Well, we've been back for 4 days now and finally starting to get over the jet lag. I've had some time to process the trip and I'd like to share some of my thoughts with you.
Overall, I can't begin to express my love for the Cambodian people. Everyone we met was so kind and generous, even though they had little. Throughout the week, as we introduced to a new village, we told them how wonderful it was to see their smiles, and it is so true! They just smile more than Americans do. There's a song that the orphans sing (you might know it) which goes, "I've got a joy joy joy joy down in my heart..." and it applies to all of the new believers we met. I felt it too; while there I experienced a joy unlike any I had ever had before. Doing God's work is satisfying to the soul.
The unbelievers did not smile in the same way. You could tell how much pain they were dealing with. The scars from the genocide are still deeply embedded in the culture. The Buddhism and ancestral worship that they practice brings no hope for a better future, and consequently no joy. They're just hoping that their sacrifices to their ancestors will bring them good luck. It's quite sad. Cambodia desperately needs Jesus.
As far as the Christians in Cambodia, they are really living out the book of Acts. They are living like the earliest Christians did. They pray together, they share their possessions, they share their struggles (they were always prepared to tell their personal story about how Jesus has changed their life), they face opposition from peers and their own families, they even love their enemies in a way unimaginable here in the states. A group of thugs from a neighboring village came and stole a motorbike at gunpoint, but the victims decided to go share the Gospel with them! Wow! That really moved me (and the rest of the team too). I hadn't thought that the stories in Acts are still happening today until I met these people. I can't wait to be a part of it again!
Let me say something about Henry and Neri too. Henry and Neri lead the orphanage. They have the most amazing faith that I have ever seen. In order to start the orphanage, Henry cashed out his entire 401k from his job as a mechanic for American Airlines and put all the money into Cambodia. They trusted in God to do big things and He has delivered! But they are still trusting in Him to do more! While we were there, they were constructing another building at Home of Grace to serve as a covered meeting place for big events. Neri told us she expected it to cost $50,000. She does not have enough money to finish the building, but started it anyway, trusting God to provide the funds by the time she needs them. This is how the entire complex was built. Neri has big dreams for the orphanage as well. The children need a dining room. Right now they eat all of their meals on the floor of the kitchen. Neri also wants to build another dormitory to increase capacity to 200 children. I have no doubt that all of these dreams will come true in the not-too-distant future.
Finally, I can't make a final post without talking about the kids! I've already told you how amazing they are and how they've touched my heart (see here). Now let me tell you a little bit about their future. The orphans are not up for adoption. Any child who gets taken in to Home of Grace will remain there until they are 18. They will receive a top-notch education, good housing, meals, medical care, and many more benefits in a loving, Christian setting. Once they become adults, they will be encouraged to become leaders and go back into their community to make a real difference in Cambodia. The hope is that some may become politicians, making an impact on the whole country; that some may become ministers or preachers, making a spiritual impact in the local community; and that the rest may make an impact in other ways. If you would like to be a part of this amazing mission, you can sponsor one or more children (there are currently about 17 unsponsored children). Please contact one of us if you would like more details.
Once again, thank you to everyone for all of your support. Without family and friends like you supporting us and praying for us, we never would have been able to take this trip and make such a profound impact. We love you with all of our hearts.
God Bless,
Dan
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Back in the USA (Dan)
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to let you know that we made it home safely late last night (2 am). Thank you so much for all of your prayers! They certainly helped a lot! I'll post my final thoughts on the trip shortly.
God Bless,
Dan
Just wanted to let you know that we made it home safely late last night (2 am). Thank you so much for all of your prayers! They certainly helped a lot! I'll post my final thoughts on the trip shortly.
God Bless,
Dan
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Last Hours in Cambodia - by Kristin
Well, we have checked out of our final hotel, our bags are packed, and (required?) the basketball game is almost over. We made it back to Phnom Penh last night. We had dinner at our favorite restaurant (El Mundo) and got to see Kim and her son. This morning we went back for coffee and then headed to the Irish restaurant for some basketball and breakfast. Peter is still over there so we are hoping that the game finishes before we have to leave at 10! The way home will take 22 hours (split up) and we'll land in Houston around 11:30pm Monday.
Talk to you soon!
Kristin
Talk to you soon!
Kristin
Saturday, June 11, 2011
last day in Ankor Wat
So a quick update! today is our last day in ankor wat!! It has been so much fun going to see the different temples that have lasted as long as they have! One of the emples was on tomb raiders, the other temple had huge trees, huge! As tall as a houston sky scraper! today we are going to visit another temple in and hopefully ride elephants!!
we will be heading back to the capital city tonight! :)
Sophia
we will be heading back to the capital city tonight! :)
Sophia
A Day in Siem Reap - by Kristin
We just finished our "before dinner" exploring of Angkor Wat. We went through 3 temples fully and saw many more along the way. You'll have to see the pictures, because words can't do it justice. We also went on a boat ride along the river where the Vietnamese people escaped to during persecution in the 70's and have never left. That's right, they LIVE, eat, bath, and go to school on the river in boats. While it was very interesting, as we reflected on the last few minutes of the ride, we felt very sad for this secluded community.
