Dear praying friends and family,
Jum reap su-ah! Greetings! We trust that you are well. We are nearing the peak of a hot season, with the average daily temperature in mid to high 90’s with 100% humidity. But it is also the best time of the year for mouthwatering, juicy mangoes!
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| It's a season for mangoes! |
Life has been a faster pace for us upon getting back from Hawaii. Immediately after we landed onto Cambodian soil, we went to Phnom Penh, the capital city, for an annual prayer retreat for International Workers. It was an awesome retreat!!!!
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| Annual prayer retreat in Phnom Penh |
Short Term Team
March 16-24, we hosted a visiting team of six from Kailua Community Church from Hawaii. It was their first time in Cambodia! The team did an excellent job with puppet shows for the children ministry in four villages. Everyone (kids and adults alike) had a good laugh watching puppet shows. Their two team leaders took turns speaking encouraging words on requested topics: church as the body of Christ, biblical marriage, church among the community. In addition to speaking and visiting places, the team had a chance to attend a Cambodian traditional wedding, baby dedication, interact with villagers, and try out some local delicacies…
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| Kailua team tasted local delicacies |
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| Kid ministry at Trapang Krasang village |
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| Kids watching puppet show |
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| Kailua team dedicated baby Noah to God |
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| Prayer service at Andong Chan village |
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| Toul Prich kids ministry |
A Surprised Visit
As soon as we sent off the Kailua team to the airport on Sunday March 25, we got a surprise visit from the Great Commission Women of the Cambodian Evangelical Church (CEC)! 20 ladies (mostly from America and some from other provinces in Cambodia) came traveling in a big bus from Phnom Penh to rural areas wanting to visit some of the churches in Anlong Veng! It just so happened that on the day of their visit, we had our first and most heavy rain of the season! It was raining hard for a few hours. The city bus did not do well on our bumpy and muddy rural roads. Half way through to the first village (to Srae Kandal village), we stopped to buy some ponchos and umbrellas for our visitors and began loading up the ladies onto two rented “mechanical cows” (a wooden large wagon pulled by an big engine). Because of the rain, the church service was 45-60 minutes delayed in both village churches. Despite the unexpected, challenging weather, every one of the CEC visitors seemed to enjoy the villages and the adventure! Many of the visitors agreed and shouted, “This was my first time ever riding on a mechanical cow! And it was so much fun!”
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| Traveling on mechanical cows to village |
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| 20 ladies riding on two mechanical cows to church |
First Christian Wedding in the Village
In our last update, we asked for your prayers for the first Christian wedding to be taken on March 21, here is what happened…
Douch (aka Daniel) met his wife, Tang Kouy, a 28 years old single mother of two small kids, on social media. When Douch began to show romantic interests toward Tang Kouy, she immediately told him that she already made a mistake once with her previous marriage. Now that she is a follower of Jesus Christ, she would not settle down and marry with an unbeliever. Douch was so inspired by her determination and devotion to choose Christ above romance that he wanted to check out what this new God was all about. At first, Douch began to show up once in a while to Syna’s discipleship class at Andong Chan (where Tang Kouy’s parents live). One week after another, he sat through and listened. He began to openly participate in weekly class discussions! His interests in God became so evident that he decided to choose Christ as his Lord and Savior in early November 2018. (He was among the 45 people who got baptized on February 18!) A few weeks before his baptism, Douch asked if Syna would think of a name to give him. He asked for a Christian name. Syna explained the story behind Daniel and named him Daniel on his baptismal day…
When the young couple decided to marry, Soeuth met with and counseled them a few times before the special date. On their wedding day, they chose to honor Christ all the way through despite his parent's wish. They decided on a small Christian wedding and did not serve any alcoholic beverage at reception. Daniel’s mother, not yet a believer, was very furious and mean! Though she and her husband grudgingly attended the wedding out of parental duty, she was spiteful toward the young couple all week long! She was often saying mean and harsh words: “You are fools! No alcohol for a wedding feast! Then, you will have no guests to attend your wedding. And without guests, you will lose big time!” (Local people mostly give cash for wedding gifts, and the marrying couple relies on these gifts to pay for expensive wedding expenses). Despite her warnings, the young couple chose to trust God above all else. As the result, God rewarded their faithfulness. Guests, friends, and relatives (mostly from Tang Kouy’s side) gave generously! At the end of the day, when all the expenses were added up and gifts counted, the money they collected was enough to pay for everything even down to the small details. They even had $20.00 extra! Daniel’s mother could not find a word to respond. Daniel later chuckled and softly commented to his bride, “Just as God had shut the mouths of lions a long time ago, the same God is now shutting up the mouth of my mother."
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| First Christian wedding in the village |
Date & Events needing your payers…
1- March 30- April 7: We look forward to have Jonathan, our youngest son, back to Cambodia from Dalat school for a week of spring break.
2- Alliance (adult) biannual conference, April 1-3, at Phnom Penh. The National church leaders will have a presidential election this year. Pray that God would raise up the right leader for the job.
3- Alliance national youth conference, April 5-7, at Eden Center in Batthambang province. We are expecting 600 plus youth in attendant. Pray for safe travels and protection for all.
4- April 10-24: One of Syna’s nieces will visit Cambodia for the first time. Lucia Tol lost her father to cancer almost two years ago and is now wishing to visit his birth and childhood places in hope to learn more about her Cambodian heritage.
5- April 15-17: Khmer/Cambodian New Year. Pray for safety for those who will be traveling home for the holidays. Pray for new believers to remain steadfast with their decision to follow Christ in the midst of temptations and family persecutions.
6- April 24-30: Thanks to generous friends from Minnesota, Syna will visit and meet our first grandchild, Jesse Dominik Lao, in Satin Paul, Minneapolis. Syna is full of excitement!
Thank you for choosing to partner with us through the Cambodian ministries with your prayers and finance. Your financial gift toward the Alliance Missions enables us to keep on serving Christ in this part of the world bringing the message of Hope and Salvation to Lost people in Cambodia and around the world. Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Thank you for your partnership in this kingdom movement. Please share with us what God is doing in your midst.
Blessings,
Soeuth & Syna Lao
