WOW, it is December already! We are very behind with our newsletter! Thank you for your patience.
Throughout the months of September and October and early November, Poipet and most parts of Cambodia were filled with heavy rains and flood waters! The flood destroyed many roads making it very challenged to travel. As the results, many roads to distant house churches were impassable! Though the members of each house church remained faithful with their weekly meetings, the assigned leaders from the Living Water (mother church) were not able to visit and offer any encouragement. Praise God, now that it is dryer in most places we are just beginning to resume those visits again. The tragic part, however, is that, even though it is now the beginning of harvest season, there is hardly any crop for the harvest! Most of the rice fields or plantation crops were badly destroyed by the October flood! As the results, we already anticipated that many of the church members would soon go to Thailand to look for ways to earn money. This is a testing time for most new believers. Pray that they would remain faithful to the Christian walks no matter where they end up…A number of significant events took place since our last letter to you.
1. October 1-7, we were thankful for a great a chance to visit and speak at a church mission conference at Detroit Lakes, MN, where we spoke about mission emphasis to all age groups! Our prayer is that lives would continue to be impacted by what we’d shared about God’s works in Cambodia. It was quite an experience moving from a tropical land of hot and humid 97 degrees Fahrenheit to a cool windy day of 53 degrees! We were grateful for kind friends who graciously lent us their winter jackets to use for that whole week! At the same time, we were extremely grateful to thoughtful friends and colleagues who were willing to take turns caring for Jonathan during our absence. Kandi Lay had the hardest and most challenged job of all taking over the “day shift” overseeing Jonathan’s home school works; on the other hand, Kate Manske, the Poipet team’s newest and additional team mate, took a more enjoyable job during the “night shift”.
2. Soeuth has been busy traveling to the capital city (PHN) and to other provinces for meetings and regional conference concerning the youth ministry.
3. The Living Water church was blessed to have a visiting team from the New York City helping with youth ministry, Oc. 19-27. The team of two had fun times painting cartoon characters on the Sunday school rooms’ walls, and they also were a great help with the English classes. The youth enjoyed spending time with and learning some dance moves from the team!4. Soeuth was thankful for an opportunity to cheer for and watch Justin play at 7 Nation Soccer Cup at Chaing Mai, Thailand. Go Dalat!!!
5. Our family had a great visit with Justin at Penang, Malaysia, October 30-November 6. While at Dalat, Jonathan had a positive experience of shadowing a student for a day. At the end of that day, Jon did a placement test for entering Dalat International School this coming January 2014.
6. In November, Soeuth officiated and preached at two weddings; and two more weddings remain for the month of December, in addition the many Christmas programs that we are expected to attend, coming up really soon...
7. At 2 am on November 17, Mrs. Chanrate, one of the key women leaders for Northwest region from Siem Reap Province had a massive stroke. Unfortunately, the news of her condition did not reach to our medical team until 48 hours after the incident! And with the lack of proper medical facilities in Cambodia, there is nothing much can be done to help… Although she is able to make use of her right extremities and is able to regain her speech, Mrs. Chantrate remains left-side paralyzed. This tragic incident is a big shock the to the family, and it also brought a great lost for the Cambodian KEC women ministry. Please pray for Pastor Nhan (her husband) and the family as they adjust to this change. Mrs. Chantrate and Pastor Nhan along with their 9 children have been faithfully and heavily involved in the various ministries of the Khmer Evangelical Church (KEC).8. Soeuth, the only non-medical member, enjoys working with the medical team at the C&MA office, on Wednesdays, as a spiritual role, where the team provides loving cares and comfort to the patients seeking medical advice. We are grateful to God for our professional medical team and “Dr. Soeuth” along with a number Christian Khmer staffs. As the results, words of praises are being heard in villages by those who came to the clinic where, not only did they receive medical helps, but they also encountered Christ’s love in actions.
Below are something new and/ or coming events that we would appreciate your prayers…
1. Our entire Poipet team will travel to Phnom Penh as a convoy on Dec. 4-7 for team meeting and fellowship with other International workers there. Pay for safe traveling to and from.
2. The youth ministry for Peaop Region (northwest) will have a Christmas event, a day of youth rally, on December 10th, at the Living Water Church, Poipet. We are anticipating that at least 200 youth will come being that it is national a holiday. Pray for safe traveling for those coming from Battambang and Siem Reap Provines and from other distant villages.
3. Pray for the Monday night Spiritual Leadership class meeting at our house where a total of 22 students come every week to study. Many of the students are key leaders or elders from their church.4. The KEC churches already scheduled for their many Christmas programs. Many new believers will be celebrating their first Christmas this year. And a number of family members will be invited to join the celebration. Pray the message of Christmas will be well received. Pray for open hearts of those who come.
5. The Poipet churches will have the joined baptismal service at the end of December. Many new believers are attending classes/ small groups to study and prepare themselves for this event. Pray that these new believers will sway from their decision to follow Christ.
6. Our older son, Justin, will come home from Dalat School for a long Christmas break, Dec. 19- Jan. 14. Pray that we will have some quality family times even in the midst of business. Then, on January 14, Jonathan will join his brother at the school. Syna will accompany the boys back to school, and she plans to stay there for sometimes until Jonathan settles down at a new place. Please pray for smooth transition and adjustment for all of us…
Please share with us about what God is doing in your life. We would love to pray for you. Thank you for being such a blessing to us through your prayers and financial support to the Great Commission Fund. Youth faithful and sacrificial giving to the support of the CGF enables us to keep on serving here, bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ into this dark part of the world. Thank you for living the call together. Have blessed and Merry Christmas! He is the reason for this season!
In Him,
Soeuth and Syna Lao
with Justin and Jonathan
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