January 2024 Update

Dear Supporting Friends and Family,

Happy New Year! We trust that you recently enjoyed a warm Christmas season. For the next couple weeks, we will be intensely busy with various conferences. Therefore, we just wanted to brief you with a few updates before things got piled up… December was filled with Christmas activities and celebrations. We received many invitations, but could only accept and participate in eleven various celebrations…

Srae Nouy’s New Church…

The Srae Nouy church also known as “The Light of Christ Alliance Church” chose to have their joined Christmas celebration in their brand new church building on New Year’s Eve. The church construction building which began in February and was completely built in late November 2023, just in time for the Christmas celebration. They invited believers from a number of their surrounding daughters-churches. Altogether, about 370 people participated. The church families did great works in preparing for the events: the ladies cooked two course meals for the big groups, the youth with their Christmas play in additional to special songs and dance shows. And their children group, about 50 of the little ones, were amazingly adorable with their memorized Bible verses, followed by special songs and dances! Soeuth gave a Christmas message followed by an altar call followed where 11 people prayed to received Jesus. At New Years’s Eve bonfire service, about 150 people participated and openly shared their New Year’s resolutions. It was a very fun and festive celebration.

Christmas celebration at Trapang Krasan village.

Giving water bottles to village kids

Church families worshipping God in their local traditional style

Srae Nouy dancing their special song

First Christmas Celebration at Kokespean…

Dec. 17, a small group of believers in Kokespean house church in Samrong district had their first celebration as believers in the Body of Christ. Friends and neighbor were invited, and about 70 people in all joined the celebration. Mr. Huot Soheng from Anlong Veng shared an evangelism Christmas message to the group. After a festive meal fellowship with delicious traditional Cambodian red curry served warm French breads, there was a baptismal service in a nearby pond where 10 people got baptized on the same day.

First Christmas at Kokespean

This lady brought her two kids to Kokespean church

First baptism at Kokespean

A Local Government Leader...

In November 2023, we received invitation to join an opening ceremony at a local middle school. At the appointed time, Soeuth was invited to sit in the front among some distinguished government leaders. After learning that we were Christ followers, an assistant district leader asked if he could have a Bible! Not having one with us, Soeuth said he would drop one for him at a later time… In the course of time, we were extremely busy: moving into a new rented house, preparing for the youth camp, followed by many Christmas celebrations in December. Soeuth had completely forgot about the requested Bible! On Monday January 8, while working with the church families at the new library’s property, a local school teacher dropped by to see what we were doing. Then, what this teacher said was an embarrassment on our part, “Oh, by the way, the assistant district leader asked me to remind you that he still wanted a Bible that your promised to give him." Hearing this, Soeuth apologized profusely. The next day, we dropped by the prominent man’s house and presented him a Bible in an instruction to begin reading on the book of John. We also exchanged phone numbers and encouraged him to call for any question related to Word. We were not sure what the motives behind for requesting for a Bible, but the seemed sincerely and was excited about getting a new Bible. We hope and pray that he would actually open and read the Bible as instructed and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and to teach him the next steps…

Soeuth presented a Bible to the Anlong Veng's assistant district leader.

Dates & events needing your prayers…

1. January 13-27: Syna will be part of the training team for the Leadership Matter Course (LMC) in Siem Reap province.
2. January 29-31: A two-day agricultural work led by Rev. Bo Samoeun, our KEC ministry partner from Svey Sisophon. We are expecting about 50 people from the local community will be participating in the workshop.
3. Recently, even though we were quite busy with other planned schedules, prompted by the Holy Spirit, we decided to give a surprised visit and to encourage believers who are living in remote villages Ksaach Ampel and at O Kandal villages. It was a 2-hour drive each way long, bumpy, and dusty dirt roads. Upon arrival, the believers were overwhelmed with gratitude for our visit that they all burst out tears of joy. We also brought large six bags of rice and dried food goods for the two villages. We also gave out 68 water bottles to the children. We were so glad we went. 

   

   Worship time at O Kandal village

   
   

   

   Typical Khmer houses in rural village

   
   
4. During the month of December, we participated in eleven different Christmas celebrations. From these events, we saw 28 people gave their lives to Jesus and 21 people got baptized.
5. The church leaders from Firm Foundation Toul Prich Alliance church plant to add at least two more of the weekly small discipleship/ Bible studies groups in order to strengthen the faith of the new believers. Pray that the plans would go through. Also in Poipet, due to the increased number of new believers, the leadership team is planning to add at least four classes/week. We have more people showing interest in studying in small groups that we do not have enough to help. Each of the key leaders is teach at least 2-4 classes per week. Pray that God would raise up more leaders in these areas.
6. The Srae Nouy and their many daughters-churches are preparing their people for the next baptismal service, hopefully in the spring time. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support. We appreciate your partnership in the growing Cambodian ministries. Please share with us what God is doing in your live.

Blessings and Happy New Year,

Soeuth & Syna