Brynn is a senior at Concordia University Nebraska. She spent about nine weeks this summer serving as a short-term mission partner at Stronghold Cambodia in Kampot, Cambodia. Stronghold is a non-profit educational ministry where children hear about Jesus’s love in their own heart language of Khmer for the first time, and students (grades 3-12) who have never spoken English learn to communicate at a basic level.
You’ve served in Cambodia for two summers in a row now. What made you decide to go in summer 2025, and what made you decide to go back in 2026?
I had spent a summer teaching in Cambodia in 2023 with a different organization and grown a heart for Cambodia through that experience. I decided to serve with Stronghold specifically in 2025 because I had learned how Stronghold intentionally shares the Gospel in students’ native language on a daily basis. I was excited to serve alongside an established ministry that serves a people group who have a special place in my heart. I decided to go back in 2026 because of the students and staff at Stronghold. I truly believe that God used the relationships built in summer 2025 to call me back in 2026.
Describe the students at Stronghold Cambodia. How were you able to build relationships with them across language and cultural barriers?
The students at Stronghold have the biggest hearts and are eager to learn! Building relationships often looked like eating with the older students and bonding over activities with all of the students, such as UNO, volleyball, soccer, and dance. It is amazing how the language and cultural barriers come down when connecting with students through these activities.
What did an average day look like for you while you were in Cambodia?
An average day in Cambodia meant going into the office in the morning and preparing the lessons before students arrived at 11:15 for lunch. Classes were at 11:45, 12:50, and 5:15. The rest of the day was spent preparing lessons, running errands, and spending time with students. Sometimes after the evening class, I would go eat and sit by the riverside with the students as an opportunity to connect with them.
What was most challenging about your summer and how did God bring you through these challenges?
This summer was not without its challenges. The most challenging part was probably learning to balance the ministry and rest. Engaging in the ministry well requires proper rest and being poured into. I was challenged this summer to be intentional with the times that I chose rest or spending time with the students outside the classroom. God gave me opportunities for rest and unforgettable experiences with the students.
Where did you most clearly see God at work while you were in Cambodia?
It was amazing to see God at work within the students! The older students make up the praise team, teaching the younger students, and teaching their peers. They have become leaders in their community, and it is evident that God is working within and through them.
How did God grow you through this experience?
Through this experience, God grew my dependence on him and to trust him with all of the details. I knew what my role and responsibilities would be this summer, but I didn’t know what the summer would look like emotionally and mentally with being the only short-term volunteer. God provided me with community and fellowship at Stronghold in ways that I could never have imagined. It’s easy to know that we are to depend on and trust in God, but God grew me to lean on him more than I ever had.
What are you bringing back to the US with you?
I am bringing back the memories of this summer and the students’ faces. I am excited to share the stories of how God is working in and through the students. He is the one who is growing them in their relationships with him and in their leadership. I am also bringing back the full dependence on God and continuing to trust God in the details of this next chapter of my life.
What would you say to someone considering serving in Cambodia for the summer and wondering if they’re the right fit for this opportunity?
Go! The summer in Cambodia is a great opportunity to teach (even if you’ve never taught before), live in a new cultural context with support, and build relationships within an already established ministry. Serving with Stronghold is an opportunity to water the seeds that have already been planted. If you’re wondering if you’re a right fit, I would encourage you that having a heart for missions and an interest in serving cross-culturally are two of the most important things needed. Trust that God would continue to lead you towards this opportunity if you are the right fit!