Sunday is our most chaotic and most rewarding day of the week! Sunday is when 50+ children come to worship Jesus, singing praise to Him and learning truths from God’s Word. Many of them arrive 1-2 hours early for Church! They are typical children who like to have fun but also fight amongst themselves! We are thankful that Sunday, May 29th was such a wonderful peaceful day. At the children’s service I taught the story of the ‘Talents’ Luke 19:12-28. A story reminding us to use our gifts and talents to serve God. But more importantly to share this wonderful treasure of salvation that Jesus has given us. I used a bean illustration, a bean once planted and nourished can grow and be fruitful. We too need to be fruitful! I gave each of the children three beans to grow! While visiting the communities during the week, the children excitedly showed me their bean plants! Some were planted in cut off water bottles and others were planted in the ground. It was so awesome to see their proud smiles as they showed me how quickly their bean’s had grown. Below are pictures of the children’s bean plant.
On Sunday a young boy, who had been living in another province with his grandmother came to church. What a joy to see him again!
Viet also returned from Vietnam to Cambodia. His father died in April. Viet is such a sweet little guy! My heart breaks for Viet, his mom and two little siblings! Not an easy life ahead for this family!
One day during Vietnamese class I went to the market to buy Binh a new pair of shoes (his had completely fallen apart). I decided to check out Samaki market and while I was quickly moving through the aisle this young girl stops and stares at me and then says “teacher Leah?” She was one of the young girls that had come to our VBS program in August 2015. Kim had not seen her since that time and was concerned that she was working in a coffee shop. I felt like God gave me this wonderful gift of seeing her and showing me that she was still around and ok! She is not in a coffee shop but selling food! I totally believe this was all God’s timing! During that trip to the market I saw some of our little ones out picking recycle! It breaks my heart to see a 4 year old working to earn money for her family!
On Saturday we visit the communities, this an opportunity for us to connect with the parents. We stopped by this one families home to give formula and a gift for a family with a newborn. During our time together, Nhi (Vietnamese translator) shared the gospel with the mom’s and one of the mom’s made the decision to follow Jesus!
This past Sunday during the children’s service we had a thunder storm and a down pour of rain. Our little meeting room was flooded with water. I taught the story of the Woman at the Well while the rain was pounding on the tin roof! What a deafening sound! I had a good chuckle when the kids clapped after I taught! Were they happy that it was over? Or proud that I was able to speak through all the rain pounding and that I could dodge the rain coming in from the leaky roof? Or did they actually like the story?
During the service I had six youth (boys and girls) to read portions of our bible story. It was so cute when three of the girls came to church all dressed up looking so beautiful. (The clothes were given to them by a lady from Bayview Glen and Hoan, Vietnamese translator).
On Sunday’s we give the children boiled eggs. Below are pictures of them lining up to receive their eggs and one of Mo showing me his egg!
Please continue to pray for me, our translators Hoan & Nhi, and the ministry here in Siem Reap. Also please remember Kim who is now back in Canada for a wel.
Blessings, Leah
