Last time I was home in California, one of my partner churches in Bakersfield gave me two suitcases of health kits prepared by the VBS kids to bring back to Cambodia. During a recent visit to Kompong Chhnang for a Medical Outreach Clinic, I shared the kits with Rev. Ean Hun and his wife Pastor Sophean. They were very pleased to receive them in support of the prison outreach ministry of the church in Kompong Chhnang. They shared a few stories with me about the significance of this ministry.
The prison in Kompong Chhnang has 280 men in terrible conditions. Rev. Hun said that the men have to sleep in two-hour shifts because there is a shortage of beds. There is also a shortage of food, resulting in swollen bellies and a prevalence of itchy skin rashes due to insufficient soap and hygiene supplies. Rev. Hun has been visiting the prisoners, and, when available, bringing food (basically only men who have relatives who visit have food to eat), soap and detergent for washing clothes. He has been leading a Bible study and recently distributed 12 bibles to men who have been participating.
He was very pleased to have the health kits sent from Bakersfield and shared them with the men with whom he is working. We talked a bit about his hope to be able to provide soap, detergent (for washing clothes) and liniment oil to all of the men, at another point in the future. He also hopes to establish a library of Khmer language literature for the men to use during their one hour time each day where they could have access to such a collection of books.
Recently, one of the prisoners Rev. Hun has been working with was released. Rev. Hun has invited him to stay at the church and to lead a nearby church group without a pastor.
This is a wonderful partnership that has come out of the Bakersfield generosity. I am so pleased that we could support the outreach of the Cambodian Christians in this prison ministry in this way.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Language update
I am almost finished with Book Two for learning reading and writing in Khmer, so my teacher asked me last week about what I wanted to study next. Basically, she told me that I am doing fine with reading and writing, but my conversation skills are lagging behind. This is understandable since I work in an English language office and always travel with a translator when I go to the field.
Last weekend, I took a plunge and decided to travel to the province of Kampong Chhnang by myself. On Saturday, I visited the church of Lun Sokom. About a year ago, they started a saving group in the church. The 20 members of the group (both Christians and non-), each save 1000 reil ($.25) every month. They have also been giving out small loans of about $15-25 to the members (repayable in three months). Three members took loans last year in order to buy feed to start raising chickens. They pay 3% interest. According to an earlier plan, they would start the savings group and after they demonstrated its success, then CHAD would come in to provide additional capital, which would allow the group to give larger loans out to the members. I went to evaluate their progress and also to introduce the curriculum "Mobilizing the Church," which is a Bible study designed to facilitate group formation.
Lun Sokom has relativly good English and said I didn't need to bring a translator. Turns out, he was a great Khmer teacher. He forced me to speak as much as possible in Khmer and also to listen hard to the group (only translating enough back to English so that I didn't lose the thread of the conversation). I probably only actually understood about 10-20% of the dialogue, but it was enough to know that they were on track and would continue to work on the suggestions I introduced.
On Sunday, I joined church at Plau Nou Chivet (Way of Life). While I still don't actually understand most of the hymns, I am getting much better at reading and singing along and can catch about one-half of the words.
I then went on to Solong Kandal Church where we continued with the "Mobilizing the Church" study. I brought a local translator, Nara, with me. He was a good group leader and we had a very dynamic workshop. But he didn't do so well as a translator. He kept forgetting to keep me in the loop. So, I just had to struggle along with my own understanding for most of the day. (Luckily, I basically knew what we were doing.) The congregation at this church is really warm and welcoming, and I always feel like a member of the family when I visit.
Last time I visited Solong Kandal (church of Pastor Sophean), we talked about the past outreach activities of the church and a bit about their future plans. Currently, they worship in the house of one of the members. It is a very simple house, the type that is often translated into English as a "cottage." (The house has walls made from woven palm leaves, rather than bamboo slats or wood. It also has a metal roof, which is nicer than thatch, but hotter than tile.) The church members are very active and have worked hard to raise funds themselves for various things. They are engaged in a lot of visitation (to the poor, alcoholics, etc.).
This time we were talking about "outsiders" and how we can be more welcoming to folks different from us. It really struck me about how marginalized Christians are in Cambodia when I asked about visiting people with AIDS. They said that there are folks with AIDS in their community and that, yes, they have gone to visit them. I asked if they experienced that people sometimes look down on people with AIDS. They said yes, but also that sometimes the people with AIDS looked down on the Christians!