We are about to head out to get some pizza for dinner and then go to the market. Getting good deals is always fun. Before we know it, we'll be home!
Kristin
We are about to head out to get some pizza for dinner and then go to the market. Getting good deals is always fun. Before we know it, we'll be home!
Kristin
Friday, June 10, 2011
Made it to Siem Reap (Dan)
Hi everyone,
I write this to you from our hotel in Siem Reap (The closest city to Angkor Wat). I just wanted to let everyone know that we survived our 6 hour car ride. I also wanted to clear up a couple things:
1)We will be returning to Houston around 11:30 pm on Monday, not Sunday.
2)The group that we passed the baton to is from First Baptist Broken Arrow, a suburb of Tulsa. They are going to be doing medical treatments in the villages and for the orphans. Please pray for them.
God Bless,
Dan
I write this to you from our hotel in Siem Reap (The closest city to Angkor Wat). I just wanted to let everyone know that we survived our 6 hour car ride. I also wanted to clear up a couple things:
1)We will be returning to Houston around 11:30 pm on Monday, not Sunday.
2)The group that we passed the baton to is from First Baptist Broken Arrow, a suburb of Tulsa. They are going to be doing medical treatments in the villages and for the orphans. Please pray for them.
God Bless,
Dan
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Heading home (or to Angkor Wat)
Hello everyone!
This is Jamison from a computer at the Phnom Penh airport with about an hour before takeoff on Friday, June 10th, 2011. It is about to become Friday for those of you in Houston pretty soon, but we have already had a large breakfast and gathering at the Titanic restaurant & lounge. We all had a sinking feeling while there (actually that was just a bad joke that Lonnie made, LOL). Yet, I doubt there are too many restaurants with that same name in America (especially not with the whole boat theme!). We got to visit with the team from First Baptist Tulsa (as Kristin said) and had a heartfelt goodbye with Neri, Henry, Elizabeth, and Hannah.
Lonnie, Connie, and I are now waiting at the airport for our plane and to our surprise (and delight) there is a real Dairy Queen here! So we are looking forward to a Blizzard or two. Then we will be making it home around midnight Friday night in Houston even though we are flying against the sun (don't think about that too hard or your brain might explode! LOL). We all have a great "mission accomplished" feeling as we head back but we are all ready to be back in our own beds with our families and friends. I don't like mentioning numbers, but let's just say that there have been MANY decisions made for Christ in Cambodia in the last week! Pray that the Holy Spirit continues to grow their faith and that next year will see many new villages worshiping Jesus in their own communities of believers just as we saw when we followed up with villages from past years.
Sophia, Peter, Dan, and Kristin are heading up to Angkor Wat for a day and a half so they will be getting home around midnight on Sunday night (I think). Continue to pray for safety and team unity as they continue to enjoy each other's company to experience the wonder of that ancient wonder of the world.
Godspeed,
Jamison
This is Jamison from a computer at the Phnom Penh airport with about an hour before takeoff on Friday, June 10th, 2011. It is about to become Friday for those of you in Houston pretty soon, but we have already had a large breakfast and gathering at the Titanic restaurant & lounge. We all had a sinking feeling while there (actually that was just a bad joke that Lonnie made, LOL). Yet, I doubt there are too many restaurants with that same name in America (especially not with the whole boat theme!). We got to visit with the team from First Baptist Tulsa (as Kristin said) and had a heartfelt goodbye with Neri, Henry, Elizabeth, and Hannah.
Lonnie, Connie, and I are now waiting at the airport for our plane and to our surprise (and delight) there is a real Dairy Queen here! So we are looking forward to a Blizzard or two. Then we will be making it home around midnight Friday night in Houston even though we are flying against the sun (don't think about that too hard or your brain might explode! LOL). We all have a great "mission accomplished" feeling as we head back but we are all ready to be back in our own beds with our families and friends. I don't like mentioning numbers, but let's just say that there have been MANY decisions made for Christ in Cambodia in the last week! Pray that the Holy Spirit continues to grow their faith and that next year will see many new villages worshiping Jesus in their own communities of believers just as we saw when we followed up with villages from past years.
Sophia, Peter, Dan, and Kristin are heading up to Angkor Wat for a day and a half so they will be getting home around midnight on Sunday night (I think). Continue to pray for safety and team unity as they continue to enjoy each other's company to experience the wonder of that ancient wonder of the world.
