Chicken Hearts and Heart-to-Hearts?

I would like to begin this post with an apology. 

I won't name any names  *cough* *cough* Mother *cough* but it has been brought to my attention that I don't capitalize the word English. 

So I apologize to everyone that I may have offended. 

I will try to be better about that.

Anyways. 

Last night I had my first outing since the poisoning incident on Friday. 

Hooray! 

We went to the school for some dinner and much needed fellowship. As soon as we arrived, the students were coming up and checking on me and asking if I felt better. They kept telling me that they prayed every night for me. 

They are seriously the best.

Srey Nang had a rotisserie chicken and a pot of rice ready for us. 

That chicken was the best thing in the world. 

Yes, it still had the legs, claws, and head on it.

But it tasted like home.

*We let Sythourn eat the head*

We ate and chatted.

Srey Nang said that several of my students were really worried about me and asked if they could help me feel better. They are precious. 

Even if they did they call me the weaker teacher compared to Sarah (since I was the one that got sick). 

Whatever.    

My feelings aren't toooo hurt. 

Our night was full of laughter and I loved every minute of it.

It was so nice to feel cared for. 

Monday rocked.

Although, it was quite hot today.

I seriously have never sweated do much in my life.

Hooray for detoxing though...

Right?

*I'm trying to look on the bright side of things as my sweat is forming puddles at my feet. Too much information? I apologize*

The students requested a unit on health since mine has been such a big deal recently. I gladly agreed and we dove into pain and sickness. Somehow the definitions of sneezing and coughing and headaches turned into the definitions of veins and blood and organs. My lesson over health had suddenly turned into an anatomy lesson. 

At one point they were trying to ask what the difference was between the liver and the lungs. But without knowing the word for liver. Or lung. There was a lot of pointing and demonstrating and broken English involved. Finally, Veesna jumped up and ran out of the room. A few seconds went by and he ran back in with a large spatula. He motioned for me to come over and held it out for me to see. 

Well folks. 

There was an animal's *my guess was chicken* heart and lungs fully intact and lying open on the large spatula. 

You can't have an anatomy lesson without a dissection right?

We finally cleared up the difference between having 1 liver and 2 lungs and concluded our morning session. 

After a load of laundry and nap we headed back to the school for the afternoon session. I decided to teach them more conversation skills by helping them with the idea of "making plans." This was a bit abstract and I'm not sure if anyone had any idea what I was trying to say when I asked them if they were free on Friday. But they were troopers and the 2 hours flew by. 

During our hour and a half break between the afternoon session with the students and then our evening English lesson with the children, I sat in the common room area and just listened to everyone talk. Sometimes I'll be able to pick up words and phrases, but most of the time I have no idea what is being said. And it's okay. 

Sythourn then began to ask me questions about my family and life back in America. He asked if I liked to cook and, when I responded yes, he said I must be a very good daughter. *of course I agreed that I was* He said that in order to be a good daughter or son here, you had to be obedient, cook, clean, avoid laziness, and be respectful. He said that he used to not be a good son. I asked him why and he went on to tell me that he disobeyed, fought, got involved with heroin, stayed in other villages, and never listened to his parents. 

I was shocked. 

Sweet little Sythourn? 

He's only 19 years old. 

But then he said he found God and He told Sythourn to stop doing those things and so he stopped and became a good son. I asked him if his parents were happy with him now. He told me that his mother died and his father remarried 6 years ago. They are all Buddhist and when Sythourn tries to share his faith with them, they agree that it sounds great. But Sythourn said that "they still do not believe.. it is so hard."

We kept talking and pretty soon it was time for me to head back to the classroom with Sarah to meet the children. 

But I will never forget that conversation. 

It was my first heart-to-heart here. 

All of my students have their own story.

It's so easy to group them together, but they are all so different.

Different families.

Different home lives.

Different struggles.

Different pain.

Different stories. 

And the way that they all have their own personal and unique history and relationship with God is my favorite part. 

We all worship the same God. 

The God that created each one of us.

The God that makes flowers bloom.

The God that rescues you from your despair.

The God that pulls you out of a pit.

The God that heals you broken heart.

The God that hears each one of us.

The God that is so in love with each one of us.

This trip has showed me a lot of things that I take for granted back home. 

My relationship with God is absolutely one of them.

Everything seems so much simpler here.

So much clearer. 

Christianity is not the norm here.

This is not the Bible Belt like it is back home. 

They don't have to follow God here.

They choose to.

They absolutely love him and desire that relationship with him.

And God is here and so ready to love them.

It's so real. 

I'm figuring out how to take this home because it's contagious. 

*We learned that word today in our health unit*

Complacency is not really present here and I want that word out of my life back home. 

This teacher is being taught a lot. 

I'm slowly learning.

And it rocks.

As the deer pants for the water

So my souls longs after you

You alone are my heart's desire 

And I long to worship you

You alone are my strength my shield 

To you alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship you

I want you more than gold or silver

Only you can satisfy

You alone are the real joy giver

And the apple of my eye

Amen. 

Blessings,

Cassie