Dear Friends Near and (mostly) Far:
It is hard to believe but it has been almost three months since we left the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” to come to the “Land of a 1,000,000 Rice Paddies”. Over the past three months, here are some of our “highlights”:
- David worked with another International Worker* to start a men’s Bible Study with the Cambodian men who work in our office. As a result of this, David had the chance to lead Chanthan, one our office guards, to faith in Christ.
- The main C&MA church in Phnom Penh is called Tumnuptuk Church. After yeof prayer, fundraising, and hard work, they had a dedication service in September for their new three- story church building
- We celebrated our 25th anniversary in August. We splurged a bit to celebrate at one of Phnom Penh’s nicer hotels.
- David took a little over a week and rode about 1200 miles (all on public transportation) to visit and get caught up with life and ministry with all of our International Workers on the field. We currently have 37 people serving with the Alliance in Cambodia. It was great to hear the things that God has been doing in and through this gifted team.
- David was able to join the first ever Elim Rural Ministry Training Center graduation ceremony. This new Alliance ministry was started two years ago in a rural area about 2 hours from Phnom Penh. There were 6 graduates who completed the training program specifically designed for people who will minister in rural areas. It was great to see their hearts and commitment to spread the Gospel and build Christ’s Kingdom. There are now 15 more students who are in the process of studying there.
- David had the chance to visit one of our International Workers who serves the ethnic Vietnamese on the large Tonle Sap lake near Siem Reap. There is a floating Vietnamese village there (everyone there lives in primitive houseboats). That village now has their own floating school/church. In the past year, this group has grown from only three adults to more than 100 adults and youth. As I joined them for worship, there was a great sense of expectation as they are taking on the challenge to share John 3:16 and their testimony with everyone else in their floating village this year.
- Janelle was elected President of her High School Senior class (we are bragging a bit!)
Our service here would not be possible without faithful people like you standing behind us in prayer. With that in mind, here are some requests:
- This week (Sept. 27 to Oct. 1), the field will go through a once in five year process called a “Strategic Field Review” where mission leaders from the outside will evaluate our ministry in Cambodia in dialog with all the International Workers on the field. Pray that this process would lead to strengthening the directions of the field and sharpening our focus into those key areas where we need to be investing our people and resources.
- There is a very important Cambodian organization called TEEAC: The Theological Education by Extension Association of Cambodia. The C&MA Cambodia Mission helped set this up a number of years ago and now TEEAC is run independently with their own board. They develop all the TEE materials which are used throughout Cambodian churches to train church leaders. TEEAC is going through some major organizational struggles right now. Pray that the Lord would help them sort all this through and that their critically important service to produce and distribute quality Christian leadership materials would go forward.
- We are looking to start some new evangelistic services specifically geared towards youth in the Phnom Penh churches. Pray that these services would draw both young Christians and their non-Christian friends.
- Pray for Chris as she meets our new neighbors and others to develop relationships of trust that will open doors to the Gospel. She is working with a team of other International Workers to get a new church started here in Phnom Penh
Thanks so much to those of you who also support our ministries in Cambodia through your gifts to the Great Commission Fund through your local Alliance church or through the Alliance website at www.cmalliance.org/give/ Without that support, we would not be able to be here doing the things we are doing! Aw-koon! (“thank you” in Cambodian)
In Christ, Dave and Chris
September 2010
* “International Worker” is now the Alliance’s preferred term for missionary. It is a different term but our ministry is still the same!