Godspeed,
Jamison
Last Day in Phnom Penh
Jamison, Lonnie and Connie are headed to the airport. Then, the rest of us will be heading to Ankor Wat where we will sight see for a few days before returning to Texas. We handed the batton off to the First Baptist church from Tulsa this morning at breakfast. I'm not sure if we'll have internet at the next hotel, so if not, talk to you Sunday night.
Kristin
Kristin
The Prayer of a Righteous Man is Powerful and Effective
Hello Friends and Family!
It's Peter writing my 2nd post. I've been exhausted after dinner (and I have awesome teammates who like to blog~) so I haven't posted much, but I hope you're getting a good idea of what ministry has been like during our time here. Today was our last day of ministry, and I just have one thought/request to share for now.
First, thank you so much for your prayers! This is my 6th overseas mission trip and it has been one of the most amazing trips I've ever been on. Our team unity has been phenomenal, we've had great partnership with the local staff, opportunities to share the gospel with hundreds of people (many of whom have never heard the good news before), and the list goes on and on. One of the things God impressed upon my heart for this trip was to rally as many prayer partners as possible. I have seen and felt the impact of your prayers for our team. Thank you for interceding on our behalf throughout this trip and for your faithful support!
Though our trip is coming to an end, please continue to pray for the team as 3 travel back to Houston, and 4 of us travel to Angkor Wat for site seeing. Please also continue to pray for those who have heard the gospel - that God would grow the seed that was planted & that the people would become followers of Jesus Christ who rejoice in Him and make His name known. Additionally, keep the staff and children of Home of Grace in your prayers as well. The work that God is doing in the orphanage is incredible and it is truly a testimony of God's faithfulness when we carry out His plans and leading. Pray for wisdom, strength, and love for the staff as they keep ministering to the children and villages; pray for God to raise up all of these children to become Godly men and women who proclaim Jesus Christ to their villages and families once they are adults... and that their joy and delight would be found in Christ alone. I can't express how much I adore the kids. I wish I could stay longer just to hang out and get to know them. We'll see whether God gives me another opportunity to return next year. I'm def open to it!
That's all for now. I'll probably post some closing thoughts after I have more time to reflect on this trip. We'd love to pray for you as well, so feel free to email/post any requests!
Blessings,
Peter
It's Peter writing my 2nd post. I've been exhausted after dinner (and I have awesome teammates who like to blog~) so I haven't posted much, but I hope you're getting a good idea of what ministry has been like during our time here. Today was our last day of ministry, and I just have one thought/request to share for now.
First, thank you so much for your prayers! This is my 6th overseas mission trip and it has been one of the most amazing trips I've ever been on. Our team unity has been phenomenal, we've had great partnership with the local staff, opportunities to share the gospel with hundreds of people (many of whom have never heard the good news before), and the list goes on and on. One of the things God impressed upon my heart for this trip was to rally as many prayer partners as possible. I have seen and felt the impact of your prayers for our team. Thank you for interceding on our behalf throughout this trip and for your faithful support!
Though our trip is coming to an end, please continue to pray for the team as 3 travel back to Houston, and 4 of us travel to Angkor Wat for site seeing. Please also continue to pray for those who have heard the gospel - that God would grow the seed that was planted & that the people would become followers of Jesus Christ who rejoice in Him and make His name known. Additionally, keep the staff and children of Home of Grace in your prayers as well. The work that God is doing in the orphanage is incredible and it is truly a testimony of God's faithfulness when we carry out His plans and leading. Pray for wisdom, strength, and love for the staff as they keep ministering to the children and villages; pray for God to raise up all of these children to become Godly men and women who proclaim Jesus Christ to their villages and families once they are adults... and that their joy and delight would be found in Christ alone. I can't express how much I adore the kids. I wish I could stay longer just to hang out and get to know them. We'll see whether God gives me another opportunity to return next year. I'm def open to it!
That's all for now. I'll probably post some closing thoughts after I have more time to reflect on this trip. We'd love to pray for you as well, so feel free to email/post any requests!
Blessings,
Peter
The Climax of the Trip (Dan)
Hi everyone,
We just got back from Home of Grace for the last time. Today was an incredibly powerful day. We arrived at Home of Grace early, but there was already a huge crowd there to collect their food. After we settled down, we sat in front of the crowd while the local mayor got up and welcomed us. Then Lonnie preached, once again telling the crowd about the promise of salvation that Jesus offers. Many prayed to ask Jesus to be their savior today!
Next, we baptised any believers who had not been baptised before. Many were people that we shared the Good News with this week. Lonnie, Jamison, Peter and I baptised them 4 at a time in the Home of Grace baptistry. That was quite the experience! I had never baptised anyone before. We baptised 108 in all!!! Praise God!