They have also been collecting rice through a first-fruits offering. Recently, they sold a portion of their rice and bought a small paddy field (50 square meters) for $580. It will be used to grow rice to raise additional money for the church. They are asking CHAD to partner with them to purchase some farm equipment (such as a hand tractor or threshing machine) that they can rent out as a small business venture to raise funds for the church. Since this is a much more costly investment than CHAD usually engages in (about $3000), we are moving very slowly and making sure that everything is in place first.
From a learning perspective, I was feeling really proud since I went by myself. Even though I still can't actually follow the conversation, I was able to pick out a lot of words and when I knew the big picture I could keep up in a way. It also gave me more confidence to travel by myself and to use pastors or local translators rather than bringing someone with me from Phnom Penh.
Last weekend, I took a plunge and decided to travel to the province of Kampong Chhnang by myself. On Saturday, I visited the church of Lun Sokom. About a year ago, they started a saving group in the church. The 20 members of the group (both Christians and non-), each save 1000 reil ($.25) every month. They have also been giving out small loans of about $15-25 to the members (repayable in three months). Three members took loans last year in order to buy feed to start raising chickens. They pay 3% interest. According to an earlier plan, they would start the savings group and after they demonstrated its success, then CHAD would come in to provide additional capital, which would allow the group to give larger loans out to the members. I went to evaluate their progress and also to introduce the curriculum "Mobilizing the Church," which is a Bible study designed to facilitate group formation.
Lun Sokom has relativly good English and said I didn't need to bring a translator. Turns out, he was a great Khmer teacher. He forced me to speak as much as possible in Khmer and also to listen hard to the group (only translating enough back to English so that I didn't lose the thread of the conversation). I probably only actually understood about 10-20% of the dialogue, but it was enough to know that they were on track and would continue to work on the suggestions I introduced.
On Sunday, I joined church at Plau Nou Chivet (Way of Life). While I still don't actually understand most of the hymns, I am getting much better at reading and singing along and can catch about one-half of the words.
I then went on to Solong Kandal Church where we continued with the "Mobilizing the Church" study. I brought a local translator, Nara, with me. He was a good group leader and we had a very dynamic workshop. But he didn't do so well as a translator. He kept forgetting to keep me in the loop. So, I just had to struggle along with my own understanding for most of the day. (Luckily, I basically knew what we were doing.) The congregation at this church is really warm and welcoming, and I always feel like a member of the family when I visit.
Last time I visited Solong Kandal (church of Pastor Sophean), we talked about the past outreach activities of the church and a bit about their future plans. Currently, they worship in the house of one of the members. It is a very simple house, the type that is often translated into English as a "cottage." (The house has walls made from woven palm leaves, rather than bamboo slats or wood. It also has a metal roof, which is nicer than thatch, but hotter than tile.) The church members are very active and have worked hard to raise funds themselves for various things. They are engaged in a lot of visitation (to the poor, alcoholics, etc.).
This time we were talking about "outsiders" and how we can be more welcoming to folks different from us. It really struck me about how marginalized Christians are in Cambodia when I asked about visiting people with AIDS. They said that there are folks with AIDS in their community and that, yes, they have gone to visit them. I asked if they experienced that people sometimes look down on people with AIDS. They said yes, but also that sometimes the people with AIDS looked down on the Christians!
They have also been collecting rice through a first-fruits offering. Recently, they sold a portion of their rice and bought a small paddy field (50 square meters) for $580. It will be used to grow rice to raise additional money for the church. They are asking CHAD to partner with them to purchase some farm equipment (such as a hand tractor or threshing machine) that they can rent out as a small business venture to raise funds for the church. Since this is a much more costly investment than CHAD usually engages in (about $3000), we are moving very slowly and making sure that everything is in place first.
From a learning perspective, I was feeling really proud since I went by myself. Even though I still can't actually follow the conversation, I was able to pick out a lot of words and when I knew the big picture I could keep up in a way. It also gave me more confidence to travel by myself and to use pastors or local translators rather than bringing someone with me from Phnom Penh.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The gift of knowledge
From time to time, I meet someone for the first time, but I know them instantly because the ripple effects of their ministry in the world have been hitting me for a long time. Pastor Sophean, the wife of Rev. Ean Hun, is one such person.
