Cambodia----

Cambodia. Wow. I have been here a little over a week. We started out in Phnom Penh and were there for a few days, doing some slum ministry for 'Children at Risk.' Jeremy, one of our school leaders, came here to stay with us for a week and just to see how we are doing. It has been refreshing and encouraging to have him around. We had our orientation for this country the first day we were here, and we went to the Killing Fields. Cambodia has a tragic history of their nation. Many people were tortured and killed during the Khmer Rouge period (5 years), due to a devastating dictatorship. It was overwhelming to visit these camp sites where people were treated in such an inhumane manner. It was important to visit these places, so we have a heart for these people and understand what they've been through as a nation. The past 10 years have been a time of peace for these people. Only 3% of the people are christians. 

We had three days in Phnom Penh, then went to Siem Reap for a three day rest. It was greatly needed for me and my team. We visited the Angkor Wat Temple, and just hung out. It was lovely. :) Then we headed to Kampong Thom, where we will be doing the rest of our ministry while in Cambodia. The house we are staying in is a bit different than what we have had thus far. I am sharing a bed with two others and we have no running water- so that means bucket showers! Beauty. God is teaching me a lot through this. He is teaching me to be flexible wherever I am, and reminding me I am not entitled to any of the comfort things I think I need or want. It's hard though, because I like my space, and he is teaching me to lay that down. My days here have been interesting so far to say the least. On the way to Kampong Thom, we stopped at this market, and Landon bought a fried spider and cricket. We ate it. GROSS. I just had a spider leg. That was enough for me. Yesterday, our contacts offered us fried crickets. mmm. I had one. It wasn't so bad, just a bit crunchy.....:)

My prayer for Cambodia is that God would just give me his heart for these people here. I want to feel what they are feeling and love them with God's love! Ah i just want them to know how much they are loved by God! Holy cow. God has been teaching me to live in the present and take each day, one day at a time. That is so hard, because I keep dreaming about the future and wishing I was home, or traveling Europe. I just want to be content with where I am now. God has placed me in Cambodia for a reason and a purpose. I was chosen to reach his people. It takes patience and it's hard, but I need to be here with all of my mind and all of my heart, spreading the love of Christ. 

We are only half way through. Pray for me, because I need it. I cannot do this on my own. That is something I have been learning as well....I just want to keep having revelations and going deeper with my Heavenly Father. ahhh I feel like God is going to do huge things in this country. Also, please pray for our team's well-being. Some of us have been feeling sick lately.  And for strength and boldness! I miss home. a lot. I miss summer. a lot. oh well.

love.

rachelle

Leaving Taiwan.

Taiwan was a sweet country. I loved getting to know the people there and the culture. Everyone is so hospitable. It was so encouraging. We were busy all the time. We fed the homeless, helped with  some church services, went to jr. high schools and shared our testimonies, dramas, and the gospel. We also helped out at a crazy kid's program at a church. It has been stretching for me, because I am forced to get out of my comfort zone and do things I wouldn't normally want to do. I have been learning to just praise God for the small things even when things suck and I just want to get away. God will never leave me and is always there for me. He is strong when I am weak. I am really learning the full extent of that statement. I just want more! I want so much more from this outreach! I want to step into each country will both feet and my whole heart. I mean, holy crap, we are already half way through! Geez louise. I want to be used so much by God. I want to focus in like crazy and just kick some butt! :) I am at the Bangkok airport right now. I am on my way to Cambodia tonight. We have  4 day holiday, then back to ministry. I am stoked to just be there already! I love this adventure I am on. God is faithful and working. Thank you all for your prayers.

Rachelle

Taiwan!

Currently I am in Taiwan. Our team arrived last Thursday. It has been a whirlwind since. We have been so busy with ministry and connecting with the people here. I love it here. The city is so cool. We have been visiting churches and sharing our testimonies, as well as doing dramas. Yesterday consisted of our team singing on the street corner handing out tracks. It was really random, and we have to be ready for anything! ahh. Most of the time we don't even know what we will be doing. It has been such an adventure. Today we are going to be visiting the tallest building in the world. Taipei 101! Holla. Tomorrow will be a big day for us too. We will be going to a junior high school and sharing our testimonies/dramas for the entire day. Exhausting maybe....but I am totally stoked!!!! 

