Christmas in Kampong Speu

by Katherine Parker
I was honored when Rev. Hong Phally invited me to preach at her church on December 26th, which was only the second time I have preached here and the first time for me to preach almost entirely in Khmer (Hong Phally helped me with specific words and a bit more at the end when I started getting tired, but I was pleased that the congregation seemed to understand me). I reflected on the preparations that Mary made to welcome the baby Jesus.

There are many children in Cambodia (over 50% of the population is 20 years old or younger), and of course there are many preparations to be made in anticipation of a baby. Yet the Christmas story is so strange, I feel quite a bit of pity for Mary and Joseph and Jesus about the situation where they found themselves, and thinking about this story brings up the feelings of pity I have for the families I work with in Cambodia.

Pity is a very strong cultural emotion in Cambodia and it is evoked in many conversations I have here. Reading the following poem by John Donne got me thinking about this question of why I feel pity. I am inspired by Mary, who did not feel ashamed by her situation but rather rejoiced in her opportunity as she sings the Magnificat. She couldn't prepare a lot of "things" for the birth, but she prepared her heart and she was not ashamed by her situation to invite God into her place. We too can take inspiration from Mary to prepare our hearts, to not feel ashamed but to do what we can with who we are and what we have.

Immensity, cloister'd in thy dear womb,
Now leaves His well-beloved imprisonment.
There he hath made himself to his intent
Weak enough, now into our world to come.
But O ! for thee, for Him, hath th' inn no room ?
Yet lay Him in this stall, and from th' orient,
Stars, and wise men will travel to prevent
The effects of Herod's jealous general doom.
See'st thou, my soul, with thy faith's eye, how He
Which fills all place, yet none holds Him, doth lie ?
Was not His pity towards thee wondrous high,
That would have need to be pitied by thee ?
Kiss Him, and with Him into Egypt go,
With His kind mother, who partakes thy woe.
~John Donne (1572-1631)

Christmas Greetings

Can you imagine a wolf living with a lamb? A lion hanging out with a calf? How is this possible, and where might I find this place?

Indeed, this is hard to imagine either literally, or even figuratively here in Cambodia where the gap between the rich and poor grows ever wider, young persons search for opportunities for education and employment and tensions and boarder disputes continue.

Yet, this Isaiah 11 vision is ours to embody and proclaim now and here in this place, thanks to the birth of Christ Jesus who came to make things right. We praise God for the ways we have witnessed foretastes of this as local congregations practice and extend His reconciling hope among families, neighborhoods, and civil institutions that have been torn apart by fallen powers and principalities.

Therefore, we are deeply grateful for all of your prayers, encouragement and financial support. You are tangible expressions of God's grace to us and our work in Cambodia. We look forward to our ongoing adventure in 2011.

May joy fill your heart this season!

 

with peace and love from the CHAD team,

(back l->r) Ken CRUZ, LENG Thy
(front l->) HOUT Vannak, SOK Sophall, Irene MPARUTSA, Katherine PARKER

"But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart" Luke 2:19;51

Dear Friends,

As we celebrate Christmas this year, I am thinking about my 11 years in Cambodia; the triumphs, trials and challenges of working in a young mission church and in a multicultural environment in a Buddhist context. As I am writing, in my heart is a new song of praise and thanksgiving. I am especially thankful for you all as the cloud of witnesses that surrounds me each day from far and near. Through it I am inspired and rejuvenated to continue the work out here. I am also thankful for the amazing support I have received in taking care of Mutumwa, my grandson.

The year 2010 has been busy, fruitful and brief. I am amazed how at this point in my life, time seems to fly and there is not enough time for one to do all the things planned for each day! Nonetheless I am deeply grateful for the work that we have accomplished and for all those who came to help us- through UMVIM Teams and individually. We were blessed with visits by colleagues from GBGM-UMC New York as well as Conferences in Western Pennsylvania/ Virginia; California / Nevada; Louisiana / Texas; Rocky Mountain; Singapore and Malaysia. Their "hands on" support has enhanced our work immensely.

Our achievements this year include the recruitment of Sok Sophal, my local counterpart; H1NI vaccinations which we administered to 200 people; the establishment of the District Health Fund, Theology of Development Training with church leaders, HIV /AIDS / Malaria Workshop for church volunteers; as well as Medical Outreach and Pastors Training for patient advocacy. My crowning experience has been the training of church leaders. It has begun an important worldview shift in my Christian life. I am thankful for this opportunity to share, to learn and to grow together .

