God is awesome! Had a simply marvelous weekend! Just what I needed! Saturday I realized that my team is coming Wednesday and not Friday! AHHH! Heheh! So that means everything just gets scrunched a little more than I had planned but it all good!  After all, all things work together for our good.

So Saturday I cleaned the house and finally gave up.  :)  There are two windows that just let dust in all the time.  So I have come up with a creative way to stop the dust, but it means no mopping until then J Monichea helped me dust and Phala helped me clean. I am so blessed! :)

Sunday I got up early to do bible study with Miho.  I had already decided I wouldn’t go to church cause I had back to back bible studies planned.  So Miho and my timing didn’t work so I had the morning free till my 10:15am bible study and so I actually had time to catch up with my student.  I haven’t just sat and read the bible in ages and it was really good! :) I enjoyed it thoroughly.  Met up for my first bible study and came home, didn’t my second one with Miho. I love my bible studies with Miho.  They are one of my favorite bible studies.  She is supposed to teach me so we just read and talk after we are done discussing life and issues for the first part of the hour we talk.  And we always end in prayer that is so free.  I can’t wait till our next one.  Ate around 3 and saw that it was Kimmy’s birthday. I was thankful I saw it on facebook and so called and found out she wasn’t celebrating!!! So we went out to eat and talk! It was great!  Biked home in the dark.  Kind of scary, not because of a scary person but it’s rather dark and someone could get hit by a car J Michael is going to try to fix my light.

Came home and decided not to work.  I actually took all of Sunday off!!!  And it was a good thing cause today was super busy.  I left the house at 7am and didn’t come back till after 7pm and it was go go go the whole time.  Class was great.  Met with Grace for our mentorship time and from there went to a meeting with Daughters.  They have a few nurse volunteers but no real doctor oversight and the nurses aren’t necessarily trained for the field they are needed for.  I was impressed with the nurses for coming to a country and being out of their specialty and trying to help, but I also know this is probably one of the better medical clinics in the sex trafficking.  So I really want to help them develop systems and policies and train them.  I am excited to work with them.  Everyone just wants to bless the women and men and this group doesn’t have ego problems and so I love it!

After that had a quick 10 minute lunch and then rushed off to Chabdai’s meeting. So I have been super excited about this.  Basically they want me to create the medical policy’s and train the shelters/centers for the 52 groups that belong to their coalition! Talk about a dream come true.  I tried to work with some churches 2 years ago and do this very thing with them and no one seemed to get what I was trying to do.  But YAY! They are just excited as I am.  So I am super happy.  Pray for me! That I have the energy to do everything and keep focused.  The team is coming and I really want them to have a great time. I need to register us a NGO and work on business ideas and now this along with my 2 bible studies and daily English classes. :) hehe

I am just soooo excited. I love how God remembers everything you want to do! Hehe

God is awesome! So yesterday was my scheduled day off from school and so I had agreed to go to the province with a group who does medical care (a church started a health care team because they saw the need for health care in the provinces).  They are who I worked with on the medical mission trips I took the first three times I came to Cambodia.  Honestly I was hoping it would get cancelled cause I was tired Thursday night, but it wasn’t and so I was there at 7:30.  Michael is so sweet, he got up and drove me there.  While we were talking business, I saw two motorcyclists on a ground. One didn’t seem to be getting up.  So I went over there to help.  I have to say, it was pretty cool! First of all, they were ok and second I love doing things like this.  I went there and said I was a doctor and by then Michael had come with the motorcycle and translated for me and was my assistant.  I fortunately had all the supplies I needed because I was headed to the camp and what I didn’t have, by the time I needed them D was there was with his official big box of supplies.  So I cleaned him up, (his face was pretty bloody and he’ll need stitches) and sent him on his way. Everyone was watching pretty amazed I think that we were doing this and then we had to run off cause we were late. 

