{DAY FOUR}
We got picked up today by or host, who took us to a place in the hills called Teen Challenge. This place takes teens and youth off the streets who have addictions, and takes them in for 6 months, makes them go cold turkey off their addictions, and then teaches them schooling, agriculture, work, English, etc. They make them work the land for their food, they have a motorcycle shop where they learn mechanics, which they can use later in life, etc. They also teach them English via the bible, which is a common theme here of the men we’ve met. They didn’t know English, so someone taught them English by helping them read through the book of Mark, or one of the gospels. They learned English this way and in the end, knew all about Christ. Such a great way! Teen Challenge however is funded again, by outside money and is struggling to keep going. So they are learning the hard way to produce $ by selling crops, raising pigs (with the help of NCCTK) and making business decisions that produce income. We reviewed the land and what they are doing and see many ways to be more efficient and produce much more income, with very limited resources needed.
We then went to where Pastor Sophea wants his future church to be, prayed over the land. After that we went to a school that Sophea leads, where they are teaching kids - very cute kids, English, computer skills, etc. It was fun playing with the kids. These kids have so much joy. It’s amazing how having so much, produces people who have no gratitude - even amongst believers. Here they have nothing, and everyone we come in contact with is so gracious, kind, and the kids are so happy all the time.
{DAY FIVE}
Today we went to the killing fields. Not much to say here. It was overwhelming. When Pol Pot killed off 25% of the population here, they all got put in burial grounds that were later uncovered. I’ll send pictures later, but the hardest part was the killing tree. This is a tree, that when found, was red in blood, had brains and teeth stuck in it, and there was a huge pit next to it. The soldiers would take the innocent children, grab them by the feet, swing them at the tree, crush their skulls in the hit, and then throw them in the pit. Words cannot express the emotions that come over you when you see this spot. I thought about my children, and absolutely wept. And as Kim said this morning, we do it all day long in the states. Abortion. We sit by as a body and do nothing except think of how bad it is. Yet people pull kids out of wombs, inject chemicals, etc. We are as bad as them.....
{DAY SIX}
Got up around 4, and spent some time reviewing my message. I worked to add some more verbiage and make sure that I had it all put together well. I knew I was going to get interrupted a million times by the interpreter. Had a brief breakfast with Kate and discussed our different approaches for our messages, and then Kim came and prayed over us both. The interpreter then showed up and off we went.
It was an hour and a half drive to the small village - dirt road to get there. When I arrived the sanctuary was empty. Boy was that an odd feeling of failure. They then explained to me that it is rice season right now and all are very busy, so they expect them all to be a few minutes late, and about the time they said that, people started to show up. Before long we had about 35 people there. I think in the end it was around 50 or so, but a lot of kids. Either way, I was in a small village in Cambodia, sharing what God has done in my life. Kind of surreal.
They started worship and boy do they worship. They spent time in prayer, and when the pastor is praying, you cannot even hear him because all are praying over top of him. Very charismatic, but so real and contagious. I felt myself not knowing what to do as I couldn’t understand them. After a while I realized that I could pray over them and their church while I waited. This was sure helpful for me to get my mind in the right place, and off the sermon and what I was going to preach.
The time came and I went up. I started off by getting them laughing about me not being a preacher and not wanting to do this. Then I started in and shared my testimony. The interpreter did a great job keeping up. When I got to the part where I said that I had a pornography addiction, had premarital sex, and had cheated on my wife, I think all jaws dropped to the floor. In this culture they do not talk about that, yet so many struggle. The interpreter looked at me like “you really want me to say that” and actually chuckled. When he said it he laughed a bit cause it caught him off guard. But from then on it was silent in the room and all were very engaged. When I got to Easter, I got choked up and had to pause. Again, it took them by surprise. I then went into how people ask if God allowed me to fail so I could be used. I talked about how God tests us to prove us, but Satan tempts us to fail. I explained biblically the difference and then talked about walking in the spirit and how, even though hard to do consistently, it’s the only way to stay on track with the Lord and his commands. I talked about failure and how we all fail, but how we need to get back up, dive deeper into the spirits calling, and grow again in our faith. I read Psalm 32 starting at verse 5. I had about 10 amens. It was really cool. I closed in prayer and prayed over their congregation.