Pondering on, I realize how some of these experiences have had an often surprising effect on me and on my work. I think about the time our hopes were shattered when the cardiologist at Calmette told us that Phanya did not qualify for fee exemption.This meant he had to pay $4500 upfront in order to have open heart surgery. Neither Phanya's widowed mother nor the Pastor and I could think of where to find this money.We prayed together and asked God's help. Several weeks later I received a phone call.... the answer to prayer?? " A team of heart surgeons will come to work at Calmette from Korea. "Can you help find people in need. The team will cover all costs for treatments" - the voice spoke.

Phanya the little 12 year old had surgery in August. He is back at school playing football with other kids. "We have not because we ask not" - James 4:2b.

I also recall a brief encounter on one side of the world that led to amazing and rewarding team work on the other side. While I was at a meeting in Louisiana, I made acquaintance with a woman at a Book Sale Stand. At the end of the meeting, the woman asked what she could do to help in my work. I confessed I would love to have some administrative support-organizing my files, newsletters and updating documents...and the list continued.I did not expect much out of it. A year later, she and two friends were standing in my office ready to do just that! I was overjoyed. But the best was to come. The friendship and collaboration I experienced with these women brought benefits I could have never imagined. As I ponder this, I am reminded that while we are occupied with the details of our everyday life, God is similarly occupied, enabling us to succeed with these details. He does "exceedingly abundantly above all.....Ephesians 3:20".

In another instance I found myself extremely fatigued. It had crept upon me over a long period of time.While on a visit to Colorado, a friend had suggested I extend my visit, stay with her and get some uninterrupted rest. I agreed and she cared for me in all sorts of ways, healing and restoring wholeness. A year later she led the Rocky Mountain Medical team to Cambodia. Praying and healing the sick, the team launched us into an amazing collaboration with the provincial health department in Kratie.Through its witness, many have come to know Christ. Their gifts to Mercy Medical Centre - is helping us consolidate our partnership with this Christian Hospital.

GBGM-UMC has treasured up over the last century the wonders God has done in missions worldwide and GBGM went to Cambodia by faith. "But Mary kept all these these things and pondered them in her heart".It built her faith. Like Mary, this Christmas can be a time to ponder about the wondrous things in our lives. What is it that we hear and see God doing in our lives and have we kept it in our hearts?

To You all, Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year !
Irene

Reflections on Missions as Transformation

from Ken Cruz

“There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1

As we bid farewell to 2010 and welcome 2011, I can only praise and thank God for everything He has done for me, my family, and our ministry with churches and local communities in Cambodia. This year has been a journey filled with many transforming experiences both for me and the people I am privileged to serve.

If I had to choose among the many blessings God has afforded me in 2010, I would have to thank Him most for the way in which he continues to humble me. In a vocation that involves heavy interaction with peoples from various backgrounds, I am often faced with temptation of deeming my own views superior to those around me. But, by the grace of God, I continue to grow in my willingness to look past my own prejudices and anxieties.

Development work is difficult precisely because there are so many ways one could conceivably go about it and everyone has a different understanding of what “best” means. We are not, however, called to debate endlessly on this issue but to play out our faith through deeds. To actually start the “doing” and is an act of in faith itself because there is no guarantee that our endeavors will produce tangible breakthroughs, at least in the short run.

Too much talking never works to the advantage of the Kingdom of God. Listening to others, conversely, tends always to promote the right spirit in all who have a stake in our work here in Cambodia. When people feel empowered, they are more willing to take part in the action.

This is one of the bedrock principles upon which I attempt to conduct my ministry here in Cambodia. I have had the privilege of meeting and working with people who are, in many areas of development work, more knowledgeable than I am and vice versa. This dynamic, although explosive at times, encourages me to practice humility. As a result, I have seen benign transformations not just in the communities in which I work but also in me and my co-workers.

May God be glorified in all that we do!

Celebrations & Prayer Requests

• Praise the Lord for the 180 church pastors/leaders who completed the Mobilizing Local Church training program for Holistic Ministry.
• Praise the Lord for allowing the CHAD community development programs to support 60 churches/ villages.
• Praise the Lord for giving our CHAD team an opportunity to teach Bible School students on transformational development course.
• Praise God for faithful provisions for Kim & Kyle’s college expenses.
• Praise for God for keeping family safe and enjoy good health.
• Please pray for God’s healing for my wife Jomil’s elbow injury.
• Praise God for giving me and my wife Jomil 21 years of blissful marriage.
• Finally, we want to thank God for all those who blessed us in small and big way

A blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you, your family and your church! As we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus our family wishes to convey our sincerest and deepest gratitude to all of you whom God used to walk with us during 2010. Your prayers, encouragements and support enabled us to accomplished more than our selves can do. Our partnership has been a blessing to many people in Cambodia in ways that glorify the name of our God. It is our prayer that we will continue our work together in advancing God’s Kingdom in every part of Cambodia.

