Returning Home

Dear friends and family, 

I am so thrilled to inform you that Caleb and I are returning home to Cambodia in the next month and a half to continue in ministry with the khmer people we love so much. 

I am so thankful for the continuous prayers that have been prayed over us as we have been preparing.  Also, it really warms my heart to see that we are still receiving financial support from some of you :) It is being saved in our Cambodia fund for when we leave. 

Here is just a quick update on what's been going on here: 

Before our wedding, we had been shopping around ideas about what we would be doing next. Our ideas were all over the place. We looked at moving back to Cambodia right away, and we looked at staying in the States for a year and buying a house. Once we got married and things started to settle down for us, we had a chance to really pray and discuss what the wisest choice would be for us as a next step. We finally made the decision to go back to Cambodia in January of 2016. We believe this is what God has planned out for us, as we still have connections in Cambodia, and we aren’t tied down to any long term commitments in the US.

Since our wedding, we have returned to Colorado and have been working full time jobs at a sleep clinic. We are trying to make steps towards saving money and rejuvenating our budget to make for a seamless return to the missions field.

Concerning our future plans in Cambodia, we will be doing a project through a non-profit called Greater Love, which was founded by Caleb’s parents. Their mission statement is “To prepare for and respond to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of victims of undue hardship.” We are currently working with Caleb’s parents to figure out the specifics of our project in Cambodia, but we have some solid ideas flowing about what we will be doing to help the Khmer people upon our return. Some of those ideas include making meals for the hungry kids on the street, passing out childrens New Testament story books, and hosting hygiene education classes for kids and their families. Of course all of this will be done while sharing the gospel and discipling those who are willing.

We have been in contact with an old friend in Cambodia who is helping us find a place to live upon our return. We are really looking forward to living in our old home, Siem Reap. Reachany will be there when we return as well, and we both are looking forward to seeing her again.

 Your prayers are very appreciated as we gear up towards starting our married life with a bang. We are both very excited about our return, and we appreciate everybody’s continued support as we figure out the details of our future ventures.

With heart,

Caleb and Beth Moseley

If you are interested in supporting us financially:

Checks can be made out to:

Greater Love

and sent to:

3472 Research Pkwy

Ste. 104-363

Colorado Springs, CO 80920

please do not write our names anywhere on the checks! 

And it is totally tax deductible!

Voyages

Hello Friends and Family, 

It has been a while since my last update, and I am sure you have many questions. First off, I am no longer with YWAM as of one week ago. Over the past nine months there have been several things happening under the surface that I have been keeping to myself and seriously hoping that the issues that were happening would work themselves out over time. Sadly, things were getting pretty out of hand and I needed to get out for there for the benefit of the organization and myself.  So after much counsel from my parents and mass amounts of prayer, I gave my resignation and got out. I've been renting an apartment and have been trying to recover and regroup, but it's been rough. I really miss my students. It was very hard and very unfortunate to say goodbye. However, I am confident that God paved the way for me to get out.

                                                                     

                                                                             

On a lighter note, Caleb Moseley popped the question. He asked me to make him the happiest man in the world and become his wife. I said yes, knowing before we started dating that when he asked I would without hesitation say yes.  He has been a beautiful answer from God to prayer. 

We both have the tug to continue on in missions here in Cambodia, but believe that for cultural reasons we should get married and return as a team. We have prayed a lot about what we will be doing when we return. We believe God has called us to carry on his dad’s NGO organization called Greater Love, pioneering it here in Cambodia.  Our focus will be artistic restoration, giving Khmer people the opportunity to study music, web designing, and film making.  While doing this, we can hold Bible studies for the students who are interested in knowing more about Christianity in our home, and we will also be available to help with some community development projects with a super awesome church here. We are quite excited to be married and return to the kingdom of Cambodia as a team, anointed by Abba, loving the Khmer people.                                                                

We are also excited to return with a fresh start, after the rough seas we have experienced during our recent time here.  

I said goodbye to Reachany today. Wow.... that was very hard. She has been my constant friend here and I am REALLY going to miss her. I can't wait to be with her again upon our return.

I am sure some of you are wondering/thinking that Caleb's and my engagement seems fast.  We do believe that our relationship is anointed by God 120% . We both realize this was fast, but when you know, you know. You know?  Both of our families are overjoyed for us and very supportive. 

