Wednesday morning, we drove 3 hours south of Phnom Penh to the Kampot Province to the village of Anghkjeay. Normally, the village is hotter than the city, but we were blessed with cooler than normal weather. Upon arrival, we quickly ate lunch (homemade Cambodian curry, delicious!) and prepared for ministry activities. The school kids typically break from 12 pm - 1:30 pm, and they make their way to Luke and Sohka's home for English class, every MWF. They've really built their home to support ministry in the village with a ministry room, outdoor classroom, covered basketball court, along with their family living space. For the afternoon activity, we started with a time of singing and body worship, then moved into a time of games, crafts, and sharing of the gospel. Jimin and Hayes covered the Roman Road with the children.
After we finished up this time, the men left with missionaries John Lee and Luke Smith to visit some elderly and adult villagers three villages away. They were family members who'd come to know Christ. We met with them and sang Khmer hymns and read the Word together. We spent some time getting to know them and found such hospitality, kindness, and warmth despite the different cultures. We are starting to build mental connections; many of the college and young adult students at KCC started their lives in the village and were now thriving Christians in Phnom Penh.
While the men were away, the women and kids lead a time of crafts with the kids.
In the evening, the LFPC team led a Bible study from Luke 19, the story of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector, with the kids. Karis and Emily joined Hayes and Michael to lead body worship as we all joined together to worship. Sohka was our translator; we're so thankful for her.
Afterwards, the Jos and Nas introduced themselves to the kids. The kids love hearing about the lives and interests of visitors. Sharing with them, we were really able to convey that although we might be from far away, we share the same God.
The faces of the children here exude joy. At each moment, they've been engaged with various levels of English skills. The older high school kids speak English quite well, credit to the work of the Smiths in pouring into them. We are blown away by the community here in the villages but also sobered by the difficulty of the missionary work in such a remote area. One small bright spot: during the Roman Road session, we asked for prayer requests. One little girl raised her hand and asked for prayer for eternal life. The gospel is at work even in this remote land.
The Smiths plan on building a church in the village they live in, having already purchased the land through MTW. They will seek fundraising in the near term to bring facilities to further support their ministry here.
Thirteen years ago, Jimin and Sol came to Angkor Chey on a medical missions trip. Here is evidence that the investment in Cambodia bears fruit. Many years later, we are finding that the kids they met during that time have gone on to become saved and are now a part of the church.
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