As I wrap up my series of updates on my time in Cambodia, I leave you with some pictures from my last week in the country.




Just days before my departure, I returned to the Cambodian coast with some friends from New Life to say farewell and celebrate Cambodian New Year.   The beaches of Sihanoukville are a popular vacation destination in Cambodia.   Only a 3 to 4 hour bus ride from Phnom Penh, this small town offers a nice escape from the city.



Walking to the beach in Sihanoukville.



"Squid-kebabs" on the beach.
Vendors are commonly found wandering the beaches, selling various food items and small gifts.   The grilled squid on a stick, however, seems to be a favorite.



On the rocks.

The week before I left Cambodia was a busy one.   Besides hitting the beach, celebrating Cambodian New Year, packing up, and saying my goodbyes, there was also an office warming / farewell party put on by New Life.




New Life Foundation office party.



NLF friends.
Davin, David, Chenda, and Reasmey.
Working with and getting to know these good friends taught me more about Cambodia then endless textbooks and history lessons could ever teach.   Thank you for sharing your lives and your country with me.




And so, after 5 months in Cambodia, it was time to head back to the States.   But was I really heading home?   For once in my life, I realized that I could live anywhere.   I don't need to be confined by political boundaries, social prejudices, material comforts, relational fears, or any other ties that keep us from our fellow man.   I've come to the conclusion that life is not about making a home, but about finding my way back to the one that's always been there, waiting for my return.   Yeah, ... I'm heading home.

Thank you, Cambodia, for teaching a helpless wanderer how to live.