Alicia kim's blog

Day 4

Today, we went to the Children at Risk center where Vandy mainly focuses. This was the smallest center we went to and had the most good living conditions. We had the same routine as the others in the morning. However, we had a raffle where two or three members came up and picked a number and that person would get a prize from the mystery box. We did about twenty raffles until we started the activities. 

Our group went outside to jump rope and basketball. I hugged and lifted many small kids, especially girls who wanted a lift.

There was a boy who was playing with the kitten so I went to take a look at it. I also saw a kitten with a crooked tail. It was skinny but every pet in Cambodia was skinny.

After the activities, we handed out the gifts and took pictures with them. Then, we lined up near the entrance, a few handing out the soda and chicken, waving hands at them, and saying goodbye. I high-fived and fist-bumped each of the kids who were going outside.

After everyone got their gift and snacks, we all waved goodbye to them and went on the bus to eat lunch. We went to the same restaurant as Tuesday. There were different and similar dishes and it was delicious. Then, I went to the cafe nearby to buy Thai milk tea. It was really good but I wished there were bobas inside. Then, we went back to the Children at Risk center for the adult service. There were parents and grandparents and a few kids. I noticed that women sat on the ground while men sat on chairs behind them. Our pastor explained that it was the culture here. We sat around the adults and we mostly hung out with the kids. Two girls did some of the members’ hair. One of the girls braided my hair with two hair ties. There were also two girls and a boy I and my friend played the game, APT (Korean game), together. We could see how they were having fun. We played many different games because the adult service was very long.

The last activity we had was musical chairs. Because only adults could participate, we took the kids and had another dance party. We jumped while holding hands together and I lifted some of the girls and jumped. It was a great bonding time with the few kids there. After that, we took a picture and handed out the gifts.

Then, we handed out the omelets and tea to each adult. After finishing everything, we went outside and stayed and hugged goodbyes to the kids in the adult service. Almost four people were weeping and wiping their tears. When I went to hug the girls I met during the service, I felt myself choking on tears. I tried not to cry for the kids’ sake. When our pastor called everyone in for the last gathering with the staff and Vandy, we went back to the center. By the time  I stood in a circle with all the members and staff, I could see that I was dropping a few tears. I quickly wiped it. We went around high-fiving everyone, telling them ‘Good job’ and ‘Thank you’. After that, we prayed all together about the time we spent for three days, going around different shelters and villages. Following that, we invited a dad who has stage four cancer and has very little chance of survival. We all prayed for God to give him a miracle and purity so that all the evil spirit in him would leave his body, allowing him to live happily with his family. While I was praying, I could feel my tears dropping down. I realized I was weeping. I prayed for him with all my heart and might. After the prayer, we packed all our stuff and said goodbye to the village. We went to our bus and packed all of the remainder of our belongings on the back of the bus. I sat alone on the way to dinner. I leaned on the window and prayed for all of the kids I saw during the mission trip. I prayed for their health and safety along with their happiness and blessings. I also prayed for them to live in a better condition and grow up healthily and happily. Suddenly, I felt a mix of emotions wavering over me. I knew I wanted to come back to see the kids again next year but I don’t know if that is going to be ever possible. I knew I wouldn’t ever forget about them. I also knew that a part of me would always be in Cambodia. I wanted the best for the kids and their families and I wanted to fully devote myself to God. With these thoughts, the tears in my eyes slowly dripped down my face and I started sobbing. I don’t know what really made me sad and sorrowful but I just cried leaning by the window while praying about all of the children and families. I ended my prayer and wept until we arrived at the mall. We went to the buffet for our last meal together with the staff. We ate a hot pot with meat and seafood. We went back to the hotel, swam, and ate another 10 kg of mangoes. Our teachers let us stay up late since it was our last day. My roommates and I slept late, hanging out and packing our belongings. I couldn’t believe tomorrow was our last day. 

Day 5

Today was my last day in Cambodia. We gathered up after packing and went to the city. We first went to the National Museum where there were the Buddhist statues and garden. We looked around for about over one hour and went to the Central Market. We splitted up into groups and looked through different sections: clothes, food, jewelries, and more. Many people bought souvenirs, pants, and watches. After looking through almost every corner, we made a brief stop at the riverside. There were ferries and palm trees. It almost looked a bit like Hawaii. Me and my roommates walked through the path near the river and watched the sunset. Then, we went to the airport and got our dinner; we checked into the airport. I was surprised that there weren’t crowds of people gathered inside the terminals and gates. We arrived three hours early so we had time to chill and buy souvenirs and food. It felt like a long day even though there weren’t a lot of things we did. I felt that the trip went by quicker than I had expected. I looked back through the days when we were busy, when we were having fun, and when we were crying. I looked back and thought of the families, the kids, and the staff we worked with. I felt proud that I went through the mission trip and I wished the best for the families and kids. I also wished the staff and Vandy blessings for their effort to keep the kids safe. It was finally time to board the airplane. I took my seat and looked outside at the dark and deep sky. I could finally believe that everything was over.