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.