Last month was the Cambodian new year, so we celebrated by going to Siem Reap and engaging in a massive waterfight for a few days. (Ok, actually we were there to have meetings and encourage one another and talk about future plans for our team in Cambodia, but the waterfight was a great bonus.) I used my new-to-me phone to capture some epic video of the waterfights.
Jason and Joanne and another South East Asian team and some expedition leaders joined us for that week and we prayed over each other and the areas we are working in. It was nice to have the whole Cambodian team together because we’re all working in different areas and don’t see each other often.
I’m Responsible Now
Since our team over here with Charles is growing, we split up into 3 groups each in a different district. Now I’m in charge of the Congkal district and I support and work alongside 2 Cambodians: Rany and Tha. It’s real strange for me having to make plans and call the shots since they have much more experience than I do. But it’s never been about my own ability anyway, it’s about Christ in us. Our little team is a bit awkward sometimes, but we’re growing and I’m excited to grow with them and raise up disciples in the villages.
Culture
It’s inevitable that every village we go to that Samaritan’s Purse has preached there and has provided water filters to most houses, so people have at least some familiarity with the gospel. However, having come and gone, and without a pastor or leader, most of these villages don’t have any firm believers. Every person we’ve met says that Christians forbid you to respect your parents or cry if they die and you can’t give them funeral. So we often have to combat these misconceptions.
We go to one to three villages a day and we’re just starting to build relationships in these different places and show who Christ is. It’s exhilarating talking to so many strangers and breaking the love of God down for them and teaching them about the true God. Cambodia is into idol and ancestor worship. They try to do good deeds to free themselves from sin, but it’s to no avail. Buddha teaches them to depend on yourself and that if you do good you’ll get good, if you do bad you’ll receive bad. They believe that they’ll be continually reincarnated according to their works until they do enough good to get to heaven (or Nirvana rather).`
Prayer Requests
- For my Korean friend that she would increase in her fluency in Khmer, that she would be encouraged, that she would find people to help her preach the gospel in her village.
- For my team, that we would grow in unity with one another and Christ and that we would effectively raise disciples in our district.
- For the expeditions coming, that the people on those expeditions would be equipped to go deeper into ministry, and that the people they minister to will mature into strong believers and that we faithfully disciple them.
Well, I gotta get to bed, Micah, Sahara, and Courtney are leading an expedition of Americans in my district this week. It’s gonna be amazing and God’s going to do great things through them.
Light up the world!
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” (Joh 8:12, ESV2011)
Tommy Downs