After the baptism, we began to hand out the food. We handed out food for over 400 families! To all who donated to help feed these families, thank you! We wish you could have been there to see the lives that you changed; it was incredible! We will share pictures and video with you after we get home. At one point we were able to upload a few photos to the computers here in the hotel lobby, but for some reason it stopped working. Stay tuned for some amazing photos!
The rest of the day was spent hanging out with the kids at Home of Grace. We played games, danced, sang songs, and spent lots of time loving on and being loved by the kids. As a special treat, we bought ice cream for them. Some of them had never had ice cream before! They only get ice cream 2-3 times a year (when there is a mission trip like ours in town) and they were super excited!
At the end of the day, the kids sang what seemed like 50 songs for us. They just kept going and going. One of the songs that they sang was a farewell song, and a number of the kids couldn't make it through the song without tears flowing down their cheeks. Many of us couldn't either. I can't explain to you how much I have fallen in love with these kids in less than a week. They have deeply touched my heart. It was really hard to leave. There were lots of hugs and tears and best wishes shared. I am still sad as I type this post. I wish we could spend more time with them.
So that concludes the mission portion of our trip. Tomorrow Lonnie, Connie, and Jamison leave to return home and Kristin, Peter, Sophia and I head to Angkor Wat to do some sight-seeing. We will try to post again soon.
God Bless,
Dan
We just got back from Home of Grace for the last time. Today was an incredibly powerful day. We arrived at Home of Grace early, but there was already a huge crowd there to collect their food. After we settled down, we sat in front of the crowd while the local mayor got up and welcomed us. Then Lonnie preached, once again telling the crowd about the promise of salvation that Jesus offers. Many prayed to ask Jesus to be their savior today!
Next, we baptised any believers who had not been baptised before. Many were people that we shared the Good News with this week. Lonnie, Jamison, Peter and I baptised them 4 at a time in the Home of Grace baptistry. That was quite the experience! I had never baptised anyone before. We baptised 108 in all!!! Praise God!
After the baptism, we began to hand out the food. We handed out food for over 400 families! To all who donated to help feed these families, thank you! We wish you could have been there to see the lives that you changed; it was incredible! We will share pictures and video with you after we get home. At one point we were able to upload a few photos to the computers here in the hotel lobby, but for some reason it stopped working. Stay tuned for some amazing photos!
The rest of the day was spent hanging out with the kids at Home of Grace. We played games, danced, sang songs, and spent lots of time loving on and being loved by the kids. As a special treat, we bought ice cream for them. Some of them had never had ice cream before! They only get ice cream 2-3 times a year (when there is a mission trip like ours in town) and they were super excited!
At the end of the day, the kids sang what seemed like 50 songs for us. They just kept going and going. One of the songs that they sang was a farewell song, and a number of the kids couldn't make it through the song without tears flowing down their cheeks. Many of us couldn't either. I can't explain to you how much I have fallen in love with these kids in less than a week. They have deeply touched my heart. It was really hard to leave. There were lots of hugs and tears and best wishes shared. I am still sad as I type this post. I wish we could spend more time with them.
So that concludes the mission portion of our trip. Tomorrow Lonnie, Connie, and Jamison leave to return home and Kristin, Peter, Sophia and I head to Angkor Wat to do some sight-seeing. We will try to post again soon.
God Bless,
Dan
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
They say you don't know where you're going unless you know where you've been...
My parents lived through the Cambodian Holocaust Pol Pot 1975-1979 where by the grace of God they were able to escape and flee to great ole USA! I have not been able to comprehend all the circumstances that have had to have taken place in order for my sister and I to have been born in sweet Houston Texas!
We were able to take time out to visit the killing fields were millions were slaughtered and a whole generation was depleted... We also went to one of the concentration camps. It really hits home knowing this was not just a typical museum tour... this really happened. This has changed my family.
Often on this trip, I think how crazy it could have been that I could have been born in Cambodia and would have had a completely different lifestyle. Words can't describe how blessed and thankful I am to have been raised in church and know how great our God really is! To be able to worship freely in the states as well as Cambodia...
So I can't say I'm sure what day it is for us! We have been flying off the seats of our pants! Seriously! As of lately I have had the opportunity to meet my grandfather on my mothers side for the absolute first time!! For him to visit, he had to take off an entire day to travel to see me. He brought with him his brother and sister and one of the cutest grandkids. We all went to eat ice cream, had coffee, and walked up and down the bank of a river. Please add him to your prayers in his salvation, I was able to give the entire family one of our Cambodian T-shirts and glad to have had the opportunity to plant a seed.