May God multiply your goodness a thousand folds! Your partners in Christ,

Ken, Jomil, Kim & Kyle Cruz

www.advancinghope.org
Missionary Support Code: 3019583
Program Support Code: 14916A

A Healthy Family

by Leng Thy, CHAD staff
Enjoying a healthy life, where family members live in harmony, parents enjoy bountiful harvest from their farms, children have three meals a day with nutritious food, and families willingly help their neighbors, is one of the things the CHAD program wishes to see in the villages where the Methodist churches are situated. Such an ideal picture of a healthy family can now be seen in the life of one of the members of the irrigation crop production group in a village called Phum Phnao in the Svay Rieng district.

In a wooden nice house with a clean, fairly large backyard, located approximately 500 meters behind the church, lives a four-member family: husband, wife and two children. The sizeable yard provides enough space for the family to grow fruit trees, cultivate a vegetable garden, manage fish in a pond, and raise its own animals (such as cows, pigs, ducks and chickens), thus enabling this industrious family to survive easily. It is no surprise that most of the people in their village recognize them as model farmers.

Mrs. Sam Ang, 51-years-old and the farm’s owner, reported that she and her 59-year-old husband, Mr. Em Sakhorn, have six children, of which four have already married. There are only two children remaining in her care. In retrospect, Sam Ang sadly recalls her family story. She said that before she came to know and believe in Christ she was so poor. She worked so hard that she had little time to be with her children, to give them proper care, except at nighttime when they were already asleep. During the daytime, Mrs. Sam Ang had to walk the whole day long selling noodles, in order to earn money to support her family. Since her children were very much part of running this small family business, it came to a point that all her children stopped going to school. She also tearfully told about living in a dilapidated house that was ready to collapse. She felt feel isolated and hopeless. Nobody in the village gave her any support or comforted her when she was in trouble with sickness or with no food to eat.

In 1998, she and all her family members accepted God, and since then their living conditions have improved gradually. She firmly and faithfully states that God supplies her everything she needs, like the ability to send her children to school and the resources to rebuild her house, which she accomplished in 2004. In church she has many beloved friends and is not lonely, as she was before. She was included in an irrigation crop production group, in which she was given the priority to receive the pump machine first. Having a pump machine provides her family an opportunity to cultivate a vegetable garden, from which she earns enough to support their daily needs. The garden also provides some extra resources to help her needy neighbors who come for help.

Full of compassion and kindness, she visits her neighbors and other sick people. She divides her life among her family, church, and work. She also finds time for self development, through attending training and workshops sponsored by NGOs or the government. Attending these trainings, she gaines experience that is helpful in making her farm very successful. Not wanting to keep the blessing just for themselves, Mrs. Sam Ang and her husband are eager in sharing their knowledge when meeting people at her church. She also said that because of God her life is really full of joy, since He takes care of her farm. That’s why it becomes so fruitful, enabling her family to have three meals a day, good clothes, and a nice house. She says, “I am now satisfied with everything God provides for my family; praise God for helping me.”

A farm-equipment sharing business in Solong Kandal

by Adam Jenkins, Individual Volunteer in Mission
A group in Solong Kandal wished to develop a small business plowing the fields utilizing a CHAD gift-loan to purchase a hand tractor. The hand tractor is easily hooked up to a plow or a cart for working the fields and transporting harvest or various other items. The first estimate of the cost of a machine and a cart was in the $2000 range, and the money they had collected as a group was roughly $245. Because CHAD only allows gift-loans of up to $1000, this meant that the group would need to find another way to obtain the remaining funds needed, such as to take another loan from a micro-finance institution or bank. Moreover, they didn't have a good understanding of whether their estimated income would be sufficient to pay off the machine.

Things were not looking good for this group. However, after hearing the initial proposal, we headed up to the church again for a second time in order to further examine the situation. We asked them questions pertaining to the structure of the business they intended to start. We told them that before making such investments it was important to study the environment in which the business would begin.

• This included the number of machines in the local area that also plowed fields for a fee.
• What prices were those machines charging?
• How much land did the group members themselves have that needed to be plowed?
• How many times a year did plowing occur? (Two times in this area, it turned out, because they farm near the river during the dry season.)
• How much land belonging to others would likely use the service of the group's new hand tractor?
• What other kinds of income-generating activities could they do with the hand tractor?

These questions began to shape a concept of demand.

