Cambodia 2023 Outreach

I was warmly welcomed by the team when I arrived at 1 in the morning (a few of them stayed up and greeted me which just filled by heart with joy) - I missed them so much that I may have shed a tear or two (I'm an emotional human okay and it was a long solo travel day..) when they hugged me haha. After a humid (!) and sweaty (!) yet extremely restful first night sleep - I woke up the next morning full of anticipation for what the coming days would encompass - I quite literally woke up with a smile on my face because I was so happy to be there. One thing I'm thankful for about myself is I have yet to ever experience jet-lag (and Lord willing I never will in my life) which makes transitions to different nations extremely easy for me. 

Tips for traveling to different time zones (haha feel free to skip past this section if you want/if it doesn't apply to you): #1. Never (ever!) take naps. No matter what time you arrive, even if it's in the early hours of the morning and you haven't slept in what feels like days - do not take a nap. Get outside and explore, keep your body moving and stay up until 8pm, then go to bed and wake up at a reasonable hour (do not oversleep) and bam, you're pretty much adjusted. Haha well at least that is what works for me - hopefully it works for you. #2. Don't check what time is it back home/where you just traveled from for the first few days. It's mind over matter people and if you keep paying attention to what time it is back home/when you should've been waking up or going to bed - it's going to mess with you and you won't adjust as easily. And if these tips don't work for you.. then best of luck haha. Just kidding, you'll eventually get out of the jet lag :) 

Anywho.. back to Cambodia:

My time in Cambodia was nothing short of seeing God move so mightily not just in the team's life and the ministry they're involved in, but in my life as well. Going into my pastorals outreach I was quite honestly filled with so much fear and anxiety as to what outreach was going to look like, if I was going to enjoy it, but mainly - if I was going to be able to provide guidance to the teams effectively. But, like stated above, from the moment I got on the plane in Hawaii and started by journey- I only felt immense joy, peace, and confidence in all that I was doing there. Praise the Lord !! 

Some of the ministries that the team is involved with weekly are:

• Teaching English to the christian preschool on the YWAM base

• Teaching English to the children in the local villages 

• Home visits/fellowship in the local villages 

• Various children's ministry 

• Soccer (very popular) 

• Speaking/teaching at various churches in the area

• Evangelism 

• Prayer walks

When I visited the team we stayed in Kampong Cham (about two hours outside of Phnom Penh) the whole time I was there. The team is now in Battambang partnering with the YWAM base in that area.

Overall, being in Cambodia for nine days was nothing short of God moving so sovreignly yet tenderly. This country in particular is a country that I have dreamt of going to for yearrsss - so to finally have the honor of going left me so so thankful.

Blessings,

Rebekah McGunagle