Small Beginnings

Greetings Friends and Family from the kingdom of Cambodia:

It has been a month and a half since my arrival and I believe I am nearly adjusted. 

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support! 

I rejoice each day for where I am during this season of my life. It has been so great to be back here, teaching, learning the language, spending time with my old students, and mostly just being a part of God's plan for Cambodia. 

(pics of my arrival)

My body is pretty well adjusted to the heat. Unfortunately, it is having a hard time producing enough blood to keep up with the mosquitos ;) I think my stomach is almost adjusted to Khmer (Cambodian) food. PRAISE THE LORD!! It's been a rough month in that area. I went for my first run the other day!!! Let me tell you, it was only fifteen minutes, but I almost called a moto driver to take me back home. I've never been so flamingly overheated in my life!!! I plan on continuing these running endeavors at least every other day.
Prayers are really appreciated!

The rain comes in bucket loads almost daily, bringing flashes of lighting and booming thunder with it. It’s not like Oregon rain, and I have to remember that I am no longer surrounded by Oregonians.  When it rains here nearly everything stops. People run for cover and wait. My students stay home, and I get weird looks when I throw on a hoodie and march on down the muddy road.

(monsoon on a Sunday)

I just finished my third week of teaching! The past five days have been a little scary, and a tiny bit stressful,but overall very fulfilling and quite an adventure.

I have about 10 students in each class with an age range of 12-22, and all of them are brilliant! My first class is a reading class, and none of my students speak English so giving instructions and explaining things is awesome and VERY tricky! I am praising the Lord for being bigger than language barriers! Ha ha

(These are some pictures of my students studying prefixes during class.)

Already one of my students is asking about God and she is hungry to know more about Him. Sadly, she is too afraid to take a step toward salvation because she knows her family will kick her out of the house. She is only sixteen-years-old.

Please pray for her and God’s plan in her life.

This next weekend is a Khmer holiday called Puchum Ben, and so all of Cambodia is preparing to celebrate. Starting on Saturday everyone will go to their home village and worship their false gods at the pagodas, offering food, money, and prayers. Most of my students will be joining their family for the holiday, and it just makes me pray for them more earnestly! I want them to know the True God actually hears their prayers.
One of my students named Luke (pronounced Luka) is a solid believer in Jesus Christ, and he is bold in sharing his faith.  He invited me to go to a gathering at his church during the pagan holiday. We are going to spend most of the time in prayer for the rest of our class. I praise God for blessing me with my student Luke! Keep him in your prayers.

If you would also pray for our base to receive more staff that would be a HUGE blessing. We are pretty shorthanded around here.

Please pray for me to stay strong and not get too overwhelmed with homesickness.

I miss all of you so much. Joy, humility, passion and deep euphoria fill my soul when I remember your support and prayers. I thank Papa for you daily!

Stay strong!  Keep up the good flight!

Love Always,

Beth Dittman