We also spoke of how competition affected pricing. I reminded the group of characteristics they could promote, such as quality of service, etc. This could give them advantages over the competition.

However, at the end of our long discussions, the numbers were still looking grim and there was much anxiety among the group members over the prospect of taking a loan from the bank, although the church owns a small rice paddy field that could be used as collateral. We told them that the CHAD program was adamant in keeping within its limits and in supporting groups to mobilize local resources for large projects like this one.

Later, the group called us back for another meeting, in which they shared with us some great news. They had reduced the start-up cost by nearly $500 by finding a shop with the best price and by themselves rebuilding a buffalo cart to be used by the new machine, rather than buying one. All that was required was $1765, $245 of which they had already collected. Moreover, they were going to borrow the remanding $520 from relatives, which they could pay back without interest. This was great news, because if they found their business in a rough patch, the bank could have potentially seized the church's small paddy field that they purchased last year with the harvest offering.

One great thing about paying off the CHAD gift-loan was that it would go into a savings pool to be returned to the group to start another development project. The group members were eager to take advantage of this aspect of the program and proceed with other projects, such as raising chickens.

After approval by the Social Concerns Committee of the Methodist Mission in Cambodia, their money was secured. Next would come the work of hammering out the by-laws. We wanted the group to be clear about the use of the money and also to develop a sense of unity, trust, and companionship as they took on a project providing a valuable service to the community.

May God allow it, I hope to one day return and see that the members of Salong Kendal have earned great success and are continuing on to further and extraordinary things.

Adam Jenkins
CHAD intern

Reflections from summer intern Adam Jenkins

by Adam Jenkins, Individual Volunteer in Mission
During my stay in Cambodia working for the CHAD program of the Methodist Mission in Cambodia, I learned a great deal under the supervision of GBGM missionary Katherine Parker.

We went out to the field to monitor rice banks, cow and chicken raising, credit groups, and other development projects of this nature. Also, we did water-testing and leadership-building workshops with pastors and members of local church communities. These programs are designed to enable pastors and church members alike through the development of important critical thinking skills.

With the coming and going of the Pol Pot regime at the end of the 1970s, the educational system suffered a great blow, completely stripping Cambodia of its intellectual base. As a result, the social environment of Cambodia can be compared to that of the earlier years during which America was blossoming. While this means that poverty is rampant and creature comforts are sparse, it also means that there is great potential for growth.

While completing my internship, I had the opportunity to study the economy, as well as take in-depth looks into Hinduism and Buddhism. Stiff competition takes place in the markets, where price slashing is very common and bargaining for the lowest price is nothing out of the ordinary.

Hinduism is an old belief system, which still lingers in the predominantly Buddhist culture. These, as well as some folk religions, pervade the ethics in all aspects of life. The Buddhist teaching tells one to renounce material desires and focus on inner virtues, to be open and complacent to change for that is the way of life, and to treat all others as you yourself wish to be treated. The culture is rich and warm and anywhere I walked I rarely failed to catch a smile from the passers-by.

Folks back home were worried that I would be laden with the quality of living in a developing nation. While there were times when strain was definitely asserted, I told them, "Have no worries. I am learning so much here I don’t have time to concern myself with what I don’t have!" From here, I eagerly look foreword to returning home and completing my senior year at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. After this, I plan to attend Illiff seminary with thought s of environmental ethics in mind. Being in Cambodia has inspired me to continue my study into ecumenism, arguing for the consideration of concepts that I believe are widely taught, from Buddhism and Hinduism. I feel that the ancient wisdom of these traditions has been overlooked.

God’s Blessings,
Adam Jenkins

Reflections on mission as transformation

by Ken CruzGBGM missionary from The Philippines serving with Community Health and Agricultural Development in Cambodia

"You can count the number of seeds in a mango, but you can't count the number of mangoes in a seed" Kenyan Proverb

As a missionary in a foreign land I always wonder how my life an ministry can communicate the gospel in such a way that people who live their lives in worlds far different from my own can understand and believe it. Bringing the message of the gospel that is appropriate to the local situation without losing its truth is perhaps the most challenging aspect of my work in community transformation.

As I continue to work with the CHAD program that aims to enhance local church empowerment through holistic ministry, I have increasingly noticed that effective communication of the gospel is a two-step process. Firstly, I must be aware of my own cultural context from which I understand and communicate the gospel. Secondly, I must gain an in-depth knowledge of the local culture specifically its underlying assumptions. This on-going learning process demands that a missionary, on outsider, and the local people, insiders, undergo a never-ending cycle of unlearning patterns of thinking that conform with the fallen systems of this world and learning a pattern of thinking that alligns with God's truth.

