Friday morning, we started the day hearing Sohka Smith's testimony over breakfast. One of the joys of missions is being immersed in hearing how God has and is moving in the lives of His people. Her story is one of God's unwavering faithfulness, healing, and providence. Sohka's heart is for the villagers here; her strength and gentleness are seen throughout her relationships with the children and older generation alike. You'll have to come to Cambodia to hear her story firsthand! It's a beautiful story of God's love and how He has worked to bring His Word through the work of the Smiths and the wider MTW team in Cambodia.
"The Lord is so precious to me, I can't imagine my life without Him" - Sohka Smith
After breakfast, we met with John Lee, who has been in Cambodia for the last 3 years. He's spent his time here focused on the village (he will be moving to Phnom Penh in the future to focus on building the young church there). John was our Khmai instructor and helped us to bootstrap an understanding of the language. One of the things we appreciated about the village ministry is that you see all the gifts of individuals come to life. John is no different; his energy and the love he's poured into these kids are evident in seeing his relationships with them. John will be going back on home missions assignment, and we're hoping he's able to visit LFPC so our church can meet him.
After the morning testimonies, the kids were able to sneak in a moto ride to the mountains. The older village kids took the girls, and John and Luke took the boys.
After lunch, we welcomed the kids for the 12 pm - 1:30 pm English class and ministry time. Charlene and Lauren led a session with the kids, guiding them through an English lesson centered around the Armor of God. We broke into 3 groups, with Laura, Sol, and the kids leading them through crafts and games reinforcing the Bible study lesson.
After a break in the afternoon, the kids came back for a bible study lesson. Michael, Hayes, Karis, an Ella lead a time of songs and singing. Solomon gave a bible lesson from John 15 on Friendship.
After the Bible study lesson, Hayes and Oh's gave their introductions and testimonies. We had a great time revisiting photos from 13 years ago and tried to replicate them.
After the Bible study, we were treated to an impromptu traditional Cambodian dance. To finish the night, the men played basketball with some of the older local boys.
This was our last full day in the village. In the morning, we head to Phnom Penh to finish up our trip. What a joy and privilege it was to spend time in the village with the Smiths and see what God is doing here.
Comments