SO!! With all of that being said, we are traveling back to the states in a couple days. My heart hurts to be away from Cambodia, even if it’s just for a few months, but at the same time I am relieved to be coming home to a loving environment where I can get some healing, and marry my best friend.

I honestly cannot thank you enough for ALL of your prayers!! I hope you know that your prayers are what have been keeping me going so long and kept me from experiencing burning out. Know that I am ecstatic to see all of you and hug you and hear your voices. I will probably just be a mess of tears for a while when I see you.

May Abba continue to make you more aware of His Holy Spirit, and may you be blessed this day!

With Heart,

Beth Dittman (soon to be Moseley ;))

Village Shenanigans

Dearest Family and Friends,

There are so many wonderful things happening over here.  During the past month, there have been many new changes. God has been blessing me amazing new ways.

I mentioned in the last newsletter that I was moving out to the village called Puok, which is about a half hour from where I lived before in Siem Reap. Well, I have been in Puok for one month already, and I am so in love with this place!

I’ve settled in nicely to the quiet yet adventurous life in this village. Other than the giant rats that live in the ceiling and the monstrous river spiders that I find in my bathroom on a daily basis, I am adjusting to village life very well.

Twice a week we ride our bikes out to the real and raw villages. Each Thursday we spend a day with the wide eyed, dirt covered faces, curious, playful village children that eagerly come to sing songs, play games, and listen to Bible stories.

Every Friday, we ride our bikes 30 minutes out to another small village to lead a Bible study for adults 40 to 55 years of age. Right now we are explaining the Apostle’s Creed and praying with them. The Bible study is held at the chief’s house. He is a new believer and so eager and hungry to learn anything he can about God and the Bible. The chief and his wife are extremely hospitable and welcoming! I am so excited and honored to each week to spend time with them.

Finally I am teaching a Music Theory class! My new students are learning fast, we have so much fun together and I am having a great time teaching them! We are working really hard on rhythm right now. It will take time, but I am confident they will get it! I have only four students in my music class, but I am hopeful more will come in the future and I very much appreciate the many benefits of a small class as I build relationships with them.

Sundays we have morning fellowship with our students. Unfortunately, not many of them come. Right now just about 6-7 students join. We are praying for more, and in the meantime, being faithful to teach and disciple the few that we have.  I am helping lead worship for Sunday mornings. This is a new experience for me, but I am really enjoy it, and hope to improve and am asking God to especially bless me in this area because of course we usually only sing songs in the Khmer language for worship music. I am learning Khmer daily and am thankful for all that I have learned, but desire to comprehend and learn so much more as I share the gospel with my new friends in my new home here in Puok.
I had a revelation this past week of how immeasurably blessed I am to be living my dream. My heart for missions has been growing for years and I just tear up when I am in the village sharing the gospel with the Khmer people. Discipleship warms me down to my heart. God is so very good.

Soon after I arrived in Cambodia I began asking you all to pray that God would send me a friend to serve here with me while I am here. I don't know specifics on the details of how you were praying this over me, but God has blessed me with a lifelong partner! Surprise! His name is Caleb Moseley. He is from Colorado, but also spent some growing up years in Bend, Oregon. He is a missionary kid in a family with seven siblings. We met at International Church (cute) while he was here on his YWAM DTS Outreach. He was one of the guys I mentioned that I took fishing in my last update. Well turns out that God had been calling him to missions in Cambodia for a couple months. He is here for two years heading up the Media Department at the Siem Reap. We kept in close contact while he was home in Colorado saying goodbye to family and preparing to return to Cambodia. He bravely asked my parents for permission to pursue me in a biblical courtship and we are now officially “courting.” I am so happy and excited to serve in missions alongside this godly man!

Some prayer point for this next month would be:

1. Wisdom and guidance for teaching in the village and building relationships.
2. Strength as I will be in charge of and leading the base in the village this week. All the other staff has left to attend a conference and have left me in charge. 
3. Prayer for blessing on Caleb and I as we start our journey together. 
4. Pray that my spirits would remain high and my attitude would stay joyful and hopeful. It has been pretty challenging this past month and I have felt discouraged and down. I want to remain positive and, I want to be a light here. 
5. Prayer for finances and that God would keep providing all I need with monthly support, and potentially a mode of transportation. Since I've been in the village travel to the locations I need to get to have increased transportation costs. I am praying that God will provide all of the funds needed to purchase a small moto. In the long run it will be much cheaper.
6. Lastly, courage to face the big spiders in my bathroom each morning.

