We're here and doing great

We made it! After 38 hours of travel (yes, it was a long journey) we arrived in Phnom Penh Wednesday at 6 a.m. Oklahoma time (6 p.m. in Cambodia). We stopped in Phoenix, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Singapore and finally to Phnom Penh. Interesting to say the least. We have an amazing group of 17 people and after dinner and a really good night of rest we got started today working with New Life Ministries. They have so many ministries/outreaches going on that several of our group has been able to help where they're gifted and it's needed most. Our youth pastor went to speak at a youth outreach, we have an amazing IT/computer guy who is helping get their technology up to speed, some of the men worked on cutting down trees/labor projects and the rest of us participated in a children's outreach called Joy Club. It happens every Thursday at the church where kids off the streets (literally) come in and we washed their hands and feet (you would not believe how dirty these precious children are), interacted and sat with them during the presentation by the workers. We even sang some songs for them in English and they got a kick out of it.

The church offers all kinds of "University" classes such as computer and English. In between our activities we had the chance to sit with some of the students and work on their English skills. Tomorrow we're teaching English all day and then participating in their youth services. It's simply amazing how eager they are to learn and they just love interacting and talking with us. We have so many creative people on the team and we're putting together English lessons to hopefully help them learn something new. New Life is literally changing the future of Cambodia by all that they offer and what they're doing. They have 62 churches throughout the country. It's so great to parter with them, help them by contributing with our skills and then know it will continue when we're gone. Because it's a third world country, what we can help with in the two weeks we're here could literally take months for them to do. This trip has changed my perspective on the importance of short term missions.

Today for lunch, Pisit, the worship leader at New Life took us to a local restaurant for lunch. It was just a few blocks from the church. At first I was thinking I would just eat rice, but it turned out to be quite delicious and a true Cambodian experience. They had a private room where we all sat Indian style on floor chairs in front of a beautifully Asian themed table. It was amazing and I'm trying to convince Andy that we need two of those chairs. We'll see! It was definitely one of the neatest cultural experiences I've had. Tonight we're going to dinner with Pastor Jesse from New Life and I'm curious to see what that will be like as well.

That's all for now. Thanks for all your prayers - please keep praying. We're here in Phnom Penh until Monday morning working with New Life.

Lots of love!
Ali & Andy