Welcome to Cambodia!
We have officially switched gears from being in training to being mission minded!! We have been here for almost two weeks now. The first week when we landed was a holiday so kids were out of school. That left us time to chill, get back on our feet from the three days of traveling, explore and get used to Cambodia. This week we started ministry and we were all so eager to jump on it!!
Before I talk about ministry, I would love to introduce my team:
Team YADA (yuh-DAH)- Hebrew word for deep intimacy, to know. Our vision as a team is to be in a heart posture of YADA with the Lord so that we can have deep intimacy with each other through these eight months…almost seven!
Ministry
From Monday to Thursday we go to different villages that are about an hour to an hour and a half away from the base. This week we didn’t have many responsibilities to take on but next week we will. We were told to observe our hosts and learn how they taught English, how they lead the dances to songs that are about God in Khmer (Kuh-my), how they lead the adult bible studies, and so on. I think one of the hardest parts of Cambodia so far is not being able to use your words as much. The Lord is teaching us how to use our actions more to show who Jesus is. The kids are extremely observant so every little thing counts. And Good News! We don’t have to do it all. We are the vessels, the Holy Spirit moves through us even when we don’t notice!! Pray that the kids would see the light and feel the power and love of the Holy Spirit through us!
One of the things that touched my heart this week was this married couple we got meet. To get to their house we had to walk through water for about half a mile. When we got there, I was so in love with their smiles and how their eyes lit up when they saw us. When they sat down with us, the man said about thirty minutes ago he was about to leave but he felt that something was telling him to stay and he did!! Two out of our three hosts came with us. They have been coming to this family for about two years now sowing seeds. They have been given a bible in their language, Khmer, and they have been working on helping them memorize and understand Psalm 23. Based on the first verse they asked a question: “what does it mean to not lack anything?” Sometimes one of our hosts would interpret where the conversation was going. Even though they were talking in their language and I couldn’t understand them, I was interceding on behalf on them and prophesying over them! We get the wonderful privilege to go see them every Tuesday now!
Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
A question for you: do YOU understand what it means to not lack anything? Do you understand what it means that He is your shepherd? Is scripture just some words on a page to you or is it something tangible? The Son of God came to have strip religion off and to give us relationship. He never fails to lead us well. You might be asking “what is He leading us to?” He leads us into the abundance of life which is found at the heart of the Father. He leads us to seek His face so that we can have intimacy with Him. He’s so much more than we can imagine!! Is your heart burning for Him? YOU CAN HAVE AS MUCH OF HIM AS YOU’RE WILLING TO HAVE! He has made away for us to be united again. He is not just some get-out-of-hell free card. He died so that He could make His home in us; so that He can dwell in us to be renewed as we learn to know our Creator and become like him. The abundance of life that you’re looking for is IN Jesus! ANSWER HIS CALL!
One thing I have noticed when we do our adult bible studies is the consistent worry that if they believe in Jesus, their land will be taken away from them. I have heard from the testimony of our host that when you believe in Jesus, people will literally move to live somewhere else, families will abandon you, and you will be hated. Please pray that the soil of their hearts be rich for the seeds to be deeply planted and pray that they will see the One true living God and count Him as worthy to follow!! May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
So all of our team was with this married couple except for two members. Those two members went to a different village with our ministry partners, Shannon and Vickie. They went to go visit a woman who was previously lame. The Lord had healed her about six months ago when they laid hands on her. She told them that a man down the street who can’t walk heard about how the Lord healed her. With faith, he wanted them to pray over him as well. Trying to find this man’s house, they were driving and couldn’t find it. They asked a group of kids where this man was and this little boy lead them to where he lived, but he wasn’t there. Instead, there was a woman who had been lame for 10 years. She had told them that she had been waiting for them to come to pray for her. She explained that she heard about the woman being healed through the man that wanted prayer, but wasn’t there. “If you can heal that woman then I know you can heal me too.” This village had never heard of Jesus before. So they talked about God and then laid hands on her. After they were done praying, she had felt fire in her legs that went up to her back. She said “I’m going to walk.” With all of the people holding her up, she stood up and shooed them away and she walked across the room!! PRAISE THE LAMB FOR HE IS RECEIVING THE REWARD THAT HE DIED FOR!!
Church
Last Sunday we got to go to a church. I KNOW RIGHT?! A church… in Cambodia, where like 98% are Buddhist and the other two percent are Christian or Muslim. I didn’t expect much but as we were arriving to the Church, we heard the music from outside. I felt something so big and exciting; so much joy and wonder arose! I walked in and it felt like the Holy Spirit had breathed on me. During the time of worship, they played songs that we knew, and they sang it in Khmer with English and Khmer lyrics on the screen. Oh how it was so beautiful to hear them worshipping Jesus in their language!! Then the Lord had showed me the throne room, not through a vision but a perspective change. People in a different language, from a different place across the world, worshipping the same God. But I saw that they were worshipping the Lion who came back to save us. The Lord showed me that this is only a SMIDGE of what it would look like. I can’t even imagine all the other languages and tribes. During all of worship I was sobbing, so much that I could barely form words. And this woman turns to me after worship was over and she gives me a high five. I hear the Lord say “THIS is the Kingdom of God’ and showed me that even though I had never seen her, thought of her, or met her, that she was my sister in Christ out of many that were going to stand before the throne and cry “holy, holy, holy.” In a country where I thought it was completely dead, in an instant the Lord magnified Himself in my mind and I was in shock at the entirety of His being, how MASSIVE He is. Our squad in Cambodia are not the only lights in this country! The Lord is doing so many things we can’t see. His spirit has been drawing these people to Him and they are part of the Kingdom of God!
Fundraising
I am still fundraising!
1 Chronicles 29:14 says “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from You, and we have given You what only comes from Your hand.” This confirms where all the resources come from. I believe He has appointed certain people to come alongside me, pray with me, and donate towards this mission for the Gospel. My calling, my ministry, the person I am asking, their assets, everything is all His. I am simply a mediator seeking to connect His people and His resources with His plan.
My next deadline on November 15th! After that I will have 3 more deadlines on the 15th of each month ending in February. For each deadline I will have to raise $1,640.
I am asking you to take action and pray to see where the Lord leads! Partnership is so beautiful in the kingdom of God. Would you consider praying about making a one time or monthly donation to me as I partner with Jesus to reach the people who are lost? Our obedience increases the capacity at which the Spirit of God moves!
If He leads you to give, you can do so by the link in my Instagram and Facebook bio, through Venmo @Lexi-Blatt, or you can click this link
https://adventuresinmissions.servicereef.com/events/adventures-in-missions-3/2023-world-race-gap-year-route-3/participants/lexiblatt
I am extremely grateful for all of your prayers and donations. I would not have been able to the reach the people I did if it wasn’t for you. THANK YOU THANK YOU.
“When you give to a ministry, you not only bless the people that are being touched by that ministry, but you start a supernatural flow of your finances, and you partake of the anointing and the blessing that’s on that minister’s life” -Andrew Womack
You all are so so wonderful. I appreciate you. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
Until next blog,
Arkoun chraen (thank you so much)
I love you!
Lexi B
This was so sweet to read, it made my heart swell and brought tears to my eyes. Love you baby girl. I will continue to pray for all of your eam and the people of Cambodia.
i love you mom!
Love hearing the updates. I miss you all like crazy! God had an amazing plan for all of you, big hugs to all of team YADA!