Pastor Sophean came from humble beginnings. I don’t know much of her story, only that she had to stop school at just second grade. I can’t tell you when or how she became a Christian, only that she did. But when that happened, her passion and desire to know God’s Word was so great that at the age of 35, with the help of her family, she learned to read. A woman with formal education only up to the second grade was inspired and empowered.
To look at her ministry now, you would never guess her background. She brings a fervor and passion to prayer that is unique. She led the opening worship service on the second day of our medical mission clinic with Louisiana UMVIM at Chrolongkok Church. Even our volunteers from the US commented to me later that they could feel the spirit move when she sang and prayed, despite the language barriers.
But, I could have told you this before I even met her because of my experience working with one of the churches she started in the northern part of Kampong Chhnang. In a house church, less than two years old, was one of the most vibrant and generous ministries I have seen, engaging in outreach not only with external resources, but also with rice from their own bowls. In addition, I was so impressed because she had trained the congregation to have the best record keeping I have seen of any church in Cambodia.
She has nurtured many young folks in the faith, inviting them into her house and teaching by her example. Pastor Lun Sokom said that when he and his wife were living under her care as youth, that she was very strict with them, instilling a sense of discipline reminiscent of John Wesley’s Holiness Club. Pastor Lon Sokom's love and respect for Pastor Sophean is obvious.
Sophean is currently a student at the Methodist Bible School in Phnom Penh, and her teacher, Rev. Romy del Rosario, is greatful for the depth of experience she brings to all of the classroom discusions. Her quest for knowlege is inspirational. And I could go on and on.
It was a joy for me to join in the wedding of her son last week; I pray for continued blessing for this wonderful woman and her family.
Pastor Sophean came from humble beginnings. I don’t know much of her story, only that she had to stop school at just second grade. I can’t tell you when or how she became a Christian, only that she did. But when that happened, her passion and desire to know God’s Word was so great that at the age of 35, with the help of her family, she learned to read. A woman with formal education only up to the second grade was inspired and empowered.
To look at her ministry now, you would never guess her background. She brings a fervor and passion to prayer that is unique. She led the opening worship service on the second day of our medical mission clinic with Louisiana UMVIM at Chrolongkok Church. Even our volunteers from the US commented to me later that they could feel the spirit move when she sang and prayed, despite the language barriers.
But, I could have told you this before I even met her because of my experience working with one of the churches she started in the northern part of Kampong Chhnang. In a house church, less than two years old, was one of the most vibrant and generous ministries I have seen, engaging in outreach not only with external resources, but also with rice from their own bowls. In addition, I was so impressed because she had trained the congregation to have the best record keeping I have seen of any church in Cambodia.
She has nurtured many young folks in the faith, inviting them into her house and teaching by her example. Pastor Lun Sokom said that when he and his wife were living under her care as youth, that she was very strict with them, instilling a sense of discipline reminiscent of John Wesley’s Holiness Club. Pastor Lon Sokom's love and respect for Pastor Sophean is obvious.
Sophean is currently a student at the Methodist Bible School in Phnom Penh, and her teacher, Rev. Romy del Rosario, is greatful for the depth of experience she brings to all of the classroom discusions. Her quest for knowlege is inspirational. And I could go on and on.
It was a joy for me to join in the wedding of her son last week; I pray for continued blessing for this wonderful woman and her family.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
A new school
Sam Oeurn, assistant pastor from Spien Church, stopped by our office today to share about his new business. He has just purchased a school he named LTS (Language and Technology School). He wanted to know if we would come and participate in the ceremony to welcome students for the new semester.
It was a novel request for me, but as Oeurn shared more about his vision for his church and for Cambodia it became clear. Oeurn's dream is three fold: 1) that folks will have the knowledge for a better life, 2) that folks will have the resources to accomplish their dreams, and 3) that the church will have good leadership.
It is big investment for Oeurn, a young man in his 30s, to buy and run this 10-teacher school with 250 students. (There have been 50 new students in the last month since he took over operations!) I know that he prayed a lot before taking this step. But I understand that his vision is big and that he doesn't see this as running just another school in Cambodia. He sees it as a way that he is living out his faith. We are all involved in building a better world (in religious terms: The Kingdom of God), and Oeurn sees his part in this as providing education for kids in his community.
I think it is exciting to see a young Cambodian take his faith seriously and listen to how it influences major life choices. And I applaud him for being able to articulate how this step is helping him to live an authentic life true to his vision and calling.
