New Clothes

During Christmas time, many of you were so generous in sending money for my Christmas project. For Christmas they each received a present, went to KFC and many of them experience a mall for the first time. I saved some of the money and used it this week to purchase new clothes for all the children. Here are some pictures:

Thank you for your generosity.

2 Kings 18:5-7

He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses. The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went.

Wow! Wouldn't it be amazing to have that said about you?! My favourite part is:
For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him

May we all strive to hold fast to Jesus and His Word.

In Need of Prayer

I met a boy today. I am really worried about him. He is an orphan who was taken in by an elderly couple who do not work. Instead, the boy works as a garbage collector after school to support them. He has serious mental/cognitive problems and they told me that he has only eaten rice and salt since he was a child. I want to get him into see a doctor. I don't know if it is a caring or abusive situation that he is in.... but I do know that he needs some serious prayer. Please remember him in prayer!

Leadership Retreat at the Beach

This weekend I headed to the beach with the leadership team from my church. It was fun experiencing a day at the beach Khmer style. Instead of sitting in the sun you sit in the shade. Instead of wearing a bathing suit you wear clothes -- and none of the girls actually went swimming.

(Me sitting at the table in the shade wearing a flower thing that they sell.) (One of the guys playing some worship tunes on the beach.)

(Just playing around... see they swim in clothes.)
(Evening worship.)

In the evening we all gathered together for a time of worship and then Gary shared a quick message. It was on how to be a leader. It was simple and yet important. His three points were

a) Jesus said to follow Him, so we need to follow Him. Its not follow me and I will give you... or follow me if... but just "follow me."

b) we need to have integrity. I think it was Paul who said "follow me as I follow Christ". If we are not following Christ and not living each day with integrity, how can we point others to Jesus and show them how to live according to God's Word.

c) Jesus was moved with compassion and He did something about it...and so should we. I want to be moved with compassion for the poor and the hurting etc.

Anyhow, I thought it was a good reminder on how we should be living.

(Our dinner: fresh seafood grilled on the beach. The guy in the picture is some guy who we all met on the beach. He used to believe in Jesus but then he turned away from the faith. He ended up spending the day with us and joined us through out our service. We are praying that he will decide to follow Jesus again.)

I love being near the beach. I never did like the sand, but there is something nice and refreshing about being by the beach.

My Prayer

I am just sitting here playing my guitar worshipping God, and the lyrics of this song really struck me. Actually, it was my theme song as I was preparing to come here and it is my prayer again now that I am here.

Hosanna

Heal My heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart for what is yours

Everything I am for your kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity

Lately I have been going through a tough time. I am in my final month of my first year term and I want to make it my best. I want to see God move. I want to see people's lives changed. I want to see people decide to follow Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, I have spent the past few weeks constantly fighting this spiritual darkness. It's so hard. I pray that God will heal my heart and get rid of this darkness and use me to bring Him glory. Please remember me in prayer -- I really need it.

Cooking Class

On Saturday, I went with the girls from my Bible study group to a cooking class. We learned to make a couple Cambodian dishes. YUMMY.

They started by taking us to the market and showing us what everything was. I never knew there were so many kinds of mint and herbs. Then we learned to make spring rolls.

(3 different types of eggplant.)

(Making the filling for inside the spring rolls.)

That was followed by banana salad and fish amok...two popular Cambodian dishes. It was tasty... and I really enjoy pounding all the spices together with my pestle and mortar. However, if you are ever working with chilies...KEEP YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM YOUR EYES. I accidentally touched mine and it burned.

(Beth, myself and Caroline and our chopped banana flower).

(My banana salad once it was complete.)(The ladies pounding their spices to make fish amok.)

All in all, it was a fun day. Its fun to take a day and learn about the culture and just enjoy being with the friends that God has blessed us with.

Street Ministry

Last night as Tabi and I were leaving street ministry, we ran into one of the older girls who usually comes. When we asked her what she was doing she told us that she was going to go dance for money. AHHH! We tried to talk to her about how dancing and taking off her clothes for money isn't good; but, when it comes down to it, if she doesn't, how is she going to have money to eat. It's sad how we put people in these positions and then judge them for making that choice. My heart breaks for her. Right now, there is a dream to open up a shelter for these kids so that the kids can have a place to sleep and food to eat, but the parents can still have access to their children. I just wish we had the place already. It's something that girl really needs -- and many other children just like her.