We Made It!

Back home everyone around me was dropping like flies with the flu and I was quite proud of myself for escaping the flu season unscathed... or so I thought. Within 24 hours of landing In Cambodia I was seized by chills, high temperature, and cold sweats. The flu. So if you have been wondering why I haven't posted anything about our trip, no we didn't fall off the planet, I've been trying to sleep off an unbearable virus that wreaks havoc even half way around the world.

With that being said since we have only been here five days and I have spent four of those five days in bed there isn't a whole lot to update you on.
Except.....

Three planes, two cars, thirty some hours of travel time, and a twelve hour time difference, but we have made it safe and sound... and with all of our luggage I might add!



We have moved into our little apartment and are beginning to settle in. Our apartment is not huge but it is SUCH an incredible blessing. It is on a side street which helps reduce some road noise (if you ever visit Cambodia you will know why this is important). It is very safe, with bars on all the windows and doors, and 24/7 security guard downstairs. The apartment is considered to be very western, which means that the windows actually have glass in them instead of being "open-air" and it also has a "full kitchen" which means it has a sink and a counter top gas burner for a stove instead of just a garden tub in the corner of the room. The bathroom also has a glass panel separating the shower from the toilet, which may not seem like a lot to you but in Cambodia most showers and toilets are in the same area so essentially when you shower the toilet also gets soaked. The owner, Mr. Keith, is incredibly kind and even bought us two little chairs for our porch. The security guard, Ty, is so sweet and he and Ward are really hitting it off.

(This is a picture of a typical upscale bathroom in Cambodia, it's NOT our bathroom. The spray handle on the wall is the shower.  Do you see how it is basically impossible not to get the toilet completely soaked? We are so thankful our bathroom is set up differently!)















We have spent our time trying to find local stores that sell normal household goods for the apartment, and since there isn't a Walmart to run to this is somewhat more difficult than I had expected. We did find a few things at the local mall. But, like all malls, prices are a bit high there. So, Ward then went to the market, but then you have to deal with trying to haggle prices. Although I am glad there are some places in this world left uncorrupted by modern shopping systems, I did for a split second wish there was a Walmart up the street to get all of my needs in one quick, cheap, swoop. After we finish unpacking and get our apartment set up a bit better I will have to post some pictures.

We have had a few chances to meet with Andrea and the team briefly and they seem really excited to have us here. Monday evening we met with Andrea and had a chance to talk about some different projects that they are focusing on, as well as some areas for us to pray about working in. We are really excited about everything that XP Missions is doing here, they are a very small team but you would not believe the amount of lives that they impact by being here. It completely blew me away to hear about every educational program, rehabilitation program, feeding program, slum outreach, and so many more that they have initiated. It's truly amazing what they accomplish. I can't wait to be able to get involved with the incredible things God is doing through this ministry. I am hoping that tomorrow morning I will feel well enough to be able to go on outreach with the team, I can't wait to jump in and see what great things lay ahead.

Until next time, "lea-sen-hauy"!
(which is good-bye in Khmer)

Love and Blessings,
Hillary Farrior

Thank You

It's come to be quite a cliche but the saying "you don't know what you've got till it's gone" is most definitely true. Over the past two years we hadn't realized what an incredible community of people we have been surrounded by. It wasn't until we started making a list of all the friends and family to say goodbye to that we realized what a gift we have had all along.

When going to a new country there is nothing more important or valuable than having a support group of family and friends cheering you on, encouraging you, helping you work through the problems, and partnering with you in prayer. I know now without a shadow of a doubt that we have that. From an over abundance of texts, phone calls, and going away parties and sharing hugs, laughs, and tears we know that we are loved and supported, no matter the distance.

We have struggled to wrap our minds around the amount of support we have been given, and for awhile it left us speechless. All we can do is say thank you, knowing that those two words will never be enough to express the gratitude in our hearts.


Please take a moment to watch this video:





We love all of you, and wish we could have packed you in our luggage to come along for this journey but we know that "distance makes the heart grow fonder" and that this is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our relationship with you. Please know that you are loved, appreciated, and missed greatly. But as thankful as we are personally, we know that God has sent us here for a reason and that through all of your love, support, prayers and finances God's children are going to be brought into the Kingdom of Heaven. In all the ways that you have been supporting us it will be a ripple effect into eternity and one day in heaven we may hear those words "Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am here because you gave".

One Way Ticket

It's an interesting sensation to essentially leave one life to begin another, to leave your "stuff" and begin again. You find yourself standing in the living room trying to figure out what you really have of importance, asking yourself what really matters to you. Your whole life now must fit into two travel suitcases. What would you bring? 

We spend so much time buying things to make our homes cozy, organizing and re-organizing all our furniture to find the perfect look. But in the blink of an eye it can all change and suddenly the knick-knacks that make your house a home quickly become of little importance. 

Over the past few months and weeks we've done our best to prepare. We've gone through boxes, washed and packed clothes, sent brochures, met with friends and family, and have done our best to position our hearts for this transition. I sort of thought I had this whole moving thing figured out... that is until this past Saturday. What was so special about Saturday you ask? Saturday we bought tickets, one way tickets. I am pretty sure there is nothing in this world that can make a move feel more like a reality than purchasing a one way ticket to a foreign country. A sudden rush of emotions came over me like I was standing directly under Niagra Falls. 

The ball has picked up and is rolling faster and faster as every day passes. Laundry and luggage are scattered throughout the living room, to-do lists and packing lists cover my kitchen table, and the need to spend every chance we get with friends and family is pressing in. We have not only booked our one way ticket, but as of yesterday we have also secured our very own apartment in Phnom Penh!

In just thirteen days we will be moving to a new country and the very thought of it still blows me away. There are a lot of emotions to balance. On one hand it's very difficult to leave your comfort zone. Leaving behind your home, family and friends can be heartbreaking. And it's scary to move somewhere you are unfamiliar with, where you don't know the language, customs, people, or culture. However, there is excitement in doing something new and there is joy and peace in knowing that you are following God's lead and making a difference in other people's lives.

With all that is going on it's easy to become overwhelmed and to panic. I'm not going to lie, some days are really hard. Having your life's security blanket ripped off of you can feel a bit like this:

But in all of this, we have an amazing opportunity to press further into God. We are trying to lean into Him for comfort, grace, and for His unfailing love. He is good and He is faithful. We can see His hand bringing things together everywhere that we turn. We are pushing in and embracing the changes, challenges, and blessings.  God is good... all the time. This is just as much an emotional journey as it is anything else and I want to thank all of you for your kindness and your support during this season. Without friends and family encouraging us to listen to God's voice and pursue His will for our lives this journey would be so much more difficult. It brings us comfort and peace of mind knowing that no matter what we have a group of people praying for us, and loving us through it all. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being a part of this journey with us.

Thank you! 

Blessings and love, 

The Farrior's