D’s family is nice and I love his crew.  I am looking forward to working with them in the future and training up his staff cause I feel at home with them.  Work doesn’t feel like work, but fun. The trip was long.  We didn’t get there till almost 11 and left around 7:45/8.  The first place was on a nice road.  The kid we saw had something called a prune belly – something I have never seen before but praise God He was doing well.  The next site had a long drive across rough terrain. It was continuous bumps but I loved it.  I mean it was horrible, but I loved it.  I just loved the trip.  We saw double the patients at the next spot than we were supposed to, but each one was lovely.  I loved being able to help them and the first lady was in tears when we prayed.  God really touched her.   I love being a doctor ;)

On the way back home we swapped stories and that was fun and what struck me in Japan hit me again.  Missionaries are awesome people.  They come to help others and are so loving and giving, but they need help and support too.  They need someone to be there for them.  And yesterday I was glad I could be there for my friend. And actually the advice I gave him is what I needed to hear as well. Hehe! :)

I loved our 12 hour trip and felt like I had been on a vacation.  I feel so energized and relaxed today! :) Praise God! I love how He works and gives us just what we need even when we are trying to get out of it.  Came home and had movie night but couldn’t make it through the 2nd movie and was asleep by 10.  My whole sleep cycle is ruined.  I wake up early and sleep late, but it’s perfect  cause in the morning while everyone else is sleeping is when I get the most amount of work done :)

God is just a good God! I love how He takes care of me.  Pray for Save Each One and business ideas and everything else.  Also please pray about my meeting on Monday.  If all goes well, I might get to direct a dream come true project.  I’ll tell you more about it once we figure out the details on Monday! :)

Psalm 139:1-4 (NIV)

1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

God is a good God! I just love how He works! So I have been super tired, so tired that I went to sleep at 8pm yesterday and woke up at 5:55am and was still tired.  I have been trying to figure out why and I think I know. Hehe! Of course it’s physical exhaustion from not sleeping through the night because of the girls or being hot at night when we don’t have the air-conditioning on, the nonstop start the day at 5:50am and end at 10pm with almost continuous something going on, the travel in the heat, the 1 hour bike ride in the heat and the constant meetings, tutoring and studying.  But it’s also cause I realize I am trying to do things on my own strength. Yes, yes, I need to do all these things or else nothing will happen, but I just need to do what I can do and let God do the rest and not stress when things go slower than what I want, because that only mentally exhausts me.  And you know what! God works everything out perfectly anyways! :)

So Monday I met with the medical advisor for a coalition of shelters/centers associated with sex trafficking.  If everything goes according to plan, I may just get to set up the medical side and train all of them! How awesome is that!  Well tomorrow I talk to the medical advisor again :)

But today she asked me to come to the opening of a women’s hospital.  I had a feeling she wouldn’t have time to time to talk me, but I went anyways.  And as I had suspected we didn’t talk but I met some cool people! There is a medical director of a hospital I have been wanting to meet but timings haven’t worked out and I met her today at the event and we’ll be having a meeting next week J  I also met people from two different groups I have been wanting to connect with.  God is awesome how He works!

See! Why do I worry! God has it all worked out! So as today I decided to take it easy and just relax and enjoy every moment and let God work it all out.  He always does! So the list on my Iphone keeps growing as to what I need to do, but I can only do what I can do.

The last few days I have been thinking about English and how to teach it and in the last two days I have people who can help with it! Is God great or what! Hehe! All I have to do is think it and God does it!

So my English classes have been going great.  There is a lot more too my student then I knew when I started. I thought she was a missionary who came to start a school but yesterday she told me her story and why.  Yesterday was the peak of my fatigue.  I had no energy or strength to counsel or baby anyone.  So all I could do was encourage her to give it all to God and do the right thing.  I felt all my words were falling on deaf ears, but ended the session with praying for her.  Today in Khmer class she looked different and as soon as we started the English session she told me that since yesterday she has had a peace in her heart! YAY GOD! On my bicycle ride home yesterday I was telling God that I can’t do it, I can’t be there for her, I just don’t have the strength/energy to do it.  I am barely getting by.  But then that is why it was so clear today, that it’s not my ability, strength or anything, it is all God.  I just need to turn to Him and turn people to Him and He’ll do it all :)

He’s taking care of me too. I really needed a break and even getting through the next day seemed so hard.  So I was really happy that class was cut short ½ hour and when I got home imagine my joy when I go the text that our class tomorrow was cancelled!  It was exactly what I needed. I don’t have to wake up early tomorrow.  I scheduled my English class for 9.  I can go clean and then have the lesson. Michael is back and I can get all my shopping done and move into the center! The team is arriving in a week and I should have all the kinks worked out by then! I love it!!

