So, it's rainy season, and the rain pounded out of the sky for a good 3 hours last Sunday morning. It flooded the streets to capacity. My roommate and I were tired of being cooped up inside, so we ventured out into to the monsoon. We waded through water at least ankle deep.
This is a common occurrence during the rainy season in Cambodia. I don't mean us venturing out into flood waters, but the flooding is a common occurrence. Many people's house flood, which is quite a tragedy. I'm so thankful that my house does not flood. As we were wading through the water, we begin to think that this was kind of a silly idea, because let's just say that the water running down the streets of Phnom Penh isn't always the cleanest. However, we did get some good footage. After walking for awhile, my friend and I split ways. She was headed to the grocery store, and I was headed to a coffee shop. About 100 feet from my destination, I was stepping up onto the curb, ducking under a sign, and all of sudden BANG!
I hit my head on the corner of a Budhist spirit house which is used to protect businesses form evil spirits. I like to call it a mini pagoda. Incense and different types of fruit offerings are placed on the spirit houses, in order to appease the spirits. These are very common in our city. Well, talk about coming face to face with spiritual warfare, lol. I didn't even see it coming. At first, I just felt like I had my head hard on something, but I was fine. Until these Cambodian men saw me, and started pointing at my head. They literally made me stop walking, and then I felt the blood start running down my face. It was bleeding really bad, and it wouldn't stop. I guess there are many blood vessels in your head, and it bleeds really easily. One Cambodian man grabbed some tissue, and started wiping my face. Another man goes into a KTV, which is a scary karaoke bar where unspoken things happen inside. However it was morning, so the KTV wasn't open yet. The man runs inside and comes out with tiger balm, the "cure all" in Cambodia. Before I could think to stop him, he puts a glob of tiger balm in the open wound and pressss it down. Soon the bleeding slows down, so it served its purpose. But then I feel the tiger balm getting into my eyes from the rain running down my face. I thought, "this tiger balm can't be a good idea." I called my roommate and tried to explain what just happened, but I wasn't really making sense. She asked if I was ok, and I kept saying yes. I tilde her I was going home. I though it would be fine, but I couldn't actually see the wound since it was on the top of my head. So, I asked a tuk tuk to drive me home, but when we get to our road, he can't go down it because the water is too high. I thank him, pay him 50 cents, and walk the rest of the way home. I have now reached our frustration, becuase my hair is matted with blood, and I don't know what to do, and I can't get home. Tears are starting to fall, and it doesn't even hurt that bad. Finally, I get home and jump in the shower. I clean the area, and the tiger balm washes off, and the wound starts bleeding again, everywhere. I look in the mirror and see a good size hole, where the spirit house poked me. I knew then that I needed to go the doctor, ugh!!! So, I go down and knock on my roommates door to ask for help. With blood all over my hair, I looked so scary, like so one who had just stepped out if a horror movie. My roommate freaks out a little, lol, but then goes into help mode.
Two of roommates accompany me to the ER, which happened to be located close to where I got injured. We had to walk back down the flooded streets to there. This was my first time in the hospital in Cambodia, so I was a little nervous. The doctor was great. He cleaned my wound and told me I would need a stitch or two. He gave me a shot in my head (that was a first)! While cleaning it, he noticed that there was tiger balm in the wound, and he asked how that got there. I told him the story. He said next time just apply pressure to sop the bleeding. Don't use tiger balm, because that can cause infection. I was like, great! The doctor then tells me that I can't contaminate the area with water for 2 days. Ahhh!!! It's on top of my head so that means washing my hair is going to be difficult. I thought about not going to school for 2 days, but then I sucked it up and decided I could just wash around the spot. But I had to wear my hair differently, which is a small tragedy. It's now a week later, and the wound did not get infected and I'm supposed to get the stitches out today.
Anyway, living in Cambodia is never dull. Life is always an adventure. I'm so thankful for Cambodians willing to help, amazing roommates who come to my rescue, and Gods protection and provision. Through this story, I am reminded of how we aren't often ready for Satan's attacks because we don't know when and how he is going to hit us. This was quite an ironic event, because I hit my head on an altar built to keep away evil spirits, one of Satan's designs. Will we trust God, when Satan attacks? Will our faith be firm and grounded in Christ? Or will we be shaken and tempted to lose faith, which is Satan's purpose in spiritual attacks. Many of my co-workers and church family is going through different physical and spiritual attacks. It's funny how Satan seems to strategically hit groups of people at once. I don't think he realizes how it actually increases our prayer life, and strengthens our faith. So, could you please pray for Gods protection, and that God would give us all the faith to trust Him.
This is a common occurrence during the rainy season in Cambodia. I don't mean us venturing out into flood waters, but the flooding is a common occurrence. Many people's house flood, which is quite a tragedy. I'm so thankful that my house does not flood. As we were wading through the water, we begin to think that this was kind of a silly idea, because let's just say that the water running down the streets of Phnom Penh isn't always the cleanest. However, we did get some good footage. After walking for awhile, my friend and I split ways. She was headed to the grocery store, and I was headed to a coffee shop. About 100 feet from my destination, I was stepping up onto the curb, ducking under a sign, and all of sudden BANG!
Two of roommates accompany me to the ER, which happened to be located close to where I got injured. We had to walk back down the flooded streets to there. This was my first time in the hospital in Cambodia, so I was a little nervous. The doctor was great. He cleaned my wound and told me I would need a stitch or two. He gave me a shot in my head (that was a first)! While cleaning it, he noticed that there was tiger balm in the wound, and he asked how that got there. I told him the story. He said next time just apply pressure to sop the bleeding. Don't use tiger balm, because that can cause infection. I was like, great! The doctor then tells me that I can't contaminate the area with water for 2 days. Ahhh!!! It's on top of my head so that means washing my hair is going to be difficult. I thought about not going to school for 2 days, but then I sucked it up and decided I could just wash around the spot. But I had to wear my hair differently, which is a small tragedy. It's now a week later, and the wound did not get infected and I'm supposed to get the stitches out today. Anyway, living in Cambodia is never dull. Life is always an adventure. I'm so thankful for Cambodians willing to help, amazing roommates who come to my rescue, and Gods protection and provision. Through this story, I am reminded of how we aren't often ready for Satan's attacks because we don't know when and how he is going to hit us. This was quite an ironic event, because I hit my head on an altar built to keep away evil spirits, one of Satan's designs. Will we trust God, when Satan attacks? Will our faith be firm and grounded in Christ? Or will we be shaken and tempted to lose faith, which is Satan's purpose in spiritual attacks. Many of my co-workers and church family is going through different physical and spiritual attacks. It's funny how Satan seems to strategically hit groups of people at once. I don't think he realizes how it actually increases our prayer life, and strengthens our faith. So, could you please pray for Gods protection, and that God would give us all the faith to trust Him.
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