Only through this humbling process of unlearning and learning can a person truly understand how to communicate the gospel within the contexts of the local culture so that it is properly understood yet remains faithful to the truth as revealed in the Scripture. In my view, the primary task in mission is cultural transformation which means challenging people to forsake the mindsets that keep them in bondage and asking them to be renewed by a pattern of thinking that gives life and conform to the Kingdom of God.

This is why I believe that our work in church empowerment training for holistic ministry is transformative. Through this effort we encourage our local congregations to challenge their cultural assumptions while at the same helping them to see/appreciate the individual and collective resources they have around them. In this way, they can help their neighbors without relying too much on outside help.

"For as man thinketh in his heart, so is he" Proverbs 23:7

Personal note from the field.

Grace & peace!

When our two sons (Kim & Kyle) left Cambodia to pursue university, we finally came face to face with what many have called the "empty nest" in their marriage life. But God is gracious in helping us cope with the changes so far. In face, this gives us time to reflect on how blessed we are to have been given the chance to be parents of our children. In the same way, this is also how we feel about our partnership. Always thankful and feeling blessed that you have given us the opportunity to journey with you in ushering the Kingdom of God amongst the people of Cambodia!

Shalome!

Your partners in Christ,
Ken, Jomil, Kim and Kyle Cruz

Daneth's Story and Testimony

Asian Rural Institute
Nishinasuno, Japan
Testimony
June 27, 2010

My name is Daneth Him . . . from Cambodia. . . . My mom is a businesswoman in a small grocery store and my father was a policemen. I have four sisters and two brothers. I work with the United Methodist Church in Cambodia as secretary to the Women's Desk.

I decided to believe in Christ in 2000, without asking permission from my parents. . . . They were really angry with me, but they did not say anything. I kept going to church . . .

Sometimes they didn't know what I was doing. . . . One day they heard. . . . They decided to call me in for a talk . . . They asked me what I am going to do for this Sunday and I told them that I will go to the church.

When they heard the word "church," they were angry. My mom said to me, "I will not allow you to go anymore and if you continue to go, you have to get out from this house. You will not be my child anymore."

I did not answer anything, because I did not know what to do.

My father said, "If you believe in Christ, then let your Christ give you food; you don't need to eat my food anymore."

I never became angry with them. . . . I continued to go to the church . . . hiding it from them. . . . I just told them I was going to my friend’s house.

One day I told them the truth, that I kept going to church. This time they did not become angry. I wondered why?

. . . I realized that my actions were showing . . . I was really working hard in my studies and housework. . . . I also helped my mom with her business.

I really wanted my family to believe in Christ. . . . I started to tell them about Christ. They did not say anything, just let me talk. . . . I kept sharing the Gospel. . . . I asked them, "Why don't you believe in Christ?"

They said that they felt embarrassment with relatives and neighbors. All the people in our village know my parents very well and 99.7% of them are Buddhist . . .

The children in our family kept growing bigger and bigger and nobody would help the family to earn money. . . . My parents were very worried. . . . Even I did not have a job . . .

One day, I went to the airport to pick up our Methodist team from the United States. . . . I met a missionary from Kenya, sent by the General Board of Global Ministries in New York.

I tried to speak English with her, but my English was very poor. She asked me, "Did you study? What subject did you study? Do you have a job?" . . . She asked, "Do you want to work in the United Methodist Church?"

My answer was, "Yes!"

. . . At first . . . was a volunteer job, but I received the cost of transportation.

I asked my parents, "Please be patient. . . . I will find money to help our family."

In 2005, my dream came true. I was able to receive some allowance from the United Methodist Church. . . . I could support my family in a small way. I felt very happy. Outside of this work, I found a part time job on Saturday and Sunday. I worked as a translator and sometimes . . . marketing . . . I was able to send my younger sisters and brothers to study English and computers. My parents were very happy . . . Because of God's grace, I have been able to support my family; even though I am not with them. I work in Phnom Penh and they are in the countryside.

. . . My father borrowed money from the bank to take care of his illness. . . . We sold our land . . . Unfortunately, my father died after I started at the Asian Rural Institute in Japan on April 14, 2010.

Even though this problem happened in our family, I feel okay now, because my father decided to believe in Christ in December 2009 before he died. I was so happy, for he is living with our Lord Jesus Christ now.

Please continue to pray for our family, because most of them do not believe in Christ yet, and one of my brothers always brings problems to our house. Please also pray for my mother’s feelings. . . . She married when she was 22-years-old. She is now 63. It is a big loss for her.

May God bless you all.

Thank you so much for your time.

