Watch God Work

It is encouraging hearing from people who are praying for God’s work in Koh Kong and watching for answers to prayer. We got such a nice letter today from two boys and their mother rejoicing that God saved V. in Tema Bang village. We know the labor of prayer is a vital part to missionary endeavor. We deeply appreciate each of you who pray.

God answered prayer and gave me a good discussion about Christ with one of the Khmer doctors this week. But she still holds on to her Buddhism.

 My class on cults and false religions finished this week. These young ladies heard the gospel so clearly so many times during the months of the class, but 3 of them still reject Christ. We would love to see them turn to the Savior. A couple of them still come to the Sunday evening service and they all study English each evening with Hubert.

This past weekend we were delighted to have a Filipino missionary couple as houseguests. They are studying language in Phnom Penh. We enjoyed fellowship with them and so did our church. What a blessing from the Lord.

May 13-17 are holidays here in Cambodia. One of the days I was on call at the hospital but there were a couple days at home that I could spend some time sorting files and other accumulations in preparations for packing next month. Please continue to pray for God to work in a special measure through our outreaches and ministries during these weeks before furlough.

 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.”  Col. 4:2

Pray Without Ceasing

Praise God for His church here in Koh Kong and for the Word of God being taught. We thank Him for His people He has called out. Please pray that the church would grow and be strengthened.

Also last week we placed Hubert's commentary on Matthew for sale in the Christian bookstore in Phnom Penh. Thank you for praying for that. Please continue to pray that people would buy it and use it to study and to teach the Word of God. Pray for wisdom for arrangements for reprinting and restocking during the time we will be gone to the States on furlough.

There are only a few weeks left for me to work at the local hospital here in Koh Kng this term. There is still a lot of work to do in helping one new doctor learn to do ultrasounds and helping wherever I can with the goal of improved patient care. Please pray for wisdom, for clarity in teaching, and most of all for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with staff and patients and their families. Pray that God will work in hearts that people would receive Him.

"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing." 1 Thess. 5:17

A New Birth

On Sunday, we enjoyed a cake together celebrating the birthday of a five year old boy in the church. But on Saturday, there was rejoicing in heaven that V. in the mountain village of Tema Bang was born again. What joy to see this man now following the Lord and learning His Word. Some of you were praying for him. Please continue to pray for his growth in grace and for the salvation of his family and neighbors.

Praise God that now there are two believers in Tema Bang and several in Cham Yiem, the border town. Plus there is the preaching and teaching in the church here in Koh Kong.  Since our furlough will be starting in late June, we are helping saints in the church to prepare to teach while we are away. They need wisdom and enabling from the Lord. They rejoice to serve God but obstacles will arise. Believers need to be encouraged to live victoriously and the lost need to hear of Christ.

This week Hubert will be carrying on teaching his many classes while I am planning to make another trip to Phnom Penh. Thank you for praying.

“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”     1 Thess 5:24

Easter

Thank you for your prayers for our Easter celebration. It was the first time for Koh Kong Baptist Church to have an Easter sunrise service. It started about 6 am and we sat outside in front of the house where we could see the sky. We sang together and had testimonies and prayer. Three of the youth had memorized the resurrection story in Luke and recited it together while acting it out. They also sang two songs as special numbers.  Afterward we enjoyed the fellowship of preparing and eating breakfast together. Then we had the regular 8 am worship service followed by Sunday School. What a wonderful God we have and He has done great things.  

Please pray as Hubert and I will be going to Phnom Penh again in early May for a few more errands. Among them, I need to turn in my report of activities to the Ministry of Health, since they give me permission to work in the Koh Kong hospital. Hubert will be picking up some of his Matthew commentaries in Khmer from the printer and taking them to the Christian Book store for them to sell. Please continue to pray that God will use them to help Christians know His Word better. Pray that we would meet the right people we need to meet during our couple days in the capital.

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power…” Rev. 4:11

Khmer New Year

Khmer New Year, the biggest holiday of the year in Cambodia, was celebrated this past week. Schools closed for almost one month, offices closed about a week, and many people traveled to visit relatives in other provinces. Koh Kong received many visitors and guest houses were busy. Many families enjoyed Safari World, the beach, waterfalls, and the parks.We got some exercise bicycling late one afternoon, but tried to avoid groups of youth alongside the road throwing water on passing motorcyclists and bicyclists to celebrate. Each house laid out an offering of fruit, flowers and incense, often under an arch of braided palm branches and colored lights.This was their welcome to the New Year's "angel". Please pray that people would turn away from false worship and turn to the living God.

R., the new believer and her family came for supper with us on Tuesday. We were able to share the gospel with her husband. Please pray that he would accept Christ.

God has helped L. and I two days this week running errands in Phnom Penh. We saw Him arrange contacts and timings. The Christian book store agreed to sell the Matthew commentary, L. talked to several people with info to help her preparing to come to university in the capital this fall. Please pray for God's guidance in her life.

Thank you for praying.

1 John 5:21  "Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

Teaching

Teaching the Word of God is a joy and privilege. It can get pretty interesting in my class right now on false religions. Since Buddhists here in Cambodia mix elements from other belief systems, the students have experience with fear of spirits, consulting fortunetellers, burning incense to ancestors, good works to get a better status when reincarnated, wearing good luck strings, and many other things they are taught since a child.  What a contrast there is between error and the truth of God’s Word. How good it is to show how holy, righteous, wonderful, and merciful is the true God and His ways.

Sunday nights after the evening service is my new believer’s class with R. Following that is the time for helping one of the teens, S., with preparing her lesson for children’s church. Week days, Hubert’s student, L., is progressing well in learning to preach. Hubert also teaches English and Bible to an official in town at his office.  At the hospital, one of the patients getting anti-tuberculosis treatment as an inpatient for two month enjoys learning Bible stories and their application to our lives. These are just a few of the many classes we teach each week. Please continue to pray for each of the students and for us as we teach.

Please pray for those who study with us to understand and know God and His Word more. Pray for the unsaved to accept Christ. Pray for Christians to apply God’s Word in their lives and serve the Lord wholeheartedly. Pray for us to make the lessons clear, and to demonstrate observing all that God has commanded.

Matthew 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”  

  

Even though

Even though gas is $4.67/gal here in Koh Kong, praise the Lord it’s not $5.20/gal like in Phnom Penh.

Even though water pressure is too low some days to give running water upstairs or to run the water filter, praise the Lord we still have water, and pressure improves when it rains.

Even though we have to clean up after geckos on the wall, praise the Lord they help eat mosquitoes which are abundant this time of year.

Even though the bus trip to Phnom Penh is always tiring, praise the Lord for a good meeting last week with our coworkers and our BMM administrator and his wife as we all met in the capital. We also picked up the books from the printer fine and are distributing them. Thank you for praying.

Even though we see no signs of anyone else in Koh Kong remembering Easter, praise the Lord our church is preparing to celebrate Christ’s resurrection together.

Even though we see Christians in Koh Kong who are not living victoriously over temptations to sin, praise the Lord for others who are keeping a shining testimony.

Even though response to my witness to staff at the hospital is so slow, praise the Lord for a nurse who asked me for a tract today.

Even though many people reject the Lord’s invitation for salvation, praise the Lord for R. who accepted Christ this past Sunday. She is the one we asked you to pray for one month ago. God is wonderful.

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”      Eph. 5:20