Happy New Year

Happy New Year? Happy Khmer New Year that is – every April brings in the new Khmer year where traditionally people return to their home villages to celebrate with their families. This three-day festival is full of celebrations through traditional foods, games, dances and visiting temples to gain blessings and welcome the new Zodiac spirit for the year. Cambodian Christians can still celebrate the holiday enjoying family and traditions without the spiritual aspects. Our church had a Khmer New Year party where I enjoyed learning new games, songs and dances.

The two new Potter’s Field Ignite interns have arrived! Their names are Shelby from California and Kaitlin from Florida. Kaitlin is actually one of the past intern’s (Kaylee) best friends – small world! God made it very clear He wants to do a new and different work with these girls then He did with the last. Physically it is the start of a new year, it is a changing of the seasons from dry season to wet season, it marks the transition from harvesting crops to planting seeds and as I read chronologically through my Bible I ended Revelation and began Genesis (a book of new beginnings) the day of their arrival. I think you can agree with me that God wants to begin a new work with this team. 

Wait, I say, on the Lord

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” Psalm 27:13;14. Somehow six months have flown by since my arrival October 2, 2014 full of long days but short weeks. God has had me in a season of trust and I would have lost heart unless I believed in the goodness of God as I waited each day to see His faithfulness even when I was faithless. I have learned to believe 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and not look at the things which are seen but to the unseen; for the things that are seen are temporary but the unseen are eternal. God is working in me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory even though my outward man is perishing my inward man is being renewed day by day.

Wait, I say, on the Lord. As Americans we love to do

, work and be productive. Waiting is a waste. But, we as a team learned that the Christian life isn’t always about doing but it is about being – being steadfast in the Lord and faithful to whatever He sets before you day by day. I couldn’t be more proud of Kaylee, Brittani and Izzy as I watched them board the plane heading back to America. Kaylee and Brittani have faithfully completed their six-month Ignite field time and Izzy humbly served as my assistant with all sincerity. Life wasn’t easy for these girls from many aspects but if you ask them if it was worth it, I know they would say in unison “we would do it all again to see the goodness of the Lord.” These girls are grown women being sent back to America to continue to live their lives for the mission of expanding God’s Kingdom.

The goodness of the Lord. We saw God’s goodness in our personal lives, the lives around us and through us. I learned to trust God in a way I never have had to trust before, Izzy learned to abide – to remain in Christ, Kaylee learned God is her hope- the anchor to her soul and Brittani learned the vital need for prayer. As we formed relationships with the people we were able to share the Gospel and God’s love with some young Buddhist teenagers, encourage the church youth to read their Bibles daily and even start a Bible study with a few of the youth girls. The Bible study with the youth girls is amongst the most precious jewels to us of God’s goodness. Through simple broken English we have begun studying Ephesians by simply reading God’s word, explaining what is happening and how we can apply it to our lives. On several occasions the Khmer girls have gotten shivers from the simple truths of God’s Word. One girl even testified that she doesn’t have a father but through this study and us she has learned what God’s love looks like. This is just a small glimpse of the goodness we have seen! To God be the glory!

Kaitlin and Shelby

Cambodia has two main seasons: dry season and rainy season. We are entering into a new season both physically from dry to wet and I believe spiritually as well. The rain is coming, the seeds will be planted and the harvest will be ready to plow in due time. On April 15^th, 2015 two more Ignite interns, Kaitlin and Shelby, will be arriving to serve for their field time and I am excited to see what God has in store for these next six months! Until the whole world hears!  

Breaking Ground

When I was in the training phase of the Ignite internship we were assigned the task of digging a giant hole. The giant hole would later be filled with concrete and serve as the foundation for the church’s sanctuary. A foundation we would never see. A church we would never see. A church building that has now become too small for the congregation at Calvary Chapel Antigua, Guatemala. I believe this is a visual representation of the work God is doing here in Cambodia through our team. We are the first set of “hands and feet” Potter’s Field has sent to Cambodia and we have our trowels in hand as we have begun overturning the soil.

We did not see the finished work of the church in Guatemala. We have never worshiped the Lord on the foundation that we dug. Similar to Guatemala we may not see the completed work here in Cambodia.  On this side of heaven we may never understand what is taking place. But as we are faithful with the things God sets before us each day, God is setting the foundation for the influence that Potter’s Field will have in Cambodia for the future.

We are in the midst of creating a long-term partnership with the churches here in Cambodia, specifically the church in Kraing Tnong, our current village of residence. Our days are filled with teaching English at various levels, learning Khmer, children’s ministry, various church programs and other projects, all focusing on creating relationships with the people. We must go deep in our relationships with the people in order to effectively go wide.

God has already been providing opportunities for us to share the gospel. Every evening the church hosts the “Salt and Light School”. The school provides English classes for students ages 4-18 and the nearly 100 students who come are split into eight different classes. Through these nightly English classes many students have come to know the Lord. In fact, the young man, Chantha, who overseas the school came to know Christ through English classes at another church location. Chantha now carries the vision of using the physical need of learning English to bring his students to their true spiritual need for Jesus.

One day, Chantha asked me to teach his class about a topic of my choosing and I saw it as an opportunity to share the Gospel by teaching them “How to say the Gospel in English.”  Another English teacher asked me to share the same lesson with his class. I started the class by asking how many students had heard the story of Jesus.  I felt a mix of emotions as I saw only one student raise their hand out of a class of 15. Realizing that God was beginning to bring to fruition a dream of mine. While I was in Africa, months ago, God placed a desire on my heart; a desire to share the Gospel with an unreached people group. I did not know how He would bring that desire about or what role I would play. And here on

our church compound in the class of 15 I find myself looking into the eyes of an unreached people group; a group of children that do not know the name of Jesus. They do not know God the creator or Jesus the Savior. Our prayer here is that all of the children that attend the Salt and Light School would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Pray for our team as the Lord provides more opportunities for us to spread the Gospel. May the name of Jesus (Preayesu in Khmer) be known throughout the village of Kraing Tnong and the Kingdom of Cambodia!