[BALI, Indonesia]

So, I'm in freaking Bali. I arrived Monday night and it has been a whirlwind since. It is really humid and hot all the time, everyday. Which I guess is what anybody can really expect.....
It is so good to finally be here though. The culture is beautiful and the food is great...beautiful people. I love it. We taught some children a bit of English so far. We also worked with the compassion project, which was cool to see how it works. Tomorrow we are going to a picnic to talk to youth and teach them games, and just to build relationships with them. Pray that we can make connections and share Jesus with them, even with the language barrier. I am missing the YWAM oxford base a bit and everyone that I left. BUT God is doing great things and I am excited to see where and how he will use our team.

Bless.


-rachelle

holy crap

I am not my own. 

I am learning that more and more. I am learning to completely die to the flesh and find life in Jesus Christ. I want to seek him in everything I do, whether it is hard or not. Last week we had lectures on Lordship. It was the most intense week thus far. I had so much TRUTH spoken into my life this week. My faith is not going to be based on feelings. The foundation of my faith is being rebuilt. I want to walk in the light every single day of my life. I don't freaking care if it's hard or not. I don't want to live a life for myself anymore. I don't want my life to be rooted in fear any longer. I am free in the name of Jesus Christ of any bondage of fear in my life. I will live a life for my Lord. I am not afraid. 

.....2 weeks till outreach! ahhhhhh

Pray for me and my team!

cheers!

 

Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy.

I have been filled with JOY. God has filled me up and my cup is overflowing. I have joy in my heart and love in my spirit. Thank you Jesus. I have never laughed so hard in my life. Words of LIFE were spoken over me this week. Words of FREEDOM. I have the joy of the Lord in my heart, and I will never let it go. I have the truth. I know the truth. God is stirring up life in me. Life filled with love and joy that I didn't know I could have. I am tall and radiant like a sunflower. Jesus is pouring into my spirit. I want more I want more I want more. Drown us in love, Jesus. 

FAITH WEEK

What a crazy week....

So, this past week, Landon, Grace, and I got dropped off in the middle of nowhere with 2 sandwiches and $20 each. We had to survive on that for the whole week, while hitchhiking across New Zealand. It was incredible what God did for us that week. The first night, we ended up in Christchurch where we found an old man inside an anglican church who helped us out and got us a place to stay for the night. The next morning we went to the easter service at the church and had lunch after. Then the pastor took us to Timaru and we stayed with a couple there for the night. The east coast was beautiful. The next day, we made it all the way down to Gore where we met this owner of a resturant and it was her birthday. So, she invited us to have diner with her and her family. We had a full course meal complete with birthday cake and ice cream. It was wonderful and later that night we went eel spearing. God provided a place for us to stay every night. Except for one night we had to sleep in a park in Queenstown. Another night we slept in the back of a tour bus. It was just super cool to see how God provided all the things we needed for that week. We made it all the way to Bluff, which is the southern most tip of the south island, and we were there for 2 days staying in an old oyster factory. All these things happened by the grace of God. God is so good to me. It just showed me and forced me to rely on God for everything that I need, like food, shelter, and showers. I had to trust that he would provide for me, and he did. Even the simple little things that I didn't need, but that he wanted to bless me with. It made me so thankful for every little thing that I have. New Zealand is so beautiful. I was blessed to be able to see a lot more of it this week. I got home yesterday at 9:20 AM, and it was the best feeling ever. It is so good to be back. I had such a wonderful, hard week, and I am so glad to be back. We had a cinnamon toast and chocolate milk party then took some showers, and just relaxed the rest of the day. It was so good to see everyone again and be around the people that I love....my family. 

Thank you for your prayers everyone. I have so much homework and such to catch up on. 

I hope you all have a lovely day! :) 

Bless.