HAPPY EASTER!
(Bullet and I as part of the Welcome Team for Sunrise Service.)
My English church hosted a 6 am “Sonrise” service in celebration of Easter. While attending the Good Friday service, my Pastor’s wife was asking me if I planned on “sneaking” Bullet in since it was going to be taking place on the roof of the church. Since I was part of the Welcome Team for the service, Bullet got to help out. It was a fun way to celebrate Christ’s defeat over death and Bullet got a lot of compliments for being a good dog. Standing when we all stood and sang and sitting when we all sat down. Since it was still cool at 8 am, we walked the 1.5 miles back to our apartment and took a nap before spending the rest of the day studying Khmer. It was a great Easter Sunday.
Did you celebrate Easter? What did you do? I would love to know. Feel free to share how you celebrated by replying to this email.
(Prayer Circle Cambodia’s Route.)
This Friday, I’ll be joining the Prayer Circle Cambodia Team for a three-day ride through southern Cambodia. The goal of the Prayer Circle Cambodia Team is to cover the entire country of Cambodia in prayer annually and provide prayer and encouragement to those we encounter along the way. It’s been happening for over 20 years in Cambodia and this year, it’s been open to female riders.
The current plan is to leave Phnom Penh early Friday morning and head southeast to Svay Rieng province and the border of Vietnam. We hope to meet with a church plant and some previous students of one of the riders. I’ve never been to Svay Rieng, so I’m looking forward to seeing yet another part of Cambodia.
From Svay Rieng, we plan on riding along the border of Vietnam to Kampot (my favorite place in Cambodia). There we will stop for the second night.
On Sunday, we will ride from Kampot to Kampong Saom and back to Phnom Penh. Again, this is a part of Cambodia, I haven’t been to, so I’m looking forward to exploring more of Cambodia.
(Dennis and I on a training ride.)
The team this ride is a little bit smaller than the previous rides I’ve been on. Leading the way is Dennis, who’s been my riding coach here in Cambodia for the past year. He’s fluent in Khmer and has been mentoring some Khmer pastors we hope to meet up with along the way.
(Stefanie and I on a ferry for a motocross race.)
Also coming on this ride is one of my closest friends here in Cambodia, Stefanie. We met at G2K in Level 1 Khmer, when I was at my lowest point of landing in Cambodia and God totally answered my prayers for a friend here in Cambodia with her. She had never ridden a dirt bike before and took to it like a duck takes to water. She also works in anti-human trafficking. This is her first Prayer Circle Ride.
(Me on the day I bought the ‘Mermaid’ or អណ្តូងរ៉ែ)
The final team member is yours truly. I’m looking forward to riding with my two closest biker buds. Exploring into deeper parts of Cambodia. Practicing my Khmer and seeing where God takes us.
All that being said, please join us in prayer leading up to our ride. That God prepares the hearts of those we meet on the ride as well as our own to hear His Holy Spirit. For the safety of everyone involved. It’s going to be over 100F for most of the ride, which means we need to be drinking a liter of water each hour we ride. I’ve got a game plan for getting out ahead of my heat rash, but please pray for my shins! Finally, please keep Bullet in your prayers. He’ll be spending the weekend with Animal Mama. I know he’s in good hands, but I still worry. A little prayer for both of us would be greatly appreciated.
For additional photos, here’s the whole album.