we still have HOPE

HEY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!!

As many of you may know, my team has been partnering with HOPE International School Siem Reap for the past two months here in Siem Reap, Cambodia! Each of us have a few different roles at the school, these include: teacher assistants, club organizers, yearbook editors, art teachers, and Christmas program planners! We absolutely love the community here and are so sad our time here in Cambodia is winding down. 

On Friday, December 16, HOPE International School Siem Reap will open its doors to students for the last time. Due to many factors and major financial issues, the school can no longer afford to stay open. I have said so many times how HOPE is a family– and as the days left at school become less and less, this is even more evident. The teachers and families love each other so much and love doing life together. The students view the school as one big family from all over the world- and they invited us into that. They opened their hearts to us this past two months, the fun times and the hard times, the Lord allowed us to walk it with them. Many teachers and parents have told us, “You came just at the right time.” And I do not think I fully understood what they meant until this week. The Lord allowed us to come at a time when we could support the teachers and be a smiling face to the students. We were able to take some responsibility off the teacher’s shoulders and allow them to spend time together. We were able to become friends with the students and truly pour into them. It breaks my heart this is how the school is ending, in the middle of the school year and so abruptly, but the Lord will use this in His greater plan for the teachers, staff, and families of HOPE school. 

Please be in prayer for the students, teachers, staff, families of HOPE school, and my team this week as we say our goodbyes. We love these students and teachers so much and have developed such sweet relationships with them- these goodbyes will be so hard. On the World Race, you are not surrounded by your family so the people around you become your family, and the Lord was so sweet to allow us to be apart of the HOPE International School Siem Reap family.