We have visited many villages these past couple of days. Some are old villages we professed the good news while some are new. We have used residual orality strategies in sharing bible stories and has been remarkable! This should be a post of its own! The testimonies people have shared withing our team as well as the people in the villages have been sincere and heart felt... GOD IS DOING GREAT THINGS!
On another note, the team moral is great! We have had awesome unity and have been very encouraging! I look at each person on this trip and can see why each were all hand picked by God to be here. Jamison has such great wealth of knowledge its profound! He and Peter are always cracking jokes! Peter is so great at sharing the gospel and always easy going! Kristin has always had a smile across her face and its so contagious! this is her first mission trip and from an insider you would never know that! Everything seems to flow so naturally from her. Dan has such a genuine character-so humble and it just yells boldness. Connie- someone asked if she was related to Beth Moore- Isn't it true? Her passion for Christ can be seen miles away and anyone who knows her would want to chase after him too! Lonnie, such a great leader and admirable man! The Hamiltons are amazing and a great couple to be around! What an understatement! Each of them have encouraged me so much and they don't even realize it We also have another girl Hannah who is here for a month from Michigan. She surprisingly has become part of our team with her bold testimony in sharing bible stories with us to the local villages!
The children at The Home of Grace Orphanage has captured everyone of our hearts! I can't wait to post pictures!
So can I emphasize how much I miss my family, home, and friends?! oh the comforts of air conditioning! Drinking water with ice and not worrying about whether they are cubed or chipped ice... I have taken for granted the ability to even communicate with my boyfriend and best friend! But I can say that the comforts are far worth every sacrifice in exchange for what I've witnessed God doing here in Cambodia and the souls that are being saved!
I want to take a minute to thank each and everyone of you! Your emails, notes, and prayers have been so encouraging! As I have said before thank you for taking part in sharing the good news with me.
-Sophia
We were able to take time out to visit the killing fields were millions were slaughtered and a whole generation was depleted... We also went to one of the concentration camps. It really hits home knowing this was not just a typical museum tour... this really happened. This has changed my family.
Often on this trip, I think how crazy it could have been that I could have been born in Cambodia and would have had a completely different lifestyle. Words can't describe how blessed and thankful I am to have been raised in church and know how great our God really is! To be able to worship freely in the states as well as Cambodia...
So I can't say I'm sure what day it is for us! We have been flying off the seats of our pants! Seriously! As of lately I have had the opportunity to meet my grandfather on my mothers side for the absolute first time!! For him to visit, he had to take off an entire day to travel to see me. He brought with him his brother and sister and one of the cutest grandkids. We all went to eat ice cream, had coffee, and walked up and down the bank of a river. Please add him to your prayers in his salvation, I was able to give the entire family one of our Cambodian T-shirts and glad to have had the opportunity to plant a seed.
We have visited many villages these past couple of days. Some are old villages we professed the good news while some are new. We have used residual orality strategies in sharing bible stories and has been remarkable! This should be a post of its own! The testimonies people have shared withing our team as well as the people in the villages have been sincere and heart felt... GOD IS DOING GREAT THINGS!
On another note, the team moral is great! We have had awesome unity and have been very encouraging! I look at each person on this trip and can see why each were all hand picked by God to be here. Jamison has such great wealth of knowledge its profound! He and Peter are always cracking jokes! Peter is so great at sharing the gospel and always easy going! Kristin has always had a smile across her face and its so contagious! this is her first mission trip and from an insider you would never know that! Everything seems to flow so naturally from her. Dan has such a genuine character-so humble and it just yells boldness. Connie- someone asked if she was related to Beth Moore- Isn't it true? Her passion for Christ can be seen miles away and anyone who knows her would want to chase after him too! Lonnie, such a great leader and admirable man! The Hamiltons are amazing and a great couple to be around! What an understatement! Each of them have encouraged me so much and they don't even realize it We also have another girl Hannah who is here for a month from Michigan. She surprisingly has become part of our team with her bold testimony in sharing bible stories with us to the local villages!
The children at The Home of Grace Orphanage has captured everyone of our hearts! I can't wait to post pictures!
So can I emphasize how much I miss my family, home, and friends?! oh the comforts of air conditioning! Drinking water with ice and not worrying about whether they are cubed or chipped ice... I have taken for granted the ability to even communicate with my boyfriend and best friend! But I can say that the comforts are far worth every sacrifice in exchange for what I've witnessed God doing here in Cambodia and the souls that are being saved!
I want to take a minute to thank each and everyone of you! Your emails, notes, and prayers have been so encouraging! As I have said before thank you for taking part in sharing the good news with me.
