“Malaysian Flight 114 is now ready to board.” Immediately everyone got up and moved toward the gate. Welcome to Cambodia and most of Southeast Asia where people don’t queue up as their seating is called, they just board en masse.
As we were herded into the plane, my thoughts spun with what had happened in the past three weeks in Cambodia: visiting the projects, getting to know the missionaries better and seeing firsthand how God is working through them. What a blessing!
Our first item of business was to transfer supervision of our projects. Marc Coleman, AFM’s International Field Director, has been the interim field director for Cambodia while we have been fund-raising and training. It is evident what a great job he has done, for the missionaries clearly love him and his wife Cathy. Big shoes to fill. Please equip us, God!
At the Pnong Project, we were amazed at how God’s hand has led in the establishment of a K-2 Adventist school in a rented building. We loved seeing Daniel and Cara’s commitment to this project. While Daniel clears the property for the future school and does maintenance, electrical and construction on the current school, Cara has taken on the responsibility of school principal. God has gifted her with language skills in reading, writing and speaking Khmer.
The Greenfields are blessed to have a student missionary from South Africa, Maryke Reynhardt, who is a real go-getter. Her talents are many, but the Pnong Project needs more short-term and student missionaries of her caliber as the school expands. Also, another career missionary couple to share the workload would be a great relief to Daniel and Cara. Please pray for people to serve here and for funds to come in for the construction of the school. Daniel and Cara are doing an amazing job as they let God work through them, but they are praying for more laborers as they look forward to expanding their school up to seventh grade.
At the Great River Project, we once again saw God’s hand leading. The Clays, a committed family of six, are patiently living in a 20-by-20-foot one-room house with an attached bathroom until they finish building their new home. They are adapting well to village life. Ruby is meeting local medical needs by doing wound care and teaching families about natural remedies. Adam transports people to the hospital for additional care and oversees the construction of the home. They continue to learn both Khmer and the tribal language. Despite their cramped quarters and workloads, their smiles show that God is giving them the strength they need each day. Please pray that the remaining funds will come in to finish their home and that they can move in before the rainy season comes. The Clay family is looking forward the arrival of their partners, the Church family in late 2015 or early 2016.
So, despite Arnold getting food poisoning, me getting a cold in 90-degree weather and our bodies feeling our age as we bumped over the pothole-laden roads, we are rejoicing that God has allowed us to support and work with these wonderfully committed missionary families in Cambodia!
Thank you for your sacrificial giving, your prayers and your love for the unreached and for us.
