Cambodian Journey in Pictures 2012

 

Hope and a future for Cambodia-Videos

What do snow, cold, and grey skies have in common with Cambodia?  Alaskans developing a heart for this  far away land.  Alger and I just participated in a Global Missions Conference here in Wasilla, Alaska.  We showed these two videos, and saw how people were inspired and encouraged by them.  So we decided to share them here with you.

YWAM Battambang is an amazing ministry!  Started only 6 years ago by Garth Gustafson and team, it is now alive with life-giving ministries and discipleship training schools, including DTS, SBS (School of Biblical Studies) AIDS outreach, Bible studies, etc.  Every afternoon the base is packed with hundreds of young people, eager to learn...ANYTHING!  Each quarter outreach teams come from Kona, and many other YWAM bases, to offer classes in English, sewing, guitar, keyboard, and sports.

Take a look....and be encouraged that God is on the move in Cambodia.

Prayercast.com is a new website that we recently found.  As you view this video, allow God to touch your heart for this nation and it's incredibly young population. (80% under the age of 30!)  While this video focuses on the desperate needs of this nation, we do see hope!  Pray that God's promise in Jeremiah 29:11 will be realized in Cambodia in this generation. (There are currently prayercast videos for 39 nations, and more in the works.)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  We see that hope in the young people of Cambodia, who have a love for God, and a compelling desire to share that love with their friends and neighbors.

Floods Ravage Much of Cambodia and Southeast Asia

The 2 young girls were covered in gray mud from head to toe.  Alger and I had absolutely no idea what they were doing as they grinned sheepishly up at us from the bottom of the 12 foot deep pit.  "Fishing," our friend Pastor Sokun explained.  It was late April, and the water from the previous rainy season was almost entirely gone in the villages around Kampong Thom. Villagers were scrambling each day to find enough water, praying that the rains would soon come.  And come they did.  Flooding began in mid-September, and continues to worsen.

When the rivers flood, fish are washed away.  Villagers dig these big pits to store water and trap fish for the dry season.

Cambodia is flat!  Really flat!  Much of the country is  flood plains for the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers.   Moderate flooding occurs every September and October, part of the normal life cycle, bringing rich soil to the rice paddies. 

But this year is different! 

Exceptional rainfall has caused devastating floods across Southeast Asia.  This year the floods are bringing death and destruction to a very vulnerable region. 

I've read that it is the worst flooding in 10 years…30 years…even 50 years.  The accuracy of the historical comparison is really irrelevant.  Reports from Asian newspapers and first hand updates from our friends across Cambodia agree.  People are dying.  People are hungry.   They need help. 

One pastor friend in Phnom Penh from New Life Church said, "The needs are so great. The government can only do so much.  We don't know what to do!" 

Imagine for a moment what the realities on the ground might look like. Livestock are swept up in the waters, decaying.  Outdoor toilets or sewer systems are now mixed up in the flood-waters. Wells are contaminated. Factories are closed, and workers have no income.  Fishermen are out of work, as the fish from the rivers are washed across the land.  Rice crops are destroyed. The price of rice, a precious global commodity, could skyrocket, making it unaffordable for many poor farmers. Everyone is essentially "living" in the flood-waters.  You can only imagine the disease to come.

I don't know about you, but I have seen absolutely nothing on the news about this pending international disaster.  My information has come thru Facebook, (first hand information from our many friends across the country) and The Phnom Penh Post.

The floods are affecting the entire Southeast Asian region.  Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam are also suffering.  The government of Cambodia does not have the resources to handle such a huge natural disaster alone.  I pray that the world will come to the aid of these poor and powerless people in this…yet another…desperate time of need.

Please Pray for Cambodia.

1.  For the world to open it's heart (and wallets) to provide much needed aid.

2.  For the Cambodian church to be able to display God's grace and love in this time of suffering.

3.  For international aid organizations and workers in country as they face incredible need with limited resources.

4. For God's promise of hope and a future to be fulfilled in the nation.

         "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

I fell in love with Cambodia on December 21, 1989.

It was a record cold night in Charlotte, and I drove into the city half-expecting the Christmas Pageant to be cancelled.  But as I turned the corner, there were several cars in the parking lot. The show was on!

This was my last week at Belk Store Services, and I anxiously looked forward to my new focus in life.  A month earlier I had accepted a new position with the Charlotte District of the United Methodist Church.  My mission?  Go out into the inner city refugee community of Charlotte and see what can be done to help. 

Duncan Church, tucked into a forgotten corner of the city, in the shadows of the downtown skyscrapers, was ground zero for our outreach.  A few years earlier, the pastor, Rev. Wade Rogers, and Susan, a church volunteer, had started  a children's ministry and choir.  Tonight was my first meeting with the children.