I tell you I feel like I new person today! I even cleaned all the bathrooms in the center.  The fridge and all it’s icky gross disgusting fungus and junk is clean and smelling good! Hehe! Ok, I did try to take a nap and could barely get up to go to my 3:30, but as soon as I got out the door, the energy came.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! :)

So tomorrows schedule is cleaning, English class, moving suitcases if I can, shopping for the center, bible study, Michael’s English class and then home and homework and studying (class is getting hard! and at the same time everything is making sense) J  Of course every day is full of surprises.  Today while I cleaning I got a call saying one of the girls had lost vision in one of her eyes and was in the hospital.  So of course I left everything to go there. Praise God it was just a new onset migraine and she is fine.  You just got to go with the flow and put your plans on the backburner.  But I guess that goes along with my lesson – just trust God and relax. He is in control.  Pray for the girls.  J they have been getting injured and have been in and out of the hospital so much since I got here! Pray for me so that I relax and trust God in everything and of course get it all done and that God send people to help me.  There is so much to do ;)

God is amazing! So yesterday I had dinner with Michael’s English Boss.  He had asked me to dinner right after Christmas but I am really weary of men who are super nice to me for no reason and had just said thank you with a smile and decided not to follow up at that time on it.  I think it’s the Indian movies I watch that make me distrustful J  Well, this past week Michael and I decided it was time to ask the boss for help.  We have kind of hit a wall on the whole local NGO thing here and the contact who said he would help won’t even return my phone calls, Michael’s contact would push us through with money, but I wasn’t liking that option.  Yesterday we met with a guy who works in trafficking and has been in Cambodia for a long time.  We had a great conversation with him (actually him just talking a lot, but it was all fascinating) and me just asking 2 questions.  But he is someone I think I will definitely keep in contact with.  We left the meeting with him encouraged and inspired and the two things that I left with were to start small and that I wanted to have government help.  So there is an NGO that came in and started a high end café called BLOOM café.  It makes beautiful cakes that are pricey and the director is in contact with the government and the prime minister’s daughter bought from that shop for her party.  They are the one truly financially successful NGO and so when I heard that I said, “ God I want government official support too.”  That day we asked Michael’s boss and his wife out for dinner.  We wanted to ask for his help in pointing us in the right direction for the NGO stuff.  He was soooo happy and said he’d pick us up (a far drive for Cambodians) and pick the restaurant.  So we went with him yesterday.  Michael told me to ask him for help with getting a car too and I was telling him that I don’t want to do too much in one meeting and I was actually thinking I would just maybe bring up we are trying to start an NGO and leave it at that, but as God would have it, He made a few phone calls on the ride to the restaurant and we just have to get a few things together and our NGO I believe will be established correctly and via government help and support!  Please pray it all works out! I am so excited!   That means everything will be on the up and up and he said he’d help me with any business ideas too – export/import everything! J Is God not the greatest!!  His wife is so sweet and really likes Michael.  As we walked into the restaurant she was saying to ask him for help for whatever we needed and he would do it!

Changing topics! I have been cleaning the center/house as for two days ago.  We were blessed with a free fridge and saved nearly $300, but it was a little moldly.  So I have been cleaning it with a toothbrush and dish washing soap and it was going slow, but yesterday when I left my cleaning to go to see hurt knee of one of the girls, Mrs. Rhea gave me a spray that has so simplified the work! I think I should be able to finish today and it smells good! The first day I spent an hour cleaning the front.  People have been throwing garbage into my mango tree pot and there are killer ants all over it.  I got bit a ton of times but I have to say it was quite satisfying to clean out the area and pull out some of the weeds as well.  Then I cleaned out the gate so that I can shut it easily.  That too was full of sand and garbage.  Rather gross since I didn’t have gloves, but the end product – beautiful :) I used my experience in India to figure out what broom I was going to buy.  When comparison shopping, found one for less than 25 cents and got my work done! :) I love being here!!

The only drawback of moving is that I am really going to miss the girls. I feel like family.  I came home yesterday and two of the girls jumped up, everyone paused the movie, they helped me get food and even repackaged it for me and were just so thrilled I was home.  I felt sooo loved.  Soon I’ll be in a totally empty house.  I think I’ll have to visit often  cause I think they are going to miss me as much as I am going to miss them :)  They like me so much they even watched a horrible Indian movie with me just cause I didn’t want to watch cartoon network :)

Just a few prayer requests:
cheap washing machine
cheap car
cheap closests
cheap curtains and rods
nets for the windows
Cheap furniture that is nice :)

Other news: the English lesson is going extremely well.  I actually prepared for the Friday lesson but after I gave my student a tour of the center, she said she wanted a place like this for her school and started stating all her other desires and I started telling her all the stories of how I got here and how God worked everything out.  I had meant to stop somewhere along the lesson time and actually go over homework and have her speak, but God had other plans.  She was in tears and again stating how this was an answer to prayer! It was cool!! I love how God works!

