Day Eight – Tuesday

Today begins like any other morning we’ve had, but today is different. Today, we must say farewell to our new friends at Kong Pixay. The tears are already being stored up and we know they are going to flow. We will NEVER be the same. We each are so grateful.

On our way to the home this morning we stop to buy rice, oil and salt for them. Staples for us back home, but huge blessings to the people here. On the street, we saw a woman carrying a giant breadbasket and part of our team got off the bus and approached her asking to purchase all of it. As they pantomimed their request, Jork came over to interpret. A sale was made and for $20 a jumbo basket and bread were purchased and this woman was blown away. Her pearly whites shined bright as she walked along, shocked and joyous sharing with her friends. It was awesome.

We arrive to Kong Pixay and there is a parade of children waiting to walk with us. They help carry our water, shoes and anything else they can. They are eager to see us and the feeling is always mutual.

After applying sunscreen, which always entertains the kids, we set to work mixing cement (We are getting good at this!) for continued work on the sidewalk and the brickwork that is along the front fence. Today, especially, we savor working along side the kids. This is their home, their church and their neighborhood and it is so good they are working WITH us to build.

In addition to the projects today, we also bought and installed a hand pump for the well. This hand pump is going to be awesome! Now, they will no longer need gasoline, which is very expensive and the motor will not need to be maintained. This well not only benefits the home but also the local village surrounding the home, as this is the only well in the area. Let the water flow!

We worked in the morning and into the early afternoon, stopping around 4. (Team funds will provide for these projects to be completed by the local people. This means a few more days of work for them!) Now, it’s playtime!! All 12 of us join in. From volleyball to red light green light, it is so much fun to play as one big family. It was a precious time.

After we played hard, we gathered to pray hard! We gathered all the kids and staff in the church and put them into a big circle. Individually, we thanked them for this amazing time together. It was an emotional time for each of us and for each of them. Team members shared prophetic words and pictures over the children and staff. Jork interpreted for us. The staff thanked us as well and shed many tears. As a team, we knew we would be emotional, but to see these kids and staff crying made our hearts ache even more. We will miss our new friends! What they asked of us is that we would remember them back in Olympia and PRAY FOR THEM. Later, Jork said of all his teams ours was the first to prophecy over the children. We were so blessed to be a tool to send God’s message.

After this awesome prayer time, it was time to say goodbye, grab our belongings and head to the bus. By the time we left, it was getting dark and the lights of the church were on. They didn’t have lights prior to this trip, but because of the solar panels they now have the ability to run lights. They are the only place in this village with solar powered lights. Think of the doors this opens for them in their community. They truly are a beacon of light to their village!

Remember the baby we prayed for the day before? Her mother came back and was praising God that her baby had slept through the night. Woop Woop! She and her baby joined us during our prayer time.

Thank you for your prayers! Hear ends another great day.