Angkor of Faith 5

You might have read about my last trip to Cambodia in December. Well I went again this last week and it was nothing the same but so amazing! Angkor of Faith is a week when Christian youth from all over Asia come together to serve the kids in Siem Reap. This was the fifth time that they’ve had it and the first time that it was planned by some of the younger generation, my age not the missionaries. I had heard lots of great things from friends here and some from the States who have been and I was expecting great things. Last time we taught English at schools and gave out donations and it was good but this week I loved being able to hang out with the kids everyday who left their things to sell outside and ran in and jumped into my arms ready for a day of fun.

I had several kids who really attached themselves to me and I was able to really invest my time and energy in them. Niang came everyday and loved loved loved holding my hand and hanging on me. He loved singing and everyday when we would singe praise songs he would sing so loud and then sing them again to me at dinner.

Deaun didn’t speak much English but her smile would melt any heart. She loved to have me pick her up and spin around really fast. She didn’t show up all the time but she knew when dinner time was and always came running up in time to give me a hug and order some fried rice.

Rexar was one really crazy kid. He would climb all over me and say the funniest things. He wanted to give hugs and kisses to everyone and was a really good photographer. He gave me a tour of Angkor Wat and then proceeded to drink all of my water. He's the little bugger on the right trying to kiss me.
 

I got to visit the orphanage that I went to on AFCO 08 and I found my favorite little girl who slept in my arms the whole time. She is so much bigger now and so loving and precious. I picked her up and she wouldn't let go of me the whole time we were there. It is a Christian orphanage and the kids sang us some really great songs and prayed together and it was so touching. I am so thankful there is a good place like that in Siem Reap for kids that need a home.

 
My international group was such a blessing to me. I loved meeting people from lots of different countries. In my group there were people from Singapore, Malaysia, China, and South Korea, and me, the American by way of Thailand. It was really good listening practice to figure out what everyone was saying in English but with their own accents. I had a great time with Elaine who is from China but studying in Singapore right now. She said she was excited that I would be her first American friend and liked to practice her English with me. Elaine was so sweet and we had fun going through Angkor Wat together the last day. Sheena was our fearless group leader and I just loved her! We are both kind of in the same place right now, just out of college and trying to figure out how best to serve the Lord so we had some really good discussions. And she was just fun! 

Elaine and I at Bayon

Sheena getting her hair done by the girls

 
In all it was an amazing trip and so great to see the youth of Asia come together to serve the kids in Cambodia. P Robert mentioned several times how this trip really felt like we were able to do more than just play with the kids and help them, we were able to teach them about our Savior and it was so great to hear them singing praise songs as they rode home on their bicycles. Please pray for the continued work in Siem Reap with these children and for the unity of the church here in Asia through its young people that were at AoF 5 this week.