March Update

There’s been a lot going on in the last few weeks, so we thought we’d give you a quick look at some of the highlights and news about what is going on at IHSI!

Team Outreach

This month we hosted our second team of 2015, this time from Boulder Street Church in Colorado! It was a blessing having old and new friends on the ground with us as they took part in church programs, children's and youth ministry, helped in Sak Saum, did prayer ministry, spruced up our sanctuary with some fresh paint, and got to know our staff and community! Team outreaches are a great introductions to missions work while learning about the IHSI model of ministry. If your church or group is interested in doing an outreach with IHSI, click here to learn more! 

Baptisms

This past week we celebrated an important milestone in the lives of 15 new believers, water baptism. We brought them out to a local pool, worshiped together, shared testimonies, and baptized each one as a public confirmation of their faith and new life in God. Since we had a visiting team already with us, we of course invited them along to help at this joyous occasion!

Please join us in praying for the new believers who were baptized, that they would feel encouraged and strengthened as they continue in their journey with God.

Sokchea

Our staff brought Sokchea (a young girl with cerebral palsy from our community) along with us to the water baptisms so that she could experience a swimming pool for the first time! Sokchea has always enjoyed showers and water play, and we were hoping that she would find the pool a stimulating and enjoyable experience. She loved it! Dealing with so many limitations and challenges that she faces, it’s a joy to find ways that bless her and help her have some fun.

Upper Room Project

Sak Saum

Last week we released our newest Sak Saum products for spring/summer 2015. This beautiful range of products from handbags and wallets to jewelry and apparel is sure to have something for everyone! Each purchase goes directly into Sak Saum program participants and community job creation, so help us spread the word by sharing this link with all your friends!

- IHSI

What Have We Been Up To?

Every so often we share some of our highlights and issues that are close to our heart through this blog. Stories and little tidbits of our days here are our way of trying to keep you informed and encouraged about what God is doing in Cambodia. But the reality is, there is so much going on that we simply can't fit into blog posts!

So here is a round-up of 2014: an overview of the many endeavours that our awesome team has sown time, effort, and much love into. From long projects with big goals to small steps forward in seemingly small, sometimes unglamorous areas of ministry, we are blessed to see God's faithfulness to our team, our local community, and Cambodia!

Click here to download our 2014 report. And if you'd like to join our mailing list so that you can receive this and other updates, please fill out the form below!

Starting Small

This month we are excited about the newest teacher from our Center: SreyOuen, one of our Father’s House kids! For many months now, staff member Aly has been visiting local children and teaching them Khmer literacy and basic English. Aly has been doing such a great job transitioning these children from completely unschooled to functionally literate! And sometimes she brings along some of our Father’s House children (including SreyOuen) to help.

Recently, SreyOuen noticed that there were several new children hanging around who seemed interested in learning but were not ready for the level of study that the children who had been attending for months were at.  She asked Aly if she could start her own little class teaching basic Khmer reading and writing to them. We were of course thrilled to say yes to this endeavor!

One of our biggest desires for Father’s House and Loaves and Fish children is that as they grow up and see how God has brought them out of brokenness into lives of blessing and abundance, that they would begin to sow back into the communities where they were once considered outcasts: that they would bring hope to those around them just as God has brought hope to them.

We are so thankful for faithful and encouraging staff like Aly, who are modeling service and helping our children find their callings. And we are excited to see the many ways that the kids in our programs are blossoming, maturing, and sharing what they have with others! Please join us in praying for SreyEun’s little literacy class, that as she teaches these young children, both she and they would be blessed!

- IHSI

A Reason to Smile

Meet SreyCouch

This is SreyCouch, a lovely young woman in our community who has a special place in all our hearts. Since she first started coming to our Center nearly two years ago, she has grown in leaps and bounds as she studied English, became involved with youth group, gained a new circle of friends, and began a personal relationship with Jesus. 

SreyCouch has a difficult family situation and faces persecution both at home and at school. Yet she perseveres in loving those around her and helping the community through volunteering at our Center. SreyCouch serves on our church team ministering to the disabled in our congregation, and is a humble and willing helper with whatever needs to be done!

Despite having a beautiful personality and sweet spirit, it wasn't until recently that you would see SreyCouch with a big happy smile like in the photo at left. Why not? Because until last month, she suffered from severe dental damage, requiring extensive procedures that a family like hers simply couldn't consider providing. She was constantly embarrassed by her appearance, hiding her face whenever she would start to laugh or smile.

But all that's changed now, thanks to a series of procedures that have repaired the damage and restored her smile, allowing SreyCouch to radiate her sweet personality more than ever before! We are so thankful that a donor giving through out Sak Saum ministry was able to cover this cost. Though SreyCouch was always beautiful, she can now smile and laugh with a newfound confidence that is wonderful to see. 

It is so exciting to be a part of this simple yet life-changing blessing for SreyCouch! Please join us in praying for her and her family. And if you're interested in helping us sponsor more medical and dental care for individuals in our community, click here to give. 

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Holiday Fun

Today we want to share with you some photos and video (below) from this year's Christmas Program, an outdoor event we hosted at our Center for nearly 2,500 people in our community. After much hard work and advance preparation by staff and volunteers from Sak Saum and the church, the air was filled with excitement and fun as we shared the Christmas story with people young and old through dance, drama, songs, and giving. The program ended with beautiful redemptive dance and drama, inviting those in attendance to consider that what Jesus has done for mankind goes far beyond his birth and brings salvation and hope to those who seek him!

We hope you enjoy this glimpse into our Christmas program, and that your new year is blessed!

Click the video above to view.

Music credits: "We Three Kings" R. Tists for Christmas