Meet Gabby

In May we welcomed two young women to our team here in Cambodia: Gabby (volunteering her help for almost two months) and Rhiannon (here for a one-year internship).  Since they arrived, we’ve been keeping them busy helping with English classes, Sak Saum leadership training, children’s programs, and more!

View fullsize

Teaching at staff devos​

Next week, Gabby will be returning home to Colorado. She will be missed by many; in the short time that she has been here Gabby has built relationships with staff, Sak Saum women, and many of the children in our care, helping them to know they are valuable by loving them, teaching them, and simply spending time together.

In Sak Saum, Gabby’s learned how to do some of the ministry’s more practical tasks, as well as spending time teaching and hanging out with women in the program. At Father’s House, all the children’s English has been improving by leaps and bounds thanks in part to their frequent lessons with these two young women. Those in our daily English classes and Saturday children’s program are enjoying seeing some new faces as well.

Staff members Aly and SreyMom have been having a blast getting to know her and Rhiannon more, through teaching English together, translating their lessons to Sak Saum women, and hanging out during their free time.

​We are blessed to have had Gabby for the time that she has spent with us, and wish her all the best as she returns to Colorado and prepares for her upcoming wedding!

-In His Steps

View fullsize

Clipping nails at a children's program about hygiene

View fullsize

Teaching English to Sak Saum women

View fullsize

Meet Gabby: a volunteer who has spent nearly two months with us this summer (shown here with one of our Father's House children).

Spreading the Word

“As the rain and the snow
 come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth
 and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire
 and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. ”

— Isaiah 55:10-11 - The Holy Bible

It is rainy season in Cambodia: roads are getting muddy, fields are turning green. Farmers rely on this time of year for enough water to flood their rice paddies as part of their yearly planting cycle. From now until September, we could see anywhere from 5-8 feet of rain each month!

In this time of seasonal flooding, it is perhaps appropriate that we have received what can only be described as a flood of Khmer-language Bibles: 1,000 to be exact! Through communication with Messengers International, we were able to receive this huge donation from the Cambodian Bible Society for distribution to our church and others in our area. 

This gift is a wonderful opportunity to get the Word of God into the hands of many who have had little access to it before. Last Friday at our Pastor’s Fellowship meeting, our leadership team gave out over 400 Bibles to many different churches, who in turn are free to distribute them to anyone in their area who needs one. On Sunday, we had a chance to give even more Bibles, as members of our church young and old came forward to receive their very own copy! 

It’s a joy to be able to provide this precious resource to so many, and we believe God’s promise from Isaiah 55:11: his Word will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it.

View fullsize

​Please pray with us for each person receiving a new Bible, that the Holy Spirit would help them understand, receive, and apply what God wants to speak to them. Who knows how many hearts will be touched and lives will be changed by having the Word of God in their hands for the very first time? 

-IHSI

Honoring Parents

View fullsize

An emotional moment between father and daughter this past Sunday.

How did you celebrate Father’s Day? Here in Cambodia, the holiday is not nearly as well known as others (for example, the Queen Mother’s Birthday, which was yesterday). Cambodian culture places a high value on respecting parents and ancestors, but all too often this takes the form of gifts of money or offering sacrifices to idols on their behalf.

For many Cambodians, to honor their parents means to live in complete subservience to their parents’ wishes, in relationships more reminiscent of servant/master than child/parent. This unhealthy mindset has been modeled for generations and is deeply rooted in Khmer culture.

To truly honor someone from your heart means to revere them by recognizing their value. This is what honor means in Scripture when it tells us to honor our father and mother, and this is what we are trying to teach Cambodians who have for far too long seen honor wrongly defined as co-dependency or control.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Many in Saang have never heard of Father’s Day or Mother’s Day, which is why we choose to celebrate both of these special days in church. Below are some photos of this weekend’s Father’s Day service, where God as our Heavenly Father was honored in worship and earthly fathers were encouraged and blessed through songs, teaching, a drama, and small gifts. We pray that your Father’s Day was blessed!

- In His Steps

The Gift of Children

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127:3

These last few months have been exciting times for Gospel Community Church Saang! We’ve been seeing a lot of new faces in our services, had several salvations, were able to do some outreaches with other local pastors, and are seeing great growth in our youth-aged members as they help with different areas of church ministry. Since we also recently had two more births among church member’s families, we have even more reasons to celebrate!

Last year, we held our first baby dedication where families and guardians publicly committed to raise their children in God’s ways. Considering the recent additions to our church body, it seemed right to have another dedication service this past week! Before beginning our dedication, we shared with our congregation the significance of this event, and for those who have only recently begun attending we know that this was a message they had never heard before.

Here in Cambodia, children are often seen either as a burden or a source of income. Consequently, family structure has been molded by patterns of dysfunction and exploitation. As Christians we agree with God that children are gifts to be treasured, loved, and raised according to biblical principles. Baby dedications give us a chance to reaffirm this.

As each parent publicly committed to raise their children to love and know God, church members stood and promised they would do their part to help bring this goal to fruition. It was a special time, and we hope to have many more such dedications as Gospel Community Church Saang continues to grow! 

Lives Made New

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Romans 6:4

Pastor Pheaktra translates as testimonies are shared

In our first post for the new year, we want to share a glimpse into a very special event that happened this past weekend. In His Steps celebrated our largest baptism yet, with 55 new believers testifying to God's redemptive work in their lives. Early on Saturday morning, our Saang staff brought vans full of children from Father's House, Sunday School students, husbands and wives, and elderly grandmothers to a rented hotel pool in the city.

As hotel staff and passersby looked on, we had a time of worship, testimonies, and then of course the main event! After a rush to change clothes and prepare, the pool was lined with eager faces, and an atmosphere of happiness and excitement filled the air.

View fullsize

Four days after receiving salvation, this man was baptized alongside his wife

View fullsize

One of three Sak Saum women who were baptized that day

Our oldest church member, newly baptized

Afterwards, we shared a meal and had some free time for swimming

View fullsize

Others eagerly awaiting their turn

The very first people to be baptized were a blind woman and a grandmother who faces persecution from her family. They braved the cold water with joy on their faces, and many of us watching couldn't contain our tears. It was just the first of many such moments, as husbands and wives, orphans and widows, women from Sak Saum and others took this important step. 

We look forward to many more baptisms as we bring God's light to Cambodia. It is such a privilege to witness firsthand the fruits of our labors in Saang, and to be used as vessels to minister God's love as he draws people to himself. Join us in praying for each person baptized, that they would be bright and shining lamps in their community as they walk in His steps!

We look forward to the great things God has for 2011!