Lord, come hang out with us today. Draw Somali to yourself through Steph and I. Even when I don’t have the words to say, you speak. May we leave Somali feeling touched by a divine love that she has never before experienced. As we celebrate her birthday, I ask that you would shower her with your eternal gifts and eternal treasures.
Steph and I had only met Somali (name changed) once before, about 6 weeks ago. She had been walking with an older foreign man (her friend’s boyfriend she said) close to the bar where she works. A few of us were there with a group called “Male Sex Tourism” to talk with foreigners about prostitution and sex trafficking, as the “women of Cambodia” have become an indirectly advertised tourism attraction to draw foreigners to the city. Steph had been able to use her Khmer to start a conversation with Somali and at the end the two exchanged phone numbers. We were both excited for the chance to finally hang out with her!
As Steph and I drove in the tuk tuk I felt nervous. “What if I don’t recognize her? Will it be awkward that I can’t speak very much khmer? How do Khmer people ‘hang out’?” We arrived at City Mall and it wasn’t long before we saw Somali’s smiling face heading towards us. I handed her the flowers and we all hugged in excitement to see each other again. It was just natural, like being reunited with an old friend. We headed upstairs to the food court for lunch. It was fun to just talk! Somali knew some English, Steph could communicate really well in Khmer, and I was encouraged by how much I understood as well. We talked about life and boys… you know, just typical girl talk
After lunch we went to one of those photo booths and got goofy pictures taken together. The three of us just laughed as we looked at our different pictures and silly poses. Taking ridiculous pictures together- again, just girls being girls
We walked around the mall a bit then got ice cream. Steph asked Somali what else she was going to do that day for her birthday. She said that her and her mom were going to the Pagoda to offer sacrifices to the monks for good luck. Steph asked Somali if she knew who Jesus was. She said she did- that there was a big church by her house. Somali had been sharing with us about her frustrations with her boyfriend who claimed to “love” her, but she wasn’t feeling very loved by him. Steph was able to tell her that Jesus loves her so much more and affirm her value in Christ. Nothing forced, just natural conversation between girls about struggling to feel loved by men in their life- the same struggles talked about by girls all over the world.
Time went quickly and Steph and I needed to go. We said our goodbyes and all left our separate ways. I think the divine touch of love we had prayed for left its presence on all three of us girls.
What connects me with these khmer women? Not my language, not my skin color, often not my beliefs- just being a girl! Just being a girl is ministry in itself.
Ministry should never be something we “start” or “stop” doing but the way we naturally live out our every day life.
“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38
I believe that Jesus died to take on the punishment for my sins and through him I am now reconciled to God, my father. God has given me his Holy Spirit as a seal of my rescue and deliverance and eternal identity as His daughter. There is power in the spirit of God and that power is within me at all times. Belief in Jesus- salvation- produces living water that flows out of me. If water is living that means it is active, moving, getting other people wet! Everyone I come into contact with should be affected and touched by that living water. Every person should be stained by the life drops of Jesus coming out of me. Ministry is loving people here and now, where they are at simply by living life together.
The picture of ministry is not me up on my high ledge pulling the “needy” up, but walking side by side with the people around me– encouraging them to continue forward and sharing about the narrow road of joy and life. When we need to climb mountains on our road, ministry is me bending down so I can help push other people up. As Christians eager to serve, we often look for ways to “do ministry” as if we are looking for poor helpless people in the ditches that we can "rescue". I confess that I have been guilty of looking for that “poor bar girl”, “poor sex trade victim” that I can “rescue” through the power of Jesus. My heart’s desire is to “rescue” through bringing these women God’s light, God’s love, God’s life, and God’s salvation. I don’t think I have any more to offer than God, yet even though my heart’s desire is good, my mentality can become distorted and prideful, thinking that I’m pulling all of the lowly people out of their ditches in the name of God! My desire for Somali to feel loved, treated well, and valued is not because she is some "bar girl" that needs saving and I am standing ready with my cape. Somali is simply a beautiful girl that I have had the privilege of meeting on this road I am journeying on. Ministering to her is no different than ministering to anyone else I meet or any of the girls on my team. The ministry is living life together- letting the life of my salvation overflow from my heart. It’s about girls being silly girls together!
This is simply beautiful. It encompasses so much. You have brought a much-needed word to those of us, and i am thinking most of myself, who work in the trenches and who have that tendency you spoke of: to glamorize ME because of who I am serving, of what they “look like” in their lives. A phrase I’ve adopted and use to keep myself in check is “just another struggling human being.” That applies to both me and to the “poor bar girl”. Thanks for sharing your spirit, your love, insight, inspiration, heart. Thanks for being a girl among other girls in Cambodia. I can only imagine how pleased God is with you.
In the love of Jesus Christ, I bless you, Jenny.
That’s what it’s all about Jenny……. just loving people where they are at. You are the hands and heart of Jesus.
Thanks for sharing!
I always look forward to your updates! Loved what you said about the living water inside of us splashing out upon others naturally as we are with them! We prayed for you tonight, Jenny!
Jenny, this was so incredibly encouraging…and convicting. Your simple testimony of how the Lord is using you and what He is teaching you is just beautiful! Thank you for sharing. Praying for you!
Thanks so much for sharing Jenny. This really touches my heart. Please let me know if there is anything I can do or send you. I would love to know what your lacking there and where I can send it. Your in my prayers : )
Awesome story Jenny! Girls will be girls no matter what culture, which is a powerful bond that you are using.
Well said. All of this. You’re learning a great deal. And explaining it really well! Can’t wait for the next moment, probably years away, that we can be “just us girls” again too!! 😉 A little icecream, some laughs, a movie…ya know. The simple things mixed along with the blessing of friendship. Anyways, until that day, I look forward to hearing about your life and praying for you from across the miles. Love you!
-me
Well put! I like how you stated that ministry is something we do naturally by loving others in our everyday contacts, not something that we start or stop.
This was as wonderfully written as I’m sure it was wonderfully lived. It made me think about the need for more guys to understand that “guys just being guys” can be a ministry too.
i loved this blog jenny. you write so well. im so glad we got to share this great day together. so special =) i love your heart! xoxox
I loved hearing about this day after it happened but even more I loved reading about it. The way you write, you capture so perfectly the day and girls just being girls. Love what you said about ministry…love your mind and how you process. It has sharpened me so much since we have been together on the field. Thank you my dear Bong. See you in a couple hours for Yoga 🙂
great insight.
girls will be girls.
i like how you said that ministry is just living, not a start and stop thing. also i like that living water gets other ppl wet. good analogy.
Jenny,
I cried a bit reading this. Am I tired and a tad bit over-sensitive? Possibly. 😉 But mostly, it just touched me. It touched me first with an overwhelming sense of gratitude to have gotten to share countless times just being girls with you. I can’t think of anyone who does “girl time” better, with sweets, nail polish, old movies and hours and hours of conversation. I feel so blessed. I am also grateful that you can share your gift of “girliness” with anyone you meet. I also felt a small twinge of jealousy of Steph and Somali. I wish it were you and I having girl time. I miss you. But I know that you are needed by the women you are meeting in Cambodia far more than by me. I can share you with them happily and willingly, because I know that your huge, fun-loving, compassionate heart that God gave you is exactly what hurting people need. I love you and I can’t wait to get to be “silly girls” together again.