Kampong thom province, Cambodia

I celebrated my 40th birthday in a way I’ll never forget — by traveling to Cambodia, a country I had never been to before, to serve on a medical mission trip. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I knew I wanted this milestone to mean something more than just another birthday.

From the moment we arrived, I was struck by the kindness of its people. Each day, our team worked in communities where healthcare is often out of reach. We treated illnesses, listened to stories, and shared smiles that transcended language. What amazed me most was the resilience and gratitude of those we met — people who had so little materially, yet radiated so much warmth and strength.

There were moments of exhaustion, joy, and quiet reflection. Standing in the middle of a rural clinic, surrounded by faces filled with hope, I felt deeply grateful — for my health, my profession, and the chance to give back in such a meaningful way.

This past Sunday our pastor spoke on Matthew 9:35-38.  This passage was apropos to having just returned from our MMO trip. The passage shows us Christ’s example of having compassion on the multitudes as sheep having no shepherd. We can serve with compassion as we see others through His eyes. It was sad to travel to a country where Buddha is god to most people, but yet they do not believe in the One True God and are living in darkness. Each patient that came to the clinic heard about Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for them as a lost soul. We do not know this side of heaven of any who accepted Christ as his Savior, but only God knows those whose lives will be changed by salvation one day. 

One story I have is the opportunity I was able to tell my 20 year old female interpreter (a nursing student from Phnom Penh) about God. She was asking me if I knew what the Pastor was talking to the people about who were waiting for their medications. He was talking in the Cambodian national language, Khmer. He was telling them of Christ our Savior and she stated “he is telling them Christian things”. I took that moment to ask her if she was a Christian to which she responded, “I am Buddhist, but love Christians.” I then simply told her that she did not get to heaven by works or praying to Buddha, but by believing that she was a sinner and that accepting and believing that Christ died for her sins was the only way to get to heaven. I pray that one day she does find Him as her personal Savior.

This trip changed the way I see service, travel, and even myself. It reminded me that healing isn’t just about medicine — it’s about connection, compassion, and being fully present for others. Spending my 40th birthday in Cambodia was one of the most humbling and beautiful gifts I could have ever received. 

I thank you, the Upward Twist, for your donation to me so that I could travel to Cambodia and share the love of Jesus to others. 

Katie Macatugal, RN