March Update (Part 2) 2024

Dear Friend and Family,

Christ is Risen! 

We trust that all is well with you. Cambodia is at the peak of a hot season with an average daily temperature of 98.6 F or 37 C and 70%-80% humidity. In addition to the extreme heat waves, we also face ongoing threats of wild fire. For some reason, local farmers burned off the dry grass from rice paddies as they wait for the rainy season (early May) and in preparation for the next rice planting season (July & August). The heat is intense, but it is the best time for mouth-watering, juicy, and yummy sweet mangoes. The hotter the season is, the tastier the mangoes are…

Enjoying a season of juicy mangoes

Our pet, Candy, enjoying a cool bath

Poipet’s Leadership Class…

With all the busy schedules we had, Poipet’s monthly leadership classes were postponed a few times and had just resumed on March 16. On the appointed time, 37 representatives from eight other Alliance churches from Poipet areas showed for class! Everyone was excited not just to study the Word of God, but also to fellowship with other believers. One of the main reasons for this monthly class is to allow opportunities for church members and lay-leaders to come together in fellowship, be supportive, and be an encouragement to one another. On a weekly basis, everyone does his or her own ministry at his or her various assigned ministry responsibilities. During these monthly gatherings, we often had opportunities to learn about and help church leaders to find solutions for various church issues. Recently, resulting from miscommunications and misunderstanding, some members were leaving the fellowship. Please pray for unity among the church families in Poipet. Pray also for discernment on our part as facilitators/ advisors for the northwest regional KEC churches. 

37 people showed for Poipet's monthly class

Anlong Veng (AV) Team’s Prayer Retreat…

March 7-9: After a long exhausting busy season (November to March) of ministries, the AV team enjoyed a few days of fun activities and relaxing times visiting various places in Siem Reap. To stay on budget and maximize our time, we left Anlong Veng early on a Thursday morning, drove two hours to Kulen Water Fall in Siem Reap Province, enjoyed a delicious pack- from- home lunch picnic in a rented gazebo, and played board games. After a fun afternoon of swimming in the cool waterfall, we continued to spend two nights in Siem Reap. While in Siem Reap, we visited and swam in the Barai Lake, rode in rented boat around the lake, and visited a Bontey Srey (meaning Women’s temple) we were heading back home to Anlong Veng. Everyone had a wonderful time…

Heng's daughters had fun at the AV's prayer retreat

Anlong Veng team's prayer retreat

The KEC National Women Conference in Poipet…

Every two year, the KEC/ National Alliance Women hold a two-day women retreat at various locations. On the average, about 450 women participated the conference, because it was one of the most anticipated events for the KEC church. However, with the interruption of Covid- 19 pandemic, most of the large group gatherings had been postponed. This year, the women conference resumed and the Living Water Alliance Church in Poipet was the chosen location. As days approached, the women committees anticipated that only 550 people would attend, based on the responses received from the participants. On the appointed day, however, nearly 900 people (including children, drivers of buses, and vehicles) showed up! It was chaotic and stressful time for the committees as they struggled to find enough food to feed everyone including finding tents, hotel rooms and other accommodations. Praise God, in the end. God provided all the details of our needs; and everyone had an amazing time fellowshipping with one another…

Village ladies traveling to the women conference

874 ladies participated in KEC National Women Conference!

Dates & Events needing your prayers…

1. In our last blog, we shared about Noeu’s new found faith in Christ. She continues to trust Him in spite of battling with ongoing sickness. She has a tremendous love for God and LOVES to pray! During a weekly small-group Bible studies, everyone was amazed at her boldness and sense of maturity in her faith as she presented her requests to the Living God. Those in the group seemed to agree, “She was having a deep conversation with God, like no one else was in the room!” Although she is a new believer, Noeu’s faith is an inspiration to everyone at church. 

   

   Noeu, seating in the middle, front row, praying at church.

   
   
2. Please pray for rains. Some families already ran out of water supplies. It was expected for this time of the year, but lately the heat was unbearable at time. Everything around us is scorching and dry.
3. March 28-30: The Peoyope (northwest) regional district conference will be held in Svey Sisophon. Soeuth will be one of the key note speakers for the conference. There will be an election/appointment for a new district leader and for new church committee leaders at this conference. Pray for unity among the leaders. Pray also that God will raise up Godly leaders to oversee the churches in the region.
4. April 5-6: The National KEC youth committees will have the next quarterly meeting in Phnom Penh. Pray for wisdom and visions for the youth workers to see the big picture for the National KEC youth ministry.
5. April 10-May 2: We will be visiting three Alliance churches in the west coast for mission conferences and speaking events. Pray that our messages will be presented clearly, meaningful, and impactful for the expansion of the kingdom of God in Cambodia and around the world. We hope to have some quality family time.
6. Rithy and Kristie Ty, and their two small children, our teammates in Anlong Veng, have been battling with health crisis, one sickness after another, since early February. 
7. Our Anlong Veng team has been busy getting bookshelves and books for our newly built library. We received some donated books (mostly in English) and a few laptops stocked up for the students, while the ordered Khmer books are expected to arrive at the end of March. Everyone is very excited about this brand-new library, the only library in Anlong Veng! As students come to read books in the library, pray that we will have the opportunity to share the reason for our faith with and to them. 

   

   Anlong Veng's brand new library is now open to the public!

THANK YOU for your faithful prayers and your support for the Anlong Veng and for northern Cambodia. Because of your partnership through financial support and through prayers, we are able to continue serving more effectively reaching lost people for Christ. Christ came, died on the cross, and rose again on the third day to give us life through faith in Him.

Because He lives,

Soeuth & Syna