Once again I am so blessed to have such a strong church family and community back home. All of your prayers and support help me here immensely!
May our God Jehovah be with you and bless you!

With Love,

Beth

Sunrises

Dear Friends and Family!

It’s February! New beginnings, new journals, new years, new sunrises.  All of them give me hope. I really believe that Papa is going to do some amazing things during this next year. I wake up each day with watchful eyes to see how and where God will moving. 

There is a book that came out recently called A Thousand Gifts, about being thankful for the little and big things that we experience and see each day. A friend of mine let me read it, and to put it lightly, I devoured it. The past few months it has been pretty tough for me finding things to be thankful for. God brought that book to me just in time and used it to transform my heart - I am being so much more thankful :) I highly recommend it!  

A week ago, my leader approached me to prayerfully consider co-running a program for kids who are interested in missions, called Kings Kids.  There isn’t a Kings Kids program currently running in Cambodia yet, so this will be a great pioneering experience for me. We will be training the kids to learn how to share the gospel, share their testimonies in front of groups, prayer walking, and learning songs!!  After the training, we will take them and their parents to Phnom Penh and do an outreach. Is there anything more humbling and exciting than helping to empower Papa’s small children to go into the nations and share the good news?  I am quite excited! 

We were out in the village of Pouk (Poowk – the “k” is mostly silent) about three weeks ago, and I had the opportunity to take a team from Montana fishing in a nearby canal…Cambodian style!  Getting to bond with fellow Americans over a fishnet was so exciting!  Montanans are fishermen by trade, so they all got the hang of it pretty fast.  We left with 12 bait-sized fish and far too many snails (which may sound pathetic but that’s a pretty good catch around here.).  There was only 1 leech casualty, which the young lady handled it quite well, so they were all pretty good sports and we enjoyed the fried fish for lunch. Good way to start the New Year! (Dee would be so proud.)

My students are so much brighter than they give themselves credit for. My favorite time of teaching is always Wednesday, as I am free to share the gospel and answer any questions they have about God and His Word.  We all pray together, and this past month has been EXPLOSIVE with the softening of hearts!  Almost everyone wants a Bible. One of my students is from Thailand, and he has been consumed with curiosity about the Bible, and God, and Heaven and Hell.  His English is phenomenal, and he really enjoys reading about philosophy. Keep Chane in your prayers :)  He asked me to point him towards some podcasts and pastors, so I gave him some John Maxwell sermons to listen to and think about.  

Also, my new believer-student, Reachany is very faithful in her Bible reading and prayer. She has questions for us all the time! But she really needs A LOT of prayer! Her family is noticing that something is different about her, and they are tense and worried about her leaving the Buddhist religion. They have called a fortune teller to come and meet with her, so that they can “figure out what wrong with her”  Poor Reachany is terrified that the fortune teller will know that she is washed by the blood of the Lamb, and then tell her parents, resulting in her getting kicked out of the house. 

                                             This is Reachany after our ukulele lesson!!

                                    My students after I made them a team building game.
                                                      They were glad it was over.

                                                                       After music class shenanigans     

Her parents and older siblings have been forcing her to wear a red string on her wrist, which has been “blessed” by one of the Buddhist monks.  It is meant to bring good luck and protection, more specifically protection from demons. Reachany hates wearing it, but doesn’t want to disrespect her parents and doesn’t want to get kicked out. She is still in her mid teens. She loves her family so much, and all of these things are really causing a lot of turmoil inside of her. Please lift her life up to Papa, and cover her in prayer! Pray for intervention, and anointing from the Holy Spirit.

Alright, now time for some exciting news!  After much prayer, and talking to the base leadership, I will be moving out to that small, rural village of Pouk to continue teaching English and music.  I am pretty thrilled about this move as Pouk takes my breath away with its beauty. Muddy oxen trudging on narrow roads. The soothing trickle of streams filled with those little fish. Clean wind rushing through the palm and fig trees.  Wide open rice fields with winding paths. And sunsets blazing on fire!  Smiling children peer out from trees and houses, and they often pour onto the dirt roads and follow me with curiosity. God is good :) He leads me beside still waters and renews my spirit.

                                              Me teaching a team from Montana how to fish with a net, in Pouk village.

