Peace in Jesus: A Young Missionary's Experience in Cambodia

By Adelina Perlee

I want to thank all those who have supported my friend, Amberly Sandoval, and me on our mission trip to Cambodia. Without your generosity, we wouldn't have been able to go. So, thank you!! May God richly bless you! 

At the beginning of October 2024, my mom, Amberly, and I packed our bags and flew to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to assist Tim and Wendy Maddocks' ministry–SALT Ministries–by teaching English at the 12 grade school for one month. 

I've never taught English, but the Maddocks were very gracious in letting us come. 

The first thing I noticed when we arrived was that on almost every driveway, there were spirit houses. No matter if it was a house or a business, there was one. Spirit houses are miniature temples often placed on pedestals with an altar and sacred objects like Buddha statues inside.  In some places, people believe that spirits own the land, so when the land is developed, the spirits should be honored and given a place to live. People think that it will prevent the spirits from bringing bad luck.

Coming to teach in Cambodia was not our only reason for coming. Most of all, we came to show that we have a "peace that passes understanding" and that everyone can have the same experience if they yield themselves to God's love. 

English seems to me like a big, insurmountable mountain, especially when it gets technical. Teaching it felt like Mount Everest.  

When we arrived, I found out that I would be teaching Grades 7, 8, and 9. 
Teaching 9th Grade was overwhelming in the beginning since I'm in 9th Grade myself, so I was kinda learning as I taught, but like the Bible says, "My strength is made perfect in weakness." I persevered and made it my favorite class to teach! 

Evangelism is not all about preaching, teaching, etc. It's about making friendships that last through eternity. And that was my goal. An interesting fact I learned when I was teaching was that my students wouldn't consider me their friend, even if I was their age or younger. They saw me as their teacher, not someone they could talk with about themselves on a friend-to-friend level. To conquer this obstacle, I made sure I was super intentional in talking and spending time with them after school hours. I integrated myself into their day-to-day routine as much as a foreigner can. 

Some of my favorite memories are singing English songs with them during their evening worships and vespers and trying my best to sing in their language. I had so much fun laughing with my students at my attempts to pronounce Khmer words while I slaughtered them.

But through all my blunders, I learned that you can have so much fun if you just take a step out of your comfort zone and try things that might look intimidating, which actually can turn out to be really funny.

As I walked to the dorm in the dark with one of my 8th Grade students, *Bopha (which means flower in Khmer), turned to me and said abruptly, "I'm so scared, Teacher, of the ghosts and to walk at night." 

Bopha and I had a similar conversation a few days before this one, where she told me she was so afraid sometimes that she had to sleep in her friend's bed to find security. I told her that Jesus is so much stronger than Satan and that we need to believe in His power. I shared with her how an ex-Satanist said that one of God's angels scares away 20 evil angels. I encouraged her to pray that Jesus would put a circle of angels around her each night. 

So when she told me that night that she was scared, I reminded her of our conversation. 

With a strength in her voice that I hadn't heard before, she said, "Yes, Jesus is in my heart. Ghosts cannot scare me because Jesus is with me." 

My heart leaped for joy as I realized she had just found the freedom that the whole country longs to have. And she had grasped it by faith. I knew that that is how Jesus feels (to a much greater dimension than I could ever imagine) when we look to Him to deliver us from all our fears! I'm praying every day that she will keep her commitment to Jesus!

*Pseudonym used to protect the identity.

Editor's Note: SALT Ministries offers discounted (and often free) tuition and board for Adventist children in need to attend the school where Adelina, her mom, and Amberly volunteered. You can support a student to attend this school for only $17 per month. If God is leading you to help more Cambodian children receive an Adventist education, please click the button below.