Well we made it to Cambodia. It was a long journey to get here, but we did it. Through many delays and having to sleep in airports and long car rides, we made it to our ministry, New Hope for Orphans (NHO). This ministry is so beautiful. Full of beautiful children, beautiful hosts, and a beautiful vision.
The children here are so full of energy. It seems as though they do not have an off switch. I often wonder how we even keep up with the kids because they are so high energy but we somehow find a way. They are all so loving and want to be with you all the time. They’ll try to sneak up behind you and tickle you, but the second you try to tickle them they run away. They do not know too much English so we have been trying to slowly teach them basics such as: colors, shapes, dog/cat, clothing, etc. They are quite a handful if I’m being honest, but each kid is worth it.
We learned after we arrived here in Cambodia that most of the kids here are abandoned. Either their parents left town for work and never came back or their parents just didn’t want them and dropped them off. As sad as that sounds, each child knows that there is a God loves them unconditionally and that they are loved for eternity. They now know of the greatest love that there ever could be.
These children here at New Hope wouldn’t know about God’s love for them or even God for that matter if it weren’t for Pastor Soly and his family. Him and his family are the ministry hosts here and they are the some of the most amazing and caring people I have ever met. Pastor Soly cares for the kids and takes care of the orphanage with his wife, Sister, and two kids, Joseph and Monica. His kids are ages 9 and 5 and they fit right in with the other kids here at the orphanage. To just put into perspective how great this family is, I will tell you a little story about them.
Pastor Soly preaches at the church here at the orphanage and people from around the town and village come here and worship. Well on one particular Sunday one of the church members had told Pastor that her husband had left town without any notice and without any explanation and she had not heard anything from him. So after hearing that, Pastor asked the church member to come live with him and his family at the orphanage. So from then on, that church member lives here at the orphanage and helps out where she can and she helps with the children and she cooks food for us while we’re at the orphanage. That is just one example of the type of person that Pastor Soly is. He is an incredible man with an incredible testimony.
In an area that is so hard to hear about God and believe in God, Pastor learned about the Lord and became a believer and answered God’s call for his life. Pastor tries his hardest to show God’s love for everyone, and does everything he can to spread the Gospel, whether that is having nightly worship at the orphanage or digging wells and getting water to the village, Pastor displays God’s love through his actions and his devotion to serve God. Pastor Soly has a vision for this orphanage, that it would help children but also that the kids that come here will learn about God’s love for them and come to know Christ the way that he came to know Christ.
PS. I’m definitely not in Knoxville anymore. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone…A LOT (if you want to know about that message me) and I am getting tired of rice. Actually I believe we all are getting tired of rice.
PSS. I posted a video of our travels and such to get to Cambodia. If you’d like to watch it, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9H55NAKbzM
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