Arrived in Ratanakiri
Bounouey & Chantan Kes picked us up from the hotel in Phnom Penh and took us on an all-day drive to their home in Ratanakiri province. This was an amazing trip. We were pretty-much spellbound listening to the stories of their lives and of their ministry among the Jarai, which is one of the tribal groups in NE Cambodia. And the last 130 km of the trip were on a dirt road which was sometimes really good and sometimes made us wonder whether it would shake the truck apart. At the end of the journey was an amazing house that Bounouey designed and which they moved into in July. We're up in the mountains again, in a beautiful area. So far we're just in "record mode", trying to take all of this in. Many adventures await us over the next three days.
Back in Phnom Penh
On Monday we took a taxi from Siem Reap back to Phnom Penh. We're here for a few days before heading out to Ratanakiri (NE Cambodia) on Friday to be with the Kes family. While we're here, we've been able to meet with various CAMA workers based in Phnom Penh and get to know them and their ministry.
On Tuesday we met with Joe and Kay Kong. Their primary mission is to plant a church among the government and business class people in Phnom Penh. Before the Khmer Rouge took over, Joe was in a high government position, and he "happened" to be stationed outside of the country when the country fell to the Khmer Rouge, so he was spared what would have been certain death considering his position in the government. He has served the C&MA in various assignments to ethnic communities in the USA and is an ideal person for this ministry. He also works with national and local church leaders, and emerging youth leaders to help train them for the next level of ministry. Kay works with women in Bible studies and mentoring relationships.
We also met with Bin David, who is the pastor of the New Jerusalem church. This is the church for which CCC helped to purchase the land recently. Everyone is really pleased with this new church. It looks great, and is in a strategic location in a newly developing area of Phnom Penh. It is near the university and hospital, so it should be able to minister to students and professional people. Next week, leaders from the church are going to be doing a prayer walk around the areas near the church, as they anticipate reaching out into those areas with the Gospel.
Today Judy Johns took us to 3 of the New Hope schools so we could get an idea of what they were like. The first one was the most striking, as it is actually on a boat along the Mekong River. Again, it's a ministry to the Vietnamese, who can't own land. New Hope educates kids up through grade 5, in both Khmer and Vietnamese. Most of the Vietnamese are illiterate in their own language as well, so they are taught in both. In order to enter grade 6 in the public schools, the students need to be proficient and educated in Khmer and have birth certificates. Students finishing grade 5 are given Khmer names and birth certificates so they can go on.
A continual struggle here is with families who sell their daughters. It's a pretty commonly accepted way of life, in order to help make ends meet. Finding creative alternatives is an ongoing challenge and ministry opportunity.
We had lunch with Dave and Mi Rebok. Dave comes from Illinois, but Mi is a native Cambodian who survived the Khmer Rouge. It was very interesting talking with them. Dave is an administrative assistant in the CAMA office and Mi works with women's ministries.
Dave took us to see the Tum Nup Tek church, which is another new church building that CCC help financially. This church is amazingly beautiful. We happened to meet the pastor while we were there, and he expressed his gratitude to CCC for helping to pay for the building.
This leads me to a final point here. Everywhere we've been, every missionary and church leader we've talked with has expressed deep gratitude to CCC for coming alongside the CAMA in Cambodia. Back at CCC, we know we're sending money and supporting missionaries, and praying for specific needs of missionaries and ministries. But it's altogether a different thing to hear from them how grateful they are for CCC. When we started down this path a few years ago, it was sort of a step of faith because we didn't really know what we were getting into or what it might develop into. Now we can start to see some of the fruit of this, and rejoice over what God is doing through it.
On Tuesday we met with Joe and Kay Kong. Their primary mission is to plant a church among the government and business class people in Phnom Penh. Before the Khmer Rouge took over, Joe was in a high government position, and he "happened" to be stationed outside of the country when the country fell to the Khmer Rouge, so he was spared what would have been certain death considering his position in the government. He has served the C&MA in various assignments to ethnic communities in the USA and is an ideal person for this ministry. He also works with national and local church leaders, and emerging youth leaders to help train them for the next level of ministry. Kay works with women in Bible studies and mentoring relationships.
