from the community. It was a sad day for both us and the children when we had to bid each other farewell.
In between we also had fellowship with Stephen and Mandy, sharing meals and encouraging each other. What incredible people they are! Remarkable examples of laying down their lives and presenting it to Jesus to do with whatever he pleases. Testifying about step by step obedience instead of a grand plan.
As a team we became like a family, laughing around the table whilst eating delicious food and learning and discussing the word as we each had a chance to present a Bible study. It was beautiful to see how the team served each other by making one other coffee, someone washing our shoes and another doing a teammate’s laundry.
We also learnt to not put the Holy Spirit in a box. While listening in prayer as a group, we received different messages and direction, which created a bit of confusion. He however brought clarity as we prayed some more and received counsel and wisdom from him who is aptly called The Helper.
The Lord used Cambodia to set us apart for a brief while, to build us up and use each of us in different ways for His Kingdom.
If you would like to know more about Roots or interested in supporting them, you can visit them at:
https://rootsprojectkepcambodia.wordpress.com/
Until we write again,
The Blue Team of 2025