One last thing before I go to sleep! God totally answered a prayer that I have been praying since I got here. And one that I know some of you have been praying for me as well. He brought me not one, but two really phenomenal friends that I get to go deep with! I have been blessed beyond what I prayed, and I am so thankful for my new friends. One is from America and one from Costa Rica :) So praise the Lord! He is faithful.  My heath is great! Thank you for those prayers! Please keep me in your prayers as I move out to the village and start doing ministry there. Pray that God would send more people to come to Cambodia and glorify God by expanding His kingdom. 

I want you all to know that I was so moved to hear about all of the prayers you were praying over me during the 5 Days of Prayer. I still am moved. I can honestly say that during those five days, I really felt the Holy Spirit with me each day. And it has been one good day after another since then :) Thank you so much!  P.S. If you would like to know how to pronounce “Pouk” ask my parents. They are pros now at Khmer pronunciation ;) 

I still miss you all tremendously!  May God be with you :) 

Yours In Christ, 

Bethany Dittman 

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Greetings Dear Friends and Family!

I can't believe Christmas is already here! I hope that you are all enjoying the appropriate music, hot beverages, and jolly company of loved ones around you.     

 There are signs of Christmas here in Cambodia as well.  The other day I saw a Christmas tree made out of yogurt containers and tinsel(which sounded pretty oregonian if you ask me ;] )

No signs of snow yet, but I check my window each morning, just in case.

Technically it is the "Cold Season" here in the kingdom, but with the 88 degree temperature and 49% humidity you wouldn't be able to tell.  It has cooled off tremendously!! I wore a sweater today, for about 30 minutes. I refuse to not wear a sweater at least once in December, no matter where int he world I am.

The term for our little school as Spein Neak has closed. We held a large closing program for our students, and gave them their progress report cards. Boy were they ever anxious to get their report cards! My students did exceptionally well! Each one made massive progress this term. And each is looking forward to expanding their skills in this new opening term. Khmer schools don't have a Christmas break, and neither does our school. The YWAM base however does take Christmas break off. We are very blessed to have a team from France come and take over our classes until our return on January 4.   

This was my first full term of teaching ever, I am blessed beyond words to have this opportunity to teach and learn so much from my students.  They have opened up their homes to me, invited me in with all the love and generosity I could ever ask for.  This country is rich with the kindness of khmer hearts.   (Some pictures from graduation) 

 (My student Dochea- pronounced Do-ch- yeh)

After the term ended, all of the teachers put together small short Discipleship Training Program for students who had shown interest this past term in knowing more about God. We planned skits, stories, lessons, and small group sessions.   

Hallelujah Praise the Lord!!! My student that I am the closest with accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior last week! :) Her name is Reachany (pronounced- Ree-chan-ee), she has been searching for answers and desiring to know more about God for months now. She got a Bible, and is so excited to grow in her relationship with the Lord. I can see the change in her, she really honestly glows with joy and new life.  I have to be careful though, every time we eat together, and I forget to pray for our food, she always reminds me, "ahem teacher…..pray for that first." She is onto me ;)

Reachany and I will be meeting on Saturdays for discipleship and help on her homework.  Please keep Reachany in your prayers!

Starting on the 19th is Christmas break!! I am so excited to rest and spend time in the Word, and praying for the coming season. I will be trekking down south to Phnom Penh, to stay with my non-biological aunt and uncle, Dave and Lisa Everitt. They are the first people I stayed with when I came two years ago.

Funny enough, they are from Portland Oregon. The Christian world is so small!  I will also be spending some time in a village called Prey Chhor in Kampong Cham province with a lovely khmer family.  They pastor a church there, and I got an invite for the Christmas service! (Here are some pictures of my time so far!)

                            (Some of the adults singing Christmas songs)

                                         (The children's Nativity skit)

(Traditional khmer apsara dance. My friend Raksmey is in the green dress on the left.)

    (The demon Christmas turkey and chases you if you don't watch your back.)

There have been some concerning issues with my health the past few weeks.  

I have had stomach problems for the past 14 days. When I went in to the doctor two weeks ago to see what could be wrong, they didn't find anything.  It doesn't seem to matter what I eat, nothing helps so far. 

Last week I was having serious nausea and abdominal pain. The doctor here believes that it is colitis, and gave me an antibiotic, which didn't work. I was so blessed to be able to get in touch with Dr. Julie Gilbert, who recommended the correct meds. 

Unfortunately,  I was too late to catch the colitis before it triggered a serious asthma attack. 

Needless to say,  it has been a mess of trying to find the right meds, and struggling to breathe while doing the simplest of things.  The air pollution, dust and smoke here makes breathing with asthmatic lung more challenging.  

