Where We've Been

So, it's been a few days. Things have been a little busier here in Sihanoukville. This is our last of 4 days of teaching. Our husbands have been the ones teaching lessons to the congregations we are visiting, but we are all learning so much from the Cambodians and life here! God is good, and He is always present. This country has seen horrible hardships and brutality during the Khmer Rouge Regime. Yet, somehow God has used that tradegy to open the people's hearts. They long for forgiveness, hope, and purpose. Jesus is the perfect answer to all they are looking for!

John is teaching on the 10 Commandments, Paul K. on Stewardship, George on Christian living, and Paul A. on the Apostles Creed. We have taught at 4 different locations. A presbyterian church in VielThom (Big Field) run by Pastor Steven. He is a small man who God has helped accomplish big tasks. This is the furthest from town, and is affectionately known by our team as "the Water Buffalo Church". Never expected to walk past buffalo on the way to church.

The second is in Ream with Pastor Cheung (sp?). It is in a beautiful area right under the mountains not far from the ocean. This is the "motorcycle church", because he has given either a moto or tuk-tuk ride to us during lunch at his church. His plight is that the government has taken over his land and will build onto the airport not far down the road from him. Since this area is so beautiful the foreigners have started developing around there and the value price for his land should be $116,000. The government will give him only $1000 and nothing to rebuild. It is disgusting!

The third church is in the city and run by Pastor David. It is called Abundant Life Church and is the only 'registered' church of the four we are visiting. This is probably the church with the least amount of current controversy. It is doing well and is reassuring to see Christian growth in Cambodia. This church is currently housing a woman and her three children who are without a home. They live on a mat in front of the church building. I know this is very difficult to understand from our culture, but it makes perfect sense here. Her children are Sarah - 9, Deborah - 4, and Solomon - 6months. It is very easy to remember these names since they are American, I have such a hard time even pronouncing the Khmer names of the children (& adults). Most of the American / English names we have heard are biblical names; however, the translator at this church was named Dollar.

The fourth church is the "Church Without Walls" and is also located within the city. This church had a previous pastor who left, but still maintains some 'ownership' of the facility. Whether real or imagined, is questionable. A wonderful woman who was a teacher and is very interested in and knowledgable about the Bible and Christianity is teaching there now, her name is Teacher Nai. This is a special church to all of us and hopefully to you when you hear the story. Our churches and friends have all collected money for this trip and we purchased many water filters with those funds. In addition, we are all a part of something wonderful - we will be paying for new walls to go up at her church. Without walls, it is okay during this time of the year. But when the rains come it is very difficult or even impossible to use. For $2000, we will be able to pay for the supplies to build 4 new walls on this structure. Fungchatou and LCMS World Mission will make sure that the people from the congregation come to help with the labor, but we are blessed to know that with our funding a part of us will remain 'concretely' here in Cambodia. Thank you for that! It is only through all of you & God's amazing love that this is possible!

This is such a small piece of our time here. It is details about where we have been, what we are doing. The wonderful stories that I long to tell are about the people we have met, their amazing stories, and the work that God is doing in all of our hearts! Hopefully, the next few days we will be able to post more of those. Do not fear, you will hear the stories upon our return! I know that we will all be ready to share everything we have seen God do. We hope that you will be ready to listen!