So, What Did You Do?

That, dear Reader, Friends, and Family, is a very good question. My younger sister and I just returned from the Kingdom of Cambodia in Southeast Asia, and everyone we encounter wants to know what we did. Well, to be quite frank, we did not really do anything, but the Lord was at work and has accomplished much over the past seven weeks. Over the next few weeks I'd like to share some of what He did, in order that He might receive all the glory due His name, but for now this is simply an overview of what went on during our nearly two months away.

After two weeks of intensive training at The Lord's Boot Camp in Merritt Island, Florida we finally arrived in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. From there we took a seven hour bus ride north to Siem Reap, the tourism capital of Cambodia where the famous 11th century Buddhist temple Angkor Wat is located. We entered as ambassadors of Christ, and our first goal was to function as a conduit of His love and truth to the beautiful Khmer (Cambodian) people.

Each morning we set off down Siem Reap's main boulevard on bicycles and made our way toward the tourist centers of the city where countless locals make their living by selling souvenirs. After parking our bicycles and splitting into pairs we made our way from shop to shop. We had no intention to make purchases, but every determination to make friends, build relationships, and seek opportunities to talk of spiritual things. The Lord graciously granted boldness, helped us work through language barriers, and softened people's hearts to His message.

After returning to the local Teen Missions base for lunch we would head out again, this time to the outlying villages. At times our mode of transportation was again bicycles, but more often we enjoyed wearing down our tailbones as we rode the base truck over roads that looked (and felt) like they had been bombed and then flooded. In the villages we helped the Teen Missions in Cambodia Bible School students conduct Good News Clubs. After a short musical presentation we taught phonics, played games, presented the Gospel using the wordless book, and sat with the children as they heard a Bible story in their own language. The children look forward to the Good News Clubs each week, and the local Bible students faithfully conduct 7-10 of them in different villages each week.

For two to three weeks this was our almost daily schedule, then, toward the end of our project time we uprooted from Siem Reap to travel nine hours (in the base truck) to Kampong Chhnang, a province in the south of Cambodia. There, at the second Teen Missions base in the country we helped prepare the property for the local boot camp. Just as boot camp is held in Florida, boot camps are also held in dozens of countries overseas as a way of reaching young people with the Gospel, discipling them in the Word, and sending them out among their own people to make more disciples. We cleared brush, trees, and stumps from the obstacle course path, helped a local family plant their rice fields (paddies), and began planting a field of coconut trees.

At the close of a week there, it was time to head back to Florida by way of Hong Kong where we enjoyed real beds, hot showers, and amazing food. So, there you have it, the answer to your question. Not very exciting, I realize. What is exciting is not what we did physically and practically over the last two months, but what the Lord did in the lives of the Cambodian people and in our own hearts. In my subsequent posts I will be focusing on those things with stories, Scripture, and more pictures.

The Aftermath

Tomorrow will mark two weeks since I returned home from Africa. It has been a difficult and busy few weeks, getting back into the routine here at home, starting school, and beginning college applications. My schedule seems to be fuller and busier than it has ever been, and the time I have to myself seems to be disappearing. My trip this summer changed my life, no doubt about it, but I am slightly at a loss as to what I am supposed to do now. I feel as though I hang in limbo between a life-changing experience and ordinary life. I am continuing my daily devotions, I am doing everything I should, but each morning I wake up with a feeling that I cannot describe.

It is neither joy nor sorrow, it is not confidence nor is it self-doubt. It is not fear, but neither is the absence of fear. It is not a chaotic feeling, but neither have I experienced a calm in my heart. It is not apathy, and yet it is not enthusiasm either. I am simply going about my day one thing at a time; it would be overwhelming to look beyond that one thing. Is it the feeling that I have no purpose because I am not spending my days with AIDS orphans in Africa? Perhaps it is... perhaps it is a feeling of inadequacy, perhaps I feel as though I must return to the mission field in order to be useful. If so I need to address this.

I am not only a missionary when I am on a "mission trip." On the last day at debrief I dedicated my life to full-time Christian missions. My life is now, full-time Christian missions is now. Where I am standing is my mission field, I am a missionary.

Lord, Heavenly Father,

You have given me my mission field, I ask that you would grant me the grace and strength and to fulfill this mission and to bring you glory. Bring me joy, Lord, and perseverance as I tackle all the tasks you have set before me. For all those that you have called to be missionaries in your kingdom I ask that you would grant them the same grace and strength to lead the lost to you in their own hometowns. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

Debrief and Back Home

After witnessing Victoria Falls we headed to the airport in Lusaka, Zambia for our journey back to Merritt Island, Florida. It was like deja vu to be back in the place where we had begun our journey of training and ministry so many weeks before. We participated in three days of debrief where we got plenty of hot showers, took a series of classes that discussed integrating back into life in America, and quizzed other teams on the forty Bible verses we had memorized throughout the summer. It was a good time to relax, reflect on what we had learned on the field, and prepare to say good bye to the friends we had made. It was difficult to say good bye, but we were all more than ready to be going back home to our families and friends.

This summer has changed my life, giving me a new perspective on many aspects of my everyday life. The Lord began to work on certain areas of my heart and life, and I pray that as I get back into my routine here at home that I will allow Him to continue the work He has begun. Some things He is teaching me are not at all easy, and other things are confusing at times, but by His grace I will do all that He has called me to, giving Him all the glory.

Thank you all for your prayers while I was away this summer, they meant, and do mean more than you can ever know. God bless you all!

