Rose was just a girl when we moved to the hills of Mondulkiri. We met her the day we stopped by her grandparents’ house to see if it was available to rent. After we moved into the house, she would occasionally come over and play with our kids. Over the years, we have watched her grow up and blossom into a young lady.
For a few years Rose stayed with her mother in a neighboring province to attend school. Last year, we were out of country for an extended period of time during my battle with cancer. When we came back, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Rose was enrolled in our night English classes, and our student missionary Anthony was teaching her. We learned that she had moved back to Mondulkiri to work and help earn money for her family. She wanted to continue her studies, but her mother didn’t have the funds to keep her in high school. Instead, Rose was attending our evening classes to learn more English. We found her to be a quick learner and a hard worker. She took interest in spiritual things and had many discussions with Anthony and others at the school.
At the beginning of this school year, we were looking for someone to work at the school’s front desk, a secretary who could make a good first impression on people when they walk through our doors. Rose has a smile on her face almost all the time, and she is a natural leader. We asked Rose and her mother if she would be interested in working at the school. Everyone in her family was involved in the decision from her grandfather (our Landlord) all the way down to Rose. Before we got the final response from Rose, her grandfather told me he wanted her to work for us. Before we hired her, her mother asked if we would insist she become a Christian. We assured her we wouldn’t, but we told her that we taught from the Bible every morning at worship.
It was finally decided that Rose could work for us at the school and receive free English classes in the evening. It was a win-win situation for her. Rose knows that Jesus loves her and cares for her. Please join us in praying that the Holy Spirit will soften her heart and that someday she will choose Him. We would love to see Rose and her entire family in Heaven.