Today I am checking out another church. :) I have been eating like the pig the last two days, just really hungry all the time, so it’ll be good to get on my bike and go to church J  After church maybe I’ll get some cleaning in before my 3pm bible study! I just love God and am sooo excited and happy about all that He is doing.  He really is more than enough to meet our every need and fulfill our every desire. J I JUST LOVE HIM!!!

God bless you all and may He draw you closer to Him and may you feel His great love for you always!!!!

God is sooo good! So I just realized my whole post didn’t post and since I did it straight I can’t even remember what it was, but I guess I’ll start writing it in Word first :)

Today was another awesome day! Woke up so tired I didn’t want to get out of bed J But prayed for strength as I walked out the door and after getting to class forget I was supposed to be tired for the rest of the day :)  And what a wonderful day!

So I prayed before class that I would be able to do well, because I was so tired and we were learning new things again.  And it was a wonderful wonderful class!  Things are coming together and I could figure things out better than usual even.  Hehe! Maybe I should pray every day and soon I’ll be speaking khmer pela pela as the Japanese would say!

Since I was so tired yesterday after 2 hours of physics and math teaching I didn’t prepare for the English class and just prayed that God would give her a great class and the questions just kept coming as to what to ask her even though I didn’t even review the chapter in the bible and haven’t looked at it in 8 months J  At the end of class she said, ”You are a very good teacher.”  God is so good.  You know why I am so excited about this lady.  It’s her vision.  She wants to start a school.  I would love to do that someday.  Education is key in my opinion, but I can only do so much at one time.  So it’s so cool to be able to equip her to do what I want to do :) The body of Christ working together to see His children blessed and served.  I love it!

After class I was able to get caught up with a few of the zillion emails that I still need to send out.  Someone from prison ministry wrote back! I was just thinking they hadn’t responded yesterday and then today in my inbox was a mail from them.  I am meeting chabdai on Monday.  I was beginning to think they may not be interested and then :) right when I thought that, they emailed.  I love how God works!

We went shopping and I found just what I wanted for a good price! I have been looking everywhere for things so I can have things ready before the first mission team comes and it looks like I am on my way.  Unfortunately everyone has 5 days off starting day after tomorrow where shops/markets, everything will shut down.  So I have limited time, but I know God will make it happen J

After shopping had dinner with a friend.  Actually the person in the noncut yesterday’s blog asked you all to pray for this friend.  Since the first day I met him, I have been wanting to start a bible study with him, but how do you ask a stranger if he wants to do a bible study with you, especially when he doesn’t believe in Jesus.  So I left it to God :) and today while we were talking he asked to do bible study with me! I’m so bad, I was like, “are you sure?” hehe!   It’s amazing how God is making so much happen in the course of two days!!!!

Everything is just falling into place :)

God is fantastic!!!! I am tired and so will tell you more later! God Bless!!! Serve Him, cause there is no one like him.  Interestingly, I just read the daily devotional for today right now and everything that I discussed with people today, is what it is talking about :) I love how God puts everything together!