I am praying that I am on the upside of all sickness, but I just don't know yet.  Clinics here are quite frustrating.  It's only money to them. 

It breaks my heart, and makes me 100% more appreciative of my doctor back home.  

Will you please pray with me about all of these things?  Some other expat missionaries here are telling me to get home and stay home. I only want God's will in this situation.

One last thing! I just wanted to say that my birthday was on the 20th!

And wanted all of you to know that the past 23 years of my life would not be the same without you.  When I think of home, my first thoughts are not about evergreens,  the Pacific ocean or even the green forest trails for hiking. No, my first thoughts are of the people who I love so dearly.  I have warm memories with each one of you, and those memories are tucked deep inside my heart.  On the hard days, I pull them out, and dwell in nostalgia to help ease my homesickness.

Thank you for welcoming me in with open arms and loving me with a love that is more than any girl could ask for.

God be with you all, and have yourself a merry little Christmas

With Heart,

Beth

                           (Snowmen DO exist in Cambodia! With my God all things are possible!)

                                                   (Khmer Santa!) 

Tides Of Valediction

     Saying goodbye to your closest people is like ….. saying goodbye to the ocean.
Knowing that nothing, not even the crashing waves can call "stay!" and pull you back out to sea. It's gut wrenching.
Such unnatural vibes. Unnatural tides
"Missing you comes in waves,
and right now I am drowning."
Fighting against the tides is seemingly more unattainable then I ever thought it would be.
Keeping my tides from rolling in everyday is quite litcherally futile. At least that's how it is here.

So on a sad note, I write (maybe more for myself) in search of the potential perk of valediction.

Tim Foreman said, "You can't call it love until you've lost. If you love someone this is what it costs."    Jon Foreman asked the question, "Do you love me enough to let me go?"  I appreciate and contemplate these daily.
Lately there has been a different variation of that question:

"Do you, Beth, love Me, Papa, enough to let them go, and come away with Me?"  
Licherally had no idea the depth that this question held when I said "yes" 4 years ago.
Sometimes saying goodbye is just a painful way of saying "I love You" to Papa. Trusting that His voyages are the right voyages. Even when you get caught in sea storms.

I will never forget that figurative moment, when "I boarded this sailing vessel and let go of everyones hands all at once. I shoved off, my sails filled with the breath of the Holy Spirit, headed towards my True North. Seagulls overhead as I watched everyones faces shrink into the distance, Washington and Oregon faded as we headed toward the setting sun."  Sounds adventurous, right?
To be honest, I never once felt brave or adventurous that day.
Only obedient, minutely hopeful and called. That day my heart broke, for the second time.

The perk to the valediction was that, this time, I deeply, fully understood what I was leaving behind.
Suddenly I was living without the luxury of rolling outta bed in the morning and wandering into the same living room with my crazy, equally as groggy but loving family members.

Going about each day without morning coffee with my mom and sister.

Trekking to find new jams without my dads company.

Having to journal my deepest thoughts without my resting my head against my faithful, spirited and valiant canine friend.

Living without taking the northbound train to visit my dearest nonbiological family in Kingston, WA whenever I wanted.

I was without the evergreens and loose leaf tea.

Without the Puget Sound and forest trails for hiking.

Without my most cherish and heart harbored friend.

It's been a lengthy, arduous voyage.

"How blessed I am to have something so hard to say goodbye to." said Winnie the Pooh

I once neglected to recognize my abundance of blessings.  Never again.
These are my souvenirs.
And enough is a feast, after all.
The people in this new land, they don't understand what I left behind when I came here. And I have to be okay with that. These are MY souvenirs.

"You feel your heart beat loudest when it's breaking."
I would rather feel my heart beating from brokeness than not feel it beating at all.

I am moved to write this today on account that my closest friend, in this place, just left for his voyage.
Godspeed Kyle.

Just when I think I haven't got another goodbye in me, I find that if I search my hollow harbor deep enough, there is usually one hiding under a tide somewhere.

So today, I can't bring myself to believe that a goodbye is a new beginning on my end, but rather just another saltwater tempest.  I sail on knowing the winds will die down, and the waves will find their peace again.
Today I am gripping the mast to brace myself against the storm, like so many times before.
Goodbyes never get easier. And they shouldn't.
"I know that there's a meaning to it all. A little resurrection every time I fall."
"My hope is anchored on the Other Side."