-Sophia
Dan's First Post
Hi Everyone,
This is my first post. Sorry it took me so long to get on here. Today was a great day. We started off the day at the King's Palace which was pretty impressive. As it turned out, there was a Portugese diplomat visiting today, so they had some Portugese flags displayed and there were guards all over the place getting ready: kinda cool. The palace itself was pretty impressive. They had lots of valuables there: gold, emerald, marble, and ivory statues, some encrusted with giant diamonds (up to 25 ct). There was also a building whose entire floor was covered with silver tiles, which is impressive until you notice the duct tape on some of the tiles!
The remainder of the day was spent visiting new villages to share the good news of Jesus. We visited two villages today. In the first village, we split up into two teams, one of which spoke to 2 groups and the other spoke to 3. In the second village, the first team spoke to 2 groups, and the second team spoke only to 1. However, that group was an intense experience. One of the villagers in that group appeared to have studied Buddhism pretty in depth. He challenged what we were saying and challenged the Bible itself. Neri and Kristin both shared stories of how Jesus had changed their lives and eventually the man left. Amazingly, almost all the rest of the people (>80%) who were there listening still wanted to become Christians! Consider this:
Yet they still decided to follow Jesus! Isn't that crazy? God must have been at work behind the scenes, because there isn't any other explanation for why so many would make that choice. It was truly a miracle; one that proves just how amazing Jesus is and how much power His name carries.
I have so many other great stories to share from the trip and so many other insights. I can't wait to share them with you all! But for now, I need to go to bed to prepare for another long day on the mission field. Goodnight all!
With Christ's love,
Dan
This is my first post. Sorry it took me so long to get on here. Today was a great day. We started off the day at the King's Palace which was pretty impressive. As it turned out, there was a Portugese diplomat visiting today, so they had some Portugese flags displayed and there were guards all over the place getting ready: kinda cool. The palace itself was pretty impressive. They had lots of valuables there: gold, emerald, marble, and ivory statues, some encrusted with giant diamonds (up to 25 ct). There was also a building whose entire floor was covered with silver tiles, which is impressive until you notice the duct tape on some of the tiles!
The remainder of the day was spent visiting new villages to share the good news of Jesus. We visited two villages today. In the first village, we split up into two teams, one of which spoke to 2 groups and the other spoke to 3. In the second village, the first team spoke to 2 groups, and the second team spoke only to 1. However, that group was an intense experience. One of the villagers in that group appeared to have studied Buddhism pretty in depth. He challenged what we were saying and challenged the Bible itself. Neri and Kristin both shared stories of how Jesus had changed their lives and eventually the man left. Amazingly, almost all the rest of the people (>80%) who were there listening still wanted to become Christians! Consider this:
- Most of these people knew nothing of Jesus other than His name this morning
- One of their own villagers argued against Jesus, yet they had never met those who advocated Him
- Buddhism is their national religion
Yet they still decided to follow Jesus! Isn't that crazy? God must have been at work behind the scenes, because there isn't any other explanation for why so many would make that choice. It was truly a miracle; one that proves just how amazing Jesus is and how much power His name carries.
I have so many other great stories to share from the trip and so many other insights. I can't wait to share them with you all! But for now, I need to go to bed to prepare for another long day on the mission field. Goodnight all!
With Christ's love,
Dan
Sunday, June 5, 2011
This picture is worth 1000 words... all of which will melt your heart
This is one of the Home of Grace girls that is all smiles!
No matter what foreign country I go to, it seems that the orphans are always fascinated by my abundance of arm and leg hair. Haha!
Well, we are off to the Killing Fields today. Pray for our hearts as we understand more about this country that we have all fallen in love with.
Godspeed,
Jamison
No matter what foreign country I go to, it seems that the orphans are always fascinated by my abundance of arm and leg hair. Haha!
Well, we are off to the Killing Fields today. Pray for our hearts as we understand more about this country that we have all fallen in love with.
Godspeed,
Jamison
Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! (Jamison)
That's right, folks! We are wrapping up Sunday here in Cambodia before most of you make it to your first Sunday service, and it has been great!
It started with a church service that the Home of Grace orphanage has every Sunday which is led mostly by the kids (and quite well, I might add!). They started off with singing at the orphanage, followed by a time of sharing testimonies. The testimonies were quite powerful even though not all of us could understand what they were saying. But our sponsor and Sophia explained some of it. One of the boys shared and got really emotional about the life that he had before the orphanage. After the testimonies, many of the different children got up and shared a Bible verse that they had memorized. Then a local pastor shared a sermon that the kids actively responded with. It was so beautiful seeing the reality of their spiritual growth right before our eyes. As I whispered to Sophia, it seems that these kids have a better Biblical standard and more Christian environment with all 50 kids at Home of Grace than the average American household has with 2.5 kids in a Christian family's home. It left me in awe, but blessed to witness it.