God is sooo good! I just love how He works.  So last week on wednesday when I went to class I started talking to one of the Koreean students.  She mentioned how she needs to learn Engish and Khmer within the next 8 months because she was going to start a school in Siem Reap.  I wanted to say, "I'll be your English Tutor!!!" but I didn't want to be weird about it so I said that I could help her if she ever needed help.  She didn't seem to enthusiastic.  But for some reason I really wanted to do this, so I said it a couple of times and even after class, but she still didn't look interested.  So I left it to God.  The next day she came to class and looked excited and said she prayed and felt I should teach her English and that I could pray too, but I didn't need to.  I said yes right away! I then made a little time mistake and had told her I could start on tuesday, but really  my board meeting was for that time and I realized it only after waiting for everyone for 15 minutes on my monday :)  So I messaged her and decided to at least give her harder homework than I already had.  We had bought a book with Michael's help and I realized when i did it that it was too easy for her.  So I decided to do what I love to do, is have people read I Sam and discuss it with me.  I checked her homework yesterday and apologized for the delay in starting the class.  I had to fix a large amount and so just wrote out a full example of how I wanted her to do the summary of the 1st chapter.  We had class today and I wasn't sure if she would be happy but I felt like discussing more things about that chapter and had already written it in her homework book.  We discussed the characters of the bible and I kept making her use simple english and not bible english, but she caught on! At the end we talked about Hannah and how she took her problem to God.  So then I asked her in the last 10 minutes to tell me of a time she took her problem to God and He answered it.  She thought and said I have one.  So I said share.  She said she had been praying to be able to learn Khmer and English.  She is in Khmer class but didn't have an english teacher.  She said one day I sat down and started talking to her and she was able to share her goals and I offered to help.  She didn't think much of it until she got home and prayed and felt I should teach her.  She then told God to tell me the same thing. She was shocked when when she asked I didn't even hesitate and said yes.  I  of course was waiting for the opportunity and was overjoyed!  She then said she had been wanting to preach in Khmer and English but has no training and when she saw the extra homework she was thrilled and at that point she started crying and it was so amazing.  Honestly when I had first mentioned I had agreed to do this, it was met by negativity on the part of the person I shared it with.  But praise God I poo pah most negativity (I think I would accomplish nothing in life is I listened to what people want me to do - I wouldn't have become a doctor, missionary, led mission trips, done homeless or prison ministry, gone to japan or come to cambodia).  That said it does sink it and although to the person it seems like I am brushing off what they are saying, I do think about it.  So as I was teaching her today I was thinking," wow, this is going to take a lot of my time, maybe I didn't think this through."  And then she said what she said! :) So no doubts what I am supposed to be doing. 
I asked her to join my Monday morning mentoring time.  So now there will be 4 people there! :) Amazing huh. A desire to help people grow in God and in 1 week we have gone from 1 to 4! God is soooo good in how He works.  There is another person God put on my heart to help him grow in God and interestingly everyday this week I have gotten an email or phone from this person and we meet tomorrow. Please pray for that.  He is so close to knowing God and I really want him to know God because it's going to bless him soooooo much!
I have become a physics and math tutor for the girls.  it's fun and interesting but it's crazy.  I have three girls asking for help at the same time every night.  I was so tired today I left while they were still studying (though all were at a point they didn't need me anymore and understood the concepts) so I could finish this and fall asleep.  pray for me! So much to do and so little time in the day. 
Actually I have a lot I need to accomplish and feel nothing gets done and the day is done.  So please pray for wisdom on what to do.
The board meeting went really well! I was kind of scared because of a couple of emails, but we all seem to be on board about things and I have a lot of research to do. :)
The first team arrives in less than 2 weeks! I don't have a the house ready! AHHH! but praise God! Someone read my blog and volunteered dishes the one thing I was having a hard time buying here because of my worry about the lead content! Is God great or what! I don't think I even mentioned a need for that in my blog :) I love how God works.  He knows what you have need of even before you ask, but be sure you ask so you can see how much God cares about what you care about! And don't worry, He won't disappoint you.  I have waited for 16 years for some things and others even more than 20, but He hears and He answers. hehe! But don't worry, I get some things literally less than a second after I ask!
God Bless!!!
Pl

God is a good God. I woke up thinking, I need some time off.  But I saw the busy day ahead of me and didn't see a possibility for that.  But then the exterminators came.  So we all had to leave the house and Mrs. Rhea has been wanting to get my hair washed and nails done for some time now.  So she was like, let's go.  So I said ok.  Went there and got the hair wash followed by the curl.  Interesting experience, but probably not going to do it again.  :) What was great about it was I got a chance to get a little more caught up on my bible reading.  I started a 1 year bible reading plan that my church back in seattle is doing, but have been way behind.  So I had a lot of time to read.  Shared stories with Frances as well to encourage her about God.  After that Mrs. Rhea said, let's do our nails.  So I said ok and got my nails done.  For 2 dollars I got a pedicure, manicure with nail art that's hand drawn! closets may cost a ton of money but things like this are soooo cheap.  I have to say although the picture doesn't do them justice, I could be a hand model with the way my nails look right now! :)

From there I went to shopping to buy more stuff. Can't say I bought too much but got a few bowls at least.  Just realized I should have bought 2 sets instead of one.  It's surprising how much simple stuff costs here.  It's like paying american prices.

So I came up with 2 more business ideas.  Now I just need to figure things out as to if they are possible.  :)

Had dinner at an indian restaurant with the family and then shopping again.  :) but didn't find anything this time. I think I was too tired to buy anything. 