Prepared by Daneth Him
2010 Participant at Asian Rural Institute

Daneth's first week at the Asian Rural Institute, Japan

by Ms. Him Daneth

Daneth, part of the GBGM staff in Cambodia, is attending a nine-month training program at the Asian Rural Institute (ARI) in Japan. Here are some reflections from her first week at the program.

I would like to share what was happening, my feeling, and many activities…

Tomoko said that there are 17 countries for the 2010 participants. There are 16 male and 14 female.

The first session was an introduction about the Crop and vegetable session. It was talking about our farming situation back home. What we used to do and why we need to plant the vegetable and rice? Most of the participants answered, “Because we need to eat.” The end of the introduction was talking about the connection between every thing living on earth. Every thing on earth is connected; we have to know how they are connected. Good Sun asked, “What is the human need?” The participants answered that food and water sustain our life. “How can we have the food?” They said that we buy our plant and raise it. “How can we plant and raise the animal?” For example, the cow needs what? The cow needs the grass. “The grass needs what?” The grass needs the water. The human eats the cow and drinks the water, the cow needs the grass and the grass needs water and sun.

Tomoko san is the Associate Director. She is in ARI 15 years already. She shared about the Biography of ARI. The founder is Dr. Takami. Foundation and Spirit of ARI is very important for us to understand and helps you understand why you need to come here. She shared the key word of living in ARI. We share every thing with each other so that we may live together, it is the ARI motto. We also need to live and connect with nature.

Food Life Work

The facilitator of the crop and vegetable told us that before we plant potatoes, we have to know where they come from. The potatoes come from South Africa. Teacher explains about how to cut potatoes. “Do we need to cut potato in two pieces or many pieces?” It is according to the eye of the potato. “Why we need to do like that?” because the potato can grow more and more.

Community Life Policy

There are 3 main points: 1. Standard, 2. Guideline, and 3. Rule. It is talking about our living in ARI as the community. We come from different backgrounds so we need to understand one another. It is what we need to learn. How can we build the new community living if we do not understand each other? This community will be broken. We need to learn from one another as a person, work together, sleep together, eat together, and play together in order that we learn to help each other.

Hallelujah Moment from Cambodia "Answered Prayer"

Thank you to GBGM staff in New York for producing this wonderful Hallelujah Moment about the story of the girl with a heart condition in Kampong Chhnang. You can download the brochure or read the whole story from last August.

Every few months when I get to meet the girl, my heart sings praise at her improving condition. Her color and strength are improved and she is regularly participating with the congregation.

I am headed up to worship with the congregation again this Sunday. We are planning to do a hygiene outreach to kids in a neighboring village. We've been collecting supplies, such as nail clippers*, towels and lice shampoo that have donated by a variety of churches from the USA and Korea. The church members plan to teach hand-washing and treat kids who have head-lice. I'm going along to help test the water.

Please continue praying for Cambodia, the need is great, but so is the passion for Christ and the power of the small miracles happening all around us.

*when we took the health kits sent by Wesley UMC, Bakersfield to the prison ministry, we had to remove all of the nail clippers, so they are going to use now in this outreach.

Practicing economic justice in Cambodia

While studying theology of development with pastors in Kampong Speu, we discussed some ways they are or could practice just economic relationships. Weddings are a major event in Cambodia. While wealthy people usually can come out ahead because the cash gifts are more than the expenses, this is not true for poor families who usually loose money putting on a wedding. Rev. Sopeng suggests that an act of economic justice is to make sure that we give an equal gift when we go to the wedding of a poor family as a rich family. This idea is counter to common practice in Cambodia, but which demonstrates this value.

From a California UMVIM visitor to the Methodist Mission in Cambodia

by Laddie Perez-Galang, Volunteer in Mission
I felt like I had been sent back in time, growing up 35-40 years ago in the Philippines ~ my innocence, my exploring, my finding and defining who I am.

Who is God? I cannot ever remember being asked that question or me asking that question. I am one of the fortunate ones, because I grew up and was nurtured in a community of faith. I would not know how it is like or how it feels to not know God. That is what I saw and experienced in Cambodia — the first generation who are just now hearing and learning about God. I saw in their eyes, in their body language, in their smiles, I heard in their voices ~ that there is God and they want to thank and praise Him! Wow! They are hungry, they are about to explode, and they are in ecstasy.

At the airport in Siem Reap, returning to Phnom Penh, I was wearing my UMC T-shirt with the UMC logo. One of the security guards said to me, “Christian in Cambodia, Praise God, and good luck!” He seemed so very happy and proud to see a Christian.