How Great is Our God!?

Each day that passes I sit in awe and amazement that I get to serve God here in Cambodia. I am truly humbled I get to be a part the work God is doing in this country with Potter’s Field Ministries (PFM).  Our mission statement for PFM is to “Transform lives forever through winning souls, feeding the hungry and making disciples.” We combine both physical needs and spiritual needs to effectively share the gospel and provide discipleship under the local church. When we partner with the local churches around the world, we don’t just send money, we send “hands and feet” to help with the work through our Ignite Missions Training School.

In Cambodia, we have come under the church New Life Fellowship (NLF), based in the capital city of Phnom Penh, which has 60 church plants in different villages across the country. We, PFM, now work with eight village church plants in their feeding programs where underprivileged children receive meals and education. Until now, PFM’s involvement with NLF has been merely financial. We are beyond excited and blessed to spearhead this partnership as the hands and feet in Cambodia. While learning their culture and language we are forming relationships with hopes to strengthen this body of believers so they can further reach their community.

Izzy and I arrived to Cambodia October 2, 2014 and stayed in the capitol, Phnom Penh, familiarizing ourselves with NLF, visiting the Potter’s Field Kid locations in the villages and getting things logistically ready for the arrival of Kaylee and Brittani on October 12. Immediately the two girls hit the ground running as we travelled to Thailand to change our visas.  We were also able to visit Angkor Wat (a series of temples built in the 12^th century and now is the largest religious site in the world).  A week after their arrival we moved to the village of Krang Thnong, the location we will be staying for several months. This last week has been spent getting settled in to our guesthouse and familiarizing ourselves with the people, language and ministry. We spend our days teaching English to adults, teachers and children while we learn Khmer (the local language), and being faithful with the ministry opportunities God puts before us each day.  

 

At our first church service in Krang Tnong we were all touched by the worship. It is beautiful to worship God in different languages but with one voice. The Khmer people understand darkness and light.  They have experienced the contrast of bondage and freedom. Over 90% of the population is Buddhists so it is common to see monks walking the streets in full garb and temples are more common than coffee shops in Seattle. The genuineness of their converted faith is expressed during worship as they freely sing, dance, kneel and cry out before God.  As I watched elderly Khmer ladies in the front row get down on their knees singing “How Great Is Our God”, I was brought to tears. I thought to myself: How many times had these women bowed down to Buddha?  How many times had they bowed down before other false idols made by human hands who had eyes but couldn’t see, ears but couldn’t hear, and mouths but couldn’t speak? Now they were bowing down to the one true God not made by human hands. God, the one who sees us, hears us and responds to us. God is now their God, their King and their Savior! How great is our God!? May God’s kingdom be in Cambodia as it is in heaven!

Cambodia Bound - No Turning Back

We all know the popular hymn “I have decided to follow Jesus…though I may wander, still I will follow… the world behind me, the cross before me…though none go with me, still I will follow…no turning back, no turning back.” This hymn has become more than just a song for me; it has become the prayer of my heart.

As stated in my previous letter: I never thought I would be a “missionary” or serve God overseas for a long period of time, but as I have gotten my feet wet with the Potter’s Field IGNITE Mission Training School, I hope someday to be swimming in the sea of need and be a part of bringing the gospel to an unreached people group. There are people dying every day without Christ because few are willing to lay down their lives so that others may have life eternally. My only reasonable response is “Here I am Lord, send me.”

With Izzy Jackson who will assist leading
IGNITE interns in Cambodia

An opportunity has presented itself for me to continue serving God overseas with Potter’s Field Ministries (PFM) in Cambodia.  During my time of serving in Uganda as an IGNITE intern, God began to lay Cambodia on my heart. I did not know much about Cambodia but what I did know was Potter’s Field had begun to partner with a local church there and was establishing Potter’s Field Kids (PFK) programs with hopes to eventually send IGNITE interns to serve for their six-months of field time. I often found myself praying for Cambodia as God continued to bring it to the forefront of my mind. The more I prayed and thought about Cambodia, the more I wanted to go there and serve and be a team leader for IGNITE interns. I thought none of this a possibility but in the quietness of my heart I continued in prayer.  As I delighted myself in the Lord, He granted me the desires of my heart and now I am blessed with the opportunity to come back to PFM as staff and lead IGNITE interns to Cambodia for six month increments. God is so good!

Kaylee and Brittani - the two IGNITE
interns serving in Cambodia

I will be leaving for Cambodia October 1^st, 2014 with my former teammate, Izzy Jackson. Izzy will assist me in leading and facilitating the IGNITE interns who will arrive mid October. When the interns arrive we will spend a week in the capital city, Phnom Penh, getting to know the church Potter’s Field is partnering with – New Life Fellowship (NLF). We will then travel to the villages where we will live and work with the five different PFK locations in NLF church plants.

We are beyond excited for this opportunity and greatly appreciate your prayers! I can’t wait to share this journey with you and declare God’s power, goodness, and the work He is doing around the world! May we ever press on, fellow soldiers, until the whole world hears!

Practical ways to be involved:

1) PRAYER “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16b

2)Stay connected 

3)Financial: Making a contribution to Potter’s Field Ministries in my name. 

     

         -Plane ticket: $1,300

         -Visa: $150 for six months

         -Living expenses: $300 per month

To do this please make the check payable to “Potter’s Field Ministries” with an attached note indicating you are supporting the work God is calling me to do in Cambodia. Please send contributions to the following address: 914 Second St. E Whitefish, MT 59937