What in the world is God doing in Cambodia

As the field Director overseeing a team of about 30 very gifted and committed International Workers, one of my privileges is to see the big picture of what God is doing in and through our team.  I just completed my 2012 annual report and wanted to share with you some of the things for which we praise God over the past year:

Dave, Chris, and Jenna in front of a 1,000 year old bridge

• The C&MA Mission continued to strengthen our church planting training program in cooperation with the Khmer Evangelical Church (KEC).  More than 40 KEC church groups have been started by the KEC in the past 2 years.
• C&MA International Workers have been intentionally and directly involved in a number of new church plants in addition to the ones done by the KEC.
• International Workers serving with our team have had the privilege of leading several hundred people to Christ over the past year, all the way from generals to poor people on their death beds.
• 21 students are studying full-time at the C&MA's Elim Rural Ministry Training School.  For the first time in the 4-year history of the school, there were more applicants to enter the school than places for students.  This signifies that the school’s reputation is growing.  We continue to see good fruit from the lives of the graduates of this intense 2-year residential program to train young people as leaders in the church and as church planters
• More than 240 people are currently enrolled in the 2-year Theological Extension by Extension program to train church leaders.  This is a course that meets once/week at local churches.
  
• At the KEC annual youth conference in April, the plan was for 500 youth to attend but nearly 700 young people attended.
• At a KEC regional youth meeting in October, 178 youth attended.  At the altar call, about half of them committed or recommitted their lives to Christ
• The Mission assigned our first worker to Stung Treng (Joyce Johns), one of the least reached provinces in Cambodia.  She will begin her ministry there this Summer.
• The number of baptisms in the KEC increased to 413 in 2012 which is an increase of 18% over last year.  The total baptized membership of the KEC is now more than 4,300 people which is  a record high.  The number of people who attend KEC churches is actually several thousand higher than the number of baptized members.
• Samaritan’s Purse and CAMA Services are working with the mission to support an ambulance ministry in Banteay Meanchey province.  In 2012, our Cambodian staff conducted more than 300 ambulance runs and trained Cambodians to successfully operate an Emergency Medical Services program throughout the province.
• NewHope schools helped more than 350 Vietnamese children with grade 1-5 education.  Most of the children are from very poor, sometimes destitute, backgrounds.  They learn reading, writing (in both Cambodian and Vietnamese languages), arithmetic, and the Gospel.  Most of these children are now believers.  For the students who graduate from the NewHope schools and then matriculate into the Cambodian educational system, they have a track whereby they can become Cambodian citizens.  Previous NewHope school students, who just this year completed high school, have now matriculated into university level classes for the first time ever this year. 
• The C&MA Guest Home built four more guest rooms. In addition, the number of people staying at the Guest House increased by more than 50% in comparison to 2011.
• Gene and Carol Hall, retired C&MA Cambodia International Workers, spoke at our annual prayer conference.  It was great to hear their testimony from the significant spiritual harvest period from 1970-1975.
• The HIV/AIDs ministry in Battambang continued on under Cambodian leadership.  The mission now has only limited input and oversight into this ministry.  It continues to move forward with four teams of church volunteers going out twice a month to provide physical and spiritual support.  They are currently helping 47 people living with HIV/AIDS who are being served by this ministry.  Many of these 47 have come to faith now along with some family members as well.
• In partnership with four of our International Workers who have been secunded to the C&MA from Wycliffe Bible Translators, Bible translation progressed significantly in two languages:  Bunong and Kuy.  The Bunong New Testament is now more than 50% done.  The Kuy New Testament is about 25% done
• A new initiative began to encourage Bible reading groups amongst the Bunong people in Mondolkiri province.  They are learning to read their own language through the newly translated portions of the New Testament just completed.  About 150 people come out each week for these Bible reading clubs.
• The mission, in partnership with CAMA, helped set up a solar power system at a prison in Mondulkiri province.  This is the first electricity available in the prison.  This helps the prisoners in a general way but it also helps the prisoners, who learned literacy and the Bible from one of our International Workers, to be able to read the Scriptures and other Christian literature at night.  Some of the prisoners are now believers.

Prisoners installing the solar panels

We know that when you see a list like this, it can seem likes it's just a list...  maybe even a bit overwhelming...  but in reality, each of these bullet points mark significant progress for the Kingdom of God in a land that has been ignorant of the Gospel for many millennia.  Each bullet point signifies real people who are being changed by Christ in profound ways. 

We praise God for the ways He continues to build His Church here in Cambodia. We couldn't do this work without the Lord's provision and enablement.  We also couldn't do this work without the prayers and support of people like you. 

Some prayer requests for us include:

• Pick any one of the bullet points above and pray for God's ongoing work in the hearts and lives of the people involved.
• Pray for the upcoming 90th anniversary celebration of the gospel coming to Cambodia which will be held Feb. 15-16. The C&MA pioneered this work in 1923 and there is quite a celebration planned. Pray that it would all honor Christ
• Chris and I return to the US in June for our one-year home assignment.  We will serve again as the International Workers in Residence at Crown College for the year.  Pray that we would finish well over the next few months in Cambodia and the Lord would lead our team as they elect a new Field Director in early March.
• Our daughter Janelle is a 2nd year nursing student at Crown College.  She plans to go on a 2 week trip to Macedonia in June to assist the C&MA work there along with some other Crown students.  Please pray for the Lord's provision for her in this ministry.

It is through the Great Commission Fund (GCF) that we are able to continue our ministry and live in Cambodia.  Thanks for considering supporting us by clicking on the links to the right.

In Christ, Dave, Chris, and Jenna