Highlights from October 2017 to October 2018!

 We've only been here 12 months, but it feels like we've had at least three years of experiences already!  It's hard not to think about what I have missed in America, but we've had a wonderfully blessed and exciting adventure and ministry here in Phnom Penh!

Since we've been here 365+ days, it means that we have now passed every Cambodian holiday, American holiday, and family birthday while living in Cambodia.
- On our 6th anniversary, we took company shopping at Russian Market and had friends over for cake.
- We attended Cambodia's water festival with friends and enjoyed street food.
- On Thanksgiving, we had street chicken and went swimming.
- On Christmas, we had 8 friends over and the day felt very special.
- On New Years, we attended our landlord's party on the roof and I learned that I'm quite allergic to shrimp; an anaphylactic reaction ended our celebrations.
- On Sophear's 4th birthday, we went to a waterpark (and she's still talking about it).
- On Khmer New Year, we took Mom, Aunt Holly, and Titus' dad to Angkor Wat, Cambodia's treasured cultural and historical landmark.

- On July 4th, my Khmer teacher visited for a traditional American cookout and we went to a new shopping mall, Aeon 2.
- Jessie and her family were here on Chamnab's 2nd birthday and we went swimming and had a pizza party with 22 friends!
- On Titus' birthday, we went out for dinner with friends.
- On my 30th birthday, we played Scrabble at a coffee shop and went to a friend's for pizza and cake.
- During Pchum Ben, we spent three days in Kampong Cham province with friends.
- Our 7th wedding anniversary is coming up in two weeks, and we'll be separated while I'm at a women's missionary conference in the Philippines.
- And this Thanksgiving, we'll be on a missions trip with our church in Ratanakiri province.

We started with a 6-month contract, then extended to a 12-month contract, and then decided to stay in our same apartment for the duration of our term.  We wish that we had a little more space for hosting company, we're in a very good location and we have made some very good connections in this building and in this area, including our house-helper (Douer) and her family (Rady and Nis), other building staff (Tino, SreyNat, and Hak), and Jewel's tuktuk driver (Ravuth).  Haktrana Apartment is our home!  We are thankful for a nice home, but especially for so many people to share our home with!

Lunch at our home after church

We have had many friends into our little home - 1, 2, 5 or 20 at a time! - friends from Cambodia and from America!  We have been visited by Pastor Michele and Emma Henry, Ned and Marlene McGrady, Joy Phillips, Kevin and Linda Jones, the Swan family, Harry and Helen Hall, Dan and Pam Schafer, Tim Rickel, Mom and Aunt Holly, Jeffrey and Paige Bennett, Jessie, Aldean, Eleazar, and Gabe, and a team from Ohio Christian University!

A fun outing with friends from church!

I started Khmer language school in January and I'm in Level 5 now!  I am able to read and write the Khmer script, and I'm able to speak really well!  (Titus confirms this).  This has been very good for our ministry and for my life here in Cambodia!  To understand and to be understood is a powerful tool for building true relationships!  I am so thankful for God's help in developing this skill!

Titus and Aldean (our brother-in-law) with Titus' Cafe Discipleship group

Titus meets regularly with a group of university students from our church + their friends.  He calls it "Cafe Discipleship" because they meet in a coffee shop.  Through this ministry, two young men have accepted Christ.   He also meets weekly with another group for pastoral counseling, discipleship, accountability, and teaching, and three have accepted Christ.  During a Christmas outreach, seven others accepted Christ through Titus' preaching!  It's been so exciting to see the fruit of my husband's heart for seeing his people believe in and follow God!

A few weeks ago, I was told by a missionary counselor that most new missionaries report struggles or declines in their spiritual walk.  Praise God that I have experienced the opposite!  Of course there are days where I can gravitate towards loneliness and discouragement, but I consistently have meaningful   and Spirit-filled times of personal Bible study, meditation, and prayer times.  In January, I started reading through the Bible in one year.  To date, I'm two weeks behind, but it's been a wonderful experience and practice.  When we're back in the States next July, I look forward to finding my new Chronological Bible in storage and starting over again!

