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!