June Update 2024

 Dear Faithful Supporting Friend and Family,

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” Romans 12:15

“I Have Decided to Follow Preah Yea-Sue…”

As shared in our last blog, Soeuth’s mother passed away to her eternal home on May 12th. While the grief was still deep and raw, the extended Lao family went through another major crisis, this time with Soeuth’s younger sister, Moum, who died on May 31st of pancreatic cancer. She was 57 years old. Although Moum had prayed to receive Jesus in the late evening of April 9th (the same day when she first received the shocking medical report about her sickness), we had no idea about how sincere her new found faith would be until we heard the testimonies shared by her own children and granddaughter at Moum’s funeral, a few weeks later…  A brief version of her story as told by her family was that shortly after accepting Jesus as her Lord and Savior, Moum returned to Siem Reap. She began to settle down her house and family in order before going off to Thailand for further treatments. The night before she left for Bangkok, in a quiet family gathering, Moum told her three adult children and their spouses including her three granddaughters, “I have taken the faith of my brother (referring to Soeuth). I have decided to follow Preah Yea-Sue, just like my brother and his wife did. When I die, I will go straight to heaven. We can see each other again, but first, you must also believe in Jesus.”  That was her last testament and the last memory that the family had of her. Moum went straight from her hospital bed in Bangkok to her new mansion in heaven. At her request, the family did a Christian funeral which was well attended by many Christians from the northwest region. A few days after the funeral when we visited the grieving family, we had the honor of leading two members of Moum’s family to receive Jesus…

Christians showed support at a family funeral

“There is Power in That Name!”

On May 28th, we were invited by Pheap, a believing lady from Firm Foundation Alliance church, to visit one of her sick relatives, who was suddenly diagnosed with a terminal liver cancer. The patient was an elderly man, a prominent figure who was well known and respected by the community. Feeling devastated by the shocking discovery of his sickness, his anxious family, following their Buddhist traditions, spent most of their savings seeking helps from modern medicines as well as from traditional local witch doctors, but to no avail. The purpose of this visit was to give support and encouragement to the grieving family. Standing by their front door on the appointed day, we heard strange commotions and screaming noises from inside the house! 

As we entered the house, there were a dozen of people including a Buddhist priest and two Buddhist nuns already sitting by the patient bedside performing some strange religious rituals-- chanting and sprinkling some strange liquid on the patient. Feeling awkward, we reluctantly entered the house and sat quietly in the back while watching the strange practices being done onto this dying man. Suddenly, the man arose violently and screamed loudly “Help! Help! They are coming after me!” Everyone was bewildered. The room suddenly was filled with chaotic and confusion as the chanting got louder and the sprinkling of water kept going on. Not sure how to respond, we began praying silently for the man. From previous visits, Pheap had shared the Gospel to this man before, but he had never made any decision. At this visit, however, as the screams got louder, the volume of the chanting also increased. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Pheap shouted, “In the Name of Preah Yea-Sue, I command you, evil spirits, to come out of my uncle!” Suddenly, the man stopped screaming. Conscious of what was going on, panic and fear were visibly evidenced on his face. The man turned his face toward our direction and pleaded, “Please help me! I don’t want to go to hell. I believe in Preah Yea-Sue now. Please show me the way to Him." At his request, Pheap took the honor of leading her uncle to Jesus, in the hearing of all those religious people in the who were presence in the house. Afterward, there were soft whispers among the other visitors saying, “There is Power in that Name!” 

Sadly, a few days after that home visit, the man died peacefully in his sleep. When we visited the family during a religious Buddhist funeral a week later, his wife assured us, “I want you to know that my husband believed in your Preah Yea-sue until his last breath."

Pheap and Soeuth praying for a dying man

Other dates and events needing your prayers…

1. May 21, we had a leadership workshop in Sen Chey village where 43 people participated. In addition to the workshop, there were opportunities for people to share what people had seen God at work in their lives. One man shared, “After 38 years of trying to quit smoking on my own terms, I was completely defeated. But when I fully surrendered my life to Preah Yea-Sue, He helped me. I have not smoked a single cigarette for the past three months!”  

   

   43 people participated in a recently leadership workshop

   
   
2. The result of prolonged drought had significantly damaged crops and added financial stresses to the church families. There were few sprinkles of rains here and there but not enough water to restore the damaged crops. The church leaders are anticipating a severe food shortage this year. May God have mercy on the poor and need. Pray for wisdom as we seek ways to help meets some of their needs. 

   

   Damaged crops resulted from prolonged drought

   
   
3. June 28-30, we will be traveling with three members of the National Youth Committees to Rattanakiri province for a regional youth conference. It’s a 9-hour driving each way. Pray for safety on road trips and for a good outcome of the conference.
4. July 10: there will be a regrouping meeting among the key church leaders for the northern region.  Pray for our church leaders to have a passionate heart of Jesus to seek and to serve those who are lost and without hope.
5. In the past few months, our family experienced a long season of losses and grieves. We were grateful for the love and support that the Body of Christ lovingly demonstrated to us in so many tangible ways. We grieved but with an assurance hope that we will see our loved ones again-- because of Jesus.

With a grateful heart,

Soeuth & Syna