All in all, a very productive day.  It got me so motivated and focussed on the next steps of the business. I have been feeling stuck because i have no skill training to offer the girls.  But now, I might just have something! :)  I might be making a trip to vietnam to figure things out!

God Bless! pray for me and all of this and that all t

January 14, 2012

God is such a good God.  He is awesome! So two days ago Michael commented how amazingly faithful and good God has been to us.  We are two nobodies and yet we are getting to meet with so many cool people.  One meeting leads to another introduction and it just keeps going on and on and we are sooo blessed! I can’t tell you how cool each of the people we meet are.  They are all about my age and they are directors and heads of organizations or departments doing such amazing things.  The cool thing is that a lot of what I have wanted to see is being done already so I don’t feel like I have to do it by myself and yet I can partner with so many different groups! I got the contact of the prison fellowship director, the work my emt friend is doing is another thing I have wanted to and their change in focus is exactly how I think things should be done, so it’s sooo cool! I just love it!  But it’s not just that, everyone seems to really bless us.  Michael had to return the ID card of the landlord 2 days ago and the landlord told him he wants to take me out for a meal! Michael was stunned! No landlord does that!  I could chalk it up to being American, but that hasn’t happened to the family I am staying with nor any of the friends I have made so far that I know of.  Michael thought it was very unusual, but God is really blessing us with such super people.  I love it and I love Him!  The center of God’s will is really the best! :)

So yesterday was another great day.  Michael’s dad had unexpectedly shown up so our shopping plans got cancelled for the morning, but when I was talking with Mrs. Rhea she said she would take me.  While she was walking the dogs I got an unexpected phone call from Donnie wanting medical advice. What sounded like a potentially dangerous situation, ended up being dehydration :) But it was interesting to ask all the questions and I realized if I am going to train his medical workers, there is a huge amount of work to do, but it is going to be so fun!!!

We fell behind schedule but still made it there and it was such a blessing because she knows things and could tell me what a good price is and what to buy and what not to buy! So I was so blessed.  I got towels, knives, really nice spoons and forks ( the kind I wanted to the cheapest price they offer on any set :)), and cleaning stuff. More shopping today I believe hehe! :) YAY! God you are good!

From there we rushed to the medical clinic at the government office.  It was a fun day.  Interesting too.  I was in a room where government work was still going on.  There was a couple shouting at each either – a domestic violence case and it did my heart good to see the woman really standing up for herself.  The guy was angry but she never backed down, even when you could hear her voice breaking with how hard her life has been.  She was there to file for a divorce and her husband didn’t want it.  My first patient had nothing that stopping caffeine couldn’t help.  Next patient needing therapy so we started that (I gave her homework). Third patient with a frozen shoulder and it was cool to give her her exercises.  Fourth patient was one from last time and he was as happy as could be. He said he was sooo much better and couldn’t remember the medicine I gave him.  I couldn’t either but figured it out as we talked and he left.  The next one was a younger guy who reeked of cigarette smoke, has a classic beer belly and complained of severe heartburn.  So I got to talk to him about things that cause heartburn and why he needs to stop smoking and drinking and the dangers associated with it.  He has agreed to stop (this was before I even educated him on the evils of all this stuff to his body).  So we came up with a plan on how to cut down on his drinking (our first step).  What is lovely is that now he will have $900 more dollars at the end of the year! That is huge! It’s a vacation to a different country even! Next patient was listening to all this and realized he needs to stop drinking. His friends pay for it and pressure him to do it. He wants to quit so we talked about how he has to choose health or making his friends happy.  I prayed with him so that God will help him out and give his strength and courage to do the right thing for himself and his body and help his friends be supportive.  Last patient had something wrong that I couldn’t figure out just based on our short encounter without any labs.  He has weird paralytic spells.  I can’t tell if they are just his being dehydrated or there is something more serious going on.  So we just prayed.  Please pray for everyone!!  I want them all to know God and to be used to bless the community.

