Goodbye, the Hardest Word

It is harder than traveling on an airplane for more than 13 hours. It is more difficult than the awkwardness of first meeting strangers who speak another language. It is harder than the physical demands of mixing cement the Cambodian way. It is saying goodbye to 30 children and adults who you have come to love. They were former strangers whom you have worked elbow to elbow with for one week in the hot Cambodian sun. People you have laughed with, sweat with, gotten muddy with, completed building projects with and together worshiped the Lord. Sunday was that day. It is the most dreaded day on the entire trip. Your heart is touched when you see the orphans for the first time. Your heart is moved the first time you see them freely and intensely worship the Lord. But the day you say goodbye, your heart is torn. It is hard to imagine in 7 days being connected to a group of people so strongly. Simply sharing a faith in the same God and then joining together in a common cause produces bonds that are not easily broken. The Cambodians are a people who do not have many possessions besides the couple of sets of clothes they wear, but they are rich. They are rich in a joy of the Lord that I see in very few Americans. I am extremely humbled watching them conduct themselves with contentment and joy that is an example to be followed.

We enjoyed a fun church service at the orphan home. I was able to share with the people about why we traveled half way around the world to work. To share the love that God the Father has for a little group of orphans in a little town, down a muddy dirt road in Cambodia. The congregation on Sunday included all the orphan children who ran most of the service from worship to the “emcee.” It also included a small group of kids and adults from the town, one dog, one bird and a chicken. After the service we locked all the kids out of the building and set up a mini carnival with simple games and prizes. The kids had a blast tossing balls into buckets, playing a fishing game, getting their nails painted and racing little plastic frogs across the tile floor. 90 minutes of mayhem and chaos ensued with everyone laughing and joking having a joyous time that will be relived in our minds over and over again.

The children were “kicked” out one more time so that we could organize the clothes and flip flops that we brought to hand out to them. Kids were given their clothes, everyone receiving an outfit, a toothbrush and toothpaste. Some kids ran immediately to their rooms to try on their new clothes and others just carried them around. The kids then enjoyed a special lunch that we provided complete with sodas, hence the toothbrushes and toothpaste. Lol.

Next came the hard part. We gathered all the kids and adults in front of the home and encircled them. Together as a team we prayed over them Cambodian style. Cambodians when they pray all pray at one time, with one voice. So the team lifted our voices and prayed for protection, provision and favor in the community. We prayed for health and strength and a firm grasp of Gods’ enormous love for them. Then the goodbyes started. Many of the kids asking, “do not forget me” as tears filled their eyes. We were all sobbing and hugging not wanting our time with the orphans to end. We each hugged every one of them twice, just to make sure we got them all. We slowly and reluctantly climbed into the van clinging to the promises we read in Gods’ Word. Promises like Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Romans chapter 8 that says, “if God is for us, who can be against us?” And Galatians 3:26-29, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”