Lark&Sky

So, here I am in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A place I never imagined I would end up living for 3 months. I'm here with 6 others, doing our outreach phase for our Justice Discipleship Training School, located in Auckland New Zealand. 18 people from all over the globe came together to live and learn in a communal setting for 3 months in Auckland. Then, splitting off into 3 groups of 7 or 8, including leaders, we began a journey called Outreach phase. I am here, in Cambodia, with my team. Another team is located in India, and another in South Africa. We're apart for 3 months, working for different non-profit organizations, reaching out to the community. My team is working with an organization for trafficked women who have been rescued, and are in need of education, love, and hope. When we arrived here, none of us knew exactly what it was we would be doing with this organization. All we knew was that we would be spending 5 days a week there, from 9 - 5. We had one week to settle in here. We're staying at the YWAM base. Then after that week was up, we began working at Daughters. I was extremely sick, and missed the first 3 days. So getting into routine was hard for me, and seeing as we've only just finished our first week at Daughters, I'm still a little out of it... but things are really starting to pick up. However, we're still all a little unsure of what our duties will be. Richard, my team leader will be teaching cooking classes, and restaurant management. Laurissa and Dana will be helping out with English classes, Armin will be doing Admin. work, Pete will be doing construction for an ongoing project, and Tim will be tutouring. As for me, well, I am supposed to be helping out with art classes, possibly photography, but I'm still out of it... I feel like it might take at least a couple of weeks to really get into the swing of things. The schedule at Daughters is a little bit ... well, very... flexible... I just have to go with the flow. I haven't had much to do there so far, so I've been helping out in daycare. A lot of the women at Daughters have babies, and there aren't many people helping to take care of them. Not only that, but the daycare system there is in dire need of a facelift. It is unsanitary, and the kids have nothing to do. They are always sick. They just need a good, clean, safe, and fun environment to play, learn, and flourish. But they don't have it there, unfortunately--not yet. I spoke with a young woman staffing at Daughters who has a vision for the daycare system there. However, she has a full time job outside of the organization, and needs help. I offered to help in whatever way I can. Turns out, I would be doing some art with the children, and also decoration, murals, and using my creativity for new and improved ways to do daycare there. It makes me sad, because there is such a lack of tools for the kids to even attempt at being creative. But I think it's a good place for me, because I love when kids have the oppurtunity to create, and when they do, they realize how much fun it is, and how good at it they really are. I love when kids get excited about creating something. It's beautiful! I plan on bringing markers, paper, paints, and other crafty things with me on Monday, so that I can begin to bring out the creators in these kids. I met a little girl on Friday, who upon arriving at daycare, didn't speak a word to me, or anyone... I brought her my journal and stole some markers from the English classroom, and we sat down, without speaking, and began to draw pictures together. She opened up. She drew funny faces, and crazy flowers, giggling and smiling the whole time. She did this for a long time, and seemed to love it!! After asking her what her name again and again "neak ch'muah av'ai?", finally after warming up to me, she told me her name, and began speaking to me. Unfortunately my Khmai is extremely rough...as in...non existent, so I didn't much understand her, but I tried. She's beautiful. It was a great experience and I want more of that.
Hopefully this week will be full of good experiences, and discovering more of what my place is at Daughters. I feel that God is speaking simplicity over me--that I am here to bring change in small things, that will have a big effect. I'm okay with that. Sometimes I find it hard, because I'm not skilled in teaching or public speaking, or big things like that. I have no experience leading, or anything... This is even my first time in the 3rd world. So... It's very much a learning experience for me. But even just this week I have learned heaps, and look forward to learning more. The biggest thing for me right now, is just getting comfortable at Daughters, with the women, and finding my place. Once I have that established, I think things will flow very well. The women are precious and so intelligent. I think I might learn more from them than they from me.
God has good things planned for my team, I reckon. I look forward to seeing these things unfold.

I haven't painted since arriving in New Zealand almost 4 months ago! So yesterday I went to the Russian Market and bought some paints and an acrylic pad. Ah, it felt so good to paint. I need to keep my creative juices flowing, or else I get wierd. ha.

The people here are so amazing. So beatiful. I am so excited that I have the oppurtunity to be here, to capture some of the beauty here with photography, and the oppurtunity to simply just love the people here.