Back in Ndola-Unexpected Blessings

Once back at the base on Saturday morning we took two days to just rest and figure out what our "plan B" would be. Each of us was wondering what we would do with the extra time at the base as we were there three to four days early. What a blessing it was when we learned that Monday and Tuesday would be spent taking day trips to units an hour away and 45 minutes away, respectively. On Monday we took the bus to Lu Piya and taught a morning and afternoon session, and on Tuesday we headed back to Chiwala and taught two morning sessions. As I helped the children get into position and smiled back at their beaming faces and twinkling eyes I knew that Romans 8:28 was being fulfilled. My God was working everything together for good because we loved him and had been called according to His purpose. If not for the robbery we would not have had the chance to reach two additional units; God is good!

Solwezi

We arrived at Solwezi, an additional half hour closer to the base, and set up our tents for the third time. Like Lunsala this unit was a bit further from the villages and so though we arrived on Thursday afternoon we expected our largest crowd on Saturday. We slept peacefully that night and after a glorious sunrise the next morning we were ready to teach. The children slowly trickled in and by the time we had presented the Gospel and invited them to accept Christ as their Saviour there were about 65 in attendance. The afternoon crowd was even larger and we felt that we had accomplished a lot for just one day.

The Children

The children at Solwezi learned so fast that we taught them almost everything we knew on the very first day. That night we were brainstorming to come up with more we could teach them for the next three days.

The Children stretching during a drill session.

Singing during one of our presentations.

The Facilitators

During our group devotions in the evening it had been our custom to sing a few songs and then listen to one of the facilitators share their testimony and how they had come to be serving the Lord at that unit. On Friday night we enjoyed hearing Makuka share. She had come to serve the Lord in Solwezi after marrying her husband Richard in 2006; together they worked as the facilitators.

That night we went to bed as usual; two team members in each tent, and the leaders in their own tents. My tent mate and I were chatting as we prepared for bed, waiting for the "lights out" command at 9:30. At the time we did not know that the facilitators and the other national staff staying with them that night had been beaten and robbed. We heard the two thieves come out to our tents and demand money from our head leader. The Lord be praised, a miracle took place that night and the thieves got frightened and ran off. Within an hour we had dismantled our tents, packed all our personal and kitchen supplies, and were headed to the base in Ndola four hours away. Because of truck problems and the dark it took us over twice as long to reach the base, and when we got there we ate breakfast and went to rest in one of the Bible school dorm rooms.

Lessons Learned

Through what happened our team realized how wonderful is the gift of God's protection. Instead of being fearful we rejoiced in the testimony that the Lord was allowing us to take back home, a testimony of His faithfulness and His love for His children.

"Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart." -Psalm 119:111

Farewell

As I write this I leave in less than forty-eight hours. I have everything packed, and it weighs exactly forty pounds (Praise the Lord!). While I am gone I will not be able to blog at all, but I look forward to posting many pictures and stories when I return. As I get ready to leave I want to say thank you to everyone yet again, and also give you some specific things that you can pray for.

-- For safety; that I and my team will be safe in all the traveling we do, whether that be by plane, bus, or on foot.

-- For health; that we would all stay healthy, especially as we may be eating new foods, and exposed to a new environment.

-- For unity; that we would work together as a team, giving each other grace as the body of Christ, and working to bless each other instead of pleasing ourselves.

-- For our families who will be missing us; that they would surrender us to God's will, receiving a peace that is beyond their understanding.

-- And finally that we might be completely dependent on Christ, allowing His Spirit to work mightily in our lives, and that we would lean on Him when things get difficult.

Thank you again, and check back around August 15th for stories, pictures, and evidences of God's faithfulness in each of our lives.

Specifics About My Trip

In this post I will be explaining a bit more about my upcoming mission trip, how I will be preparing for it, and how I will be serving in Africa.

This summer I will be traveling to Zambia, Africa as a short term missionary with Teen Missions Int'l. Teen Missions is an organization that was started by Robert Bland who is a former Youth for Christ director. Each summer Teen Missions sends several hundred young people on short term missions trips to dozens of countries around the world. Teen missions is based out of Merritt Island, Florida where they train young people to be effective missionaries. On June 24th I will arrive in Florida for two weeks of boot camp with several hundred other young people. We will be living in tents, and washing our clothes by hand. We will participate in Bible studies, youth rallies, and Scripture memorization. Each day we will have time set aside to spend time with the Lord, and we will also run an obstacle course in order to prepare ourselves physically.

Most teams that will be serving overseas during the summer are construction teams, and they will take basic construction classes during boot camp. My specific team is an evangelism team. Therefore we will be practicing skits and puppets shows that share the Gospel message. We will also be trained in drill team, which will be the main focus of our ministry. Drill team is a form of precision step, and though I am not very familiar with it I am excited to take part as I have former experience as a dancer.

After two weeks of boot camp each team will fly to their respective country and begin their ministry. My team will fly into Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. While there, our main focus will be ministering to AIDS orphans by teaching them drill team, and also performing for them. We will also put to use our knowledge of puppets and skits in order to share the Gospel message. Again we will be living in tents and bathing and washing our clothes using five-gallon buckets.

On our return to Florida at the end of the summer we will be taught how to give a power point presentation to our churches. I am very excited to see how the Lord will work in me and through me this summer.

For more information on Teen Missions please visit their website, or for more information concerning my specific team click here.

Off to Africa!

Hey Y'all,

On this blog I will be chronicling my preparation for, and journey to Zambia, Africa this summer. I will be leaving on June 24th for Merritt Island, Florida where I will train for two weeks. I will then fly to Zambia, where I will spend six weeks ministering to AIDS orphans by teaching them drill team, and sharing the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. I will be providing more details in the future, and I hope you will join me on my journey, as I prepare my body, mind, and soul for the work of the Lord.

Your prayers will be appreciated throughout this journey. Thank you!

In Christ Alone,

Elsie Anne