Pastor Poleax, Aunt Holly, Mom, Titus and Chamnab, Sophear and I - on the Cambodia-Vietnam border in Takeo Province

In April, my mom and aunt Holly came to visit!  They were here during Cambodia's biggest holiday - Khmer New Year - and we enjoyed touring them around Cambodia, including to Angkor Wat and Takeo Province, where they helped us to distribute rice, fish sauce, soy sauce, and cooking oil to 40 families.  At Angkor Wat, Sophear rode and elephant with Grandma and Ta, and Chamnab rode and elephant with me and Aunt Holly.

In July, my twin sister and her family visited.  It was so, so, so wonderful to see the cousins reunited and spend an exciting 10 days together traveling, touring, and playing.  When we brought Sophear to Cambodia for the first time, I thought we were crazy to take a 1-year-old to such a massive place.  Then, we were nine adults and two babies, but this summer, we conquered multiple temples at Angkor Wat with four kids ages 4-years and under and only four adults!

Ravuth is a tuktuk driver friend that takes me to/from language school everyday, takes our family and those with us to church on Sunday mornings, and to other errands and family outings throughout the week.  We've been consistently using him since the beginning of January!  Praise God for helping Titus to find a reliable, safe, and trustworthy driver who has become a friend to our family!

And those are just the highlights!  Thank you again to everyone who has supported our family with financial support, encouragement, and prayer!

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Chamnab

Sophear and Chamnab: One year later!

October 2017

We arrived in Cambodia near midnight on October 14, 2017.  We came with ideas and expectations and a calling to a specific ministry, and life doesn't look like we thought it would, but we are thriving, most days are healthy and encouraging, and God has brought us into ministries and relationships where we are being used to speak Jesus' name, share God's love, and disciple young Christians.

October 2018

We praise God for how He has taken care of us - He has taken care of us with protection and health, encouragement and thriving spirits, and with new and old friendships.  He has also put us in places and positions where we have had opportunities to share His love, speak His name, and walk beside new Christians, mature Christians, and non-Christians.  Thank you, Cambodia, for accepting and loving our family! Thank you, America, for supporting and loving our family!

 

The kids have changed a lot since we left, so I'll start with an introduction to 4.5-year-old Sophear and 2-year-old Chamnab.  And tomorrow I'll post a blog of highlights from October 2017 - October 2018!

Sophear is musical, artistic, and creative.  She refuses to wear anything that isn't a dress or skirt and can only be convinced to wear shorts when we're going to the playground.  She's still never had a haircut, but loves going to the salon to have her nails painted for $2.  She does chores for 100riel (2.5 cents), which she generously tithes and shares with company, but occasionally saves for candy or toys.  She spends a lot of time drawing and coloring and in creative or imaginary play.  She's learned how to ride a bike here and loves feeding leaves to the bunnies downstairs.  Although she's learned a lot of Khmer language in one year, including three songs, she's still shy around others who do not speak English with her.  Despite this, her sweet, Princess composure has won the hearts of many around her.  She often says, "When I'm in Cambodia, I miss Gas City.  But when we go to Gas City, I will miss Cambodia."

Chamnab - I look at the top picture taken when we had just arrived and I can hardly believe that we brought a chunky, toddling baby who is now a growing and talkative jumping bean with a big, funny personality.  Chamnab is finally sleeping really, really well!  He loves playing with blocks and cars as well as Barbies, Shopkins, etc., but really he spends most of his time jumping and climbing and riding his little toy car and bike (which he calls "moto") around the house.  He loves playing the drum set at church and he often helps himself to chopsticks from our silverware drawer at home, drumming on anything he pleases.  A month ago, he swallowed a coin and had emergency surgery and an overnight hospital stay to remove the Albanian coin stuck in his esophagus.  He was only saying a few words when he moved to Cambodia at 13-months old, but he's a very talkative (and polite!) little boy now!

Sophear and Chamnab are wonderful playmates who greet each other lovingly and enthusiastically every morning, but they are also rivals at times!  Both children love riding on the moto (motorcycle) and playing in the dirt when we're able to leave the concrete jungle of Phnom Penh.

Praise God!
- For protecting Chamnab when he swallowed the coin and had emergency surgery.
- For protecting Sophear when she was hit by a moto while crossing the street (in June).
- For continued health!  Neither of our children have faced much illness since we arrived in Cambodia!
- For the friendships that our children have made with others and with each other, and for the friendships that we have made because our children are friendly!

Chamnab wants to read "Go Dog, Go!" at least 3 times each day!

