It feels crazy how fast the time has been going by in Cambodia, at this point right now, we only have 7 DAYS left here! Time truly does fly when you’re having fun.
As you know, the ministry that I have been doing here in Cambodia has been helping teach kids English in remote villages and also Bible stories. Today was our last day doing ministry in the villages because next week is the water festival and we’re not going to be teaching then. So we had to say our goodbyes to the kids this week and it was so sad because we knew that we’re probably never going to see them again and just to come and go so quickly, it just hits so hard. I knew going into full time ministry that it wasn’t all going to be the easiest or fun all the time. I knew that there was going to be things that I was not going to want to do at all, and there has been. But I just have to keep on reminding myself that this is all for the glory of God, even if it doesn’t feel like it. We don’t know the impact of one small act that we’re doing, but the Lord does and I just have to trust that, I need to trust Him. Trusting God to know that what I am doing is for His glory has been harder for me than I had initially thought it would be, but I am slowly letting go of what I want to do and allowing God to transform me by the renewal of my mind to Him daily.
A verse that has just been so impactful to me recently has been Matthew 11:28. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” I honestly only heard this verse fist at training camp. We were singing it in a song and it was so confusing to me, so I went to ask someone next to me that I knew would know the answer, and as soon as she was about to explain, the piano player began to say, “I feel like I should explain what this means…” I started crying tears of joy because I knew that was God working right there, He provided the way for me to understand what was being said, and I remember at that time I felt like it was really hard for me to understand how the Lord was talking to me at all. So to have that happen where He immediately answered my question clear as day right in front of my eyes was so impactful, even though it was something that was so small.
The Lord has also been making it clear to me that He wants me to know Him as MY Father. He is proud of me in desiring Him and He sees the impact even the smallest actions in showing His love will make. A way that it has been described to me is that I am like a child wanting to jump off the diving board into the deep end of the pool and He is my father that is standing there with His open arms ready to catch me, but I’m terrified of jumping. He’s there saying “come on, I got you!” And I’m frozen saying “uh-uh!” I need to take the leap of faith into His arms and know that He is going to take care of me.
Even though I have seen and felt the Lord recently, I have been having a hard time a bit, just in my walk with the Lord. It feels like I have been just at a plateau, I’m not really doing the growth that I want to, need to, do. It feels like there is a wall just blocking the growth that I need to do, and it’s not easy. I am in the process of slowly taking down the wall brick by brick, I want to know Him and He wants to know me and it’s not something that will happen immediately, it’s a process. Please continue to keep my team, squad and I in your prayers!
We have learned what our ministry is going to be in Thailand! There is 6 teams in my squad, X Squad. There is 3 teams staying in Chiang Mai, team alabaster, team shekhinah, and team agape guppies. My team, team YADA, is going to be staying with one of the boys team, team Israel, two hours away from them. And the second boys team, team NSS, is going to be staying 40 minutes away from the teams that are going to be in Chiang Mai. Israel and YADA are going to be doing more children’s ministry! The place where we’re going to be has not had a team from AIM since 2019 and when they heard that they’re going to have two teams coming, they literally started crying they were so happy so know that we were coming. So just to know that we are already making an impact and we haven’t even met our hosts yet literally brings tears to my eyes it makes me so happy.
I am currently only 71% fundraised for my trip and I need to meet the 80% deadline by December 15th. If you would please prayerfully consider donating to my trip and help me meet my deadline, that would be great!
https://adventuresinmissions.servicereef.com/events/adventures-in-missions-3/2023-world-race-gap-year-route-3/participants/joy-lefebre-schiel
Also, the Cambodia base is wanting to bless the children in the villages that they go out to with Christmas gifts! We are going to bless the children with a backpack filled with school supplies, some food, personal hygiene products, and a school uniform! If you feel led at all to give any amount, it would make the world of an impact for children in need who desire to learn and grow more and we and to be apart of that process. If you want to be apart of that process with us, consider donating to help!
Here is the link to donate for the Cambodian Christmas gifts!: https://give.adventures.org/story/Cambodia-Base