After that we rushed off to English class.  I got the last ½ hour to teach.  Michael has been wanting me to teach First Aid and CPR and like usual, I was dragging my feet (just cause I was tired and didn’t see how it would be helpful, but mostly cause I have been living in a chronic state of fatigue and so didn’t think I could prepare something that would be up to par).  However, I did the research the night before and was ready.  Or so I thought. I got there and thought I would do a 5 minute thing on burns and it took 30 minutes, turned into a game and I ended up adding so many things I hadn’t planned.  Their knowledge base is so low. I remember in Kindergarten we had the firemen come and teach us about stop drop and roll.  I asked the class what to if they are on fire.  My scenario was me dropping a lit match onto them and them catching on fire.  These are their responses
a) run to the river (which is far far away)
b) run to the bathroom which would require going to the back of the class, up the stairs, up more stairs, down the hall and down another hall.
:)
So I explained STOP, DROP and ROLL
Then we talked about what to do to treat a burn. Here were the answers
1) toothpaste
2) sand
3) ice
Most people choose Ice, second was toothpaste and third was sand.  No one chose the correct answer of water.  Toothpaste seems to be the treatment of choice in asia. Indians think the same thing.  I am not sure why.  Ice isn’t recommended as it kills cells but was what we all grew up doing.  As for why the girl who chose sand chose it.  She was in the province once and saw someone on fire and they fell to the ground on the sand and the fire went out J I explained how that was an example of stop, drop and roll and not how sand it what you should use :) But it does bring up an interesting point.  A lot of our knowledge comes through experience, but if our perception of that experience is wrong, then the knowledge we obtain is flawed despite our experience. 

After class Michael and I helped one of our student set up a gmail and facebook account and then we went off to find his older brother who has come into town unexpected. J I was soooo hungry and tired and we got so lost but finally we made it home and Catherine (the new vegetarian) and I ate together and then we all watched the Sorcerer’s apprentice and had popcorn for movie night. I would have stayed awake and walked more tv but I was falling asleep during the movie even.  :)

This morning I was up early and no one was awake so I got to catch up on things and get this out.  Jada (the three year old) woke up and usually it means someone has to get up to watch up but since I was up I gave her something to do.  I have to admit, part of me felt like being selfish and just letting her get bored so I could get some work done, but then “what you do to the least of these…” came to mind.  :) And you know it was so easy.  It took 1 minute of my time, but it made her so happy :) I’m so glad all we have to do is love and that God gives us that love and that love not only blesses the other person but us in return.  You know God really gives you what you ask for. I have been asking for more love, selfless love and I see Him doing that. :)

Let’s see what today holds! I hope you all have a very very blessed day!

God Bless and may you feel His love flooding your life and filling it with a joy that cannot be shaken and a peace and love for others, yourself and Him that passes all understanding.

God is good. So I love how God encourages and lifts up and takes care of His children.
So I have been meeting with a ton of different groups but the sad thing is  that almost all of them say to just help another NGO and that there is no use in starting something.  Most want me to be a doctor and just help them :)  It's been the same story of everytime I have come to Cambodia to do research for the last 2 years :)
The first time I think it influenced my decision to say no to God and just tell Him I couldn't do what He was asking.  Last time, although it was discouraging, I said yes and started the process to come.  But I have to say, after a month of being here and hearing that all the time, yesterday coming home I was just saying, "God why is it that in everything I do, I feel like a rebel."  Of course I was going to go through with everything, but... :)
BUT God is sooo good.  So I met with a group today and it was amazingly good!   Oh my goodness.  I got to meet with the director and she said everything I was thinking was exactly what is needed and that no one else is doing it! How awesome is God! I really just love how He works and takes care of everything!  hehe! I just love how God knows exactly what I need.  I was getting to the point where I didnt' want to meet any more groups (of course I was still emailing new organizations and doing what I know I should be doing.  Everyone may have different ideas about what I should be doing, but at least they are nice people and it's a blessing to know them all). 
So after that I got to go shopping for things for the house.  I didn't have any money, but I went to see what it would cost me! I was so pleasantly surprised that things are going to be much cheaper than I thought!  Always go to the market instead of the fancy stores :)
Actually this whole day was wonderful.  so I'll start at the beginning
I woke up and had breakfast with the girls.  Catherine has started eating breakfast as of yesterday and I'm so happy :) I made it to class early.  I am always a little nervous in class these days cause I haven't had a chance to study as much as I want to, but it all worked out!  The day before I had been talking to a new student and offered to help her with English.  Today she was waiting for me after class and so I'm going to be teaching english :) Michael just happened to be in the neighborhood and we were able to buy her a book as well! :)  I love how God works!  She is a Korean missionary who wants to open a school in 8 months and needs to learn english :) 
After meeting the group today I met with Kimmy.  She has been trying to contact me for over a week.  I didn't know where we were going but we ended up on a river cruise! As soon as I sat down, AHH! I didn't realize how much I needed a break from everything until I was sitting there on the cruise.  It was wonderful! Way too short, but some great pics and it was fun! Then off to may favorite vegetarian restaurant and then came home.  :)
So I am moving soon.  I am going to be sad to leave the house. I really love the family, they are the best, but it means that everything can start now!!! I am so excited about starting outreach!
Please pray for me!!! God is sooo good!
Tomorrow is the clinic and I'm doing cpr training in english class tomorrow so it should be fun! No school tomorrow so I can skype meet people I need too. hehe! never enough time to do everything I need to do everyday! :)
thanks for all your prayers!
ok, and I just had to add, I am still in awe at how well I ride a bike.  I can now turn my head and watch for oncoming traffic, cross over to the otherside, move freely with traffic and actually today I moved to the front of the line :) Thank you everyone for all your prayers that keep me on my bicyle! I am feeling so confident that I might actually get a motorcyle/scooter :)