How you can pray for our children:
- Pray for safety and protection over Sophear and Chamnab!
- Pray that they continue to pick up the Khmer language!
- Pray that the Lord will continue to give us wisdom and grace as we raise, teach, and disciple our children to be people of love, kindness, generosity, and Christlikeness!

We are also praying that, before 2018 ends, Sophear will ask Jesus into her heart.  She often approaches us with really good questions while or after reading a book, hearing a conversation, etc., so we know she's thinking and processing, and we feel she's almost ready!
- Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to prepare her heart!
- Pray that God would help us to teach her and answer her questions!
- Pray that He would help Sophear to understand and convince her of the Truth!

Families that slide together, stay together!

Thank you for loving our family and loving our children!  Every night before bed, I pray with each child individually - "Thank you for all the people that Sophear loves, and for all the people that love her, and especially for the people that remember to pray for her!"

Taking turns feeding Baby Panun

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Chamnab

This one isn't just a draft!

I have drafted six blogs since my last entry in December. I've drafted blog entries about:
   ---> My daily routine
   ---> An encounter in which purchasing a plant erupted deep and unrecognized feelings of culture shock
   ---> My experiences learning a new language
   ---> Cultural observations from my walk to the market
   ---> Our friends downstairs
   ---> Khmer New Year

Sophear & Chamnab with twins
Peter and Paul and their sister Priscilla.
Friends in Takeo!

The truth is that feeling like I owe you an update on our lives and ministry is often too much pressure. Where do the topics "what I want to share with you" and "what you want to know" meet? I do not know. And what do you want to know? Even that I do not know. When friends from home have reached out to us, the most asked question is, "How's it going?" But no one really wants to read an entire blog post about "how it's going" - or do you?

Some days it's going really well and we are encouraged!

Sophear and her friends doing puzzles at church

After a children's lesson that I felt wasn't well received, another mom shared with me that my lesson inspired her to begin teaching her children at home! I felt like this was a huge victory and it continues to motivate me when I'm preparing my lessons each week. I do not expect to see that my 3-5 minute Bible lessons produce any visible fruit in my little ones at church; but I pray that, later in life, their encounters with Jesus and with Scripture are richer because these stories and truths are becoming familiar to them.

Other days are more discouraging.

Some days Sophear is so overwhelmed with frustration that she isn't being understood by non-English speakers. I try to help her, but inwardly I find myself justifying her frustrations because I get it! It's no fun living in a world where you have no idea what happened, what is happening, or what will happen because you simply cannot understand what people are saying. I never imagined how physically and emotionally exhausting it could be to exert all of one's energy in striving to listen and translate conversations. All so that I can feel like I'm a part of the conversations even if I'm not acknowledged and do not speak a word.

Sophear turned four-years-old on February 4th!

And the plant story: Shortly after we arrived, Titus began talking about a flower that he wanted to grow on our balcony. A few months later, I was in the last week of Level 1 at G2K (language school) and I began working to build my confidence and vocabulary to surprise Titus and buy the flower. I learned and practiced all the words I needed to ask Ravuth (my driver) to take me to a plant store and to make the purchase. …But it wasn't that easy. The plants weren't potted, dirt was sold separately, and the vender was persistent in trying to sell me some unlabeled bag that I could only assume was a plant food or chemical that I didn't want. Finally, Ravuth intervened and negotiated on my behalf. I had failed to do something on my own, but I did have the flower!!! I arrived home late to surprise Titus with the flower and was met with: "What? Is? That?" Defeat. It turns out that I was sold the wrong flower (I didn't know) even though I knew all the right words. I hated that plant for a long time. I would sit on the couch and from the corner of my eye, I could see the plant taunting me, haunting me, reminding me of my failure, reminding me of everything I couldn't do.

Then one day, from the same seat where the flower used to taunt me, I read the story of Hagar, Abraham's wife's maidservant. Hagar fled from her problems and God met her (twice!) in the desert - God heard her misery; God saw her. The flower still taunts me, but it reminds me that God sees me, hears me, and cares about my frustrations. In the end, that makes the hard days less harder!

So that's how it's going... from Jewel's perspective. :) Titus has a different perspective, of course, but I suspect he would say that there are encouraging days and there are discouraging days. (I asked him and he said 'Yes.')

If you have any questions about our life, our family, our ministry... please ask us!

Teaching the children at an outreach in the province in January

A market near my language school where I buy fruits and vegetables

Rodney and Tina used to babysit me when I was a little girl.
Now they're missionaries in Cambodia too!

