you asked and i attempted to answer hahaha! here’s what’s been going on here in cambodia!!!
Q: what is your favorite thing about the wr?/ what has been your favorite part so far?
A: My favorite thing about the world race has probably been the community. I am constantly surrounded by people who point me to Christ in everything. We have so much fun together. And my team and I do EVERYTHING together. Partly because we’re required to but mainly because we genuinely love each other and want to spend lots of time together. We pour into each other. We have conflicts but are taught the right way to deal with them. We come to each other for everything and always invite God into the conversation. Even with the smallest things like head aches, we say “alright lets pray!”
Q: what are the differences between culture/have you had a hard time adjusting?
A: When I first arrived to Cambodia, it was a big culture shock. There are more motos on the street than cars. Things are MAD cheap. We literally hear the rooster crow every morning at 5 am. Women dress in matching pajama sets for their day time attire. We sleep in a big room on the floor. We share a yard with cows. There are these things called KTV’s. “Essentially, KTV’s are “businesses” that people (mainly men) can go to and do karaoke. (Karaoke is all the rage in southeast Asia). But here’s the catch. These Karaoke joints are simultaneously bars and brothels. Women are dancers. Women are submissive. Women are objects. Women are no more than a body to have for a night within those walls. Its degrading. Its demoralizing. Its heartbreaking.”–(a quote from a former racer). That part of the culture is so normal here, it was so hard to see men going into these KTV’s every night.
As far as adjusting, there are so many things that are so different than the US. It was really hard at first getting adjusted. My routine was completely thrown off and my mind was off because of that. But after I got a schedule and routine, its been a lot easier. My team leader Corbyn said that you need to do at least one thing in Cambodia that you do at home to make you feel more adjusted. So I started taking pictures! Since its something I do at home, it brought familiarity to an unfamiliar place.
Q: what has been the hardest thing about the trip?/ whats the hardest thing you’ve had to deal with so far?
A: The hardest thing has probably getting stolen from! you can read more about it in my teammates blog! (moriahwhitlow.theworldrace.org) Yeah, it was definitely satan trying to make me live out of fear and trying to keep me from trusting in God as far as safety, but God redeemed and was faithful!
Q: are the schools you minister in private or public schools?
A: The schools we work at are our host family’s schools so they are public, free schools!
Q: what do the cambodian people think about christianity
A: Depends on the person honestly! Some are open minded and some aren’t. But a lot of them don’t even understand enough english to understand what we talk about when we mention God and Christianity. So thats really difficult when trying to spread the gospel, but what we can do is love them! And you don’t need to speak the same language to love people!
Q: how’s your team? how are y’all getting on together?
A: my team is GREAT! we get along really well and we choose each other really well. we genuinely want to hang out with each other and want to dive in deep. there are hard things that pop up but we resolve them really well! you can check out more about them in my blog “let me tell you about my best friends”!
Q: how important in personal hygiene? (ps shower in a bottle?)
A: hahah this is a funny question. personal hygiene is VERY important! I shower every day and sometimes take 2 showers! we just sweat so much that i feel gross if i don’t!
Q: whats the best thing you packed?
A: the best thing i packed is probably clothes that i actually wear! I know this is broad but one of the biggest things i heard racers say they missed was their normal clothes, so i packed things i wear at home!!! one thing that i didnt pack but bought in cambodia is a REAL TOWEL! wow its such a blessing.
Q: what does your typical day look like?
A: wake up at 6:00 and get ready for the day. Bfast at 6:30! My team and I spend time in the word together for about 15 minutes before we all head off to ministry.
We head out to a coffee shop at 7:30 before ministry and then head to ministry at 8:30. My morning ministry is going to the local trauma hospital and either sitting with patience and caregivers and playing games with them to keep them entertained! or it’s making christmas cards for Anne (a missionary from New Zealand who works at the hospital) that help support the hospital!!
We go home, eat lunch, have a short devo time. Then in the afternoon I am working at Ezra Cafe which is the cafe our hosts own, and we are planning a childrens read aloud and a conversational english class! Then we head home around 4:15 and have time to chill and unwind.
Dinner is at 6:30. Then we have team time from 7:30-9! I usually head to bed around 9:45!!
Q: how has this changed your outlook on the US
A: I have realized how privileged the US is! I realized that there is SO much that we dont know about the spiritual realm! I have also really appreciated when people speak the same language! It is such a privelege to all speak the same language in the states!
Q: hows the food? do you have trouble finding stuff you like?
A: The food slays me. It’s honestly so good. This month the boys are cooking for us so they get to choose what we have for breakfast lunch and dinner because they’re the ones making it haha, but they love feedback and we get to make suggestions of what kind of food we like! But the food they make and the cooking team before them made is so good! On the weekends when they don’t cook for us, we usually go to cute little coffee shops or eat street food and its so good! There is A LOT is rice and bread. I haven’t had trouble finding stuff that I like! Mostly everything is good and its fun trying new stuff.
Q: what is the best thing y’all have eaten?
A: There is this thing called Roti and it is heaven in food form let me TELL YOU!!! Its basically this flat pancake/crepe looking thing with sweetened condensed milk all over it and it is SOOOO GOOD!! They only cost 1000 riel (25 cents)!!
Q: how hard was it for you to get fully funded
A: it actually wasn’t that hard! I just laid it down at Jesus’ feet from the beginning and He allowed me to not worry a single time about being fully funded which was SUCH a blessing.
Q: tips on reading the bible and comprehending it all/ note taking?
A: ok wow i love this question and im so excited to answer it. I honestly am new at reading the bible! I never really read big chunks of the bible at once before the race. I would usually only go through a devo that had 1 or 2 verses on it and that was it. But I just finished reading through all of Matthew and it has been such a journey! I got to learn WHAT JESUS DID ON THIS PLANET! HOW COOL! I guess some tips for reading the word would be always have a pen handy!! I love to underline and circle things and write notes next to what i think is cool or funny or what is speaking to me. Comprehending it can be really hard! My teammate Steph has a lot of bible knowledge so i ALWAYS am coming to her asking questions. I finished Matthew a few weeks ago but i have actually just started reading it AGAIN because it is so packed full of stuff!! Re-reading is always good for understanding/comprehending what is being said and then what Jesus says to you through the text.
Q: how have you been dealing w homesickness?
A: its been weird! im not really homesick, more people sick if that makes sense haha. I mainly just miss people. And i miss comforts! If i feel homesick, i usually just lay it at the Lord’s feet and ask him to fill me with his peace and comfort! I allow myself to feel those hard feelings but i also just work through them with the Lord and my teammates and squad leader.
Q: how do you personally feel this experience has changed your life?
A: wow its been so unbelievable so far! i think its mostly changed my relationships! its changed my relationship with God in SO MANY FREAKING WAYS WOW! its changed the way i view community and people. its changed the way i value the things of this world. its changed the way i treat people. its changed the way i view myself! wow. there is so much that has changed already and its been so good! really hard but REALLY good.
that’s all the questions!!! thank you so much for reading and asking these questions! if you have any more, please do ask!! just leave a comment below!!!
blessings,
eliza