Happy birthday Geetu!  It's my sister's birthday today :)
It's exactly 30 days since I came! Here's a recap of this month
1) Medical camp with the local government the first week here.  We saw them again today and we'll do our next one on Friday.
2) Medical outreach with the Missionaries of Charity - and as time permits I'll start training them in basic medical things.  A dream come true to work with them! :) Really if you guys haven't seen the Mother Theresa movie, I would really recommend it.  Some are better than others, but both that I saw were good.
3) Looked for a house and today I signed the paperwork! We now have a center! I'm so excited. I'll post pics on facebook so you can see what a great deal God got us! (wait a day though cause I might not get them up so fast)
4) Met with a bunch of really cool people from all different organizations and have meetings with IJM and SISHA later this week! I have to say, all the people I have met have been so inspirational, their lives and character just make you want to be better
5) Formed friendships that I will get to keep for a long time! I have a social network already! :) I love how fast you connect with people on the mission field! Yes I don't have much time to socialize but it's still great to get that occassional call or sms.
6) Interesting random connections.  Michael's english boss ended up being some high up government official! So I am protected should anyone ever try to take undue advantage of me :)  Shopping with Kimmy ended up with me meeting an old indian man with all the connections to get me indian food and indian stuff! I am blessed!
7) I had been wanting a time to just mentor and have fellowship and the person I offered it to wasn't interested but as of yesterday I have someone who not only asked for it but has other people she wants to add to the group! I love how God works!
8) Started my Khmer classes and am learning a lot! I really am a nerd cause I love studying :) and it's nice when you are old and go back to school because you have no shame in asking lots of questions and looking like you are a fool! :) Praise God!
9) Made my first visa run and got to be a true local during it! :) that was definitely an adventure
10) Learned how to ride a bicycle instantly and saw how God really equips! Everyday as I am on that bike I think how amazing my riding skills are.  What was interesting this morning was that I really truly realized it isn't me, but God.  I wasn't doing that well this morning and I realized I hadn't asked God to help me and as soon as I did, I was my amazing self on the bike!
11) Survived a dengue outbreak without getting it and got to learn a lot about the medical system here and about dengue.
12) Dependence on God - we really can do all things through Christ who strengthen us.  It's not our ability but His and He is sovereign.  I am talented, very talented and skilled.  I graduated from one of the top Medical schools, I know how to do a lot of things, but everyday here I am dependent on God to provide help in the form of people or directly because here I am nothing.  And you know what, I love it! I love seeing the kindness in everyone.  I love seeing that all my experience means nothing, but that still small voice is what I should listen to and when I do, things happen beyond what I could think or imagine.  Nothing works on my time table here but even when we are late, God still makes it the right time.  I thought I learned to let go in Japan but it's a whole new level here.  There I had nothing to accomplish and do.  Whatever I did was more than enough.  The mission was to love the people to God and here although the mission is the same - being the body of Christ and loving others as He loves them, here I actually have practical ways to do it that require planning and strategy and yet what I am realizing is that all my plans fail, but God makes my desires come true anyways! All I have to to do is trust in Him and He makes all things work together for my good and for the good of the people of cambodia.

Have a great day! I hope you all take the time to write a diary and thank God for all that He does in your life everyday.  I know it really helped me.  When I first became a Christian God asked me to write one good thing He had done for me each day.  At first it was very hard to find something. I would look through the entire day searching for something, but now I see so many things that I try not to write them all down because it takes so long.  I can't help be a glass 1/2 full person because I see the glass as totally full with God on my side.  God is very real and a part of everything that we do and I pray He will open your eyes to see how great and deep and wide His love is for you! God Bless!