Words cannot adequately describe the scene that was unfolding in this little inner-city church. Precious little brown skinned children, with big, round, dark brown eyes and hair, cautiously walking down the aisle.  Little Cambodian sheep, cows, angels, and wise-men, with Mary, Joseph, and of course baby Jesus.  Skinny arms and legs, sticking out of their ill-fitting clothes.  Cute and ridiculous at the same time…especially since the children had probably never heard the Christmas Story before.  But there they were…in their adorable cow and sheep costumes grinning from ear to ear!

As the children began reading the Christmas Story, I began to weep. Not just an emotional little tearing up, but full-on gut-wrenching sobs.  At that very moment, God put His love for the Cambodian people deep into my heart.  It was not just  a normal reaction to some cute little kids, but a true supernatural impartation of the Father's love.  That love has not faltered, but has grown stronger and stronger over the past 22 years.

Today, those little ones have grown up.  They eventually found their way in America, and are now in their 20's and 30's with families of their own.  They are now teachers, engineers, bankers, factory workers, IT specialists, and nurses.  America is their home….but Cambodia is in their hearts.

Egg Rolls And Chicken Wings

Alger and I recently enjoyed a wonderful evening with the Cambodian and Montagnard churches in Charlotte.  After a delicious meal of rice, chicken curry, egg rolls, and many other unidentifiable dishes, we shared some movies of our April-May Journey thru Cambodia.  Sounds of delight rippled through the crowd of about 200 as images of home flashed across the screen.  Laughter filled the room as they returned to Cambodia in their minds, if only for a few moments. 

I don't yet speak Khmer, but I knew they were saying,

"Look at that.  That's my hometown."

"Can you believe those moderrn buildings in Phnom Penh! "

"Am I glad I don't have to work in the rice fields anymore!"

However, the strongest responses came when we shared of the amazing ways that God is moving across the land.  Stories of  baptisms,  healing miracles, house churches springing up in rural villages, and of young Cambodian Christians reaching out to their peers brought excited applause.

God has a plan for Cambodia.

 We proclaimed the truth of Jeremiah 29:11 over Cambodia, and our friends in Charlotte.  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Hope could almost be "seen" rising in the room, as we called forth the destiny of Cambodia, and challenged the group to consider how they could be part of God's plan to bring hope and healing.  Several young adults approached us afterward with tears in their eyes, speaking excitingly that they want to go back to Cambodia and help build the church and heal their homeland.

This is when I realized our ministry is not just in Cambodia, but wherever there are Cambodians.

 As a result of the disastrous Pol Pot years, hundreds of thousands of Khmer escaped into Thailand during the late 1970's and early 80's.  They were resettled largely in the US, Australia, and Canada. They are fluent in English, educated, and have skills and experience gravely needed to help rebuild Cambodia.  Many have found a relationship with God. These Cambodian-Americans, Cambodian-Aussies, Cambodian-Canadians, have an opportunity to play a significant role in building the future of Cambodia. 

Alger and I have made many new Cambodian friends this summer, and have become reacquainted with many old friends. We look forward to becoming more involved with the Carolina Cambodian Community while we are here and in future visits to the East Coast.

This blog is called Cambodian Connections for a reason. We want to connect people and resources with Cambodia. Anyone, anywhere, who has a heart for Cambodia, a desire to know more, an interest in becoming involved!  There is a place for you.

Want to know more?  Leave us a note in the COMMENTS section. We'll get back to you and help you determine ways to CONNECT WITH CAMBODIA.

And The Rains Came...and Came

Raindrops failing on the roof provided a cozy backdrop to our lazy Saturday morning.  High temps in the low 70's signaled an early arrival of fall. 3 inches in 24 hours made the headlines in Greensboro, NC.  Photos of minor flooding were printed on the front page.  Much welcome rain in a dry and thirsty land!

One look at Facebook and my idyllic mood is broken.  Images of serious flooding across much of Cambodia takes my heart back to this beautiful land and the friends we left behind.  Monsoon rains come every year in Southeast Asia.  But the floods are

                     particularly bad this year, destroying crops, flooding homes, spreading disease, and taking lives.  Makes us grateful today to be dry, safe, and  healthy.

These images also take us back to the memories of our "Journey Thru Cambodia" in April and May of this past year….when many villages were completely out of water, and suffering from the lack of rain. 

 Difficult realities in a land where the forces of nature control much of daily life.

We've put together a compilation of photos and videos that highlight our recent journey to Cambodia. We hope these images will help you to SEE Cambodia and her beautiful Khmer people.  Our apologies for the low quality when on full screen mode. We couldn't get it to upload until we reduced the resolution.

Part 1: Phnom Penh and Kampong Thom

Part 2: Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, and Battambang

Part 3: Sihanoukville and Kampong Cham

ENJOY!

A Beautiful Cambodian Morning...in CAROLINA!

The words "covered dish" and "ham biscuits" popped off the page as I scanned my

e-mail from St. John's Church announcing a covered dish luncheon.  As any respectable southerner would do, I made plans to attend this event, hoping there would also be some  super-sweet iced tea! This church luncheon was far from typical, however, as it was hosted by the Cambodian and Montagnard (from the Central Vietnamese highlands) congregations.

