Saturday, July 23, 2011

End of My First Week

















I pass several traveling vendors on my way to school like the two pictured above. 


I also pass this little massage place...I may just have to stop for a massage on my way home from school one day.

My temporary roommates - Katelyn and Carin
They are teaching English at the summer camp program at Asian Hope.  They are so very sweet and have been wonderful company!
Outside of Central Market

Beautiful Flowers for Sale
 
 One of the vendors inside the market.  Mom, I posted this one for you so you could get an idea of what the market is like.  There are vendors just like this one side by side.  As you can tell there are many choices of lots of things.


It hardly seems possible that I have been here for a week already.  The time has flown!  I want to reiterate how grateful I am to have such a vast support network at home.  I know the many prayers that have been said on my behalf have been answered.  It is just so comforting to know that others are thinking of me and praying for me.  I am also grateful for technology...the internet has been an excellent avenue for me to keep in contact with everyone.  
 
I feel like I have already learned many lessons in just one week.  A few that come to my mind...1. Keep it Simple - I was already learning this one before I left NC with packing up my life so to speak.  I realized that all this "stuff" we accumulate in life can be very burdening at times.  Then sometimes I wonder why do I have all this stuff?  It won't go with me one day.  Then I get here to Cambodia and I feel like one is forced to keep it simple as the luxuries that are available in the US cost so much more here or do not exist.  God has taken care of my needs here and quite a few of my wants too.  I am blessed!  2.  Allow God to set my pace - We live in a world where everything is so quick and convenient.  It is very easy to get caught up in the hectic pace of life and just go along with the rush.  I know I need to trust God and focus on the present journey.  "For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness."  Psalm 18:28  3. Be Thankful - I know I take so many things for granted on a daily basis.  I don't have to worry about where I will rest my head, where my next meal will come from, having clean clothes to wear, or having clean water.  I am now surrounded by so many who have these concerns and many more daily.  It makes me so much more aware of how blessed I am.  I was so convicted by something I read out of Sarah Young's little devotional book, 40 Days with Jesus, "You need to resist the temptation to grumble when things don't go as you would like.  Remember that I, your God, am a consuming fire.  If you saw Me in all My Glory, you would be much too awestruck to venture even the tiniest complaint."  Who am I to complain about anything?  However, I know I am human and after writing this will yet complain about something that is probably trivial.  Maybe I need to post this verse somewhere that I will read it every day..."Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship  God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."  Hebrews 12:28-29

3 comments:

  1. Maria......
    Cambodia! WOW!! It is so good to see the Lord using you to serve those precious kids!! I am leaving in November to go to Mozambique for 3 years to work in a boys orphanage. It's so exciting to see God taking us all over the world to share His message of love. I'm looking forward to keeping up with you!!
    ~Jenni Sunderland

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  2. I am so thrilled you have a blog! Now I feel like I can get insight into your new life in Cambodia. What an awesome opportunity for you - take time to enjoy the little things that God gives us to make our lives so blessed. Keep on blogging!

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  3. Thank you for sharing with us the lessons you learned after your first week in Cambodia. They are great lessons for all of us. And you shared them so eloquently. As I respond to your blog, prior to cleaning the clutter of too much stuff in my apartment and heading to Walmart to buy more stuff that I don't need, it makes me stop and think. It isn't the stuff in our lives that matters. It is our connection to God and the people He places in our lives, that matter.
    Gina

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