There was a church in Bati started by the Home of Grace organization that we went to after that, which started at noon. I was able to share a short sermon about trusting in God and the value of faith based on the Biblical passages of the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18), Jesus' teachings on "Do Not Worry" but seeking God's kingdom first (Matthew 6), the importance of faith over works (Eph 2:8-9), and that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11). It was followed by all of the other team members sharing Bible stories that well-illustrated the concept of what faith looks like in action. Lonnie shared the parable of the Prodigal Son. Connie shared the story of the Christ's resurrection. Dan shared the story about Jesus calming the storm. Kristin shared about Abraham's sacrifice of his son Isaac (rather, God's providing a sacrifice in the place of Isaac). Sophia shared the story of Jesus healing blind Bartamaeus. And Peter shared the story of the Good Samaritan. Afterwards, we all prayed over the church leaders who are going to minister in a village that the last time they went there were robbed at gunpoint. And I was teaching them about faith?
After that, we went to a Buddhist temple that was very interesting. We all asked the monks many questions and discovered a lot about how their life is at the temple. I wanted to try and talk to the head monk, who they said was available, but when we looked around for him and knocked on his door, we couldn't find him. Sad face... I wanted to know if he had found enlightenment. Maybe we could go back some other time.
After the temple we went back to spend the rest of the afternoon with the children at Home of Grace until the daily rainstorm rolled in. It is always so fun spending time with them. I lifted up many of them over my shoulders (or in some cases, on my shoulders). As much as we are trying to learn Khmer (as they are trying to teach us), it is a slow process. The kids found some enjoyment at my mispronunciation of words though. They also found it quite entertaining when I was walking around like an elephant.
Sadly, the Houston's First Baptist streaming video isn't working too well (imagine that!) so I guess we will have to wait to hear the sermons when we get back. I hope everyone has a great and restful Sunday!
Godspeed,
Jamison
It started with a church service that the Home of Grace orphanage has every Sunday which is led mostly by the kids (and quite well, I might add!). They started off with singing at the orphanage, followed by a time of sharing testimonies. The testimonies were quite powerful even though not all of us could understand what they were saying. But our sponsor and Sophia explained some of it. One of the boys shared and got really emotional about the life that he had before the orphanage. After the testimonies, many of the different children got up and shared a Bible verse that they had memorized. Then a local pastor shared a sermon that the kids actively responded with. It was so beautiful seeing the reality of their spiritual growth right before our eyes. As I whispered to Sophia, it seems that these kids have a better Biblical standard and more Christian environment with all 50 kids at Home of Grace than the average American household has with 2.5 kids in a Christian family's home. It left me in awe, but blessed to witness it.
There was a church in Bati started by the Home of Grace organization that we went to after that, which started at noon. I was able to share a short sermon about trusting in God and the value of faith based on the Biblical passages of the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18), Jesus' teachings on "Do Not Worry" but seeking God's kingdom first (Matthew 6), the importance of faith over works (Eph 2:8-9), and that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11). It was followed by all of the other team members sharing Bible stories that well-illustrated the concept of what faith looks like in action. Lonnie shared the parable of the Prodigal Son. Connie shared the story of the Christ's resurrection. Dan shared the story about Jesus calming the storm. Kristin shared about Abraham's sacrifice of his son Isaac (rather, God's providing a sacrifice in the place of Isaac). Sophia shared the story of Jesus healing blind Bartamaeus. And Peter shared the story of the Good Samaritan. Afterwards, we all prayed over the church leaders who are going to minister in a village that the last time they went there were robbed at gunpoint. And I was teaching them about faith?
After that, we went to a Buddhist temple that was very interesting. We all asked the monks many questions and discovered a lot about how their life is at the temple. I wanted to try and talk to the head monk, who they said was available, but when we looked around for him and knocked on his door, we couldn't find him. Sad face... I wanted to know if he had found enlightenment. Maybe we could go back some other time.
After the temple we went back to spend the rest of the afternoon with the children at Home of Grace until the daily rainstorm rolled in. It is always so fun spending time with them. I lifted up many of them over my shoulders (or in some cases, on my shoulders). As much as we are trying to learn Khmer (as they are trying to teach us), it is a slow process. The kids found some enjoyment at my mispronunciation of words though. They also found it quite entertaining when I was walking around like an elephant.
Sadly, the Houston's First Baptist streaming video isn't working too well (imagine that!) so I guess we will have to wait to hear the sermons when we get back. I hope everyone has a great and restful Sunday!
Godspeed,
Jamison
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Kristin in Cambodia
Hi Everyone!
