April Update 2020

Dear friend and family,

At this writing, our thoughts and prayers go out to the many of you, especially those from the Tri-State (NY, NJ, CT) areas who are deeply impacted emotionally, socially, physically and spiritually by the effects of the corona virus.

While the Cambodian government is putting restrictions on those who travel internationally through border crossing or by airplane, local Cambodian people continue with their “normal” life in obedience to federal social distancing rules in efforts to lessen the spread of Covid-19. While being socially isolated in this rural part of northern Cambodia, we had plenty of time to study the
Word and pray/encourage (through phone calls) many believers who live in remote villages. Through these modern technological interactions, here are some uplifting stories to share with you hoping they would bring encouragement to whatever you are going through…

Family Worships at Homes…

Before corona virus hit Cambodia and everywhere else around the world, many young adult
Cambodians from the rural areas left their hometowns and their small children in the care of their aging parents in order to find labor works in Thailand or in big city places. Now that these factories,
businesses, and construction sites closed people lost their jobs and these young parents reluctantly
return to be with their children and parents. They are restless and understandably anxious and
concerned about unknown future. While these adults were away working and earning meager incomes to send home regularly, their elderly parents and small children became followers of Jesus Christ and attended our weekly discipleship classes. Now, having all family members under one roof in each home again, these aging parents took the opportunity to share Jesus Christ to everyone. These elderly believers were once timid and shy about their faith are now bold and rising up to become
spiritual leaders in their own family! These past few weeks, every time we were on the phone
talking to someone from a remote village, we kept hearing that someone’s son or daughter had recently prayed to receive Jesus! And people are asking for more Bibles and hymnals and other Christian literatures.

Closed Doors, Opened Windows…

Due to new government regulations resulting from Covid-19, we are not allowed (at least for a time
being) to meet in large groups as we had normally done for weekly village discipleship classes. With this new “closed doors” movement, God conveniently allowed “windows” of opportunities for church
families to meet in smaller groups! Having extra times on their hands with nothing much to do, believers began to meet regularly for worship services with family and neighbors, each group consisting of 10 people or less, sitting on wooden benches or on grass mats in open space underneath stilted homes or under the cool shades of mango trees. At the sounds of singing during a worship time, other neighboring villagers flocked to join these small group gatherings as well. In each new group gathered, there was a “designated leader” to lead the group into a time of singing hymns, sharing testimonies, reading Scripture, and praying for the current needs. Recently, we received frequent requests (from church leaders like Pastor Dy from Srae Nouy village, Mr. Kong from Andong Chan village, or other emerging leaders like Sally from Ksach Ampel village and Lang from another village) that more and more people from neighboring villages want to hear the Gospel as well. Although these poor godly leaders have the passion and the willingness to go and to proclaim Good News to other people, they lack the financial means to go. At their humble requests and using money from the Work Fund that some of you have faithfully supported, we offered to cover for the cost for fuel in their motorbikes and for some travel expenses for each of the leaders. At the end of their ministry trips, each leader gave amazing ministry reports on how God was at work in their midst… Through this experience, for the first time in our Christian walks, we began to get a better and clearer picture of what the Scripture was saying about the story found in Luke 10:1-24 where Jesus sent out the seventy-two…

Overwhelming Needs…

As our phone kept on ringing many times each day from church leaders reporting to us many good
news, we also heard their constant cries for help. Many of our church families and other villagers are
from poor farming families with small children and elderly parents, 2-3 generation family living under the same roof. Usually, in between the times for planting or harvesting crops, young adult family members would go out and hire themselves as labor workers in plantations and fields, in business shops, or at construction sites either in Thailand or in local major city areas. These labor- workers often send back portions of their monthly incomes to support elderly parents who are watching their children at home. With the impact of Covid-19, people are crying out for help. Some church families had already run out of food! Recently, immediately after learning about this overwhelming need, some Cambodian-American church families from Tacoma, Washington, took a collection and sent their generous donation to our Work Fund where we were able to distribute 1.5 tons of rice to 30 plus families! On behalf of the Khmer Alliance church families in Anlong Veng areas, thank you, Tacoma CEC! Your immediate response along with the sacrificial and generous donations you gave are greatly appreciated.