It was a novel request for me, but as Oeurn shared more about his vision for his church and for Cambodia it became clear. Oeurn's dream is three fold: 1) that folks will have the knowledge for a better life, 2) that folks will have the resources to accomplish their dreams, and 3) that the church will have good leadership.
It is big investment for Oeurn, a young man in his 30s, to buy and run this 10-teacher school with 250 students. (There have been 50 new students in the last month since he took over operations!) I know that he prayed a lot before taking this step. But I understand that his vision is big and that he doesn't see this as running just another school in Cambodia. He sees it as a way that he is living out his faith. We are all involved in building a better world (in religious terms: The Kingdom of God), and Oeurn sees his part in this as providing education for kids in his community.
I think it is exciting to see a young Cambodian take his faith seriously and listen to how it influences major life choices. And I applaud him for being able to articulate how this step is helping him to live an authentic life true to his vision and calling.
Monday, October 20, 2008
A story of healing
Pastor Kieu Sophal came by our office this morning to help with lesson planning for our health volunteer training workshop that starts tomorrow. I was just sitting at my computer as she told this story, so I am quickly typing it up to share with you.
A woman in Sophal’s district had been battered by her husband and received a back injury that caused her to be in bed unable to walk for about three weeks. Sophal, a new pastor since July, heard about this woman from one of her church members. But Sophal told us that she was worried and hesitant to visit the women: “I don’t have money, what could I offer to this woman.” Sophal doesn’t have a moto (motorcycle/scooter), but the church member took her to see the woman using her own moto.
Sophal told the battered woman, “I don’t have money to offer you, but I have God, and I would like to pray with you.” She came with three other church members and they all prayed for the women. The members reported a sense of the presence of God in that place. “Everyone in the room could sense the awesomeness of God in their hands and throughout their whole bodies.” The battered woman was very encouraged. The church member continues to visit with her and reported that within a week she was able to walk again. Everyone felt that the prayer meeting was a turning point in her recovery.
I wish I could convey to you the sense of gratitude and awe that Sophal brings when she tells this story.
Irene gives thanks to God for Sophal’s testimony… not only for the healing that took place but also for the attitude of the pastor. Many of the pastors in Cambodia feel discouraged because they feel like they don’t have money to offer to people. But Irene likes to remind me (and them) that Jesus sent us out to do ministry without taking anything with us… the people will take care of us or not… but we need to trust that God will be sufficient and provide what we need for the situation… we need to act first and trust that we will be able to find the resources we need for the situation, but if we just sit at home then there will be no way for God to act through us.
It reminds me of the song we used to sing at VBS: Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have I give thee. Let’s start by giving people what we have. We have the love of God in Jesus Christ.
Irene says, “many times I don’t have money to help poor sick people, I can only give advice and prayer… but I just take the person to the hospital and sometimes we can find a doctor who can help us or another way becomes clear.” We can’t be paralyzed by our fears of what we don’t have. God asks us to just do what we can with what we have and the rest will come.
The song Silver and Gold
A woman in Sophal’s district had been battered by her husband and received a back injury that caused her to be in bed unable to walk for about three weeks. Sophal, a new pastor since July, heard about this woman from one of her church members. But Sophal told us that she was worried and hesitant to visit the women: “I don’t have money, what could I offer to this woman.” Sophal doesn’t have a moto (motorcycle/scooter), but the church member took her to see the woman using her own moto.
Sophal told the battered woman, “I don’t have money to offer you, but I have God, and I would like to pray with you.” She came with three other church members and they all prayed for the women. The members reported a sense of the presence of God in that place. “Everyone in the room could sense the awesomeness of God in their hands and throughout their whole bodies.” The battered woman was very encouraged. The church member continues to visit with her and reported that within a week she was able to walk again. Everyone felt that the prayer meeting was a turning point in her recovery.
I wish I could convey to you the sense of gratitude and awe that Sophal brings when she tells this story.
Irene gives thanks to God for Sophal’s testimony… not only for the healing that took place but also for the attitude of the pastor. Many of the pastors in Cambodia feel discouraged because they feel like they don’t have money to offer to people. But Irene likes to remind me (and them) that Jesus sent us out to do ministry without taking anything with us… the people will take care of us or not… but we need to trust that God will be sufficient and provide what we need for the situation… we need to act first and trust that we will be able to find the resources we need for the situation, but if we just sit at home then there will be no way for God to act through us.
