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Jum Reap Soo

Hey guys, I'm back in Singapore, and one thing I've gotta say is that the heat here doesn't even compare to that of Cambodia, where temperatures hit a high of 36 degrees celsius. Its really made me thank God for the weather of Singapore, though most people I know are complaining a bit here and there.

Alright, about the mission trip, we spent a total of 7-8 days overseas, in a village at the outskirts of Phnom Penh called K'Bal Koh. What we did there was mostly church work, helping out in planning programmes for the youth and children, who were hungry for Gods work and longed for people to show their love to them. The church we worked at was called House of Joy, a most apt name as it truly was a source of joy for the people of the village, providing them with the comfort in God that they need.

Only a small 2% of Cambodia's population are Christian, whilst the majority of Cambodia is Buddhist, and I'm really glad that the village we went to was already rooted in Christ, and what we did there was to further strengthen their belief and knowledge of God.

Some really cool things we did there included an impromptu party for all the members of the village, including non-Christians, also an impromptu street performance cum invitation for the event. I personally got to play a set in Cambodia for their church, and play a guitar on the streets while walking along the dusty pavements. Something that I'd never be able to do in Singapore. Other than that, we conducted Christian Education sessions for the youth and children daily, teaching them the concepts of joy, hope and unity.

A few things that I'll definitely miss are the people there, because strong bonds were formed. And also, my dear classical guitar, which I had for 8+ years, into which I've poured my heart, soul, sweat and tears for music, because I've given it away for God to bless and minister to people through it. Though it may not be with me anymore, I believe that it'll continue to be used for the furthering of God's kingdom. But boy do I miss it. =(

Just thinking about all this is really humbling, because amazing things were happening to us, and also through us with God's strength and guidance. During the duration of the trip there were times we were weak physically, when people were struck with sickness, when the heat just drained all our energy, and when we just felt unprepared and uninspired. But even through that, God worked through us, and that is a privilege that many do not get, and I thank God for it.

Most of all, God was glorified through everything that happened, and it was a wonderful learning experience for me.

Here are some pics for you guys...


Over the course of the entire time there I played the guitar for all the sessions we had, and here's a picture of that. The thing that makes it so cool is that I was able to do the same thing as I did back in Singapore, but this time in a different country. To me it was really a mind-blowing thing, being able to serve God and others through music even far away from my comfort at home.


Here's a picture of our street evangelism and performances. Did something that I'd never ever ever get to do: play on the streets and sing God's praises to the people in the village. How amazing is that?


One final picture... I've made a couple of friends, and this cute dog here is one of them. In Cambodia, cows, chickens, ducks and dogs roam the roads of the village. This little dog is one of my constant sources of encouragement whilst I was there. Because it reminded me that God's always there, in many forms and from many sources.

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