I’m delighted to have been asked to share some of our experience of Cambodia on David and Esther’s blog today. Dan and I have been here for almost a week and have absolutely loved our time here so far, which has been full of new sights, new people and a lot of excitement for what is happening here in Cambodia.
We have wanted to visit David and Esther here ever since we heard about the work they are doing and everything that includes. There is such a hub of activity in the centre in Phnom Penh with the Early Leaning Centre, Be Free and the Church. There is a real sense of community that can be felt as soon as you arrive at the centre and are welcomed by the children and adults.
On our second day here, we had the opportunity to visit Kep, a province on the coast, to see the church plant and the football groups. We drove there with David and Chamnap and got to experience the driving here, which is really quite different from how we drive in the UK! It was great to meet Sarak and Sophea and their son, Harry when we arrived in Kep. We enjoyed spending time with them and hearing about their story; how they decided to go to Kep earlier this year to plant the church. Dan and I were inspired by their courage to move to a new place, away from their family and community in Phnom Penh to be pioneers of the church there. They were willing to go, knowing it would be a challenge but knowing their God would be with them through each step. This reminded me of how God doesn’t ask for us to be equipped or qualified for his plan, he asks us firstly to be willing to go. Sarak and Sophea are faith-filled people who are going to do incredible things in Kep through His strength.

On this trip, Dan and I have had the chance to meet and work with some groups that connect with our passions. While in Kep, Dan took a football coaching session that is run each week by David and Sarak for teachers from one of the local schools. Football is such a great way to bring people together, and a great way to evangelise and build relationships with those who don’t yet know Jesus. Dan will get to go to Kep again on Monday to do some more coaching with the adult and the children’s groups. I have no doubt that these football groups will have a very important role in building friendships and connecting with those living in Kep. I am excited to hear and see what it will lead to and how God will use it.
Before heading back to Phnom Penh, we drove to Kampot and visited Epic Arts. This is a centre that trains dancers with physical disabilities at a professional level. My job back in the UK is a dance practitioner. I work with with a theatre company for learning disabled actors in Derby as well as working for a local dance organisation and an arts project at Derby Royal Hospital. I love making dance accessible to anyone at any age. My main passion is working with people with learning or physical disabilities and find it to be an incredibly inspiring job. Epic Arts’ mission statement is “see ability, not disability” which was such a salient description on what is happening there. I had the privilege of watching their morning dance class and was just in awe of their physical strength and ability. It was beautiful and connected so much with my passion. Epic Arts is a pioneering organisation here in Cambodia and it’s the only of its kind in this country. They want to change people’s perspective on Cambodians with disabilities by showing what they can do; they can dance professionally, they can be a teacher, they can dream big and change people’s view on what they are capable of.
During our trip to Kep and Kampot, I really enjoyed talking with Chamnap about his experience of working with people with disabilities in Cambodia. He was once the chair of the board for Epic Arts and has been involved in so many other organisations. He is clearly a very gifted person in what he does and I was really inspired by his vision for planting churches and his passion for the church. I could tell this man is so important to the church and is a clear leader. He also has a brilliant sense of humor which is very important too!
Over the last two days, I’ve spent time at Be Free, meeting the women who work there. The women who are part of the Be Free programme are learning English. It was great to be part of some of their English classes and seeing their desire to learn. Be Free provides these women with a safe place to thrive, learn and dream big for their future. It is amazing to think how these things along with God’s love has completely changed each woman’s life and has given them the chance they deserve. I can really see Esther’s creativity woven into everything in Be Free as well as her motherly love for each of the women. I can see that each of them love Esther very much. They are very skilled in making gifts and crafts and they have been working hard on some big Christmas decoration orders ready to be sold later this year. The story that will travel with each craft and gift they make will inspire those who buy them.
Dan and I have loved being immersed in the Cambodian culture and we are so excited for what the rest of our trip holds. We feel so blessed to have been able to come and visit David and Esther in Cambodia and to have an insight to everything God is doing here. We find it so amazing that although our culture in the UK is so different from here, God’s love is the same wherever you see it; the joy and peace you see in someone who knows Christ and the courage it gives us to live for Him. David and Esther are a generous, faith-filled and courageous couple who have submitted their lives to God for his purpose. Everything they are doing in Cambodia is a testament to how God will do more than we can imagine if you are willing to go.