It reminds me of the song we used to sing at VBS: Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have I give thee. Let’s start by giving people what we have. We have the love of God in Jesus Christ.
Irene says, “many times I don’t have money to help poor sick people, I can only give advice and prayer… but I just take the person to the hospital and sometimes we can find a doctor who can help us or another way becomes clear.” We can’t be paralyzed by our fears of what we don’t have. God asks us to just do what we can with what we have and the rest will come.
The song Silver and Gold
Peter and John went to pray, they met a poor man on the way. He asked for alms, and held out his palms and this is what Peter did say: Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have I give thee, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk. He went walking and leaping and praising God, walking and leaping and praising God. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Building confidence
This week we had our second foundational workshop with the pastors in the Battambong district. The new church at the district headquarters is just about finished being constructed with just some final cleaning to do (sorry no pictures). We used an upstairs open air porch for our gathering. The CHAD team was much better prepared this time and we were able to complete a full lesson in one day. The theme was “God’s extravagant love for the transformation of the world.”
My personal successes focused around language. I asked Mr. Thy and Tola to pre-translate some of the discussion questions into Khmer and had them print out the questions for me (I still can’t read anyone’s handwriting, only the precise characters as printed by the computer). I then made big posters with the relevant questions for each section. Then, when we gave our oral explanations (which are translated in real time) people could be simultaneously reading the task. I only made one mistake of putting a line-break mid-word. It would be generous to say that I recognized ¼ of the words I was writing, but there was some recognition and it was good practice for me.
The second big language success happened at the beginning of the day as folks were gathering. I was in charge of the warm-up (devotion), and I wanted everyone to collect an object and then share with a partner how that object symbolized God’s love. With minimal prompting and filling in with English words, I managed to successful say “before you go upstairs, please get a thing that is God’s Love and then talk together with another person.” The shocking bit was that the pastor I was talking with actually understood me!
My personal successes focused around language. I asked Mr. Thy and Tola to pre-translate some of the discussion questions into Khmer and had them print out the questions for me (I still can’t read anyone’s handwriting, only the precise characters as printed by the computer). I then made big posters with the relevant questions for each section. Then, when we gave our oral explanations (which are translated in real time) people could be simultaneously reading the task. I only made one mistake of putting a line-break mid-word. It would be generous to say that I recognized ¼ of the words I was writing, but there was some recognition and it was good practice for me.
The second big language success happened at the beginning of the day as folks were gathering. I was in charge of the warm-up (devotion), and I wanted everyone to collect an object and then share with a partner how that object symbolized God’s love. With minimal prompting and filling in with English words, I managed to successful say “before you go upstairs, please get a thing that is God’s Love and then talk together with another person.” The shocking bit was that the pastor I was talking with actually understood me!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Getting better
I am still low-energy as a result of having a cold last week. I stayed home for three days and rested since I was running a low-grade fever. If I were only a little bit sick like this in the US, I would just ignore it and plow on, so it is frustrating how debilitated I feel by being a little bit sick. Irene brought me by a mixture of herbs and roots and citrus that is a traditional Khmer treatment for flu. We boiled it up in a clay pot and let the smoke permeate the room. I stuck my face in it to breathe it in more and ended up with a bit of a rash. That plus some Benadryl and Robitussin seem to have got the cold mostly under control.
I am also totally munched to bits by either mosquitos or spiders or ants. I can’t decide what has been biting me. I had this terrible night where I woke up and there were a dozen of these pin-head ants in my bed and then I couldn’t sleep again. No, I don’t eat in my bed, but I did go to sleep with wet hair and Ken said that sometimes the ants are attracted to water.
I am also totally munched to bits by either mosquitos or spiders or ants. I can’t decide what has been biting me. I had this terrible night where I woke up and there were a dozen of these pin-head ants in my bed and then I couldn’t sleep again. No, I don’t eat in my bed, but I did go to sleep with wet hair and Ken said that sometimes the ants are attracted to water.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Testimonials: my grandmother, a new business and a dream about a bicycle
I met Pastor Kieu Sophal last month when she brought a young man (Chamrong) from her congregation into Phnom Penh to get his ears checked as part of the hospital access training that Irene has been conducting. My friend Treasa was visiting at the time and we all got to chatting and Pastor Sophal wanted us to come to visit her village.
