Almost time to go back to the U.S.

A short three months to connect with people.

People we have grown to love, it is so awesome to continue to strengthen relationships and God allows us to build new ones too!

There are long term and short term relationships, at the YWAM base some people stay long term, some are here only a few weeks or months. They are people from all over the world. They become part of our hearts.

Then there are the local relationships with those who live in Battambang, those we have taught over the years, or those that work in the local shops, banks, restaurants, coffee shops. They become part of our hearts.

All these people are real and have real life issues good and bad.

Relationships are personal, beautiful, joyful, messy, hard, fragile, warm, loving... the list could go one and on!

But again it is all about people, real people. People that know Jesus, that need to know Jesus and those that are trying to figure out who this Jesus is. A big reason we choose not to post pictures, is because they are real people, and there are many! But we treasure their relationship, them letting us into their lives, they are not trophies! they have souls that our one desire is for each one to know the risen Saviour... and we are just two people who God allows to enter a bit into their journey here on earth!

Are we always the picture they need? Are we a reflection of Jesus in our daily lives? In our relationships?

One young woman we hadn't seen yet this year, we saw at a local stand so we walked over to say Hi! we chatted, for maybe 5 minutes. A couple days later she messaged us thanking us for chatting and sharing a bit of her heart. Every minute counts, every encounter is God ordained! The last few weeks have been so unbelievable only God could have ordained the encounters.

So are we ready to leave to go back to Iowa? Of course because we have family there and are again anxious to be part of their lives. Again we trust God's timing! We struggle daily. Does our coming and going help or hurt? Are we serving God to the fullest?

Can we encourage those we walk beside? Daily we see how God orders this world and the people in it! Yesterday, traveling from Pailin to Battambang an almost 2 hour trip; we stop looking for cold coffee! We step out of the car and someone yells "Hi ED" there coming into her village with a sister is one of our dear girls we have come to know and love!! God let us say "Good bye" to her without us just disappearing. That meant so much, we thank God again for that precious meeting!

It is hard to say goodbye to our Battambang family, so we will say until we meet again!

Lead, guide and direct us oh Lord

Sunday a gift of rest and refreshment!

A wonderful service at Lighthouse Church, needed that message on patience this morning! Ok so we followers of Jesus want to let His light shine; but on the way to church we loose our patience with the crazy traffic! This town is getting used to FOUR new traffic lights!!! Battambang has never had any!! So our journeying through even one of these creates a new stress! For us who think we understand, those who chose not to understand, and everyone else!! Yup, thanks Garth, that message on one of the fruits of the Spirit all Christians should be #1 on continues to show, my/ our (I wasn't driving, but I will admit I was voicing my opinion) patience needs more of the Holy Spirit! Less of the flesh!!

So that was how the day started, since then we have been enjoying the day of rest God needed and we need even more! The 23rd Psalm speaks for itself!

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭23:1-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/111/psa.23.1-6.

We have been in Battambang a bit over three weeks, renewing relationships, sharing life with those God places in our path and even some we go looking for because He has placed them in our path in
previous years and we have grown to love them dearly!

We thank God for each relationship and pray that He will continue to lead, guide and direct us and all of our loved ones here and in the states!!

a friend buying corn at a roadside stand

We covet your prayers for us as we speak into lives of the younger generation.

We ask God for wisdom, that it is His words and His ways we speak into their lives.

We ask for prayers for the young people with decisions that will impact them for their life ahead!

We ask that we see all in God's eyes, not our own agenda!

We ask for prayers for our children and grandchildren back home as they live out their lives with their own challenges and we are far away, we know that God is in control; but oh we are so human!!

God bless each of you who take the time to read this and ask for prayer for us to be "refired" each day to serve our risen Saviour.

Good evening from Battambang!
Ed and Mary Rozenboom