Sophear and Chamnab love going downstairs to ride bikes, play with the bunnies, and play with friends!

Titus with a police officer in the village

From Cambodia,

Jewel
(and Titus, Sophear, and Chamnab)

Two months in Cambodia!

When I checked last, my “Sophear’s Christmas” blog had 586 views! My goodness, people!! I better keep writing! I thought it would be fun to write a post about what we’ve been doing or what’s been keeping us busy and what life looks like in Cambodia. Although since no one has asked that question (HA!) so I’ll start with two FAQs:

How are the kids?

Kids are great! Sophear has been a champ trying new foods. She never complains about the heat. She’s initially shy, but loves her “uncles” and every kid that’s smaller than her is immediately her new friend! She’s quite a bit bigger than Cambodian kids her age (which raises people’s expectations of her!); however, even when they think she’s five, they all find her vocabulary to be most impressive! She loves going out, having company, crafting of any sort, playing, and watching. A few weeks ago, we bought her a little desk for her room and she’s LOVING being able to close the door and color or “study” in the cool, quiet.

Bible shopping with Sophear!  (Girl loves shopping!) 

Sophear with Tino (building staff) learning how to ride a scooter! (Girl loves Tino!)  She has been asking for a rainbow bike with a bell for Christmas.

Chamnab has grown 5 teeth (4 molars and 1 incisor) since we arrived just two short months ago. On the days that he wasn’t super cranky from teething (and super cranky from refusing to eat because he’s teething), he has also been great! His personality is really blossoming. He’s just 16-months-old, but he works really hard to “keep up” with Sophear and her friends. He loves books, cars, books, finger puppets, going out, books, cars, and peek-a-boo! Also, before we left Indiana, he had graduated to just one nap/day. Between the heat and the new normal wake-up time of 5:30-5:45am, he’s back to two naps/day!

Chamnab is not quite as outgoing as Sophear, but he's getting braver!  He enjoyed "going to school" on Araykhsat Island this week.  He was just playing with the colored pencils and crayons until a child left their picture behind and went to play, then he claimed the paper as his own and began "scribble scrabbling" as Sophear says.

This picture was on one of our rougher and needier days.  Also, he definitely has more than enough clothes in Cambodia considering he only wears them when we leave the house!

Are you settled?

We moved into our apartment on October 21 and we’ve been attending Phnom Penh Church since October 22. We both have working phones, WiFi at home, and all the necessary furniture and tableware. I am comfortable walking alone two blocks to the nearest supermarket and buying the essentials. I have a general idea of what is nearby - including coffee shops, restaurants, and stores - but have zero confidence in getting myself there safely without Titus’ help. Actually, with the one exception of buying groceries at the nearby Super Duper, I have zero capability (or confidence anyways) in doing anything without a significant amount of my husband’s generous assistance. As I push myself, I know the capability and confidence will come, but I’m comfortable “following” for now. The hardest challenge continues to be cooking at home. (There really aren’t enough variations of stir-fried vegetables and meat).

Now, onto what we’ve been doing and what life looks like in Cambodia.

Chamnab and Jewel with new friends and a visiting team eating a delicious lunch prepared by Pastor Chanla and Sister Toni's brother on Araykhsat Island.  It gets pretty warm, but I'm so thankful for a baby carrier which allows me to be mobile and do ministry while allowing Chamnab to sleep safely in my arms!

Much of what we’ve been doing looks like people sitting around a table, around a mat on the floor, or on the side of the street. And when it’s not people gathered together, it’s sitting at a computer - writing sermons, writing children’s lessons, making lists, getting inspiration from Pinterest - or playing on the floor with our kids.

Hosting our friends Pastor Vandy, Tess, and David for lunch before taking the kids to the mall play place.  To receive "it's good!" from Vandy was a very high compliment for my cooking!

We’ve enjoyed reunions with friends with whom we have kept in touch, as well as with friends that even Titus hadn’t seen in many years. And we have made new friends! We have enjoyed meeting the three families of three Cambodian friends from America! I was SO excited to learn that there is a Christian couple from NJ in our building AND they have the cutest little boy only two months older than Chamnab (I’ll admit, I didn’t expect God would grant this request of mine!) and I am so excited to have a play date!!

