Develop Our Village Economy: Personal Spiritual Formation in Nature

The bus ride to Kirirom with the 5th Onyx Cohort for their PSF field trip led by Dove Phnom Penh Leadership coordinator Mr. Lay would have been rather uneventful except that I sat next Dove’s Interim Director, Mr. Virak. We talked for two and half hours straight. We talked about what a privilege it is was to be doing the work we were doing, getting right into the center of peoples lives, very messy lives, and how there is so much out there waiting to destroy the souls of people. We talked about mentoring, coaching, small group dynamics, facilitation, Jesus’ expression of church with his disciples, and the heart and methodology DOVE uses to help young leaders heal and grow. What we do is rather unique (and somewhat effective) in the Cambodian Christian Community, if it weren’t, I’d insist on closing our doors.

Turning off National Route 4, 20 or so of us traveled on a hard-surfaced road toward the national park. The sky turned dark as we turned off the paved road and onto a red dirt road, entering a large rare pine forest that had two or three steep dips. As we reached the parking lot, we got caught in a downpour and I knew getting back out would be a challenge. We all made our way by foot under a large tarp over the slippery red clay, down short slippery slopes to the thatched hut gazebos along the waterfall (like ants carrying a thin piece of bread crust together). There we had lunch, and Mr. Lay did a great job summarizing that last 3 lessons of our Personal Spiritual Formation block that Lynn created and Bophal facilitated. Mr. Lay sent them out in their small groups where they would split up and spend time alone with God in nature. They could meditate, reflect, write poems or songs, just rest in the Lord, meditate on a psalm, or just be conscious of all the sights, sounds, and smells in the unique pin forest of Kirirom.

When the students returned, Mr. Lay debriefed them and let them share their experiences. Some began to understand what it means to rest in the Lord, others wrote poems, songs, or did drawings. One woman walked along the waterfall and studied the dynamics of the flow, how that the fast running murky water cleared up as it ran over the rock outcroppings, noticing that how our lives can be purified by suffering or challenges, and in turn, smooth over those problems for others. Mostly all confessed that getting a sense the presence of God for their soul’s daily rejuvenation in the middle of the rat race in Phnom Penh was nearly impossible, no matter how committed they were. They all reported that greenery, solitude, silence, nature and their five senses provided a great context or backdrop for ‘resting in the Lord’ and sensing his presence in their souls. They also met God in the debriefing and sharing with each other (tight community) as well.

I was just a fly on the wall, a witness to the great work of Lynn, Mr. Lay and my wife Bophal. That was my takeaway and a boost for my weary soul as well. It was a joy to see emerging leaders find, and practice creative ways to renew their spirits.

Glad to see that what we began 5 years ago can continue on with or without Lynn or me. Oh, and, sure enough, on the way out of the park, our bus got stuck in a muddy rut in one of those dips mentioned but we all pitched in filling up the ruts with wood and stone and although a bit muddy, we were once again on our way back home.