1st Day

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 

 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 

even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me.

Psalm 139:7-10

1st Day
I completed my first day in Cambodia. To begin with, the driver who picked me up at my hotel in Bangkok spoke and understood only one word in english - OKAY! He was just a kid and I think I may have been his first passenger. We set out in a van with no seat belts to pick up two more team members and got horribly lost in downtown Bangkok...not OKAY!  After somewhat of an adventure - a story that will most likely turn into a very funny sermon one day, we found the others and set off on our four hour journey across Thailand to  Cambodia.
 Four hours later, we were dropped off close to the border. The driver pointed us in the general direction of Cambodia and sent us on our way.  Three women...Five VERY large suitcases!  
In Cambodia, very few buildings have air conditioning and this day the immigration line happened to be exceptionally long.  We were packed into a concrete hallway like room waiting  and sweating for hours!  Mental note...menopausal women should really avoid high humidity areas...NOT OKAY!  Needless to say, I was thankful that I had the two other team members with me or I might have had an emotional meltdown to match the physical one I was having in that heat!  
Once in Cambodia, we found a TUK TUK driver to take us to our hotel ...5 huge bags with three American women packed in a little cart so full that our legs had to hang out the back all being pulled by one small cambodian an on a motorcycle.   OKAY...Hilarious! I checked in to the hotel and found that my room had a bed, four concrete walls and a bathroom with only a shower head mounted to the wall....no shower area, just a shower head on the wall.    I sat on the bed feeling very far from home and tried not to cry. This is okay!  I can do this right?  What was I thinking?   
The reality of this trip hit me like a ton of bricks and I had to force myself to keep moving...do laundry in the tiny sink..shower for the third time..pack for tomorrow..push back fear...don't cry.
Before I left for this mission, my mom, the second vice president of the Yucca Valley Quilters guild made me a sort of sleeping bag out of soft sheets because the bedding at the Ly Heng Chy Hotel is, shall we say, not OKAY! I soaked the material in a special chemical that is designed to keep all the mosquitos and bugs away although  they tell me the yellow lizards that cover the ceiling of the hotel do a pretty good job of that too...NOT OKAY!  I layed out my sheet, crawled in and covered myself up.I instantly smelled the wonderful scent of downy.  My mom had washed the sheet before sewing  it so it smelled, well like my mom!  Tears began to flow...and then I heard that still small voice...
The kingdom of heaven is like this...
Gods love completely covers us, protects us, surrounds us and it comforts us. Wherever we go, we know the love of the Lord never leaves us.  It is home, the place we belong, the place we were created to abide in.  This is were we find peace, strength and rest.
I fell fast asleep and slept like a baby!  I am going to be OKAY!
Love from the road,
Julie