Jennifer Tibbetts

Dear friends, 

Monday October 31 - I am on a six hour van journey from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, so I thought this was a good time to Catch you all up on my trip thus far.

Thank you so much for praying for me. I have felt God‘s hands and His help in many ways so far. Nuansee had a memorial for her parents and her siblings who have passed away (6, I think) yesterday with the family. I encouraged her to be sure that there is no spirit worship involved in the ceremony, at least that she takes part in. Her niece Tengmo came up from Bangkok over the weekend wanting to talk to Nuansee about becoming a Christian. I pray that she will truly give her life to him. Nuansee has called me a lot of times since I’ve been away from her, it’s not easy for her to be with her family after 22 years. Please pray that I will have patience and energy for her and that she would also settle and allow God to use her in this time. Also, thanks be to God, her chest is feeling much better from pulled muscle and she is getting new dentures made that will hopefully fit her much better for long term use.

Wednesday, November 2 - Wow - I just can't seem to get this finished!  I SOO want to connect with you all and update you and thank you for praying.  So I am holding myself in this chair until I finish and hit SEND!!

This has been Such an Intense time.  So many needs, and I am inadequate, but I bring Jesus and He has more than enough - may He shine through me and may they not see/hear me, but Him and His love and wisdom and grace...

I wish I could share in more detail, but in 30 minutes or so I need to start another busy day - so here's an outline - probably as much as you want/need anyway  :) 

1. Time with Adult TCKs at Rita's house was so precious.  Was able to share resources with them and pray over them and laugh and share memories and play games.  Such a blessing!  Also had a meal with Rita's son (another adult TCK/MK) during the week which was also special.  And Rita and I prayed and claimed victory over darkness in our loved one's lives and shared and enjoyed the gorgeous Gardens by the Bay - one of the most beautiful gardens I've been to - pictures on Facebook that Rita posted.  I haven't gotten to posting any pics yet!!  Maybe someday...

2. Last week in Singapore for training was amazing - really good and interactive and helpful things to think about and I'll need to process and chew for a while.  In between, almost every break time and meal, I sat with leaders and listened and challenged and encouraged them to value/think about TCKs (missionary kids) as they lead in their particular fields/countries and areas of responsibility.  I felt that many were very open to me for which I am so grateful.  It was PRECIOUS to be able to influence in this way so many who have influence in our far flung organization - serving in over 18 countries among many unreached people groups.  Some of my days ran from 8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 8 pm or even 9:00 p.m.

3. Arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia (where Angkor Wat is - I didn't see it) on Saturday afternoon to be greeted by sweet missionary colleagues.  Spent two nights with a lovely family who have a 9 year old daughter and an 8 year old son.  They had recently been told that their international school (where the father and mother work and children attend) is closing in December due to lack of funds.  This is a huge loss to 64 missionary kids and staff and the missionary community there - especially to have to find new schools halfway through the school year!!  One of the challenges on the mission field these days is that all the missionaries tend to migrate toward big cities where there are international schools - for example, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phnom Penh - and it's thus very hard to get workers to go to the remote unreached places who desperately need Christ and discipleship.  Siem Reap is one of the more unreached areas of Cambodia - https://cambodiachurches.org/harvest/mapping/CP/map.html?displaylang=EN&lang=sec

4. So I spent time playing with the kids, swimming with them on Sunday afternoon.  And on Monday morning, I was asked to give a devotional to the staff of Hope School Siem Reap - I shared from Scriptures that God had used in my life at times of big suffering (coworker's suicide in Thailand, daughter running away from home at age 17).  Then I got to meet with some parents, the principal and an Assistant Director to provide transition resources, listen and pray.  I hope I brought Jesus to them!

5.  Saturday evening I got a much needed massage for $7 (including tip!) after the LONG airplane journeys.  This has really helped, but I still struggle with some stiffness and pain - regularly.  

6. On Sunday, I got to attend Khmer Methodist church - didn't understand much!  During the sermon, I listened to an English devotional with earphones :)  But so enjoyed the precious people.  Then a wonderful couple who have been missionaries in Cambodia for 26 years took me on a bike ride all around town and then out to lunch where they strongly encouraged (!) me to eat frog - I did and it tasted good, but my mind struggled a bit with eating frog!!  Maybe now I can go to Paris...:)  CC (missionary wife) and I prayed at a Buddhist shrine where I wept to see people worshiping a god made of wood and stone and gold instead of our eternal Creator.

7. Monday I flew to Phnom Penh and met another coworker at the OMF guesthouse.  Shirley took me out for a lovely fish dinner.  And then I crashed - in bed at 8:30 - but then I woke up before 5.  Please pray that I can sleep longer!  My brain is processing so much.

8.  Have spent over 3.5 hours listening to and praying with a missionary couple who have been deeply hurt by our organization, and have big concerns for their two neurodiverse (think autism and ADHD) children = bigger challenges on the mission field than in many passport countries.  Again I hope I was able to encourage and also wondering/praying about how to advocate for them.  Amazingly, God has given me influence as a leader - I long to use it well and not run over people, but do as God wants me to do.  Please pray!!

9.  Yesterday, I traveled by tuktuk over 30 minutes each way - oh my goodness, traffic is CRAZY here - it's all negotiated - people negotiate through intersections in the wildest, unconventional ways - it seems to work, but I've also heard of many traffic accidents - to spend time with a German family with 6 yo and 3 yo daughters - so precious.  They've been here for 2 years - about ready to leave the initial language learning phase and move a couple of hours away to a remote area where they will homeschool their kids instead of attending international school here.  Girls need to relate in 3 languages - German, English and Khmer!!  Hopefully it was helpful as I gave the parents transition resources, some words of advice/counsel/experience and prayed for them.  Also had fun playing with their precious girls - was SO impressed with their ability to communicate in 3 languages - not fluent in English but quite adequate, and learning Khmer - enough to play with other children.

10.  In the middle of my visit with the German family, I participated for 2 hours in a Thailand TCK Care Team meeting by Zoom.  Again, I hope I was useful as I made recommendations about some things for them and also shared with them projects I'm working on for our organization to help families thrive.

11.  In the evening, I spent some time talking with the Cambodian TCK Advisor, partly in preparation for today when I will share at the OMF Cambodia Team meeting and then a special 1.5 hour meeting with parents this afternoon, arranged for my being with them.  This TCK Advisor has been AMAZING in organizing my 6 days here and all kinds of connections.  

12.  Said goodnight to the TCK Advisor at 8:30 p.m last night, and came up to my room in the Guesthouse and then applied for visas to travel to Laos and Vietnam next week - hope I get them in time to travel!  Another prayer request.  So yesterday I logged 13.75 hours of talking/listening to people plus admin!

13.  Today after meetings mentioned in #11 above, I will talk by Zoom with a coworker in the Netherlands to help me understand how to advocate for the aforementioned family with neurodiverse children as this Dutch coworker is an Educator who served in leadership at an international school in Asia.

14.  And then this evening I get to go to Aladdin - put on by students of Hope School Phnom Penh (mother school to the school closing in Siem Reap).  Some of the missionary kids from my organization are in the musical - I'm excited - I love drama and musicals!!

So, please pray for sleep for me and energy and capacity and wisdom and that I would step out of the way and let the treasure in my broken jar of clay shine out to these precious, needy, broken people - both missionary and some Khmer that I get to interact with.  Also, please pray as I continue to put together details for next places I will be in the following 3 weeks.  Still organizing to do and it continues to get fuller and fuller!!

Thank you SOO much for praying for me!  It means very, very much.

With a grateful heart,

Jennifer