There is no end to love

I have been back in Utah now for about two weeks and am still missing Cambodia. I have had so much time to digest everything I have learned from this life-changing experience and now that I have all my thoughts together I am ready to do an overview of my time spent among the Khmer people.

My goals in starting this were:

• Show my love for each child in an individual way
• Learn each of their names
• Teach them at least one new game, but I'm sure I'll mostly learn games from them!
• Do my very best at teaching English, and never give up! 
• Try one strange food (crickets?)
• Find one miracle every day (which I'll write here in this blog)
• Become more humble as to better serve those around me

I accomplished all of these goals aside from writing a miracle everyday and eating a cricket. I learned all their names, did my best at teaching English, showed my love for each of them individually, and was humbled by my constant feeling of inadequacy to teach these kids. Despite my lack of writing on a very regular basis, I did find miracles every day and it turned out that the biggest miracle that continued everyday is how blessed I am to have had the opportunity to meet these people, to befriend these children, and to learn from their amazing spirits. It's not everyday that you are able to become a part of so many different people's lives. I had a real family there. A mother, a brother, and sisters who cared about me and I cared deeply for each of them. I had classes to teach, children to love, and a full agenda of service. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done, to go to a foreign country knowing absolutely no one. But I did it! Maybe I didn't do everything I could have while I was there, but I'm not done giving to these beautiful people while I'm here in the States! My job serving those whom I love in Cambodia and those I will meet and love here in the States is never done! There is no end to love, and therefore there is no end to service. I have never been more humbled in my life and am so grateful for the chance I had to figure out what is truly important in life. While I sat in the airport in Korea, I jotted down a few things that I had learned while in Cambodia. Things that it might have taken me a lifetime to learn without this experience. 

1. If you feel like you have learned much more than those you taught, you did something right.

2. Always smile at everyone.

3. Never be afraid to talk to a stranger (if you are safe, of course).

4. Forgiving is easy when you see through someone else's eyes. Forgetting is almost impossible but don't let that affect the way you treat someone, no matter what!

5. Anne Frank is right ("In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.")

6. You will never not be you.

7. Kindred spirits are EVERYWHERE!

8. Never forget those who got you to where you are [and here I have to stop and thank my family and friends especially my Mom and Dad for supporting me and loving me and always taking care of me]

9. Never stop thanking the Lord for such a wonderful life. 

10. NEVER stop praying for those in need.

11. Forgive yourself and move forward.

12. Never begrudge love to anyone

13. Never be afraid to ask questions. Curiosity is a wonderful human trait. We can't know the answers to questions we never ask (even if we just ask it within ourselves).

14. Let your face do the talking.

15. We are all humans

     We all have feelings.

     We all have dreams.

     We all need food, water, shelter.

     We all need sleep.

     We all need love.

     We all have discouragement and failures. 

     We must always remember that we are all equal.

16. I am positive that God leads us to the people we need most in our lives. All we must do is listen and follow the way he directs us. 

So maybe that isn't a few things I've learned, it is a lot. And surprise, there is even more. Cambodia taught me so much about my own capabilities, my own wants and needs and my own capacity for love. I couldn't tell you what the kids got out of it, but hopefully the knowledge that someone loves them, believes in them, and holds them in a special place in her heart. Cambodia currently owns prime real estate in my heart and soul. I think it will remain there forever. I thank God for this past month. And for those beautiful people who have changed my life. 

This is not the end of service for me. I am continuing to serve those kids from the States as I am attempting to plan a giant fundraiser to benefit the Orphanage through the Global Outreach Foundation. I need volunteers, I need ideas, I need smart people that know more about these kinds of things than I do. Contact me if you want to help! I'm planning on pulling this off in October so I have time to plan it all. I will be keeping you all updated on how it is coming and what the plans are looking like. I also have a TON of bracelets to sell if you want to be involved in that. Email me with any ideas you may have for a successful fundraiser!

kt24bug@gmail.com

You are all beautiful people. God bless you and yours!