New Kinds of Ministries…

Since we could no longer hold large group meetings (at least for now), we’ve been busy doing home
visitations, targeting 2-3 homes each week. Every time we visited a home, we always brought along 1-2 sacks (50 kilograms in each sack) of rice for the needing families.

Sacks of rice to be distributed to needy families at Srae Nouy village

Soeuth shared a message at a home visit to Srae Nouy village

Soeuth prayed at a a recent home visit to Toul Prich village

Syna teaching a small group at Toul Prich village

Also, at their requests, we brought along bags of Bibles, hymnal books, Christian literature, in addition to MP3 radios containing audio Bible, reading glasses, off the counter medicines, and among other requested items. While Soeuth always brought with him a prepared message and was always ready to give encouraging words to expecting host families, Syna brought along home baked goods to share. Although we missed meeting with our students and friends from our regular village ministries, surprisingly enough, we actually and really enjoy this new way of doing ministries! Recently, having tasted and enjoyed Syna’s home baked goods, many church families asked to learn how
to bake using local ingredients found from local resources and charcoal ovens. Since it is mango season, the ladies enjoy making mango breads and mango muffins...

It's mango season!

Syna's baked goods to share with church families

Village people learning how bake mango breads/ muffins

Toul Prich ladies baked mango muffin using charcoal ovens

School aged girls proudly showing off their new baking skills

Family Updates…

Many of you have been praying for Syna’s sister, Nay. Thank you!!! After a few weeks full of anxieties and unknown, Nay was recently discharged from an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to a medical unit awaiting to be transferred to long term skills nursing facility. Nay is able to use her upper arms, but she is completely paralyzed from below waistline. After weeks of waiting, it was relief to receive a message directly from my sister! Nay shared, “Pray for the long-term nursing home before go to rehab," and “How God kept me alive after falling from a 28 ft roof top is still an amazement to all the doctors and nursing staffs who cared for me." Though Nay still has long battling roads ahead we are still grateful that she is alive…

Even though his spring break will end on April 5th, Jonathan will remain with us in Cambodia a bit longer because of Covid-19 travel restrictions from both countries, Cambodia and Malaysia. He will resume online school effective April 6th  Please pray for sufficient electrical powers for his online schooling...

As Corona virus continues on its full course, no one is exempted, globally, from being impacted by the effects of Covid-19 pandemic, though some of you may have been severely impacted more than others. At these times of darkness full of unknown and uncertainties, we continue to trust in the ONE who knows what tomorrow may bring and to hang on tight to His promised words that He “would never leave us nor forsake us," and that “… in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,"  Below are the actual words from our Alliance leaders:

"Our ministry and the work of The Alliance is impacted by the economic realities that

come with the Covid-19 crisis. Like many of you and your churches we are significantly

reducing spending, including having all workers like us live on 10% less for the months

ahead. We’re grateful to remain where God has called us, and for new opportunities to

serve in this unique moment. Thank you for partnering with us, especially to those of

you continuing to give online. Let us know how we can pray for you, too, in the

challenges of your experience in these days."

As we all go through this hard time together, we want to acknowledge your commitment to remain as
ministry partner through your prayers and financial support to the Alliance Great Commission Fund. We continue to practice good stewardship toward resource that God entrusts in our care through the
sacrificial gifts that some you have been faithfully supported.

To support us, please visit https://cmalliance.org/give/. Under Gift Type, choose “give to The Alliance” or “to a worker you love.” Under the latter, find “[Soeuth & Syna Lao]," and then select the fund(s) of your choice. Then enter the amount you want to give and scroll down to continue with your information.

Standing in the gap together,
Soeuth and Syna Lao