Christmas Outreach Sompovloun Cambodia Dec. 2007

December 16th, 2007 we had our first Christmas celebration at our ministry center in Sompovloun, Cambodia. There were 250 people that attended - 170 children and 80 adults! We were thrilled with the tremendous response and pray that seeds of the Gospel were planted and that God will cause those seeds to grow. Here are some photos from the day:

Church ladies preparing food for 250 people

gathering at the center:

Singing Christmas songs:

Sharing a meal after the service:

Gayle and David playing Christmas music as the adults ate:

Some of the youth that attended:

Please pray that those who attended will commit their lives to follow the Lord Jesus.

Merry Christmas,

Gayle

Starting a small business in Sompovloun, Cambodia Oct. 17-23, 2007

I would like to share some photos of our trip to Cambodia to begin the baby quilt business.






Priscilla and Sandy brought lots of donated material and equipment with them.










Traveling on the muddy roads of Cambodia to get to Sompovloun:





















Setting up the training:



















Starting one of the quilts:



















Starting to sew the quilts:












Nearing the finish of the first quilts:

















The finished products:










Please pray that this small business will bring jobs to Sompovloun and improve the economic status of the people in this area of Cambodia. Please also pray for the spiritual impact we hope will result through this business as well.

In His Joy,
Gayle

Ministry Center

The middle of September, I traveled to Sompovloun, Cambodia, once again. We had just rented a new ministry center and it was the first opportunity I had to see it. It is an old fixer-upper, but the structure is solid and strong and there is a good piece of land as well. When I first saw the center there was already lots going on. The weekly Bible studies are now located there ( we cannot legally call ourselves a church yet), there are Khmer literacy classes for the kids in another building on the property, the sewing ladies have a place to sew and produce their quilts, and Pastor Sophan lives in the center as well. Sophan hopes to raise goats, chickens, and fish on the land, and have a garden and grow fruit trees as a model for the villagers. We hope this center will be a safe refuge for both children and adults, and that it will be a place many people can come to know the Saviour. Here are some photos of the center:

The outside building for Khmer literacy:

The yard:

On this same trip, I purchased three sewing machines in Poipet, Cambodia, and transported them into Sompovloun for our three sewing ladies to begin a quilt business. I spent several days with them helping them get used to their new machines, and also helping them with some basics on quilting. In October, Lord willing, a friend will come and teach them further on quilt making, and we will begin our baby quilt business at that time. Here are some photos of the sewing:

purchasing sewing machines in Poipet:

admiring the new material:

sewing and cutting:

a quilt in the process:

Please pray for our ministry center, that it would be a safe refuge for many. Please pray, too, that the Gospel will go out from this place and that many will come to know the One True God.

Thanks so much,

Gayle

August 2007 VBS

A team of six arrived from Highlands Community Church in WA to hold a VBS on the Thai/Cambodia border with our school children. We had a daily Bible time of singing, memory verse, and Bible lesson, and then spent time each day teaching the children life skills. The girls learned hand sewing and the boys learned carpentry. At the end of the week, the girls had made pin holders, a sewing bag, and a quilted pot holder. The girls were given the sewing essentials for their sewing bag, and they were thrilled. The boys made their own tool boxes and small book shelves, and they too, were given the essentials for their tool boxes - hammer, saw, screwdrivers, tape measure, and a square. It was a wonderful week - and I'd like to share some photos of the week with you!

Bible Time

Carpentry for the boys:

Sewing for the girls:

Afternoon projects:

House Repairs for a single mom.

Wound care

Painting the school

Hope you enjoyed seeing these photos. We praise God for all the He did to make this VBS a wonderful time for the kids. We pray that they gained spiritually as well as gained life skills.

Blessings,

Gayle

Cambodia trip July 3rd - 17th, 2007

I wanted to share photos with you from my recent trip to Cambodia. I've written a bit of dialogue as well. Hope you enjoy them.



Baby Mark: Some of you may remember baby Mark from last September. He was rescued from the Cambodia border in great respiratory distress. We got him medical care and past the initial medical crisis here in Thailand, and then into a home in Phnom Penh. I had the privilege of seeing Mark again on this trip to PP. He is being treated for both TB and HIV. He still has respiratory issues, but is growing and looking good, and is being well cared for.













Community development has begun in SPL! Two micro-enterprise loans were given to two families to purchase one piglet for each family. The community is meeting together regularly and discussing changes they want to see in their community. Income generation is a major issue they identified, and raising pigs was one of their solutions.









Pastor Sophan has started gardening projects in SPL. He has planted vegetables and fruits and the plots are being looked after by different families in the community.









This is the Hap family house we built a couple months ago. They have now planted some flowers by their house and are looking after one of the plots of garden.










The first two wells have been dug in SPL this month. The pump will be added and it will be in operation in a few days, Lord willing. The villagers were very excited about the water.














Some of the children watching the well-digging.












A single mom and her two children. This is one of the families we are giving relief to and hope to get set up with a job in the market.











We had the priviledge of attending the new Sunday gatherings. There were nearly 100 children for Sunday School - which is held under some trees in the community.











While the children had Sunday School, Pastor Sophan met with the adults for a Bible study. There were 9 attending the day we were there, and there are up to 12 that sometimes come.











The adult Bible study group.









At 5PM the youth ( ages 14-20) met together to study God's Word and play games together. There were 20 attending on this day with up to 25 attending at times. About half of the group were young people that have been involved with the Saturday program in the market the past few years, but the other half are totally new to the Gospel.






One of our students and his mom - in front of their home.



















Micah helped put on some guttering at the hospital in SPL.











Back on the Thai side of the border, some of the students at our little school are playing hopscotch in the street.
















The playgroup is meeting in an open unused block next to the classrooms in the market. One day we scrubbed the area down as it was very very dirty. Next month we hope to paint it and have it looking better for the little ones.





This is the end of my first blog entry. I wanted you to have a chance to see some of these photos from my trip - and there were too many to put into a newsletter. Lord willing, I can keep this updated from time to time.





Blessings,
Gayle