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.