• Posted:
  • July 3, 2025
  • Categories:
  • Local & Global Impact

My First Mission Trip to Cambodia: A Reflection

My name is Bev, and I work as the Missions Team administrator at FAC. One of my favourite things to do is to help coordinate mission trips. So, why not go on one!? I was one of five team members to go to Cambodia this summer. A question that I have been asked a few times is why I went on this trip.

In 2024, Pastor Briana was looking for people to go on a different short-term mission trip (STM) and asked if I would be interested.  While I was deciding, the 2024 Cambodia trip was suddenly postponed to 2025.  My heart sank. It was then that I realized I was supposed to go to Cambodia. I didn’t know why, I just knew I had to go. My daughter, Sarah, wanted to go on this trip with me. Going on this trip with her will always be a special memory. No matter how many places I go, Cambodia will always have a special place in my heart now!

This being my first short-term mission trip, I was a little nervous, not knowing what to expect. I had never been outside of North America.  Everything from the long flights, what would be expected, the language and even the food were all new to me.

God had his hand on this trip right from the beginning. The flights were easy, and the luggage arrived with us. The drive from Phnom Penh to Battambang was a beautiful 3 ½ hour drive. We were met at the campus by Jeff and Valentina.  They were gracious hosts all through the trip.  I most appreciated their gentle introduction to Cambodian life.  

We all learned very quickly that everyone at YWAM works hard and plays hard. The passion to share Jesus was evident from the first person we met to the very last day of our trip.  

(Left to right: Pat, Sarah, Tolu, Bev & Seyi)

There were two murals on the walls of the prayer room: “Know God and Make God Known”. This sums up the work that YWAM Battambang is doing. This is the work that each Christ follower should be doing!  Many lessons come from these statements.

One of the lessons I learned is that there is nothing too small for God to use.  Often feeling inadequate and not speaking the language, it felt like what I was doing was insignificant.  God used my inadequacies for his glory.

We brought crafts with us to do with the kids. One of the crafts we brought was Salvation story bracelets. While still in Canada, we had prepackaged about 50 bracelet kits. We thought this would be a craft we did once, but that wasn’t God‘s plan. We went out into villages every day and shared the gospel message using these bracelets.

It didn’t seem like much, but every night we would make up to 30 kits to take out with us the next day.  Soon, we had our translators asking us for a bracelet, and then teachers were asking us for the bracelets, and then we noticed the kids in the Bible and English classes were coming with bracelets.  Each one of these bracelets represented a person who had heard the gospel message!

We had the privilege to bring 5 bags of brand new clothes, running shoes and soccer gloves with us.  We brought them, not knowing where or how they would be used.  We gave them to Jeff and Valentina and said to use them as they saw appropriate.

On the last Sunday morning of the month, their kids’ program has a Market Day.  The children earn tokens throughout the month for coming to Sunday School.  At the end of the month, they can use the tokens to purchase items at the market.  One of the bags with a mix of all the things we brought was set out for the kids to buy with their tokens. It was another small act that didn’t seem like much that brought so much joy to so many.

One of my highlights of the whole trip came at the beginning of our first week.  On Monday, we went to one of the villages, and there were about 6 ladies plus children gathered.  They started their gathering by sharing and praying with one another. I was able to share my testimony, and we shared the salvation bracelets.

At the end of the gathering, I noticed my translator was praying with this young woman, and I realized that she was leading her in prayer.  On our way back, I asked my translator if this young woman had accepted Christ…and she did!! The following Sunday, this young lady and her baby showed up at church! 

A short-term mission trip will challenge everything you know, or think you know.  In Canada, we determine wealth in monetary value.  In Cambodia, there is monetary wealth, but those who share community, live together, meet to pray together, to hold one another up with encouragement when things are hard, that is true wealth.  

1 Thessalonians 5:14:

Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Speaking of community! Enjoying an off-campus lunch with Jeff & Valentina.

It was an amazing week, with amazing memories, new relationships and shared experiences.  

What would I say to someone wondering if they should go on a trip?  

Go for it! Immerse yourself in the people, the culture, and work with your hosts to make God known; you will not regret it!  You will have memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.  

 

Bev, thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience and learnings from the Cambodia STM! At FAC, missions are about joining in where God is already at work. Want to take part? Come to our Garage Sale Fundraiser on Saturday, July 5. All funds raised will go toward supporting future teams through the Short Term Missions Fund!

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