We also met with Bin David, who is the pastor of the New Jerusalem church. This is the church for which CCC helped to purchase the land recently. Everyone is really pleased with this new church. It looks great, and is in a strategic location in a newly developing area of Phnom Penh. It is near the university and hospital, so it should be able to minister to students and professional people. Next week, leaders from the church are going to be doing a prayer walk around the areas near the church, as they anticipate reaching out into those areas with the Gospel.
Today Judy Johns took us to 3 of the New Hope schools so we could get an idea of what they were like. The first one was the most striking, as it is actually on a boat along the Mekong River. Again, it's a ministry to the Vietnamese, who can't own land. New Hope educates kids up through grade 5, in both Khmer and Vietnamese. Most of the Vietnamese are illiterate in their own language as well, so they are taught in both. In order to enter grade 6 in the public schools, the students need to be proficient and educated in Khmer and have birth certificates. Students finishing grade 5 are given Khmer names and birth certificates so they can go on.
A continual struggle here is with families who sell their daughters. It's a pretty commonly accepted way of life, in order to help make ends meet. Finding creative alternatives is an ongoing challenge and ministry opportunity.
We had lunch with Dave and Mi Rebok. Dave comes from Illinois, but Mi is a native Cambodian who survived the Khmer Rouge. It was very interesting talking with them. Dave is an administrative assistant in the CAMA office and Mi works with women's ministries.
Dave took us to see the Tum Nup Tek church, which is another new church building that CCC help financially. This church is amazingly beautiful. We happened to meet the pastor while we were there, and he expressed his gratitude to CCC for helping to pay for the building.
This leads me to a final point here. Everywhere we've been, every missionary and church leader we've talked with has expressed deep gratitude to CCC for coming alongside the CAMA in Cambodia. Back at CCC, we know we're sending money and supporting missionaries, and praying for specific needs of missionaries and ministries. But it's altogether a different thing to hear from them how grateful they are for CCC. When we started down this path a few years ago, it was sort of a step of faith because we didn't really know what we were getting into or what it might develop into. Now we can start to see some of the fruit of this, and rejoice over what God is doing through it.
Floating church
Sorry to be so long since the last post. This one was started on Sunday Aug 8. Finally having a chance to finish it.
We made contact with missionary Kim Bui yesterday and made arrangements to go to church with her this morning. This was a Vietnamese congregation in a village that lives on lake Tonle Sap. In the States, when we say someone lives on the lake, that means one thing, but here it really means they live on the lake. Vietnamese aren't allowed to own land in Cambodia, so they live in boats on the water. Most Vietnamese end up fishing to make a living.
So we drove to the village. Lake Tonle Sap expands in the wet season to 4 times it's dry season size. It's early in the wet season (and actually this wet season isn't very wet), so much of the expansion hasn't happened yet. We were aware that the area we were driving through would be under water later in the year. All of the houses that are built on the land in villages along the way, are built way up in the air on stilts. Everything around them, including the road we drove on will be under water later on. When that happens, they live in the middle of the lake, and all transportation is by boat. We kept driving past that amazing sight to a point where we got into a boat, and headed out further into the lake. We came to a village where all of the buildings are boats. People live on the boats, go to school on the boats, go to church on the boats, etc. Boats are continually coming and going. If you've got stuff to sell, you sell it from your boat, going "door to door" among the village. Kind of like Schwann's, I suppose.
The church was in a boat. It's the same boat where the kids go to school during the week. Most of the Vietnamese here are illiterate, so getting the kids to school is huge. Much of the ministry Kim Bui is associated with here, is the school. But then on Sundays, she preaches. The church ministry here is only about 1 year old, and is going well. There were more than 60 kids in the church for Sunday School when we arrived. Some of the young people run boats up and down through the village to bring kids to SS and deliver them home afterwards. Then they have the church service, which includes adults, youth, and some kids. Again, more trips on the "church boat" to bring people who need rides. (If the whole family doesn't go to church, those who want to go need a ride if the family has only one boat).
