Dear
Friends,
We want to
let you know that the quarterly northwest regional youth rally on December 10
was a big success! Though only 129 youth
registered and paid for the meal, 190 people (and more) showed up! Thanks to the devoted and hard working youth committees,
all things went smoothly as could be. Young
people from three provinces came to join the festive celebrations. This was the
first Christmas gathering for many of the people who came! Everyone seemed to
have a great time, and everyone participated well. And the singing was so joyous and LOUD that
the musicians (especially the drummer) could hardly hear the beats! Many groups
of talented kids took turns to perform their favorite songs and/ or
choreography dances! There were given opportunities
for testimonies and sharing. All giving
praises to the Lord Jesus, the ONE who is the true reason for this celebration!
During the
time of message Soeuth challenged the youth with many questions relating to the
meaning of Christmas. “What would you do for Christmas? What would you give back to Christ?” Many stood up to give their appropriate reasons,
including Thong, a newly convert.
Thong, aged
24, is one of the key strikers for the division I soccer team for the Living
Water Church. Over the summer, Thong, one of the soccer players from the
community kids, has been coming to play soccer at the church ground. Usually, gambling is very common in
Cambodia. There is an underline saying that
goes like this, “If no bet, no sweat”.
In other words, people gamble for everything, especially during any
sport events. At first, Thong, being one
of well knowbest players, came to the church ground looking for such an opportunity. Yet, as Thong observed, there was something totally different at the Living Water soccer games! The games were exciting! There were many great players from each competing team. Yet, no one was betting! “Odd! What a waste of time” grumbled Thong. Instead, the losing team members were doing the 10 push- ups for every goal made by the opposite team! Thong also noticed that the language used by the players was different, too! There was hardly any cursing or foul language heard! From time to time when a player “accidentally” shouted a cursed word, then the game suddenly stopped! Nobody played. After a few moments of awkward silent, a guilty person stepped forward, apologized to the other players, stoop down, did the 5 push-ups in front of the groups, only then could the games be resumed! “Such strange behaviors!” commented Thong. But this fascinated him very much! He liked it, in fact. The warm welcome from the other players the fellowship after the games intrigued him.
Thong is not ashamed to join the worship team on Sunday services! Thong is currently studying a Living Water
class with one of church leaders. So, at
the recent youth event, when challenged by the question, “What would you give
back to Christ?” without any hesitant, standing up in front of nearly 200
people, Thong boldly declared, “I commit to give my life to serve Jesus Christ
for the rest o my life!” Please keep Thong
and many other new believers in your prayers as they are taking “baby steps”
trotting this new ground of being followers of Jesus Christ.
Another new
believer who will participate in the Christmas event, first time in her life, is
a young lady of 20 years old named Da Nat.
Because of her new, reversed role of being the “bread winner” for the
family, and with her other responsibilities of caring for the family needs, Da
Nat was sad that she could not join the recent youth event. But she is excited about the coming joined
Christmas event at the Living Water church on December 25! Da Nat is working hard saving up money so she
and her mother, Lena, and two younger sisters could afford a taxi ride from
Malay to Poipet!
Da Nat was a
typical care-free young lady who had high hopes and dreams of finding a good
husband and a good future. She is the
oldest of three daughters belonging to Lena. As a good and responsible
daughter, Da Nat was always careful to listen and obey her mother in every way
she could. Though Da Nat had helped
earning some money from various side jobs to help caring for the family needs,
the role for feeding the family was always belonged to her mother. All of these had changed suddenly, however,
on the morning of June 1, 2013, when her step father took an ax and brutally
attacked Da Nat, her mother, Lena, and her younger sister (please refer to
Lena’s story for details). Like a flash
of light, all her hopes and dreams instantly shattered right before her
eyes! Her beautiful oval face was
suddenly replaced by a huge scar on her left cheek, and two missing front teeth
now took the place her once beautiful smiles…
By the grace of God that all three victims miraculously survived! (Lena who had suffered the most had to
undergo many reconstruction surgeries on her head and eye)...
of being the bread winner now suddenly falls on Da Nat, the oldest girl of the family!
During the
long recovery periods and with her mother constantly returning to the hospital,
Da Nat was able to reflect on the miracles that God allowed in her life. At their moments of difficult times, she was
able to see the Love of Jesus pouring to her family through the loving care and
responsiveness of the Body of believers.
And every week when the Bible study often took place at their house, Da
Nat was able to hear the word of God being taught in the class. As the result Da Nat was encouraged to study
God’s Word with her family and on her own.
So upon Soeuth’s invitation, Da Nat committed her life to Christ on
Monday, October 21, 2013. Since then, Da
Nat has been one of the regular attendees at the Malay house church weekly
Bible study class.
As the new
role of caring for her family now falls on her, Da Nat is taking full
responsibility of running the saloon shop where she earns small amount of money
to help feed the family. When asked what
her future plans for life would be, Da Nat could only think for “one day at a
time”. Her immediate goal is for a
chance to attend a beauty school in order to improve her skills in cosmetic and
hair stylist. And she will have that
chance when January comes. Starting in
January will move to Poipet to live with us for a while in order to train in
such a skill at one of the saloon shops here.
Please
continue to pray for the many Christmas programs that are yet to be done
throughout the remaining days of December.
Pray that each of these celebrations would truly bring honor to Christ
and not just following the programs.
This morning
, we received words that Synath Tol, (Syna’s older brother), after over two
years of struggling against cancer, finally went HOME to be with the Lord at
the age of 50. Synath, a devoted
follower of Jesus, had served as a pastor with the Cambodian Evangelical Church
(CEC) in Tacoma, WA, for many
years. Synath is survived by his wife,
Soupha, and three teenagers, ages 19, 16, and 13. Please pray for the family during this
difficult time.
We wish you
and Blessed and Merry Christmas.
He is the
reason for this season,
Syna and
Soeuth Lao
