First Impressions of Cambodia

“Language learning is ministry; ministry is language learning.”  OMF Daniel Learning

It is good to finally write to you from Cambodia.  I am so excited that I am in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, at last!  All that praying and preparation and hoping and trusting and envisioning – well, let’s just say that that is over and a new journey begins.  I thank God for everything for it is from him and through him and to him are all things.  Hallelujah! 

Language learning at OMF Cambodia Centre.  Was sharing my  testimony with the team when I wore my traditional (Maasai) dress.

So, I have been here for the last 28 days and there is so much I can write about but let me restrict this update to the question that most people have been asking me – what are your first impressions of Cambodia?  When I look at the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, at quick glance it almost looks like Nairobi.  But when I give it a second glance, it is very different.  There is one street I passed through and it gave me the impression that I was in Ngong Road in Nairobi (the section where they make and sell furniture).  The street in Cambodia also sells furniture but on closer look, it is not chairs, tables and beds that are being sold there, it is actually spirit houses (see photo below).  Spirit houses are everywhere in city.  Almost every Cambodian has one outside their house or business premise.  They use it to offer food/drinks to spirits or departed ancestors.  Cambodia is a Buddhist country but it is not pure Buddhism.  At the heart of Buddhism here, is spirit worship and animism.  When I walk around and see the spirit houses around Phnom Penh, I am reminded of Paul in Athens (Acts 17) where found a very superstitious people worshipping an unknown God.  I am very saddened at the spiritual state of this nation. 

Spirit houses being sold in the street

The people have been really friendly to me and that has been an affirmation that God has sent me here.  I was told that the Cambodians look down on people with dark skin and that I might even have trouble at the immigration at the airport.  But my entry into Cambodia was very quick and smooth.  I was not asked any questions and one of the immigration policemen even helped me glue back my Visa which was not properly glued to my passport.  Praise God for that.  I found a house and moved in at the beginning of December (praise God again J ) and it is not far from the OMF Centre where I go for language learning every day.  As I walk to go for language learning Centre, people smile at me and I say hello and they say hello back.  Others even try to talk to me sometimes but because I still don’t have a clue of what they are saying, I just smile.  My neighbor has agreed to practice language with me and we are planning to go to the market together for me to just go and observe what happens at the market.  So praise God for people who have been willing to teach me some words in Khmer like at restaurants and even while taking a tuktuk ride.  That has made me feel welcome here and I feel at home here in many different ways.  Well, until we people start talking and I can’t get a word of what they are saying, then I remember I am not home.

More language learning.  I have four teachers who are teaching
me survival Khmer, consonants and vowels and constructing
simple sentences.

And speaking of language, my main ministry assignment for the next one year is purely language learning and cultural observations.   When I first got here, my head used to hurt at the end of the day because I was trying so hard to listen and pick a word or two of what people are saying.  Also, looking at the Khmer script was very frustrating because when I got here I could only identify the Moh (ម) consonant.  Now I am happy to say that my head does not hurt as much as it did at first and I can now identify more and more consonants and even some of the vowels.  In addition to learning how to speak, write and communicate in Khmer, I am also observing the culture.  Like what are some of the things people do when they visit a home or an office or how do you give someone money?  I have observed that people remove shoes when they get into a house (be it an office, church or someone’s house).  That is something I am still getting used to.  I also have to get used to giving people money using both hands.  And speaking of money, we use both the Cambodian Riel and the US dollar simultaneously.  Go figure!

There is so much I could say but for now:-

•   Give thanks to God for his grace this far.  It is very hot but I am adjusting to the heat slowly.  Also thank for my sending church and partners who have been very supportive in many different ways.  Thank God for the OMF Cambodia family who have received me well and continue to make sure that I have a smooth transition.

• Please pray that each Cambodian will get an opportunity to hear the gospel and stop worshipping idols and turn to the true and living God.

• Please continue to pray for me that God will give me a learning heart not only for the language but also to keenly observe the culture of the Cambodians so that I can be at home in their culture relating, serving and communicating effectively with them.