Pastor Tim (leader of Montagnards),Pastor Samel Om, Alger and Joyce.

As Alger and I made the hour and a half drive from Greensboro to Charlotte, I reflected on the past twenty years of my relationship with the Cambodian church.  My life had taken a dramatic turn in January 1990, as I put my business career aside and jumped into the world of urban cross-cultural ministry. Thousands of Cambodian, Lao, and Vietnamese refugees had been resettled during the 80's, many of them calling Charlotte their new home. 

It all began with Wade Rogers, the elderly pastor of a small, traditional, inner-city church who noticed a young boy walking down the street in late October…barefoot and coatless in the chilly fall weather.  Pastor Rogers soon discovered a whole community of Cambodian refugees living in the area around the church, and began to help. Mattresses, rice, school supplies, and clothing were donated.  The children were invited to the Wednesday night program, fed a warm meal, and formed into a precious kids choir.  From this simple beginning, Reach Out Ministries was established.

I had the privilege of co-leading Reach Out ministries for three years.  During this time, a full range of programs and ministries were established, including boy scouts, sports teams, English classes, tutoring programs, summer camps, medical assistance, legal advocacy, and cultural training. The Cambodian Mission Church of Charlotte, led by my dear friend Pastor Samel Om, was also developed. The church has recently joined with St. John's UMC, and is now reaching out to the multi-ethnic community in the neighborhood.

Alger and I entered the church fellowship hall and were met by Cambodian friends and familiar smells of Cambodian food.  Bowls of rice replaced the typical mashed potatoes.  Noodles and curry instead of macaroni and casseroles.  Two hundred Cambodian, American, and Montagnard friends enjoyed a great meal together.  Truly a blessing and a taste of heaven!

 What is my point for sharing this with you?

Over the years, many people have told me how much they wish they could be in missions.  To spend time in Cambodia…to help needy children, to do something that really matters with their life.  But for various reasons, they don't feel that it is possible.

IT IS POSSIBLE!  The world is at your doorstep. 

You no longer need to leave your home to be involved with people from other cultures and nations.  I call it "Foreign Missions; Conveniently Located."  God has brought the world to us.  We often think of only the large cities as being ethnically diverse….New York, Chicago, Los Angeles… You might be surprised to find that even the medium and small cities in the US are home to many different nationalities. 

Reach Out Ministries was developed by people with no special training, and little cross-cultural experience.  Just ordinary people who saw a need, did what they could, and continued in faithfulness.  You, too, can make a difference right where you are.

Is your church involved in cross-cultural work in your city?  Would you like to get involved with the internationals in your community?

I'd love to hear from you.  Perhaps give you a few ideas on how to get started.  Direct you to available resources that you may not be aware of.  Pray for and encourage you.

Do you have stories and experiences that you'd like to share with others on how you, or your church group has reached out to the nations in your own city?

Please share them in the comment section below.  Your story could be the encouragement someone else needs to take the first step.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in."  Matthew 25:35

Montagnard worship service. Charlotte NC  July 2011

A Father to the Fatherless

Father's Day has been difficult for me this year.

I have been acutely aware of the void in my life that would have been filled by my dad, Ralph Frank Garrett, who died when I was 23.  I think of the times in my life that I longed for his wisdom, his support, his encouragement.  Should I take this new job offer? I felt the void when I tried to make my own home repairs.  Felt it when I was married (finallyJ) and he wasn't there to give me away.  I missed the sense of safety and security that comes from the protection of a loving father.

But what happens when an entire nation loses its' fathers prematurely and unnaturally?  When war, disease, famine, and murder take the lives of a whole generation of Cambodian fathers and grandfathers? 

From 1975-1979, the Pol Pot regime systematically targeted the "fathers" of Cambodia….eliminating the educated, the professionals, the teachers, the religious leaders, the artists, the doctors.  The resources and wisdom and experience built up over centuries of a culture gone in a few short years.

How does a nation rebuild without their fathers?  Where do they go to for the answers to hard questions?  Where do they find that sense of security and safety that comes from experience?

Alger and I were struck by the lack of middle aged and older people in Cambodia.  The population has doubled in the past twenty years, and half of the population is under 18.  Cambodia is a vast sea of young people, with few lighthouses to guide them. It's a nation looking for answers, for hope, for a future.

The young people that Alger and I met all across Cambodia have a deep yearning for relationships with older people. (Hard to admit, but we fit into this category nowJ) They need that same encouragement, support, and wisdom that I needed as a young woman after the loss of my dad.

Our ministry will focus on mentoring and training this young generation to be the leaders of the New Cambodia…to help them realize their full destiny in God.

In Psalm 68:5, David writes that the Lord is "A father to the fatherless, a defender of the widows...God sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners in singing."

May Cambodia come to know their true Heavenly Father as we celebrate Father's Day  here on earth.