For the last several months we have been working with a man named Heng. He is 29 years old, married and has two sons. We met Heng through a mutual expatriate friend living in our area. Our friend had hired Heng’s construction team to build a gymnasium. Last summer, we began looking for a builder for our new school. Our expatriate friend recommended Heng to us and gave us his contact information. At first our communication with Heng was sparse as we got bids from various builders in Phnom Penh. Late last year, we asked Heng to come and see our project site and talk some more. A while later, the school board voted to hire him for the job.
From the beginning, we were impressed with Heng’s attention to detail on the quotes and discussions. If there was a time when we were busy and didn’t keep up communication with him, he always emailed or called to see how we were doing and how things were going. Yet he never came across as pushy. He has a way about him that makes you feel like he cares about you and not just the job. Even after we returned to the States for furlough, he has continued to keep in frequent contact with us, sending us pictures of his newborn son and asking about our health.
One time, Heng’s son was very sick with dengue fever. Daniel told him we would be praying for his son to get well. On other occasions, we have been able to share a little about Christianity with him and tell him we are praying for him and his family. Heng told us he prays for our health every time he goes to the Buddhist temple. We are hoping to have more opportunities to share Christ with him as we work together on the building project.
On several occasions, we met with Heng in Phnom Penh at the ADRA complex to discuss building details. Sometimes the meetings were long, and the kids would get restless. He would quickly find a game on his phone for them to play. When they ran his phone battery dead, he didn’t show any irritation.
Recently, the school board decided to move ahead with the building project even though all of the funds are not yet raised. Next school year, the current building we are renting will be too small to accommodate all our students. We are beginning construction with the funds we have raised thus far. By the time you read this, Heng’s team will have started on the earthwork for the foundation.
Thank you so much to the many of you who have already contributed to the school building fund. We are so excited to be able to start building. If you would like to help move the building project forward and feel God calling you to be a part of this project, please mark your donation “Pnong School Building.”