At a breakfast meeting with our friend, Bunnath, who co-directs an NGO (Fountain of Hope).  In January, I (Jewel) am going to explore the opportunity to volunteer with his organization.

After talking with other missionaries and NGO leaders, I’ve been working on a missions audit to identify the “ministry scene” in Cambodia - what others are doing, what needs are unmet, what are potential partnership opportunities. As a result of some of these conversations and others, we have been asked to do/help with a lot. Please pray that God will give us discernment and we would have confidence in the way He is directing us, that we may know where He wants us to expend our time, energy, and resources!

Titus and Pastor Kimsan enjoy a snack at Brown Coffee after Bible shopping.  Pastor Kimsan is one of the leaders of the Wesleyan Church in Cambodia.  It has been great to reunite with his family!

A few days ago, our apartment lost power (again) at lunch time, which forced us into the street. (No electricity means we can’t cook, have no air, and shouldn’t open the fridge.) Although I was relieved I didn’t have to cook (especially since I had just discovered our chicken had spoiled (again)), I really just wanted to stay home. We descended 10 flights of stairs and into the street, then walked 400m to Barn Barn Restaurant. Long story short, we’ll be joining the owners for a children's Christmas program on Christmas Eve! I’m never happy when the power shuts off, but I’m grateful that God worked this out for good!

Here we are eating pizza for lunch after church with our university students.  At $2.99 per personal pan pizza AND buy 3 get 1 free, it was a great way for us to treat them!

We have some exciting Christmas services coming up and we’ll post a blog after our last one (December 30). Preparing for these services/outreaches/celebrations has been keeping us busy. Thanks to one generous sponsor and two giving churches, we have the funds to pass out some Bibles, hymnals and children’s Bibles this Christmas. The Cambodian Bible Society store is a one-hour drive one-way. Titus attempted to go on Monday and discovered they were closed. Here’s a sampling of what we have after three trips. I love looking through them! I just wish I could read them!! haha

So what fun and inspiring things have you guys been doing to celebrate baby Jesus?

I’ll have another fun post coming on or before December 26! Until then!

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Chamnab

Sophear's Christmas

I paid $.70 for that candy cane!

When we left Gas City, we left a huge community of people loving on and investing in my babies!  We left an incredible team of children’s ministry workers at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church.  God called Titus and I to Cambodia to reached the unreached, and we brought our babies.  After six weeks of sitting at the back of the church playing Barbies, filling a notebook with crayon drawings, and eating countless crackers and cookies, I realized that there’s ministry to be done at home.

Lord, help me to always be intentional!

Lord, help me to find time every day! 

Lord, inspire me with ways to creatively teach my creative girl!

Sophear spent three hours spread across two days making that mixed media Christmas tree!

Although it doesn’t look or feel like it, Christmas is quickly approaching.  Without the pressure of materializing Christmas, no Christmas cookies, holiday parties, or beautiful decorations, I find myself rightly and solely focused on the true reason for Christmas: celebrating the newborn king!  And while I miss those things, I am grateful for the experience.  I am grateful for the experience to teach Sophear that Christmas is about the baby who is Savior and King.  I have enjoyed the experience of imagining with her what it was like to be a shepherd, startled in the night by a chorus of angels!  And forever I hope to cherish the memory of Sophear looking at the moon, talking about the bright shining star which led the wisemen to Jesus!

Multiple times each day, Chamnab scatters the pieces from Sophear's nativity.  She always returns them to the same arrangement - everyone looking at the sweet baby Jesus!

During Chamnab’s last nap in November, Sophear and I cut these strips to make a paper chain.  On each strip, I wrote a Bible verse that will sequentially tell the Christmas story from Luke 1-2 and elsewhere.  She enjoys cutting one off each day, reading it and all the previous day’s verses, and taping them in the window next to the remaining hanging chain.

Your typical Cambodian Christmas tree is fashioned with colorful lights (sometimes flashing) and many strands of  metallic garland.  Ours is almost typical, but is short on garland with only two strands for our 4' tree.

After scouring YouTube, I found a video of the nativity story as told by The Beginner’s Bible.  While the angel Gabriel was talking to Mary, Sophear said “I know this story!!!” and ran to retrieve her Bible and follow along for the duration of the 25-minute movie.  And some nights, after Chamnab goes to sleep, I tell her the story again while she acts it out using the pieces from her nativity scene.

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Chamnab