For a few moments, you forget that you're on a boat. Then a boat goes by and the waves toss the church around a bit. So church was really rock'n' this morning. And the boats going by are noisy. It is amazing that no one stops teaching or preaching when that happens, since I can't imagine anyone can hear anything. But they just keep going. No doubt everyone is used to it, and maybe to them it is like "white noise". But we couldn't hear anything except the boats. Couldn't help thinking something like "We're about to enter a focused time of teaching. This would be a great time to power down your cell phones and your boats".
This was an amazing experience. The people live so differently than us. Words can't do it justice. Yet as amazing as that is, it's even more amazing how the church is taking root there. It is a long drive from Siem Reap. People ask Kim why she ministers here instead of someplace closer. The answer was simple -- this village had never heard the gospel. Now, a year later, there's a church and a school established. Most (thought not all) of the people in the church service are (new) Christians. Young people are stepping up to be leaders. There's seemingly no end to the opportunities ahead for evangelism and discipleship among this village. And Kim talks of being able to start ministering in the next village. God has given her a heart for the Vietnamese here. It was our privilege to be here with her and understand the ministry better.
We made contact with missionary Kim Bui yesterday and made arrangements to go to church with her this morning. This was a Vietnamese congregation in a village that lives on lake Tonle Sap. In the States, when we say someone lives on the lake, that means one thing, but here it really means they live on the lake. Vietnamese aren't allowed to own land in Cambodia, so they live in boats on the water. Most Vietnamese end up fishing to make a living.
So we drove to the village. Lake Tonle Sap expands in the wet season to 4 times it's dry season size. It's early in the wet season (and actually this wet season isn't very wet), so much of the expansion hasn't happened yet. We were aware that the area we were driving through would be under water later in the year. All of the houses that are built on the land in villages along the way, are built way up in the air on stilts. Everything around them, including the road we drove on will be under water later on. When that happens, they live in the middle of the lake, and all transportation is by boat. We kept driving past that amazing sight to a point where we got into a boat, and headed out further into the lake. We came to a village where all of the buildings are boats. People live on the boats, go to school on the boats, go to church on the boats, etc. Boats are continually coming and going. If you've got stuff to sell, you sell it from your boat, going "door to door" among the village. Kind of like Schwann's, I suppose.
The church was in a boat. It's the same boat where the kids go to school during the week. Most of the Vietnamese here are illiterate, so getting the kids to school is huge. Much of the ministry Kim Bui is associated with here, is the school. But then on Sundays, she preaches. The church ministry here is only about 1 year old, and is going well. There were more than 60 kids in the church for Sunday School when we arrived. Some of the young people run boats up and down through the village to bring kids to SS and deliver them home afterwards. Then they have the church service, which includes adults, youth, and some kids. Again, more trips on the "church boat" to bring people who need rides. (If the whole family doesn't go to church, those who want to go need a ride if the family has only one boat).
For a few moments, you forget that you're on a boat. Then a boat goes by and the waves toss the church around a bit. So church was really rock'n' this morning. And the boats going by are noisy. It is amazing that no one stops teaching or preaching when that happens, since I can't imagine anyone can hear anything. But they just keep going. No doubt everyone is used to it, and maybe to them it is like "white noise". But we couldn't hear anything except the boats. Couldn't help thinking something like "We're about to enter a focused time of teaching. This would be a great time to power down your cell phones and your boats".
