Go Beyond

Poipet, Cambodia

The heat in western Cambodia has been intense the past couple of days. Add to that low humidity, no breeze, digging holes in hard-packed ground, and mixing lots of concrete and you have the perfect formula for getting really dirty and tired. But in spite of the heat, our men and our Cambodian friends have installed almost half of the play and exercise equipment at The Hope Center campus in Poipet.

The heat and the dirt is not the only thing we have had to contend with. We have also had to stop several times to repair our auger, cement mixer, and gas-powered tamper. One advantage of having a group of mechanically inclined guys is that they know how to MacGyver anything that breaks down. No panic. No whining. Just quick action and creative solutions and then back to work.

In many ways, installing the play and exercise equipment at The Hope Center is like planting trees. I mentioned in a post last month that tree planters invest in the next generation. They plant trees because they believe that someone in the future will enjoy sitting under the shade of the trees they have planted. They labor on behalf of people they will never meet. And so it is with our labor this week.

The thought of the poor having a place to enjoy and to connect with people who will affirm their worth is motivating. So many people in this difficult place have never heard anyone tell them that God loves and cares for them. One good thing about The Hope Center is that this brick and mortar location will have permanence beyond our generation. It is a place where God’s love will be demonstrated and shared for years and years to come in ways people can understand.

We can take the heat, the sweat, and deal with getting absolutely filthy because we are laboring for a good cause — for a really great cause. Although we end the day covered in dirt and get up in the morning with a few aches, we are highly motivated to get back to work because we know why we labor. Ultimately this is all about the kingdom, bringing glory to God, and working toward the day when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9). We are ok with getting dirty for a great cause.