Well, we've survived a full day in Cambodia. But survive would be an understatement...we are doing very well! Today, Dan and I had breakfast at an Irish restaurant. We had the big breakfast special with french press coffee. If your mouth is watering now, just wait for dessert! Then we headed to two new villages to share the Good News of Jesus. I don't know the total count, but at the groups I visited, there were 14 people who accepted Christ for the first time! Praise God! Then we went to the zoo. We met some incredible people and saw lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Then we headed to the Home of Grace orphanage. We sang songs and told Bible stories to the kids. Then they told some to us! Finally, we headed back to the hotel area for a great dinner including the $4.75 pasta special (amazing!) and the Fruity Tutti ice cream package. It wouldn't have been the same without the heart shaped spoons that, for some reason, were given only to the guys!
I think you may also be interested in hearing about some different aspects of life in Cambodia...I'm going to focus today's lesson on driving safety:
- The first rule of driving safely in Cambodia is...don't do it!
- If you break the first rule, here are some other things to know:
- Never stop at stop signs
- When turning left, just pull out and keep moving. Other vehicles will go around you
- Yield to pedestrians, bicycles, motorbikes, other vehicles and cows only when passing at less than 1 inch
- Use your horn frequently, it helps others to know you're approaching the 1" mark
- If riding a motorbike, only the driver should wear a helmet and there shall be at least 2 and frequently more than 4 people on the bike. Transporting plants, queen size beds, and large boxes is also encouraged
Thankfully, we have a driver who knows what he's doing! I hope you enjoyed our update. More to come!
Three of the Women Who Prayed to Receive Christ!
The Kids are GREAT!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Peter's Post
Hey guys!
Thanks for your prayers so far! The plane ride to Cambodia was long, but I did get to watch a few movies on board/talk to the lady next to me briefly about God as the Spirit led.
Yesterday (June 3), we arrived at the hotel around noon, showered, and went off to visit the Home of Grace Orphanage. The kids were precious! After we gave them their t-shirts, they started singing a few VBS songs in English for us and it was awesome! Then we got a brief tour of the place and played soccer with the kids while also amusing them by tossing them up into the air and other silly games.
I think my body is adjusting well to jet lag (I slept for 10 hours last night). We'll be going to 2 new villages today where no past teams have gone before so please pray for us and the people who we'll be interacting with. It will be door to door sharing and/or large group Bible story sharing. I really don't know what to expect for ministry here, but I'm just going to follow the leadership of the local workers and be flexible.
Please pray for our team unity. We have amazing unity so far and we are all getting along fine, but I know the enemy will do all he can to make us frustrated at one another and to break us apart. Please also pray for safe traveling. It is a zoo out there on the road. Thankfully, our driver is very good but our van has been experiencing some issues. Lastly, please pray that we will discern the leading of the Holy Spirit during our conversations.
Off to breakfast!! Deuces!
Peter
PS: Sophia and Jamison are withholding breakfast from me until I post this update. Please pray for me :)
Conclusion of Day 1
Upon visiting Home of Grace, it seems as if our entire team fell in love with the children! They embraced each of us with hugs immediately followed by games & questions. We gave each of them the blue Cambodia T-shirts and they were so thankful! They lined up eagerly with their shirts on and began singing every song they knew. I've got joy joy joy down in my heart... down in my heart to stay""- just adorable! What a day! The flight that felt like it would never end was worth the time put in to have these precious children embrace me with their hugs so tightly! I can't wait to spend more time with them and let them know how many people in Houston who love them as much as I do!
until next time...
Your sister in Christ,
Sophia
until next time...
Your sister in Christ,
Sophia
Safe in our hotel in Phnom Penh
It turns out that the hotel has upgraded and has multiple computers and Internet connections. We are all showered down and feeling better after the airplane rides. But the air is hot and humid outside so we will be definitely showering again tonight. We are exactly 12 hours difference from Houston, and we are about to head out to the orphanage (Home of Grace) right now. The kids have been praying for us for a while now and are just as excited to see us as we are to see them!
Godspeed,
Jamison
Godspeed,
Jamison
Thursday, June 2, 2011
From Los Angeles to Taiwan
Ni hao! We have made it past our first little bumps by a delayed flight at LAX airport, but are now safely at the airport in Taiwan about to board our flight to Pnom Penh.
The team is in good spirits and still laughing. We aren't sure if that is because of the delirium due to lack of sleep on the plane, the airplane food (which I actually didn't think was too bad!), or just the fact that it was a 14 hour flight from Los Angeles to Taiwan (the longest that any of us have ever had). But we thank you for your prayers and love you all!
Godspeed,
Jamison
The team is in good spirits and still laughing. We aren't sure if that is because of the delirium due to lack of sleep on the plane, the airplane food (which I actually didn't think was too bad!), or just the fact that it was a 14 hour flight from Los Angeles to Taiwan (the longest that any of us have ever had). But we thank you for your prayers and love you all!
Godspeed,
Jamison
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