prior to arriving in Cambodia. Being my first mission trip,
to answer every time I asked him through prayer when
I had no idea what to expect, and while I was excited for
my team.
what to come, I was anxious to see how God would use
I would like to now share a short experience of the many
me. On top of that, more than half of our team has been
to Cambodia at least once and even three of my team
members have stayed there for more than a year. I felt as
if there were a lot of expectations required of me for this
trip. For those who do not know, during this time, I was
struggling in my faith in Christ. Through a series of events
of rejections, I felt as if everything was against me and
led to a struggle in my faith, and because of this, I was
a worried that I would not be spiritually ready to teach
the people of God about Cambodia; however, during the
trip, I realized that God did not send me here to evangelize and teach everyone about God, but only to show His
love to His people. I believe that God brought me here to
times that God has worked in my life during this mis-
mature spiritually and soften my heart that was hardened
sion trip. The day after we arrived to Life International
in order for me to become obedient to His will.
School, my team and I went to a nearby village near the
Throughout the mission trip, God has shown me multiple
port of Sihanoukville to provide first aid and play with
the children. When we arrived, we immediately began to
unpack and the kids began to come out from their homes
one by one. While we began to give first aid to the children, some of the children instantly recognized a few of
my team members that came to the same place last year.
The kids were very comfortable with my team members
and because they knew who they were, they went and
started to play games with them. Since this was my first
mission trip, I did not know how to interact or play with
the children.
Soon, I realized that even though my heart was there and
times that when your focus is on him and not on school,
earned to play with the children, I was alone. For the first
work, or anything else that may hinder you from focus-
time, I closed my eyes and prayed to God. “God I know
ing on God, He will show you so much that you could
that you brought me here for a reason. Please show me
ever imagine. Matthews 7:7, it states, “Ask and it will be
your plan for me here in Cambodia.” And when I fin-
given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door
ished, instantly a child came up to me and began to speak
will be opened to you”. For the longest time, my lack of
to me. The child only knew Khmer; however, I knew that
faith has made me question, “Does God really provide
he asked me to hold him. And so I did. The joy I felt at
when we ask”? Then how come I was never able to do
that very moment made me realize that this is what God’s
this or that when I prayed or “seek”? Then, I soon began
love truly feels like. Soon, the kids began to come and
to realize that everything I asked for or “seeked” was for
play with us and at the end of that day, I began to realize
my own personal gains. Everything I asked was never for
why God wanted me to come to Cambodia, and that was
God’s glory but for my own. However, God soon began
to not evangelize these kids, but to show them what God’s
The English Ministry of First Korean Baptist Church of Raleigh | www.livinghoperaleigh.org
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