I preached at the Saturday night youth program. This was the first youth program in the new sanctuary, on fourth level of the CMO building. The old sanctuary could hold only 100 people. The new sanctuary has the capacity for over 800 people. As more students come to learn English, the congregation gets bigger and bigger.
I preached a topical sermon about 'forgiveness', using a personal story to appeal to appeal to the youth.
This week Cambodia is celebrating the Chinese New Year. Many of our students, including our Bible students are going home to their provinces. Some new Christians will return to their villages where either Buddhism reigns, or there is no religion. May they stay strong in faith and may Jesus give them boldness about their savoir!
Tomorrow, Keat and Sally are taking the teachers of New Hope School to Vietnam for the day, and they have invited Josh and I to join them. So, tomorrow we will spend the day in Vietnam, and spend the rest of our 4-day holiday preparing for our Bible studies.
Also, I have received the a traditional Khmer skirt, which all of the Cambodian teachers wear. Now, when I teach I wear a white button-up shirt and Khmer skirt, which wins smiles of delight from the Cambodians every time!

Our lives to be fruitful, must be full of Christ; to be able to bring peace, joy and love, we must have it ourselves, for we cannot give what we have not got.
Mother Teresa

 In response to the demand, Josh and I are now teaching Bible studies every day. The Bible study follows after the English class, at 6:30pm. Josh teaches the Bible to the men, and I teach the women. It is an opportunity for students to also practice their English for another hour, although that is totally secondary to them learning about God. There are about 5-11 students who show up to each Bible study, and several of them come daily.
We are teaching from a book that has the gospel of John printed in both Khmer and English. Josh is also continuing to teach foundational Christian doctrine, and I am teaching from the book of Exodus. The girls are fascinated with the stories of Moses and the Israelites!
It can be a challenge to teach the Bible to people who are learning English as a second language. When I teach I repeat things, use different words to say the same thing, use gestures and draw pictures. There is a mix of students who speak English well, speak some English and hardly speak any English. The students are usually able to help one another out and translate to those who do not understand.
It is impossible to be too basic with the Cambodians. Cambodia is a Buddhist nation, where the story of Adam and Eve is not just common knowledge. We are answering questions about God that we have never been asked before, because they are just so basic. We are teaching the simplicity of the gospel to them, and in turn, we are teaching the Cambodians how to preach the simplicity of the gospel.
I also have a Bible study at 4:00pm, in which I am teaching two students. At the first Bible study, which was yesterday, they asked Jesus to come into their hearts! Now, as the Bible study continues I am answering their questions and discipling them.
Please pray for Josh and I that we may become even more rich in joy, as we experience the love that God is giving us for the unreached people of Cambodia. His love here, is so evident as He calls the Cambodians to come and be His children.

     Across the water on an island of countryside, there is a church. The church hasn’t had a pastor for many years, but it still continues. A husband and wife, who have been members of this church for a few years, are now overseeing it. Their daughter and son teach and preach at the church, and also teach English to children. Although in the beginning, they did not feel adequate to teach, they tried anyway believing that God would help them, and today the church continues and is a place where the minority of Christians can worship and learn. 
     The mindset of Christianity in rural Cambodia is very different than in North America. Churches attract poor families, who come looking for financial help from the church members. Families who make a lot of money don’t bother going to church, because they are not looking for help. Both situations are sad and have sprung up because of misconceptions about what Christianity is. Cambodians who become Christians are considered traitors to Khmer culture, and are often shunned by family and friends. There is a man who lives and sleeps in the church, to protect the small structure from being robbed of it’s equipment and chairs. This family cares for the church so dearly, as well as work full-time. The father and son are now receiving formal Bible training.
     It’s obvious that running this church hasn’t been all smiles and good times. It has been bitter-sweet and a test of devotion and determination. This family had no obligation to keep this church going. For a family of nine children who probably make less than five dollars a day, the managing of this church has probably been a burden to them, more than anything. It is a burden that they have gladly welcomed, and praise Jesus for. Jesus has made Himself known to them and has won them over with His relentless love. He has changed their lives and has proved Himself to be vital to the life of every human. He has proven Himself so worthy and so crucial to their nation, that they could not let this church die.
     Are we preaching a gospel that is vital to our nation? Is the Jesus we present crucial to our co-workers and our broken-hearted neighbors? Is the truth and invitation of our Savior so undeniable, and our conviction of the power of God, so strong that we would not let our own church die? This family of farmers in rural Cambodia will probably never have a big international ministry, and their names will probably never be known by the world, but their reward in Heaven is great. They are the church that refuses to die.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
 
I think this scripture is a very popular one. We've read it many times, sometimes in a program or in a devotional, accompanied by drawing of runners. Let's take this scripture personally and to heart. 2008 is gone and we will never have another 2008 again. Hopefully '08 was a great year of growth and accomplishment, where we can now look back and recognize God-ordained seasons in our life and we can relish his faithfulness and sovereignty is everything. Now we are being presented with a new year. To us, 2009 is blank like a canvas waiting for a first stroke of paint. It is easy to now think of 2008 and recognize those mistakes we made and also smile about the celebrations, the good decisions and the sweet moments. 2009 is so new and there is so much potential in the 12 months that lay ahead.
I wish to echoe Paul's words in his letter to the Hebrews. Let us push aside everything that distracts us from what God has called us to do. As much as we may find other things to do instead, God's calling remains the longing in our hearts. Let us welcome inconvenient situations, so that we may help people and let Jesus serve through us, the way that He loves to. Through these inconvenient situations and through many trials, we gain the endurance we need to continue strong in obeying God's call on our lives. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and adore Him more than life itself. Jesus must become our everything. Our lives must become hidden with Christ, so that we see only Him and He can do whatever He pleases with our little lives. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. Our Father and His kingdom is the joy set before us. We become upset and discouraged too easily. We must delight that God would choose to save us and adopt us from the world, as His children. Even when everything else seems to be a mess, we can rest in the assurance that we are forgiven and saved from eternal damnation. Let us not grow tired, weary, lazy; let us keep running with the joy of Jesus and the life-longing to serve Him, serve Him, serve Him. 2009 a new year, that is ours for the taking. Let us run.