Greetings! We trust you are enjoying the remainder of the spring season. In our last update, we shared some prayer requests and God answered us amazingly…
Rains
Immediately after we sent out those prayer requests, God literally opened wide the skies and poured down rains upon his people! Church people gave amazing reports that they had rains all on the same day from most of the affected villages where Alliance house churches were located. Since then, there have been a few more heavy rains. In one village, the rains came down so fast and so hard, that it flooded the areas! It was a blessing to see some smiling faces of our friends who had been patiently waiting for rain…
The Well of the Living Water
Last month while visiting Popel village, after learning about the need for clean drinking water, the church families gathered outside standing in a circle on a portion of donated land (this part of land was specifically donated by a local family for the purpose of building a house of worship) to pray. After many failed attempts, the families were desperately crying out to God to show us where to drill a well. Two weeks later, the well people arrived. After testing a few spots for where the potential source of water underneath might be, the workers finally agreed on a particular location.
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| Workers drilling a deep well at Popel village |
But, before they begin the actual work, the workers (who were not yet followers of Jesus Christ) asked that the host family would offer food offerings to the evil spirits of the region. Traditionally and culturally, superstitious Khmer people would often fear and worship evil spirits of the land. To avoid offending or upsetting the evil spirits, before any major construction works took place, local people were obligated to give food offerings or animal sacrifices to the evil spirits of the region. They did this with the hopes of pleasing , asking the spirits permission to do the work, and gaining favor from the surrounding evil spirits for a successful project. Because of these imbedded traditions and century old cultural practices, the workers naturally and automatically asked the host family for food offerings before beginning their works.
But Vanna, a fearless designated church leader of the village firmly responded, “No! We already prayed to the Living God for this well. Jesus was the one who answered our prayers and gave us the money for it. And He alone will see to it that the well drilling will come to be a successful project. Now, you (referring to the workers) must decide what you must do. Are you to take this job or not? For us, there will be no sacrifice to the evil spirits on this land, but only prayers to Preah yea-sue, the Living God!” Seeing the believers’ determination, the well workers reluctantly agreed to accept the job offer. When they drilled past the 80- meter deep, they hit the spring underneath the ground! The water immediately gushed out from underneath! Seeing the abundantly overflow of fresh water, Vanna called to give us the exciting report, “Teacher, the water is so fresh and clear! It is clean enough that we could drink it directly! And the people are singing and dancing and giving praises to the God of the Living Water”. Vanna paused to sob then added, “We prayed to God for help, and He answered our prayers”. The Popel church families appropriately named their precious well “Andong Teuk Rous” meaning “Well of the Living Water”.
The amazing part is that in early March of this year, Vanna and his family, seeing the need for a place to worship God, had willingly and generously donated a portion of their own land specifically for a church building for the community of Popel village. To make the transaction legal and official, the names appeared on the original land and was officially transferred to be the property of the Cambodian Alliance church of the areas. This transaction was witnessed and signed by local church families and some official KEC church leaders of the northwest region. Then, last week (May 19, 2020), when the workers were testing the ground to drill the well, they decided on the very spot where church families had encircled to pray! God miraculously led the workers to the right location! What’s more, this was the first deep well ever built successfully in this entire village! Other homes and families had attempted many times before trying to build a well for the community, but all attempts failed, until this time, when God showed up…
Before the well was built, poor families of Popel village who could not afford to buy water had to collect waters from a faraway stream. They would collect the water into 20-liter containers, transport the water-filled containers one container at a time on the back of their motorbike, and then drive 15 kilometers across the dried dusty red-dirt paths. If any attempted to bathe or clean oneself in the stream before heading back to village, the motorbike driver or passenger holding the water container would be completely covered with red dirt by the time they arrived home. To keep oneself cleaned, the family had to carefully measure out the amount of their precious water so that each family member could get a chance to bathe; a small bucket of water would be divided among three or four people. Each person bathed about once every two to three days! But since the establishment of a new well which provides abundant fresh water, Vanna joyfully shared, “Now, we can bathe as many as five times a day! And we don’t have to worry about the shortage of water anymore!”
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| A group of church families celebrating the successful of the well |
Rice Distribution: Round 2
Because of an ongoing and overwhelming need from church families, in agreement with the local church leaders, this week, we are doing a second round of rice distribution to a few village churches around Popel and Srae Nouy areas. With the early coming rains, farmers can begin to plow fields and prepare soil for planting season, hopefully the fields would yield much crops this year…
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| Second round of rice distribution |
Field Director’s Visit
We were thrilled for an opportunity to host our dear friends and Field Director, Rev. David Manfred, and his lovely family in Anlong Veng this past week. Upon learning that our “boss” was coming to town, the Toul Prich church families insisted on, “You must share them with us too!” Even though the Manfred stayed in Anlong Veng for only one night, the church families determined to prepare a feast of a four-course lunch meal for “our guests”. After visiting a few families in Toul Prich village, the Anlong Veng International Worker team enjoyed a relaxing time of a traditional Khmer meal on the Dong Raek mountain, along the Thai border. Before heading back to Phnom Penh the next day, the Manfred stopped by Srae Nouy where Dave was able to share an encouraging message to some church leaders in the areas. Thanks for visiting us, Manfred!
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| Manfred visiting Anlong Veng mimistries |
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| Manfred fellowshipping with Srae Nouy church families |
After many months of prayers and waiting on God's timing, we are now in the final process of purchasing and securing a piece of property for the future building of Anlong Veng Ministry Center! We had an unanimous agreement and approval from local Alliance leaders. The new land is located in Toul Prich village, a walking distance from the church community but a much closer distance to two public schools in the area. It has a good enough size (42x107 meters) and we bought it at a great price! With some money left over, we hope to expand and buy smaller plots nearby in order to enlarge territory to meet the original purpose of the future need. For the past six months, we had openly shared this vision and dream with church families in Anlong Veng region asking them to join us in prayers. They did. When they finally heard that purchase had come through, everyone was so excited and gave shouts of praises to Jesus. Upon hearing this news, some church families even donated fruit trees and flower plants to be planted on the land. It is a joy to see local church people shared and embraced this vision. They have prayed for and participated in the purchasing process, Now they are taking ownership of the property calling it “our land”.
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| A newly purchased land for the Anlong Veng Ministry Center |
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| Mr. Kong sharing the good news to some men at a newly planted village church. |
Blessings,
Soeuth & Syna Lao
