One Cell Phone, One God

I must brag.  I am so proud. 

They call me “Mom” – my 8 teachers who daily I get the privilege to mentor in the Christian faith, train teacher skills, drill English and model before them a life centered on Christ.

They are young.

For the past year, I have spent many hours teaching and hanging out with this awesome group of young people prodding them to read their Bibles daily, act on what they’ve read, go to church, involve themselves in Bible study, teach their students the beauty and the faithfulness of our amazing God.  Most days I’ll be honest I wonder- do they hear me?  Am I making a difference?   Do they want to grow in the Lord?   (big sigh)

And then Wednesday happened.

Unbeknownst to any of us, a local drug dealer in the village had threatened one of our first graders that if he did not steal one of the teacher cell phones at school, he would kill him!

The child stole the phone, delivered it to the dealer but broke down in sobs when he got home and reported to his parents what he had done.

The parents marched their son right back to the school to confess to his teacher what he had done.  The child was mortified, scared to death and knew expulsion and condemnation was due.

But instead, grace ensued…..

My precious teacher hugged him, forgave him, ensured him of his love for him as Christ had loved him in his vileness (the teacher) and vigorously invited him back to school the next day.

This part-time teacher makes $90 for a half day teaching, attends university on his own dime in the afternoon and evening, buys nightly dinner and lives in a quiet corner of a church empty room.  A Samsung phone is a big deal, but His God was bigger!

Both parent and child were stunned…shocked…amazed!   This doesn’t happen in Cambodia.  Stealing would have been sure termination from the school and an unbearable shame to his family.

These Buddhist parents were overheard saying, ‘This school is different, it’s the Jesus school!”

As I was rejoicing in my quiet time for this young man and his Christian walk, God gave me this verse of praise for that teacher,

“ Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace (2 Corinthians 1:12).”

Way to go VanSol!  This “Mom” teacher trainer could not have been prouder!    

 

 

We are in “banner days”

To you, our followers, donors and senders, we have so much to say and hope that you can accept that for security reasons, we can only tell part of the story of this last year and these present weeks.  The fruit of your faithfulness in keeping us going is beyond our expectations.  Beyond a simple thank you.

May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!  …..(Psalm 10:5 ESV)

These are “banner days” as we see both educational initiatives and business initiatives taking hold.  As these take hold, the local Christians gain influence.  They can raise the banner and find new levels of leadership.   It is slow but it is really happening, one life, one place at a time.   These Cambodian friends are taking ownership of the work they are doing and the opportunities they are finding.  Some do it well quickly, some need more encouragement.  Whatever they choose and whatever pace they choose, they own it. They are the emerging leaders.

We will be home in July for rest and meetings and we encourage you to call us while we are stateside so we can share more openly and face-to-face whenever possible.  Ask us about the school growing so fast there are 30 kids in a classroom and the waiting list to enroll.  Ask us about the sisters.  Ask us about starting a business to repair roofs made of scrap steel.   We have some banner stories.

Host an Awareness Event.  We are scheduling in-home Awareness Events for weekdays and weeknights in July now.  Gather your neighbors, friends, small group and we will open your eyes to modern day slavery and how you (and we) so often walk right past it.   Oh the difference open eyes and an informed mind can make.  Oh the joy of freedom fresh on the face of a new freed man or woman.  You can be engaged in setting captives free.  Do it!

Support.  If you support our work on an ongoing basis we cannot express strongly enough our deep appreciation.  If you have not yet had the chance to join with us as partners, perhaps that time in now.  Click here for donor information and tax deductible giving.