Sophal graduated from the Bible School in July and is just starting her first appointment. I tease Irene that we make a great visitation pair because all of the ladies love her and ask her for advice and all of the teenagers flock to me. Sophal has a young church and so she was excited to have us visit, emphasizing that I should give a testimonial. Treasa had left by the time we made arrangements, so it was just me and Irene.
Giving testimonials in not a big part of my tradition, in fact I’m not sure I have ever done it before, so I only have a vague sense of what was being requested. The scripture lesson for the day was from Proverbs about learning wisdom from our parents. (Proverbs is the most popular book of the Bible in Cambodia by my experience.) In the end I told a story about doing bible study with my grandma and some wisdom I learned from her that has been an encouragement to me. I think it was a hit with the old ladies.
Chamrong (the young man I met with Pastor Sophal at the hospital) did most of the translation for me. I got to hear other testimonials too, like one about starting a new business. Another young man went on and on with his testimonial and the translator was just quiet. I was listening hard trying to follow, and was excited because I thought there was a bit where he was talking about riding a bicycle. I was very pleased with my understanding. But, in the end it was a story about a dream, and Chamrong said he didn’t even follow it well enough to translate more than that. So much for my comprehension.
Sophal graduated from the Bible School in July and is just starting her first appointment. I tease Irene that we make a great visitation pair because all of the ladies love her and ask her for advice and all of the teenagers flock to me. Sophal has a young church and so she was excited to have us visit, emphasizing that I should give a testimonial. Treasa had left by the time we made arrangements, so it was just me and Irene.
Giving testimonials in not a big part of my tradition, in fact I’m not sure I have ever done it before, so I only have a vague sense of what was being requested. The scripture lesson for the day was from Proverbs about learning wisdom from our parents. (Proverbs is the most popular book of the Bible in Cambodia by my experience.) In the end I told a story about doing bible study with my grandma and some wisdom I learned from her that has been an encouragement to me. I think it was a hit with the old ladies.
Chamrong (the young man I met with Pastor Sophal at the hospital) did most of the translation for me. I got to hear other testimonials too, like one about starting a new business. Another young man went on and on with his testimonial and the translator was just quiet. I was listening hard trying to follow, and was excited because I thought there was a bit where he was talking about riding a bicycle. I was very pleased with my understanding. But, in the end it was a story about a dream, and Chamrong said he didn’t even follow it well enough to translate more than that. So much for my comprehension.
Friday, September 12, 2008
A singing competition
One of the highlights of my work is the opportunity to worship with various congregations.
Last week, I went with Irene to Pastor Pok Kosal at Ch’mol d’asan church. Irene preached on the miracle of the loaves and fishes from Luke, relating it to stories in her childhood where her mother would pack a mango or banana for her to take to school and how she would hide to eat it so she didn’t have to share. The theme being that God does miracles with whatever we provide to God. We have been emphasizing this idea of Kingdom mathematics in all of our training and projects recently. God doesn’t ask us to do more than what we can. We are invited to give what we have and God will multiply it.
After worship we all had lunch together. Another Korean missionary couple also joined in the service that Sunday and Irene thinks they were a bit shocked to see us sitting on the floor eating with everyone.
Each of the lunch groups were invited to participate in a singing competition. The lead group won 30kg of rice and everyone got a shirt as a prize. I am getting good at faking it through a lot of Khmer hymns, so I enjoyed participating in the competition with my group (we didn’t win), but I couldn’t figure out how to not end up with a shirt without insulting my host. Two weeks later it is still sitting on my desk waiting for me to pass it on again.
The church has a bus (more like a jeepney for those who know Filipino transport), and after church the pastor delivered everyone home. It reminded me of my days in campus ministry when I would drive the church bus in Iowa. We got to see a new building that was just completed a month or so ago and will be used for kindergarten classes, although they are having trouble recruiting qualified teachers who are willing to work about an hour outside Phnom Penh. Irene also coordinated with the pastor who will be bringing a patient for follow-up care in Phnom Penh.
I also got a cute series of pictures of a mom packing up a kroma (scarf) for her son to carry home.
It was an exciting worship, full of joy and laughter.