I was able to attend a worship service on my last day in Phnom Penh. It was in Khmer, but they translated some of it in English. The highlight of the service for me was the closing. After four choirs in a row—praise team, children, youth, chancel choir — we all gathered in a circle. What I was able to grasp was that there were three prayers for the church, the country, and the world. I had my eyes closed ~ then the pastor yelled something, then everyone yelled the same words and started talking out loud ~ I thought they were saying the Lord’s Prayer, so I started to say the Lord’s Prayer. I thought, that’s a long Lord’s Prayer, because I must have said it four to five times before they stopped. That experience reminded me of the Pentecost ~ everyone was talking in tongues! I asked afterwards what they were saying. My companion told me that the Pastor yelled “Praise God, Praise God” and everyone yelled the same thing after him. Then they all said the three prayers for the church, the country, and the world, then their own individual prayers.

Partnering for Hope

by Deborah Austin, Volunteer in Mission
God is working in Cambodia through Community Health and Agricultural Development (CHAD) to bring people together to bind up the brokenhearted and heal the sick. This is the story of Pok Buntha, a 27 year old man who has a serious blood circulatory problem that has brought on low blood pressure and anemia, as well as stomach and esophagus conditions.

The first time the CHAD team met him was in April 2009. Pok was brought to a medical clinic that was being held by CHAD and a Rocky Mountain UMVIM medical team at First Methodist Church in Kratie. He came with his mother Heang Neon. At the clinic, Irene Mparutsa (GBGM missionary) gave him a “ticket” to allow him to enter a hospital in Phnom Penh. CSI (Cooperative Services International – a Christian hospital) diagnosed his illness.

Up to this point, Pok had never known what was wrong with him. He was told he needs to go to Thailand for life-saving surgery on his veins. The cost of this seemed formidable to Pok and his mother. The surgery is $3000. In addition, the passport, visa, and travel costs are $1000. They are raising money by selling their moto. But this will only bring them $500.

This is where Pok’s faith come in. He says he is holding onto hope in the Lord Jesus! Sam Dy, a lay pastor in the area, is the one who brought Pok to the clinic. Some time earlier, he’d started visiting Pok in his home and sharing the Gospel. Sam Dy said, “I saw his thinness, that he was ready to die.” Pok began to open his heart to Jesus and believe.


Pok said, “Before, I stood in darkness. I was sad. Right now, I am still sick, but the holiness of Jesus is around me.” Sam Dy continues to disciple Pok. He brings the church members to his house so that they can all pray for him. Pok has begun attending worship services and he is also witnessing to other sick people in the village. “One day,” he says, “I hope I will receive mercy from Jesus.”

If you would like to partner with others in giving money to Pok’s surgery, you can do so by giving to the Advance #3020542 (“Emergency Health Care for Pok Bunta”). Mail checks payable to:
Advance GCFA
P.O. Box 9068, GPO
New York, NY 10087-9068

This article was written by Reverend Deborah Austin and Irene Mparutsa. They talked with Pok in January 2010 and report that Pok continues to need this surgery. Yet, his whole demeanor is stronger, a result of his newfound faith!

Health Ministries Catching On

by Irene Mparutsa
In 2009, Pho Linn, a woman from the Phum Meas rural area, had come to a clinic sponsored by CHAD and a volunteer health team from the United States. She was weak with ovarian cancer. We laid hands on her and prayed, referring her to the Russian Hospital in Phnom Penh. The doctor there could do nothing for her except confirm the cancer. A Methodist pastor stopped by and prayed with her every day.

About a year later, I was accompanying a United Methodist Volunteer-in-Mission team from Virginia when I saw her again. She looked well! She was experiencing some pain, so I asked her to return to the Phnom Penh hospital for review. The doctor confirmed that she had no more cancer! She had continued to pray to Jesus; and, in her Buddhist village, the word has gotten around. She went home with a Bible, and her brother-in-law is now asking about building a church.

Access to Care
After a meeting in Kratie with the Provincial Health Director to talk about the problem of goiters (enlargements of the thyroid gland), we decided to work together on a campaign to prevent the problem. Being able to work with high-level government officials on health issues is an exciting part of the Cambodia Mission Initiative's health ministry. We will begin with a house-to-house survey to learn more about the disease and what has already been done for it. While in Kratie, we visited some village health centers to continue building relationships and bridges between local health services, the church, and the community.

Another goal of our visit to Kratie was to continue nurturing the newly established congregation there.