This was an amazing experience. The people live so differently than us. Words can't do it justice. Yet as amazing as that is, it's even more amazing how the church is taking root there. It is a long drive from Siem Reap. People ask Kim why she ministers here instead of someplace closer. The answer was simple -- this village had never heard the gospel. Now, a year later, there's a church and a school established. Most (thought not all) of the people in the church service are (new) Christians. Young people are stepping up to be leaders. There's seemingly no end to the opportunities ahead for evangelism and discipleship among this village. And Kim talks of being able to start ministering in the next village. God has given her a heart for the Vietnamese here. It was our privilege to be here with her and understand the ministry better.
In Siem Reap
We left Mondulkiri with Joyce this morning. She's taking Greg all the way to Phnom Penh, where he will have another day or so before he begins the long journey home.
We parted ways with Greg in Skun. We were expecting to take a taxi to Siem Reap, but by that time in the day, all of the taxis were gone. Thankfully the bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap was stopped right there, and in a flurry of activity we got us and our luggage on board and were gone before we knew what had happened. We arrived in Siem Reap sooner than expected, so since Plan B worked, this must be a good day in Cambodia.
We're hoping to connect with some of the missionaries here in Siem Reap, but we realize that they have other commitments and we're not their first priority. If nothing else, we'll be tourists for a few days.
We've been spoiled by the cool temperatures in the mountains. Now we've got to get re-acclimated to hot and sticky.
We parted ways with Greg in Skun. We were expecting to take a taxi to Siem Reap, but by that time in the day, all of the taxis were gone. Thankfully the bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap was stopped right there, and in a flurry of activity we got us and our luggage on board and were gone before we knew what had happened. We arrived in Siem Reap sooner than expected, so since Plan B worked, this must be a good day in Cambodia.
We're hoping to connect with some of the missionaries here in Siem Reap, but we realize that they have other commitments and we're not their first priority. If nothing else, we'll be tourists for a few days.
We've been spoiled by the cool temperatures in the mountains. Now we've got to get re-acclimated to hot and sticky.
Of sweatshirts, markets, elephants, and the Milky Way
Sorry to have been so long since the last update. The food we ate was not a problem. We've been busy, and when we've had time to update the blog, either the internet was not working, or even more drastic, the power was off in the city. After dinner out with Joyce Johns, we're at her house using her computer, so we have hopes of actually being able to update the blog now.
Sweatshirts ... who'd have expected that you could get chilled in Cambodia? But here in the mountains, we've had cool evenings and mornings, and for Monday and Tuesday evenings when there was a breeze, we were wishing for sweatshirts. Go figure.
We've been tagging along with Joyce as she goes about her ministry here. There are Bunong villages all over the mountains, and Joyce is connected to many of them. One of her roles here is in healthcare. When people from the various churches, or other people in those villages need medical help, she is there, or can get them to the hospital. She also visits the hospital regularly to see who is there and is able to help them medically and spiritually, and in this way is able to develop new contacts in the various villages. We had a tour of the hospital on Monday. It's not exactly the Mayo Clinic but it is helpful.
Markets ... Every city has a market, and on Monday afternoon we found the market in Sen Monorom (Joyce's city). We've seen several Cambodian markets, and this is like all of them. We got caught in a rainstorm that turned out to be a gully-washer for quite a while. We took shelter where we could, and eventually one of the shop-owners invited us into her house to take shelter there. The house is behind the store-front. We were surprised to find a very nice hardwood floor in the middle of all the chaos that is the market. While we waited out the storm, Marti had a great time playing with the little boy who was there, after he'd taken his shower outdoors in the storm. The woman turned on the TV and tuned it to something in English for our benefit (Animal Planet). We weren't able to communicate much, but smiles and greetings and "Aw-koon" (thank you) went a long ways.
Elephants ... We took Tuesday to play, and this was an all day elephant trek through the jungle. We've been on an elephant ride before in Thailand, but this was the real deal. Nothing commercial about this. We started in a Bunong village, got on the elephants, rode up through the mountains, and down through the jungle to a rapids in a river. We had lunch there, visited a farm nearby, and watched the drivers wash the elephants in the river before heading back. All of this was on Bunong land, where they live and grow their food. It was an incredible trip, no doubt the best $20 that any of us had ever spent in our lives.
