This month I feel God wants me to share a little of my recent time in Cambodia. In case anyone is considering going there, or on a different mission assignment, I would urge you to go! This might give you some insight into some of the amazing opportunities that await you!

I have never come across a country more in need of love and support than Cambodia. The majority of the population are extremely young and uneducated because the older and more educated people were killed by Polpot’s regime. Many cannot read or write and feel their only choice is to turn to prostitution or sell their children into trafficking. XP Missions helps to prevent and rescue victims of trafficking and to care for people afterward, providing opportunities for work.

Each day of the month I spent there in the capital, Phnom Penh, was completely different, praying for people, telling them about Jesus and showing them God’s love. We visited many slums; washing people’s feet, taking children a hot lunch, teaching Bible study and English groups, leading people to Jesus and praying for healing. One lady, Im, received healing for a backache and a headache and then received Jesus. Many had never heard of Jesus before, and once they had seen Him heal them, they were eager to know more.

I was so amazed to see what some of the young children from one slum, who met each week for a type of Sunday school, were capable of. They were so young yet had visited 3^rd heaven, spoke in tongues and clearly heard from God. The team had done an amazing job of discipling and teaching them. We visited the hospital, where people’s relatives are responsible for bringing them their food. We prayed for each patient, took them food parcels and many reported feeling much better. One 80-year-old lady had just received surgery. She felt so great after receiving prayer that she wanted to go home and never having heard of Jesus before, welcomed Him into her heart.

One day we spent time walking down a busy main street, stopping at businesses and offering to bless them. People were also healed and two young girls and a lady working in prostitution gave their lives to Jesus. Her name sounded like ‘Alone’. Such joy filled her eyes and I assured her she would never be alone. I did not want to leave her! Another morning we walked around the local area, handing out food to many girls working in prostitution who were still out and prayed for the people we met. One man had severe pain in his teeth, but after a couple of prayers said the pain had gone by 95%!

Visiting a local silk farm, we prayed for a lady working there, over 80 years old, who relied heavily on her eyesight for work. Her eyes were healed and we could visibly see the difference. We also led a Bible study group for women who had left the sex trade and are now employed by the team over there. They have been taught to sew the most beautiful bags, which are for sale online. We all shared testimonies and it was great to meet them and hear what Jesus had done in their lives. Their products are called “Everlasting Love” because Jesus has loved us with an everlasting love!

We also visited Poipet on the Thai border, where lots of trafficking occurs. We walked up and down the border praying, joined with local teenagers to feed some street children and prayed for a family with a very unwell baby in the slums. After praying at the border we stopped to pray for people in a casino bar. Then right after a Thai lady sang, the usual music was suddenly interrupted when ‘No Longer Slaves’, a Christian song, by Jonathan and Melissa Helser came through the speakers. We could not believe it!

On a short trip to Vietnam we were able to pray over the waters in a boat for God to heal the land and around a government building. We walked around the red light district praying and had foot massages with some of the girls and guys working there in prostitution, with the premises doubling as a ‘massage parlor’. You are not allowed to talk about God in Vietnam however we could smile God’s love to them and prayed blessings over them. They seemed really touched and it was good to be a light in such a dark area.

If you feel called by God to go on a trip to Cambodia, or another region of the world then go! You will be such a blessing to people there and may change their lives forever. Wherever our mission field is, whether that is at home, at work, or far away, God in us can bring light and love into all of the people that we meet.

Written by:  Caroline Harvey

Published on 9/5/2017