Experiencing the Body

Mini-Series: Why I Love Living In Cambodia
Experiencing the Body

I know it's been a little long since I last posted on this mini-series, but it isn't due to a lack of things to love about living in Cambodia, just time to write about them!

Last night I was chatting to a friend as we drove together in my trusty old Camry through the dark streets of the city. The events of the last weeks filled our conversation.

The night before our husbands had been called out on their bikes to look for a newly arrived teacher who had been missing for an hour and a half on the dark night roads. Thankfully she had just lost her way and eventually made her way to someone's house. Only two weeks before the Roberts had opened their home to the Rhea family and housed their entire brood of kids (I think that made 14 kids total in the house!) while the parents went with their daughter to Bangkok who was seriously sick from a snake bite. She laughed and said the new name for their family was "The Rescuers".

It is true. We do rely on one another so much over here. There were many times that we called on people for advice or help in the beginning years. Now as we shift to the “veteran” sector (the people called on for advice, help or late-night rescues) I realize what a blessing it is to be tangibly involved with those around us.

There are no safety nets here. There is no fire department to call, police security to trust, no adequate emergency medical care, and very little infrastructure in the country. Life feels raw. It comes, not neatly packaged, not with directions, and there is no number to call if you have questions or complaints. You feel your stark aloneness. But you also realize and depend more on the nearness of God and the body of believers that surrounds you. Strangely it makes me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt before. Less scared, less alone.

When I’m together with other women, there is a common understanding, a desire to help and lift one another up, a blossom of friendship that can exist even because “we are here together.” Most of us are stretched beyond our comfort zones, sometimes lonely, sometimes exhilarated about being able to be here, sometimes struggling with marriage, family, with following after Him.

It has been a tremendous blessing to find a common bond, to gain sisters in Christ, with women from extremely diverse traditions and circumstances. It’s like I am allowed to peak just a bit further into the masterpiece of God’s hand at work. Brilliant colors, stories of redemption, stories of pain, but ultimately stories all wound up in the red thread of Christ’s redeeming blood. His work is beautiful.