Take One, But Not Yet Take Two.

Brace yourself, this one may be long.

The first week has been a week of firsts. First day in the village, first day in the orphanage, first time teaching a Bible/English class in Cambodia, first time visiting the market alone and making it back, first time seeing a jumping spider (more scary details to come; and sadly not the last time this week)...you get point. Lots of firsts and lots of exciting things to share.

I'll sum up real quick though the village, orphanage and teaching classes in three words: always be prepared. In the villages, on the fly, I was asked to preach three times. I shared w/ them every underlined verse, well practically, I had in my bible...yet they still wanted more. At the orphanage, I had three different games to play for the hour stint I would be there. After about 15 minutes, the kids were bored and I still had about an hour left to fill with fun activities haha. Finally in teaching, I'm teaching the Bible as English. So, we're going through a book called The Good News that one of the missionaries here wrote. It is a basic breakdown of what the major theme of the bible is, "God's redemption of mankind through Jesus Christ". I never knew who I'd have in my classes. At first I was just teaching the 4 o'clock and 6:15 class. That turned into the 5 o'clock and 6:15 class, and now it has become the 3, 5, and 6:15 class. I've got a fun mix of Christians, a Christian quasi-Buddhist monk, two guys are very interested in the Gospel, and about 4 or 5 students who, spiritually, I'm not sure where they stand. It is quite the blessing, and challenge. Many students ask the hard questions, and were just now through the introduction of the book! So, lesson number 1: always be prepared to share the Gospel at any point and any time. You may be in your cubicle, riding in a taxi, sitting in a foreign village, teaching a monk, working on a patient, or cutting someone's hair. Who knows where you'll be and who knows when God will open the opportunity for you to share the Good News!

So as you can tell from my super awesome catchy title, its not quite time for take two of the action. As the week was winding down, I woke up this morning already thinking ahead to next week, what I will share in the villages, what games to play in the orphanage, and anticipating the questions that could come from my classes. But, that all changed when I walked downstairs this morning.

As I walked down the stairs I was greeted by a see of Cambodian faces, and a tearful Allison and Christian (the missionaries I'm living with). Come to find out, Christians mother passed away last night/early this morning. She had been ill for quite a while, and they had gone back to the States to visit her because they expected her to pass away sooner. However, she began to feel better and they came back to Cambodia, landing only hours before I did. Well, things took a turn for the worst the past couple of days and she passed away. It was gut wrenching to see Christian and Allison this morning, but they were very encouraged, as was I, by how the Body of Christ was at work. Already people were chipping in to help them around here, were offering to pay for Christian's plane ticket, and helping his family stateside. It was a beautiful thing to sit back and be a part of. The Body of Christ is a powerful thing when it works together!!

Well, as the day went on Allison and Christian and I began to discuss what this would look like for me. Already, things have been off to a slow start this first week, as its been filled with a lot of down time, because they were just now getting back to Cambodia after a 3 week stint in the USA. The ministry here was kind of up in arms and a little hectic. Things were just getting back to normal, when now, once again, things will be back up in the air. So, Allison and Christian were worried that I was going to get upset and bored.

And to be honest, they had a very acute sense about them. Indeed, I was at first selfishly upset. I was ready to get the ball rolling and ready to get things going so that I could fill my days with ministry in the villages, orphanage, and teaching. I took some time to myself this morning after watching Judah and Hudson (their sons) for about 4 hours. I began to pour out to God how I was frustrated because I wanted to know my purpose here if it was going to be another two weeks before I got back to the villages and orphanage. Why did God send me here if I'm not going to be able to minister!?!

Well then I began to pick up in John, where I've been doing my daily quiet time, and I began to read chapter 7. Several times Jesus is asked to reveal himself by the people, but he kept saying it wasn't quite the time. And I began to think, scary I know. If we're honest with ourselves, Jesus' entire ministry was his death and crucifixion. He came to die for our sins. He came to redeem us. That was his ministry. Certainly, along the way he did ministry. But, the climax and pivotal point of his ministry that he kept pointing to was the crucifixion. That's when it hit me...maybe its not my time yet? Maybe I'm not fully prepared to really do what God wants me to do here in Cambodia. Maybe what God wants me to do is to be here for the family as much as possible over the next two months.

You see, running the ministry here is normally a 4 person job. But, two of the missionaries are back in the States until late June. Now, Christian will be going home for at least two more weeks, leaving the ministry to rest on Allison's shoulders. I have no doubt she'll do a bang up job at it, but a 4 person workload is a huge burden...regardless of who you are. That on top of being a mother to two kids at ages 3 and 1, and coordinating an intern. Its a lot to carry. So, the Lord broke me and challenged me to be a part of that Body of Christ that I got to witness this morning. And that soon, my time would come when my ministry would reach its climax, but not now. For the months leading up to Cambodia I thought for sure that the pivotal point and life changing would come from working in the villages, at the orphanage, and teaching. But, perhaps it will come in helping this family out.

So, after the Lord broke me Christian, Allison and I got to sit down. I told them not to worry about me, coordinating me into any villages, the orphanage, or anything like that. Not to be lazy, but I know they need someone to take care of the daily household duties, such as watching the two boys while others can work. So, that may indeed be what I'm doing. Already the schedule that I thought I would be having is being torn a part and a new one is taking place. I'm not sure where all I'll be in the mornings, but I will be teaching all of the English classes now (Christian was teaching one of them), leading a bible study at the local high school during lunch (hopefully; and this opportunity just came up today!!!), and helping Allison with the boys and household duties. Not exactly village work, but definitely work for the Kingdom!

So, take two on the villages, orphanage, and so on will have to wait. For now, a new take one will take place this upcoming week and I couldn't be more excited to see what God has in store. I have a feeling that as long as I'm obedient to this new call, whatever I do will be blessed. After all, the Lord's been teaching me that in whatever I do, do it for His glory. No, watching two kids isn't the ''extreme missionary work" like traveling into villages deep in the woods of Cambodia, but it is "extreme missionary work" in the sense that after this morning, I learned it takes A LOT of creativity and patience and energy to keep up w/ two little whipper-snappers like Judah and Hudson!

So, there's my life in a nutshell over the past week. The Lord has been good. He's been close and near when I needed him. He's been my rock, my sustainer, and best friend. Its been somewhat lonely here. But, God has provided his presence in a really neat way!

Thank you all for your continued prayers. Please be in prayer for Christian as he travels back to the States, peace and comfort for his family, and for Allison as she takes on a huge burden.

Thanks and I love and appreciate you all!

in Him,

Josh Lj

PS - The jumping spider...I hate them. I went in to get a shower last night and saw a brick colored spider the size of my palm sitting in the middle of the floor. I went to smash it with my shoe, and the demon jumped AT ME!! He flippin' jumped AT ME!! Needless to say, as many of you know, I hate spiders. I had about a minute panic attack, fought off tears and trembling, took some deep breaths and tried again. Once again, he jumped and ran super fast across the floor. Finally, I got the toilet brush and just began trying to anticipate where he'd move next. After a couple of tries, and with cornering it with my shoe and the brush, I was successful in the slaying of a demon-possessed, jumping spider monster. Your welcome world for ridding you of such evil.