Milky Way ... Both yesterday and today were dry. No rain. Very few clouds. This is very strange for the rainy season, but we were grateful for weather like that. Last night we had dinner at Joyce's house, and tonight we visited her house after dinner at a restaurant. Both evenings we've seen an incredible amount of stars, and the Milky Way is visible and stunning. There aren't a lot of lights around here, and we're up at a higher elevation than we're used to, so this is an amazing sight.
Today we visited the Bunong village of Pulong. This is a village where Joyce wants to see a church get started. We did a "prayer drive" around and through the village. Joyce would drive to certain areas and point out significant/strategic locations, and we would pray regarding those areas. Some pertain to particular families, some to government/village leaders, some to schools, some to healthcare centers. As we started our way home, a woman from the village who was quite sick met us at the road. She had recognized Joyce and was looking for some help. She is 7 months pregnant and has a bad respitory ailment, perhaps pheumonia or TB. It didn't take Joyce very long to realize that she needed to get to the hospital. And so we became the ambulance. Some of us hopped into the back of the pickup so the patient could ride on a seat. So while on the one hand, Joyce's days usually end up different than what she anticipates, we also wonder and pray about whether this woman is part of the answers to today's prayers; perhaps she is the connection Joyce needs to make to get the church established there.
Sweatshirts ... who'd have expected that you could get chilled in Cambodia? But here in the mountains, we've had cool evenings and mornings, and for Monday and Tuesday evenings when there was a breeze, we were wishing for sweatshirts. Go figure.
We've been tagging along with Joyce as she goes about her ministry here. There are Bunong villages all over the mountains, and Joyce is connected to many of them. One of her roles here is in healthcare. When people from the various churches, or other people in those villages need medical help, she is there, or can get them to the hospital. She also visits the hospital regularly to see who is there and is able to help them medically and spiritually, and in this way is able to develop new contacts in the various villages. We had a tour of the hospital on Monday. It's not exactly the Mayo Clinic but it is helpful.
Markets ... Every city has a market, and on Monday afternoon we found the market in Sen Monorom (Joyce's city). We've seen several Cambodian markets, and this is like all of them. We got caught in a rainstorm that turned out to be a gully-washer for quite a while. We took shelter where we could, and eventually one of the shop-owners invited us into her house to take shelter there. The house is behind the store-front. We were surprised to find a very nice hardwood floor in the middle of all the chaos that is the market. While we waited out the storm, Marti had a great time playing with the little boy who was there, after he'd taken his shower outdoors in the storm. The woman turned on the TV and tuned it to something in English for our benefit (Animal Planet). We weren't able to communicate much, but smiles and greetings and "Aw-koon" (thank you) went a long ways.
Elephants ... We took Tuesday to play, and this was an all day elephant trek through the jungle. We've been on an elephant ride before in Thailand, but this was the real deal. Nothing commercial about this. We started in a Bunong village, got on the elephants, rode up through the mountains, and down through the jungle to a rapids in a river. We had lunch there, visited a farm nearby, and watched the drivers wash the elephants in the river before heading back. All of this was on Bunong land, where they live and grow their food. It was an incredible trip, no doubt the best $20 that any of us had ever spent in our lives.
Milky Way ... Both yesterday and today were dry. No rain. Very few clouds. This is very strange for the rainy season, but we were grateful for weather like that. Last night we had dinner at Joyce's house, and tonight we visited her house after dinner at a restaurant. Both evenings we've seen an incredible amount of stars, and the Milky Way is visible and stunning. There aren't a lot of lights around here, and we're up at a higher elevation than we're used to, so this is an amazing sight.
