Life in Cambodia by the Rowley family
Sue-seh-day!!
We are the Rowley family and my name is Emilyn Rowley. I live with my Dad (Ian), Mom (Tiffanie) and sister (Sophia). I’m 6 years old and Sophia is 4 years old. 5 years ago our family moved from beautiful Newfoundland and Alberta (we lived in both places) and travelled 42 long hours in an airplane to the opposite side of the world and made a new home in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I was only a year old at that time! God has given our family a big heart for the country and the people of Cambodia. He has asked us to obey Him when He asks us to go somewhere and now we are telling the Cambodian people that Jesus loves them very much.
When we first arrived in Cambodia the language was so different. Everyone was speaking Khmer, not English. I learned many new words and I still have a lot to learn, but Mommy and Daddy are doing OK. Sometimes I find it really difficult that I can’t speak a lot of Khmer, especially when we go to Cambodian church. But Mommy and Daddy help me a lot and I have some really good Cambodian friends, like Rami, that come over to play sometimes.
Sometimes Sophia and I will go to the villages with Mommy to visit the CCP communities. One of my favourite times was when a team came from Canada and we were doing VBS kids programs in some of the villages. Sophia and I were able to help with the songs because we were singing them in English and Khmer, but we could ALL do the actions together! That was really cool! I helped the younger preschool kids with their crafts and I remember it being very hot outside. There’s no air conditioning or fans in the villages!
Some of my favourite things to do in Cambodia are dancing in church, drinking peach bubble tea, and having my friends over to play. Some of the things I miss about Canada are my grandparents and cousins, building a snowman and eating strawberries! Sometimes Mommy asks me if I would like to move back to Canada, but I tell her that I like it here too. Maybe one day my family will move back to Canada, but for right now we are happy that God is using our family here so that Cambodians will love God too!
If you remember, please pray that Sophia and I will learn more Khmer, that God will keep our family safe and that all students and kids will have a relationship with God. He loves us all so much and has a big plan for all our lives…and yours too!!