Looking Back… with Gratitude #restocambo 7
Hunter shares about his experience in Cambodia as we continue our series of reflections. Make sure you don’t miss the invitation at the bottom of his post.
As 2014 ended and I reflect on God’s work in my life across the year, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. I embraced some unique opportunities, and I am awed by the ways God encouraged, supported, and even used me. Between joining the West Asia
team in May and leading the Cambodia team in November, I found myself blessed far beyond my expectations. I better understand Paul’s description of the act of giving as a blessing: “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift” (2 Cor 9.15). As our team winds out our blog posts about our experience in Cambodia, here are some of the things I’m thankful for.
It was a gift…
To see the beautiful land and people of Cambodia and to meet both Cambodian and international workers who give the hours of their days to serve others with creativity and compassion. In a neighborhood once characterized by child sexual exploitation, the laughter and joy of children around a new school and the din of sewing machines worked by mothers and fathers paid a fair wage in a well-ventilated employment center (not a sweatshop) still rings in my ears.
It was a gift…
To walk the streets where Jesse and Sarah Blaine now live and work. Despite dengue fever (rare, but a risk), Jesse rallied to meet us and introduce us to his partners in their work serving orphans. Sarah stepped up to host and care for us, while caring for her daughters and ailing husband. We couldn’t have felt more loved as we sat in their living room and renewed bonds forged two years earlier in their living room in Arlington through a Restoration small group.
It was a gift…
To meet and serve our sister Anglican church, the Church of Christ our Peace in Phnom Penh. We were warmly welcomed, well taken care of, and inspired by their life and ministry. Pastor Gregory introduced us to congregants doing amazing work, and the community of CCOP is a living testimony of his love, character and commitment to Jesus. Although more populated with internationals, their dynamic and vibrant community felt much like Restoration!
It was a gift…
To grow in relationship with teammates at Restoration. Through meeting weekly as a small group to prepare and through shared time in Cambodia at meals, in vans, walking and working together, we all gained a deeper experience of Christian family. I’m amazed and thankful for their giftedness, and that everyone stepped up to serve without complaint. And I still can’t believe that a couple from Phnom Penh moved to Washington last summer, came to Restoration, joined our Cambodia small group and helped us prepare to go. They even came from CCOP and had been in small group with Jesse and Sarah Blaine! God’s ways are astounding.
It was a gift…
To bring my family. Though they don’t fully comprehend it at ages 8, 6 and 4, our children’s eyes were opened to life beyond northern Virginia — to another culture rich with history, but stung by corruption, injustice and poverty. And yet so many of the people we met were generous, kind and compassionate. Every few days our four-year-old daughter keeps asking, “When are we going back to Cambodia?”
It was a gift…
To pray, unsure of who we would meet (other than the Blaines) and how our work would be helpful, yet expectant and confident that God would guide and teach us. Through praying before the trip, God prepared my heart for the ways he would meet us there. Praying for CCOP leaders at the retreat we hosted was so clearly received as a blessing by them that we felt privileged just to pray. And despite linguistic barriers, being prayed for by young, rural Cambodian Christians fired our faith. They don’t take turns, vocalizing prayer all at the same time, and their impassioned prayers felt like thunderous waters pouring down from heaven over our team.
These are a few of the things that stir me to gratitude. In this new year, may you know the riches of God’s blessings as you continue to follow Jesus. To borrow Isaac Watts’ words from 1719 that we’ve recently sung in worship, may our Lord surprise you again and again with “the wonders of his love.”
Happy new year!
Hunter Weimer
To hear more stories from our team, see some pictures and celebrate our friends visiting from Cambodia, Jesse and Sarah Blaine, join us at Restoration tonight, January 12th. We’ll gather 7.30-9.00pm in Fellowship Hall. Child care will be provided. We hope you can make it!
