Author: leilaarmstrong

Welcome to my world. I'm so glad you're here. Grab a coffee and take a seat as I share about my life, my Jesus and my love for coffee and chocolate.
On a wing and a prayer3 Comments

Running with eyes wide open – Cambodia

leilaarmstrong

This morning myself and a few of the guys went for a morning run through the streets of Kompong Thom, the area we are currently staying in. We left the hotel at 6am and headed off through the back streets, running past families as they got ready for the day. It was an attack on the senses, to say the least. The streets were full of rubbish and dirt water puddles, with dogs strolling in and out of them. We ran along part of the river and took in the smoke coming out of the little shacks on the river … Continue reading Running with eyes wide open – Cambodia

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Out of the ruble – Cambodia

leilaarmstrong

I love the lotus flower. It is one of my favourite flowers and I have it tattooed on my wrist as a reminder of a particular season I was in. Most people look at it and think that I tattooed it on because it represents tranquility. Bless. Tranquility has nothing to do it. I’ll share that story at another time but if you don’t know, lotus flowers grow in dirty murky waters. You wouldn’t know it from the surface because the water is covered in pretty leaves and the lotus captures your attention because its pretty and usually a vibrant … Continue reading Out of the ruble – Cambodia

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A nameless face in a sea of thousands – Cambodia, The first 24 Hrs

leilaarmstrong

I made it. I touched down in Cambodia. Today marked our first official day in Cambodia, despite us arriving late last night. As it was late and everyone was tired, the trip didn’t really start until today. And my word, what a start. It’s been a long and at times draining day. And as I sit in my room and reflect on the day, I realise that I’m experiencing a range of emotions; anger, heartbreak, confusion. The things we have seen today have left me pained and asking questions. Questions that I will likely not get answers to anytime soon. … Continue reading A nameless face in a sea of thousands – Cambodia, The first 24 Hrs

On a wing and a prayer, Random thoughtsLeave a comment

A new season is coming

leilaarmstrong

  Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you were born to a different family? Or born in a different country? How different would your upbringing have been if you had been born on the other side of the world to a family with different values and priorities to yours? I think about this often, how different would I be if I was born to a family in America, or Uganda, or Japan. And it’s not so much about the environment specifically, it’s more about values and character. How different, if at all, would my character … Continue reading A new season is coming

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Desensitised

leilaarmstrong

The other night a couple of friends and I were driving home after dinner. We’d had a great meal and were driving with the windows down while we sang along – loudly and, on my part, badly – to some RnB music. As we were driving along, traffic started to back up and people started merging lanes, so I tried to get into the next lane while trying to work out what was causing the delay. As we drew near to a traffic light, I saw a car stopped diagonally to the pole and a push bike lying on the … Continue reading Desensitised

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When the known is scarier than the unknown.

leilaarmstrong

‘It’s the fear of the unknown.’ I’ve heard that quote many times. Many times. It’s always been an interesting quote to me because I find the concept of fear interesting. Fear fascinates me and slightly terrifies me. To me, there is generally three types of fear: the fear of something, like snakes or spiders or penguins, and that’s a totally valid fear because snakes and spiders and penguins are the devils spawn. There is the fear that arises when you are in a dangerous situation where you could potentially get hurt. And there is the fear that stops you from … Continue reading When the known is scarier than the unknown.

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Cafe Stories – a moment in time.

leilaarmstrong

Today I stood behind a guy in line at my local cafe, the smell of moth from his jacket attacking my senses. As I watched him order, I noticed his slow movements, and his distraction. He had long hair and from behind I couldn’t tell his age, just that moving around didn’t come that easy for him. He was gently spoken, so I couldn’t hear what he was saying despite the fact that I was less than a meter behind him. He ordered and went and sat down at a table alone and it was then that I noticed that … Continue reading Cafe Stories – a moment in time.