Tag: Travel Blog- The Creels

Last week was our second week in the city of Phnom Penh. We did paperwork for our visa extension and apartment hunting. We thank the Lord for the kindness of Voice of Love (FEBC) staff helping us with the paperwork. At the same time, we looked at several apartment condos in the area. We also thank the Lord for the kindness of the staff of Quality Expat Services who are helping us to look for different apartment condos. Most of the apartment/condos are in high rise buildings.

This past weekend while recovering from jetlag, trying to adjust to a warm climate and different environment, we went to a park and the riverside.

While going around the city, we noticed many places that have altars and images of the traditional religion. It seems many people are engaged in traditional religion as we see food and other items offered on altars and carved images. It is sad to see many people worshipping gods that do not have life. As the Bible says,

“They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; ⁶ They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; ⁷ They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.

Psalm 115: 3-7

We are praying for many eyes to be opened to the One True God, who loves and cares for them. When we meet people like taxi or rickshaw drivers, shop workers, and others, we try to tell them, “Our God in heaven bless you!” Sometimes we say, “Our God in heaven cares for you, His name is Jesus!”

It feels overwhelming sometimes to see many people who need to know the One True God who created and saved them. We are praying that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers to the harvest field. (Matthew 9:37-39).

We are also grateful to our Lord for His provision, faithfulness, and protection. The Lord provided for us even before we arrived. We have household stuff that we are using now from friends who used to live here, Mike & Brigit. We are thankful to the Lord for keeping us safe while we ride around the city, and for a trusted driver, another blessing from Mike & Brigit. We are thankful also for little ways God encourages us, like finding almond milk, breakfast cereal and other USA products we are familiar with. We thank our Lord God for His faithful provision for all our needs. We thank Him for friends and ministry partners who pray and support us.

A Little Adventure to Share:

Here is a little adventure to share about the first day we arrived in the city. After checking into the apartment/condo and getting into the room, I said a little prayer. We needed to go out to buy some items at the store. When I saw a safe deposit box in the closet, I thought we could keep our passports there and not carry them around. It did not look like the regular safes I had seen in other hotels that have numerical keypads. (Later, I found out, it had a numerical keypad behind a cover). After I placed my passport in the safe and shut the door with the key, I tried to open it but it would not open. After several tries, still it wouldn’t open. We asked help from the hotel staff and they could not help either. They said, somebody will come in the morning to help. David and I spent a lot of times in the afternoon and the following morning trying to crack the safe. David researched online how to open or crack a safe. We were getting anxious about the situation. We prayed hard and earnestly.

The following morning, we again asked the staff for their help. They kept telling us, the manager was on her way.

That morning, as I prayed and had my morning time with the Lord, He reminded of His Words in Ephesians

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. … ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; (Ephesians 6:10-17 NKJV)

The Word of God in Ephesians 6 spoke to me, first to be strong. When I started to think of the worst, and when doubts and fears started to creep in, the Words of the Lord encouraged me to be strong and to take “the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the of the wicked one.” (Ephesians 6:16)

Instead of fear and doubts, I was reminded to have faith that our Lord God would send help and will take care of us.

After asking a few times, the manager finally arrived just before 12:00 noon. She had the passcode of the safe box, opened it, and got my passport, PRAISE the Lord! Thank you Lord Jesus!

Bible Quotations from Bible Gateway

Reading: Acts 1: 1-8

Key verse: v.8

Jesus said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (NKJV)

As Jesus fulfilled this word to His disciples,  it is still the same today with His followers:

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” It is the plan and desire of God that all followers of Jesus be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit so we can be witnesses for Him – with our family, friends, neighbors, and people of other places, countries, and to the ends of the earth.  God loves people of every nation, every country, language and ethnicity. God wants every person to know Him, His Word, His love and salvation through Jesus Christ.

In October 7-28, 2019, David and I had the privilege to travel to southeast Asia to visit and help our FEBC ministry fields. Photos from our travels to Thailand are in this post

Here are the highlights as we traveled to Phnom Penh, Cambodia:

 

 

We thank and praise the Lord for those who prayed with us during this trip. Thank you also for those who faithfully support us so we could serve the Lord and reach more souls for Jesus.

 

 

 

 

And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

Last weekend, David and I arrived Singapore after a long, long flight from the USA. We flew from Birmingham (AL) on June 13, through Chicago, San Francisco and arrived Singapore on June 15th. Of course there is also a time difference.  It was long and exhausting but thankful to the Lord for a safe journey. We are thankful also that the Lord worked it out for us to travel together on the long international flight. When we arrived the Guesthouse of Salvation Army in SG, I was pleasantly surprised to see the big words on the wall, (see photo above). It’s not only a great Bible verse in the Old Testament, but a personal word from the Lord. The day before we left Alabama, during our devotional readings, (with “Jesus Always” devotional), one of the key verses was the same exact words in Exodus 33:14 “And He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest”‘. Isn’t the Lord so cool? I had had some concerns before making the big trip, but a confirmation of His words ten thousand miles away is truly amazing!

We had a couple of days in Singapore to recoup from the long journey and get ready for another journey. We had enjoyed fellowship and worship with the brothers and sisters of Bukit Panjang Methodist Church. Another one thing cool being a follower of the Lord Jesus, is anywhere we travel, in any country, whatever nationality, we feel connected to the people even when we do not speak the same language, because we worship the same God, our  Lord Jesus Christ.

Then on the same Sunday afternoon, we took the subway train, and went to the Gardens by the Bay.

A fancy park with spectacular landscape and hanging gardens. The park is actually free to public, except for the Flower Dome and the Cloud Dome. David and I enjoyed the freebies!

 

The park was filled with people from other tourists visiting and local people, not only because it was a weekend, but Disney had a set up to promote their coming movie, “Toy Story 4”.

It was a nice weekend, after long flights and days of travel preps, it was good to have an enjoyable Sunday in Singapore.  That helped us get ready for the following week busy activities. David participated in Broadcast Asia while I had to catch a flight to Bangkok.  We are grateful to the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness.  Hope to post more if and whenever I find a chance. Hope you enjoy reading our travel blog.