You can see all of the pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/ktp.cambodia.01/ChMolDAsanChurch#
Last week, I went with Irene to Pastor Pok Kosal at Ch’mol d’asan church. Irene preached on the miracle of the loaves and fishes from Luke, relating it to stories in her childhood where her mother would pack a mango or banana for her to take to school and how she would hide to eat it so she didn’t have to share. The theme being that God does miracles with whatever we provide to God. We have been emphasizing this idea of Kingdom mathematics in all of our training and projects recently. God doesn’t ask us to do more than what we can. We are invited to give what we have and God will multiply it.
After worship we all had lunch together. Another Korean missionary couple also joined in the service that Sunday and Irene thinks they were a bit shocked to see us sitting on the floor eating with everyone.
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Each of the lunch groups were invited to participate in a singing competition. The lead group won 30kg of rice and everyone got a shirt as a prize. I am getting good at faking it through a lot of Khmer hymns, so I enjoyed participating in the competition with my group (we didn’t win), but I couldn’t figure out how to not end up with a shirt without insulting my host. Two weeks later it is still sitting on my desk waiting for me to pass it on again.
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| Singing Group #1 - the Winners! | Pastor Pok Kosal introduces the prize for the best singing group: 30kg of rice |
The church has a bus (more like a jeepney for those who know Filipino transport), and after church the pastor delivered everyone home. It reminded me of my days in campus ministry when I would drive the church bus in Iowa. We got to see a new building that was just completed a month or so ago and will be used for kindergarten classes, although they are having trouble recruiting qualified teachers who are willing to work about an hour outside Phnom Penh. Irene also coordinated with the pastor who will be bringing a patient for follow-up care in Phnom Penh.
I also got a cute series of pictures of a mom packing up a kroma (scarf) for her son to carry home.
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It was an exciting worship, full of joy and laughter.
You can see all of the pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/ktp.cambodia.01/ChMolDAsanChurch#
Monday, August 11, 2008
An open letter about health to the Vacation Church School children in Bakersfield, CA
From Katherine, a missionary from
To our sisters and brothers in
May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. We write to you today with the words of the Apostle Peter when we say: God's divine power has given us everything needed for life.
While we have been eagerly preparing to write to you about the faith we share, we have also been busy hosting a Medical Outreach Clinic this week.
We were visited by a team of volunteers from a Methodist church in
Cambodian pastors from two different villages worked with the local government officials to arrange for us to use a medical clinic building that has been all but abandoned because the government has only hired one midwife to serve the medical needs of the villages in a two mile radius. Many people came to help us host a free one-day clinic: one doctor from
After they see the doctor or dentist, people go the pharmacy where they receive free medicines. For the children, we also make sure that they get a de-worming pill and vitamins.
The pastors and members of the two churches are eager to help their community to improve its health. This next week they will continue to visit the sick and to teach the poorest people in their community how to continue to get frees health care through the government "equity program". It is a very slow process for the pastors and the people to become comfortable with the system and learn how to get care. Slowly, we hope to help the pastors advocate with the government to hire a full time doctor to work in this clinic.
Irene tells the story of how it took Rev. Bunny almost two years to learn how to advocate for health care for her community. One step before we can organize a free clinic in the province is to request permission from the Provincial Health Department. In 2007 Irene invited DS Rev Bunny to make this request of local government. Bunny replied "I cannot go there to ask permission; they don't like us (because we are Christian), and they are so difficult. If you want, you (Irene) can go alone." And with Rev. Bunny's kind permission, Irene went alone to the government offices and made all arrangements for the medical clinic, which successfully treated patients in two villages.
Irene has continued to work with Rev. Bunny and pastors from the villages to educate them about how to access government health services. Here is a conversation that Irene and Thy had about the challenges in this work.
Irene: Do you think pastors believe me when I say that the government will provide health services for the poor from their village if they bring them to the provincial hospital?
Thy: No, they never believe you, they think the government will do this for you because you are a foreigner, but they won't do this for a Khmer (Cambodian) person.
Last month, after many training workshops and visits with the pastors, Irene again invited Rev. Bunny to visit the Provincial Health Department. This time Rev. Bunny and her husband Pastor Sokchieng agreed to come.
Later in the day there was a monthly district meeting. Rev Bunny said "I have been to the Provincial Health Department this morning and learned that yes the government provides free services for poor people and that the church can help poor people understand and show them where to go. We have limited resources as the church, and so on our own, we cannot help all. We need to help people get what the government is providing."
How powerful it is to walk along side people and see the changes in attitudes, building relationships and trust so that we can partner to do the best work.
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