Last week, the office door opened and Yei (Granny) Oeun and her pastor walked in. At first I thought she was Ming Phalla, another yei from her church who also has a beguiling smile and only one tooth. Yei Oeun and her pastor had a good laugh over my confusion and then she began to tell me her story. She wanted a referral letter for free treatment at a clinic. I admired the wisdom of her appeal to CHAD for help. One translation of Proverbs 1:2 speaks of the "discipline of wise thoughtfulness." She had heard of the CHAD ministry from her friend, Ming Phalla. Using the wisdom God had given her, she had thought it through and come to ask for help.

A great part of the health ministry continues to be helping people access health care here in Phnom Penh. Church members and their families and neighbors from the 147 Methodist Mission in Cambodia congregations - which are located all over the country - call on their pastors, who, in turn, contact CHAD. As the word gets out about CHAD, the number of people asking for help is growing. In January, members of the Social Concerns Committee participated in a training to build their skills in advocating for affordable treatments.

This story also appeared in July/August 2010 edition of New World Outlook.

Human trafficking and a women's hostel in Phnom Penh

by Katherine Parker
My cousin Wes sent me this article on Human Trafficking and it got me thinking about recent experiences that I have had.

I love going to the Tropical Oasis Spa down by the Toul Tem Pong market. It certainly is not as upscale as some others, but I like to support the young women who are studying there. It is part of an NGO run by friends of mine that works with at-risk girls and those who have escaped from trafficking. There is a great cafe downstairs and I often run into other friends from around town.

The Methodist Mission in Cambodia has a similar training program in beauty, cooking and sewing skills for at-risk young women. It is called Emmaus. Last year, we held a two-day meeting of the Social Concerns Committee (SCC) at the center to expose more of the Cambodian pastors to the program so they know about the opportunity as an option for at-risk young women in their communities. It is a great program and I love visiting its relaxing and beautiful campus. It is a bit out of Phnom Penh, so I've only been a few times. They work hard to help the girls with job placement and just submitted a proposal to CHAD to help some of the graduates with loans to set up their own businesses. The goal in part is to enable young women to return to their villages, rather than stay in Phnom Penh to look for work. I really hope we can fund them.

I also started going to a Monday night prayer group. It is held at the home of a man who works for World Vision on advocacy about trafficking. He has been educating me bit by bit about the situation in Cambodia and in Southeast Asia. While I know that trafficking is a reality here in Cambodia, I usually don't think too much about it. A recent incident, though, has forced me to.

The 10th grade daughter of a church worker I know was waiting at the side of the road in a dark section of Phnom Penh to be picked up to go home after an event. A moto-dop (motorcycle taxi) pulled up. He looked legitimate and she decided to get a ride with him rather than waiting for her arranged ride to come. Quickly, she realized that he was not going in the right direction. He took her to a house and locked her up in a room. Later, she met other girls who were also locked up and who had had similar experiences. They were awaiting transport to Thailand for prostitution.

The church worker's daughter had some advantages that others did not. Because she was waiting for someone to pick her up, family and friends realized right away that she was missing. The church called together a prayer meeting. The church members put out posters and the moto-dop drivers in the church started asking around.

A few days later, her captors said that holding her was too much trouble and they let her go!

The family is not talking much about it, and even though I was just at the church either shortly before or after the kidnapping, (I'm not sure of the exact timing), nothing was mentioned to me. I think there is shame associated with the situation and the church and friends want to minimize that for the girl and her family. I know she wants to continue with her studies.

What would have happened if they didn't have a church community to work together and come to her aid? What about all of the other women who are being held? I know intellectually that Phnom Penh is a dangerous place for young Khmer women, but this seemed really close to home.

The young women from the Emmaus Center have been living two by two when they come to Phnom Penh, but the situations are not optimum. The Women's Program has been praying about starting a hostel where 20 or so of them can live together (both Emmaus graduates and those who come to Phnom Penh to attend college). The reality of the work situation is that the young women often have to work on Sundays, so they can't participate in a regular worship community. A house would give them solidarity and support for each other and a place where they could continue their spiritual development. Yesterday, I heard that the house next to mine might be available for rent, and I thought of it as a possibility.

I have also been praying recently about how I might be more involved with spiritual development of young women in Cambodia. Maybe this is an opportunity. There is still quite a bit of planning that needs to be done, and this is really just the first glimmer of an idea. We would need to raise the funds for maybe two years of rent up front to give the project a chance to become self sustaining. The girls in the house would initially be responsible for water, electricity, and food. We have other hostels around Phnom Penh that have been very important outreach ministries to youth, so we have a good model of how it could work.

Please pray for the Women's Ministry of the Methodist Church in Cambodia, for how the ministry might best be expanded with young women, particularly those at risk. And, please pray for me, also, that I might have clarity about how I can be involved.