Sweet sweet New Hope kiddos,
Wow! These 3 weeks in Preah Vihear have flown by. It feels like just yesterday we were pulling up in the van to your little orphanage. We arrived tired, hungry, stinky, and eager to serve and show you God’s love and now looking back I realize that I slept, ate, showered, and served but you showed me God’s love. I was overcome with emotion the first time I worshipped with you as you all squeezed your eyes shut, raised your little hands to the heavens, and proclaimed His name. Your servants hearts are so evident. Thank you for organizing my shoes, sweeping after I get dirt everywhere, washing dishes, teaching me words in Khmer and repeating them when I got them wrong, bringing me my water bottle after I’ve misplaced it for the 100th time, all the little drawings and grass jewelry, being so joy-filled, paying attention in English class when I wasn’t as enthusiastic as I could’ve been, showing me grace as I learned your names, and for being a glowing example of living a life full of gratitude. You have been abandoned, filled with empty promises, and unaware of the love of a parent but you are filled with the love of your heavenly Father. This world is so incredibly broken but I hope that you will constantly find comfort in knowing that you are saved, loved, treasured, desired, chosen, protected, pursued, and anointed by God. Although my time with you has been short I will never forget the days we spent running around while the sun set behind the trees, the many soccer games we played, the tickle fights, the dance parties, our nightly hug session, and all the laughter you brought my team and I. I appreciate all that I have gotten to learn about your culture and your people. We are off to new places but you will forever hold a place in my heart. I will continue to pray for you as I have prayed for you while I’ve been here; that you will feel the love of the King of Kings often, that you will always be reminded that you are a child of the Father, and that despite the beliefs of others you will know that you serve the one true God.
I love each of you dearly and I cannot wait until we see each other again.
-Maddie (or Maria as many of you pronounce it)
