T- 12:44 and counting

It started months ago. There was an ad in the Christian Chronicle. There was discussion. There was research. There was a lot of discussion. Now, about one year later, we are 13 hours away from leaving for Cambodia.

In the last 12 months I have learned so much. I have learned about the horrors of the child sex trade in southeast Asia, and the world. I have learned that one person can have an impact on the lives of hundreds of young women. I have learned about human slavery all over the world, including the U.S. I have been appalled at the savagery of one man towards another, and how the ego or ideals (whatever you choose to call it) can nearly wipe out a generation.

Some of that learning came from:

• watched Red Light, a documentary on Cambodian child sex trafficking
• read Somaly Mam's book, The Road of Lost Innocence
• read Not For Sale
• read a couple of books on the Khmer Rouge
• read a couple of books on sharing the Gospel with Buddhists
• watched The Killing Fields
• read countless Cambodia travel books
• read LARGE book on the culture of Vietnam
• watched Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Food about Cambodia
• watched Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations about Cambodia (hey, a guy has to eat - or not!)

But, I have also learned about hope. I have learned about faith. I have learned about people willing to sacrifice the comforts of home and family to go to a faraway land and share God with a people who have never met Him. I have been inspired.

So, shortly, Debbie and I will begin the adventure of a life time. We thought we were embarking on an adventure back in December of 1978, WE HAD NO IDEA! I mean, it has all been an adventure, but the adventure is getting bigger. By Monday evening, we will be on the Mekong River. THE Mekong River. We will be on the Ship of Life offering medicine for the body and the soul. Well, we won't be offering medicine (for the sake of the Cambodians), but we will be showing/sharing the love of Christ.

I am asking all prayer warriors to bring our name before the Father. We need Him. Remember the Ship of Life. It is a great work and we want God to be central in all it does. We can put politics and government issues aside. The focus is on instilling the heart of God in a people who desperately need it.

I will be writing more in the coming days and weeks. See you on the river!