CAMBODIA MISSION 2010 - travel & first weekend

Well we found our way from ST Andrew’s parking lot (3:30 AM) on to Dallas, then on to Los Angeles. We boarded Asiana Airlines to Seoul South Korea then on to Phnom Phen. The trip went really well. We made all our connections. We got a little sleep on the flights.
Asiana Airlines is really great. We were served steak the first meal. They took good care of us.
We arrived in Phnom Penh a little before midnight on Friday, Oct. 22.......It was hot! We recieved a great welcoming at the airport from Esther, Nicolas, Tara and Tola.





We settled in at the Golden Gate Hotel and got a few hours sleep.









Phutty with GBGM met us to take us to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek where more the 20,000 people were killed between 1975 and 1979 during the Pol Pot regime. It was a very somber place.
Then we visited Toul Seng S21 (the Genocide Museum) where thousands were tortured during this regime. Mostly intellectuals (doctors, engineers, teachers) were tortured. No one was safe. Even members of Khmer Rouge were tortured here. Before the Pol Pot regime, this place was a school. It was very difficult for all of us. It is hard to understand how this could happen? Most of us remember the late 1970’s when he was in power for four years……. when such atrocities were happening in Cambodia.

We visited the Faith Engine Ministry. They have 7 students currently. It takes $350 to sponsor one student. This includes their tools, training, & room & board for 14 weeks. Most of the trainees come from poor families. This ministry provides youth both skills and confidence to help make them more productive members of the community.

Sunday we visited the Spean Chivet Methodist Church. Larry preached to a standing room only crowd and our group sang them a song. The service lasted for about 2 ½ hours. It was great! The people were so warm and inviting. We had lunch on the grounds afterward and visited with the members of the congregation.
Later, we visited the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.

The service at Spean Chivet was powerfull....eight people responded to the alter call and gave their lives to Christ!

This image is what the Spean Chivet Church looked like before the new church was built. The Pastors Parsonage does not look much better....It has been flooded many times, is in disrepair, and has termites eating away at any wood that is still there. We have been requested to pray to God to provide a replacement parsonage. Estimated cost is $6,500. Please add to your prayer list, it seems so little could answer such a great need.







Latter Sunday afternoon we went over to the GBGM office for a team meeting.

Bringing Louisiana and Cambodia together!