B is for Bicycle

So we were warned ahead of time that we would be riding bikes here in Cambodia. One of the team members from last year even told us that she "was afraid to ride on those streets at first, but you get used to it." For some reason this did not resonate with me like it should have. One of our first full days here in Siem Reap we spent a solid 2 hours trying to buy bikes for our whole team. Maybe I should explain that our shortest team member is 5'7" and she is as tall as most Cambodian men. After about 45 minutes of trying different bikes and our feet repeatedly hitting the wheels when we turned I finally said to our translator, "Niroth, the problem is that there isn't enough room from the seat to the handlebars," to which he replied, "Ha ha ha! That's Cambodia!" Later he offered me a chair to sit in warning me to be careful because "it's a Cambodian chair..."Finally, after much bargaining and bike testing, the five females of the group found bikes big enough to ride comfortably. Unfortunately Matt and Isaac were anomalies to the world of Cambodian bicycles and so had to temporarily do without. As if this whole process wasn't strange enough, we had to RIDE home. Let me explain.


There are almost no rules here when it comes to driving. Cars, motos (small motorcycle/scooter), and bicycles come from all directions at all times. Flashing one's lights and honking one's horn both mean "get out of the way, I'm coming!" People ride in whatever lane, going whatever direction they please and rarely look before pulling out. Just image five white American females riding down a four lane highway like a bike brigade from the Buttercream Gang or Now and Then...only in Cambodia where we already stick out like sore thumbs on our most inconspicuous day. If I remember correctly there was a great deal of screaming, swerving, and praying that the Lord would spare our lives. The guys rode in a van just behind us, slowing down traffic and taking pictures, only mocking us slightly.



We have continued to ride bikes since then, much to my dismay. Soon they will actually be our primary mode of transportation and we will be riding miles and miles a day. Please pray for us. I'm half kidding, but only half. God is good, all the time, even when we are forced outside of our comfort zone. It's so funny what a person does when there is no other option. I'm just imagining some of you reading this and thinking how dangerous and crazy this sounds (and you would be right, but I also share this to share the humor of it all). However here there are no other options and so this is what we do. I'm sure by the end of it all we will see what and adventure it has been. I am so thankful that the Lord has adventures for our lives. So often we think that we want to know what is next, but think about what it would be like if we did. How boring and predictable life would be. As I try to learn the skills required to live in this new country I will have to continue to remind myself of that. It is so good to be stretched because then we are forced to depend on the Lord, because then we grow and can become more like Him.




We love you all and thank you for being a part of our lives as we walk out this journey.
MattNCatie