Our team arrived in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia on Thursday, December 22nd late in the evening. We were greeted by Chris who is the team coordinator for the Phnom Pehn YWAM base. We were very thankful for him being there because the airport was very chaotic. He arranged for some vans to pick us up and bring us to our hotel, The Lucky Star 2. Although both the airport and the our hotel were rather clean and modern, on our ride to the hotel we could already see the poverty and oppression.
On the 24st of December we visited the S21 Prison Museum which was a prison that was used in the time of the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge were a communist group who were in charge of Cambodia for a period and their ideals spread genocide across the country. In the S21 Prison they held and tortured prisoners for apparent information about the CIA and KGB. The ways they tortured the Cambodians were horrible and we pray that God would heal these wounds of Cambodia's past. We also visited the killing fields. The fields are actually covered with lush green grass and butterflies now but you can still see the shallow graves scattered all around. Overall it was a good experience for us all to know and see a portion of what the country has been through and it has given us a greater heart for the Cambodians.
Since the 24th was Christmas Eve we were generously offered Phnom Pehn's YWAM base building as a place to congregate and celebrate Jesus' birth. We sang some carols, ate american style pizza, played a Norwegian Christmas game, exchanged gifts and had great fellowship.
December 26th was the day our Crossroads Cambodia team split into our two separate locations. It was a long bumpy ride and our bus driver was a little crazy but thankfully we got to our destination in one piece! Half of the team got off of the bus to stay Kampong Thom and the other half of us (our team) got off in Siem Reap. It was a quick goodbye but hopefully we'll be seeing them at the end of the two months.
Now that we are in Siem Reap God has already been opening many opportunities for us to get involved in already existing ministries through the YWAM base here and other contacts. We are starting to get involved with an orphanage here run by Pastor Kim Lee. Yesterday we went there to check things out and we got to dance, sing songs, give out balloons and candy and play with the children. Today Bibi, Einar, Gilles and Rebecca went back to get more information and Bibi and Rebecca gave medical attention to the children. Renee, George, Cindy and Tom went to find a ministry that works with prostitutes but was unable to find them. Although it seemed that God had other plans. They decided to take a break and stop at the local christian coffee shop and they "just happened" to start talking to a lady who had contacts and information about the ministry that helps ex-prostitutes.
Overall we are excited to see the amazing things God will do in this time. He has already been moving here even before we came. "And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ,
who fills all things everywhere with himself" Ephesians 1:23
Glory to God,
Crossroads Cambodia
Today we attended and were a part of the Christmas Celebration put on by Pastor Kim Leang; who runs the orphanage. It was a joyful time and God moved in the hearts of the believers and non-believers. The program was very diverse and included dancing, singing and a play. The play was put on by the children from the orphanage and it was about the story of Jesus' birth. They had music, karaoke, costumes and dance all incorporated in the play; it was very well put together. There were other groups of people contributing to the celebration as well. They were from the Philippians, Korea and Vietnam. Our team sang silent
