Parent's Day in Sompovloun

Thal with her brothers and sisters washing their mom's feet.

I made a special trip to Sompovloun mid-April, with the idea of wanting to be a blessing to Sophan and his sister, as I knew they were keenly feeling the loss of their mom with the Parent's Day celebration.  The youth had invited their parents to come to the church for this celebration and a number did come.  Just as Sophan began to preach (from Eph 6:1-3) in walked an army man in full fatigues with a very serious unfriendly face.  He had his revolver in the holster, walkie-talkie, and various army paraphernalia on him.  He walked right up to the front and sat down.  I was thinking...Oh no.  What is this?  And just started praying... But Sophan was very cool about it...stopped his sermon that he had just started and told the man what we were doing and why, and welcomed him to join us.  Sophan then preached from Ephesians about children honoring their parents.  This was a wonderful message to share as Buddhists often say that Christians don't honor their parents.  At the end of the sermon, the older youth had a skit and the younger kids sang several songs.  As Sophan then started rearranging the front area I assumed we would have a snack and fellowship time.  But instead, he said we were going to have a foot washing time!!!  He talked about the loss of his own mom and how painful that has been for him...and shared how I was his mom in the Lord and asked me to come up to wash my feet!  I was stunned.  I had no idea this was going to happen.  Sophoan wept as she and Sophan washed my feet (oh how humbling that is to receive!!).  And then they presented me with a gift.  From there, Thal and her siblings washed their mom's feet - again with many tears and many words of endearment to her....and on it went as one by one the youth washed their parent's feet.  It was mostly moms that were there, but a few dads, too.  As it turned out, the army man was the dad of one of the youth...and the young man washed his mom's feet and gave her a gift...but the dad didn't participate.  There were many precious washings....and many tears.  It was such a God honoring time and I was just amazed at the service they had put together.  We have NEVER even talked about foot washing before so this came clear out of the blue for me.  After that came the snacks and fellowship time, and then as the parents went home, the kids all hung around and played Christian music and danced and danced and had such a good time....from little ones up to the 30 year old "youth".  It was just so wonderful to witness all this.....and as I told Sophan and Sophoan:  I had gone wanting to be a blessing to them, but instead they were a blessing to me!! 

Thu (the explosion boys' mom) and her children.

The youth having fun after the service.

April 2011 Updates

With the new road preparation, we lost the entire front of the ministry center land - almost right up to the porch of the center. That meant that the swingset the Highlands work team created several years ago had to be moved.

Phoan digging up the swingset

The land behind the ministry center is producing much better this year. Sophan has worked hard to improve the soil, and it has paid off in a better fruit crop this year.

Pomelo tree

sapodilla tree

king grass growing to feed the goats

We also were able to dig three wells in Ou Thmaa this past week. This community did not have any wells at all, so this has been a precious gift.

digging wells in Ou Thmaa

the first well capped

We still hope to be able to dig more wells in this community and have requested a local organization to help with this.

Thanks for all your prayers. It's exciting to watch God working and moving!!

Blessings,

Gayle

VBS September 2010

Dear Friends,

Here are some more photos from the VBS in Cambodia this past week. If you did not receive the newsletter telling about the VBS, send me an email at: bkkbeck5@gmail.com and I'll get it to you.

Our team

Daily Bible lesson

Singing Bible songs together

T-shirts with the memory verse theme Romans 8:38-39

"Nothing can separate us from the love of God"

A guest appearance from Kristin's camel

Decorating "Joseph" with his colorful coat

Painting for the timeline of Joseph's life

Girls' skill-hand sewing a blouse

Boys' skill making a stool to take home, and making three school desks for the ministry center.

End of the week program for the parents.

Singing for the parents, reciting memory verses from the week, and acting out Bible stories.

The boys' stools to take home

The girls' blouses

Having fun

Thanks for all your prayers last week for the VBS. We saw God working in wonderful ways, and felt it was a privilege to get to be a part of it.

In Him,

Gayle

Funeral for Nav Pen

Here are some photos from Nav Pen's funeral (Sophan's mom).

Inside the ministry center before the funeral service.

Processional to the gravesite

Pallbearers

walking to the gravesite behind the ministry center






Placing Nav Pen in the grave

Burial site in the cornfield at the edge of the property

IDOLS

The past month in Cambodia I've been reminded of the verses in Isaiah that refer to idols made by man. I will be sharing a wonderful story soon of God showing Himself to a man that was searching for the One true God.....and it reminded me of Isaiah 44:14-20

He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.
It is man's fuel for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself,
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it.
Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
"Ah! I am warm; I see the fire."
From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.
He prays to it and says,
"Save me; you are my god."
They know nothing, they understand nothing;
their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
"Half of it I used for fuel;
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?"
He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
"Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"

Please pray for the people of Western Cambodia to turn away from man-made idols to the living Lord Jesus. May they come to know the saving knowledge of Christ.

May 13, 2010

Dear Praying Friends,

I have posted the baptism photos below, but would also like to update you on Sophan's mom. When I left Cambodia the end of March I didn't expect Sophan's mom had much time left on this earth. When I returned in April, she had improved and had a very interesting story to tell. She said for three nights in a row, she dreamed a man in whitish clothing came and sat with her all night long. He never spoke, but he smiled and comforted her. After the third night, she woke up and was very hungry. She has been eating normally - and very well - since then. She is able to get herself in and out of a hammock now - which she much prefers for sleeping. And last week, she tried to walk. Her knees are still quite weak and she wasn't able to bear much weight. We are amazed at her change - and are wondering what God is going to do!!! We continue to pray for her and seek what God wants to do in her life. Praising Him!!!

Baptism April 25th, 2010

We had the joy and privilege of witnessing the second baptism from Sompovloun. Pastor Sophan decided to have the baptism at a large pond near Kilometer 9 Village as it was a location that everyone could relax and enjoy after the baptism. Everyone rode out on motorcycles or a side cart. There were 25 people baptized last Sunday and I have posted photos of some people you have gotten to know over the past three years.

Part of the group waiting for the baptism.


This is Meng's mom. She has come to know the Lord, and has also experienced healing from serious kidney disease.



"Granny"





Sok - one of our sewing ladies


Vung - an HIV patient that shares his faith at the hospital.



Sokheun - another one of the sewing ladies.





Naan - the mother of baby Pheaq (that some of you helped support).





Relaxing after the baptism. Many of the youth and children swam and played in the water, and we enjoyed sodas and fruit together under the shade of this tree. It was a marvelous day. And as we reflected to three years ago when there were no believers in this area, we couldn't help but praise and thank God for the way He has worked and moved in the lives of these people. Thank you for your part in sharing in this event!


Blessings,
Gayle