What a great experience. It was hard to stay mentally in it, as the sentence by sentence interruption was difficult, so you couldn’t get on a run and get fired up easily. But in the end, it was a great opportunity and I was so blessed by it.
I am starting to have a problem with my foot though. I got a cut on the back, which was fine for a few days, but now is hurting. It went from being a bit itchy to almost unbearable to walk on in less than 1 hr. So I will sleep on it and see if I just agitated it or if it’s something worse.
{DAY SEVEN}
It’s something worse... I think my foot is infected. I can hardly walk on it. Going to have to find a doctor today.
I am thankful that I can be here, as the Lord is clearly speaking to me about my future and use in His kingdom. I feel a firm calling to shadow Kim and Dan and follow them on their trips to learn more over the next year or two so I can potentially teach the PEACE plan and SHAPE to pastors and planters around the world. This models so much the work that God has been doing on me, and makes sense now as I look back on the sermon teaching / mentoring that I went through, the struggles that I have faced as a man which are so relevant in the world today and pastors face them around the world, the abilities the Lord has given me to plant vision and direction to teams (in business so far), etc. I see so much clearer now that God wants to use me here.
{Pastor Kim teaching the SHAPE class to a group of men}
{DAY EIGHT}
Spent the day today teaching shape again. Today was great as we focused on helping people identify their key strengths, and then partnering them with people who share those strengths, and ministries that need those strengths. This way we are all doing works and using the abilities that God has given us, and not spending time on chores, but focusing on core. I was used as an example many times today, and then shared my testimony with the group, probably more emotionally than I have in ages. I then taught with Kim for a while on using life experiences to help identify placement in ministry. This was so much fun. I am out of my area a bit as I am not as confident in the Word and material we were teaching, but overall we did great. The men were fired up again.
{A few of the meals during the trip}
After the service that I preached in the village, the pastor started talking to me and asked if I felt it was a conflict of interest to be a pastor and have a business on the side to help support his family. I told him that I felt it was not at all a conflict of interest, in fact, it’s probably the best thing for the church. We talked about how youthful churches cannot financially support their pastors at the early stages, so it makes sense to supplement that income by other sources, which relieves financial stress on the church and allows it to use it’s funds for missions, youth, etc. He said he wanted to plant mango trees, one of the things we have been looking at here last week. He wants to buy 100 mango trees, for $1.00 each. This will give him more income supposedly. So we dove into the financial side of the picture, I got out my calculator, and we talked about how much land he had, how much space a tree took, the yearly return per tree, and how much income he makes now. In the end we figured out that he can handle 200 trees, and this will double his income in 3 years once the trees are fully grown. From then on each year he will have double the income with limited effort as the trees don’t need much work, so he can focus on church. We then went and prayed over the land, and I committed to buying the trees for him. He was thrilled!
{The future site of 200 mango trees}
And just a few random pictures from the trip...
{Dinner is almost served...transporting live chickens}
{Brian, Kate, Ann, a local pastor and business man, Pastor Kim, and Sophea}
{Church facility NCCTK has helped build through the Life Giving Network}
{Brian dared to eat crickets. Tim did not.}
So now we pray for God to move powerfully in Cambodia and for the pastors to be left encouraged, refreshed, and ready to work the land where dry and barren means more then just no rain. Hearts are ready. Hands are in need of affection. Minds are willing to learn. Who is going to go? Who is going to teach and to show God's people how to pray? The lost are in need of being found. It doesn't take anyone special to go and be Jesus to others. From businessmen to moms...we are ALL called to BE JESUS to those around us. Would you be ready to go?
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