Hello!
This is my blog and prayer letter for an upcoming
mission trip to Cambodia. I would love to have a moment of your time to tell
you about this opportunity that I am very excited for! I've never
written a blog before, so this will be interesting for all of us. Here goes...
My name is Aaron Hemsworth, and I am a Christian. For those who don't know me, I'll tell you more about myself and what I mean when I say I'm a Christian in my next blog- stay posted! I am 24 years old, and live
in Ankeny, Iowa.
I am a registered nurse, and I've been praying about how
I can use nursing for Christ. I am able to use it here in the U.S., and have
been given countless opportunities to help others physically and spiritually, for which I am thankful. I am also humbled by this, that God would want to use me!
Isn't it so neat that He chooses to use us, even though He doesn't need to?
While I love this country, it is a small part of this world, and I want to go somewhere different to help others who may not have the access to health care like many Americans do, and who may not have heard about Jesus Christ and what He did for them.
While I love this country, it is a small part of this world, and I want to go somewhere different to help others who may not have the access to health care like many Americans do, and who may not have heard about Jesus Christ and what He did for them.
As I've mentioned, the trip is to Cambodia. I've never been there, but I can tell you what I know. Cambodia is a country located in Southeast Asia, south of Laos, and is situated
between Thailand and Vietnam. Cambodia is a relatively small country with a
population of around 15 million people. The predominant religion is Buddhist. I
understand that Cambodia is fairly developed in the larger cities, but not typically in the villages. Fishing is the major livelihood there, and many
Cambodians have very limited access to health care, if any at all. Cambodians
primarily speak Khmer, although some do know English.
Our team was organized through a Christian organization called Baptist Mid-Missions (https://www.bmm.org/), and is intentionally small, consisting of Christian
medical professionals: Three physicians, a nurse practitioner, another nurse,
and myself. I have never met any of these individuals, but I am very much
looking forward to! The trip is from January 23 through February 7, 2015.
We will meet together in the U.S. and fly to Seoul, South Korea, and then to the
capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. From there, we will travel to an area in West Cambodia and meet up with a medical doctor and her husband (a pastor) who
are veteran missionaries there. We will be able to minister in a church there (I
claim the piano!), and encourage believers.
Cambodia will be quite warm while we're there, and we'll be traveling by bus/boat/foot to various villages to provide medical care through mobile clinics. We are bringing medical supplies and medicine with us on our trip. In the past, groups have done things such as health education, vitals, wound care, treating infections, etc., but I won't know the specifics of what all we will be doing as far as medical care goes until after I'm there- it'll be based on the needs of those we see. This being said, flexibility will be a good asset for us! I will be sure to write all about my experience when I get back.
A two-week mission's trip isn't terribly long, but it's my prayer that we are still able to be effective in this time frame, and that I am able to get a feel for foreign medical missions. I am thankful for the team God has brought together and for the believers and veteran missionaries with whom we will be working. We should be able to arrive and get busy right away.
Cambodia will be quite warm while we're there, and we'll be traveling by bus/boat/foot to various villages to provide medical care through mobile clinics. We are bringing medical supplies and medicine with us on our trip. In the past, groups have done things such as health education, vitals, wound care, treating infections, etc., but I won't know the specifics of what all we will be doing as far as medical care goes until after I'm there- it'll be based on the needs of those we see. This being said, flexibility will be a good asset for us! I will be sure to write all about my experience when I get back.
A two-week mission's trip isn't terribly long, but it's my prayer that we are still able to be effective in this time frame, and that I am able to get a feel for foreign medical missions. I am thankful for the team God has brought together and for the believers and veteran missionaries with whom we will be working. We should be able to arrive and get busy right away.
As we are meeting physical needs through medical care, we have an even greater desire to help meet their spiritual needs. We will be partnering with Cambodia believers who will
tell those who come for medical care about Christ, and we will do the same
through translators and with those who speak English.
My main goal for this trip to Cambodia is not only to provide care
for anyone who needs it, but also tell anyone willing to listen about Christ
and what He did for us. It is my desire that we are able to encourage Cambodia
believers there too. I think many times when we decide to serve the Lord, we
might subtly have the attitude of "I'm so thankful that God is going
to use me in the lives of others," but many times God ends up teaching us and using others
in our lives!
While not a primary reason for this trip, I secondarily want go on
this experience to see how God will lead in my life. Will He use this to call
me into full-time missions? Have me make a habit of going on short-term missions
in the future? Only He knows, but I want to be willing.
Paul, in his book to the Romans, says "I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
~Romans 12:1
I want to have this same attitude and to be dedicated to
serving the Lord however He leads.
This trip will occur during the beginning of another semester of school and working full time, but as far as I can tell,
I will be free from both responsibilities for the trip's duration. Praise the
Lord for vacation days at work and for understanding professors who are letting me work ahead so I can leave the country during the semester!
Will you pray with me?
-Pray for those we will be caring for and ministering to, that
they will be open to listening to the gospel
-Pray for the team as we prepare for this trip
-Pray that my lack of experience in foreign missions wouldn't
hinder the spread of the gospel. I want to learn as much as I can from this
experience and build relationships with the Cambodians I meet there
-Pray I will be able to learn about their culture, and not
demonstrate any ethnocentric behaviors I'm not aware of which could be a
barrier to what we want to do
-Pray that I would be used of God, and that He'll use this trip
in my life however He chooses
Lastly, while money doesn't make the world go 'round, money is
necessary for me to go 'round the world! Between travel costs and the
cost to stay in Cambodia, my total expenses will be $2,300. God has lead me this far, and I am confident He will provide the funds to continue however He chooses. When you pray for me, you can also pray that
those who are able will give as they are lead.
Any financial gifts should be directed to my church and
specified for my Cambodia trip:
Community Baptist Church
PO Box 549
Ankeny, Iowa 50021
All gifts are tax-deductible and highly appreciated.
One last thought:
In Matthew chapter 9, we can read about an early part of Jesus'
earthly ministry. The end of the chapter reads:
"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching
in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing
every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the
multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and
scattered, like having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is
plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the Harvest to
send out laborers into His harvest.' " ~Matthew 9:35-38
Christ went to the villages, helped the sick, and preached the
gospel. He saw the lost, and had compassion on them. I am not worthy to be
compared with Christ, but I want to follow His example. As inadequate as I am,
I want to be His laborer- in Cambodia, in the U.S., and wherever I go.
Seeking to live for the One who died for me,
Aaron