Today we visited the Bunong village of Pulong. This is a village where Joyce wants to see a church get started. We did a "prayer drive" around and through the village. Joyce would drive to certain areas and point out significant/strategic locations, and we would pray regarding those areas. Some pertain to particular families, some to government/village leaders, some to schools, some to healthcare centers. As we started our way home, a woman from the village who was quite sick met us at the road. She had recognized Joyce and was looking for some help. She is 7 months pregnant and has a bad respitory ailment, perhaps pheumonia or TB. It didn't take Joyce very long to realize that she needed to get to the hospital. And so we became the ambulance. Some of us hopped into the back of the pickup so the patient could ride on a seat. So while on the one hand, Joyce's days usually end up different than what she anticipates, we also wonder and pray about whether this woman is part of the answers to today's prayers; perhaps she is the connection Joyce needs to make to get the church established there.
Mondulkiri church service
The people around Mondulkiri are known as the Bunong. They are a tribal people. Today we went to one of their villages for church service. The village was Sre Ampom (we think). Yesterday when we said Joyce didn't live in the sticks, that's a true statement, but her ministry area is out in the sticks for sure. It was a 23km journey over roads that are often impassible in the rainy season. We made it today without any problems. It certainly is beautiful country here.
The church had about 20 people today. We took some pictures of the kids and gave them some candy, and it didn't take very long for them and their moms to warm up to us. There were a bunch of young men who enjoyed greeting us, and one of them spoke very good English. The church was a simple wood plank building with a dirt floor and wooden benches. The men all sit on one side, and the women and children on the other. The church services was done in both the Bunong and Khmer languages. The Khmer songs were the indigenous songs we've heard for the past few weeks. The Bunong songs were familiar Western hymns with Bunong words.
Karl & Marti shared testimonies. The people seemed to respond well as we gave them, and later on they thanked us for sharing and encouraging them.
Joyce mentioned to us that one of the issues they face in the Bunong church (and with other tribal churches as well), is that when they decide something, the head of the family makes the decision and it applies to everyone in the family. Thus when dad becomes a Christian, he doesn't see any need for his kids to confess their sins and receive Christ. This is a deep-rooted tribal mentality that is a continual struggle.
After church we thought we were going to go to a restaurant in town, but one of the church families invited us to their house for lunch. They spread mats on the floor and we all sat on them and ate our rice and veggies from our plates on the floor. True Khmer village style as we've seen other places. Was the food safe to eat? Joyce Johns said that since it was cooked it should be. We'll know in a few hours.
We've got the afternoon free to explore the town here. It's relatively cool, at least compared to Poipet and Phnom Penh, but it seems to want to rain off and on all day, and after the rain it gets really sultry.
The church had about 20 people today. We took some pictures of the kids and gave them some candy, and it didn't take very long for them and their moms to warm up to us. There were a bunch of young men who enjoyed greeting us, and one of them spoke very good English. The church was a simple wood plank building with a dirt floor and wooden benches. The men all sit on one side, and the women and children on the other. The church services was done in both the Bunong and Khmer languages. The Khmer songs were the indigenous songs we've heard for the past few weeks. The Bunong songs were familiar Western hymns with Bunong words.
Karl & Marti shared testimonies. The people seemed to respond well as we gave them, and later on they thanked us for sharing and encouraging them.
Joyce mentioned to us that one of the issues they face in the Bunong church (and with other tribal churches as well), is that when they decide something, the head of the family makes the decision and it applies to everyone in the family. Thus when dad becomes a Christian, he doesn't see any need for his kids to confess their sins and receive Christ. This is a deep-rooted tribal mentality that is a continual struggle.
After church we thought we were going to go to a restaurant in town, but one of the church families invited us to their house for lunch. They spread mats on the floor and we all sat on them and ate our rice and veggies from our plates on the floor. True Khmer village style as we've seen other places. Was the food safe to eat? Joyce Johns said that since it was cooked it should be. We'll know in a few hours.
We've got the afternoon free to explore the town here. It's relatively cool, at least compared to Poipet and Phnom Penh, but it seems to want to rain off and on all day, and after the rain it gets really sultry.
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