Sophie in Cambodia

 

Newsletter November 2024

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It has been a busy few months here in Cambodia and we are coming into another busy season with Christmas just around the corner. I have a small Christmas Tree that I purchased a few years ago and I just put it up last week in my home.  I spent some time reflecting on all that God has done in my life this past year since the last time I put up my Christmas tree. God has been so faithful to me.

In September, we took our English students out for a fun day in Kampot province.  We wanted to spend time together outside of the classroom and allow space for the young people to get away from their normal routines. For many of them, they rarely will leave Phnom Penh so this was an exciting opportunity for them. We all travelled on the bus together and we went to a place that had a waterfall for the students to play in. Sadly, it was rainy season and whenever we arrived the rainfall had been so heavy that the staff at the place would not allow anyone to swim for health and safety reasons.  However, we were able to enjoy lunch together there. We also took time to introduce our students to a worship song and to pray for them.  Pastor Sarak, Bunheng and I all shared our testimony for the students.  After lunchtime and when the rain had stopped, we went to another place that had a wider space of water for the students to swim and play. Afterwards, a few of our students needed lifts to get home after the trip.  This was the first time we saw where some of our students live. Many of the students come from difficult situations and it was an obvious reminder for me, why we do what we do with our English programme at church.  We want to support these young people who may not have the opportunity elsewhere, to further their English education and then to help them with more opportunities for their future. Most of these young people have been studying with us for over a year and in the next few weeks we are planning to invite them and their families to our church to celebrate their studies and present them with certificates to congratulate them for their time and study. 

Last month, with the help of a visiting ladies' team from the UK, we held a ladies' conference at one of our Elim Church plants in Takhmao province. We had a wonderful day together with ladies from that community in Takhmao and also with ladies from our church and community in Phnom Penh. Different ladies shared their testimonies and also the word of God. We had food together and played games at lunch time and then we had a powerful time of prayer.  The next day we went back to this same church and village and held a kids club for the children in that area.  The gospel presence has been in this village for a while and it was beautiful to see young children worshipping God and reading bible verses for the visitors.

Over the last few months, we have been to visit new families that we have been connected to in the community.  Many of them are living in very poor conditions. We met one family where the lady had just given birth to a little baby.  She was struggling to find money to buy milk for him. Her husband was working every day trying to provide food for the family.  We said that we believed in God and that we were from the local church and would pray for her and her family. We were able to provide this family with a food package to help them for the next while. There are many more families in great need in this area. Please pray for us to have wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to when and where we can help.

One particular lady that we have known for over a year in the community is called Srey N. She has become a good friend of mine and Nita’s and it is our joy to go and visit her and her children on a regular basis. This relationship started as we were introduced to her because she and her 4 children were in very difficult living conditions. 

Since that time, God has been working greatly in her life and we have seen a massive change in Srey N. When we first met her, she often looked very sad and would not make eye contact when she was talking to another person, now, she often greets us with a big smile and she has said that she now has a new joy in her life. Srey N has opened her home for the kids club to take place and share the gospel in this village. Srey N has also been learning the Bible with Nita and I.  She has started by reading Genesis and has learnt that God created her and the world. She is a special lady and we believe she is key in this village to helping the spread of the gospel in this area.  Srey N regularly comes to our church now and her children often come with her and join the Sunday School. 

This village is one of 7 villages in the community around our church in Phnom Penh. There are exciting opportunities arising that will help us with new ways to reach into this community with practical support and also with the gospel.

I continue to do my weekly bible studies and discipleship groups. We have recently been doing a Bible study about making good decisions for our lives.  It goes through the story and life of King David and some of the good and bad decisions that he made.  As the ladies then make this applicable to their own lives, you can see how God is challenging them and causing them to reflect on their own stories and decisions that they have made. I have also been busy in church with more responsibilities in preaching - which I do enjoy. It is a joy for me to serve in leadership at our church here in Phnom Penh through the highs and lows of ministry. 

Living so far away from Northern Ireland can be very difficult as you don’t get to see family and friends who you love and miss a lot.  These last few months, I have been so blessed with good friends who have visited Cambodia.  Some of us have known each other since I was a kid and others I have met through this journey of missions. I’m grateful for each person and all the laughs and adventures we have had recently in Cambodia. 

Over the next few weeks, like many of you, we will be very busy preparing for the Christmas season.  In many of our projects, people will not understand the true meaning of Christmas so we will be preparing ways to bring the good news to communities at this time.  It is often a great way for us to reach out to people who would normally not come to church. We will have Christmas services in 3 different locations and we plan to do a kids club in the community to share the good news with the people there.

Prayer Points

• Pray for the 7 villages surrounding our church that we would continue to build relationships with the people who live there.
• Be free Cambodia - One of our girls is graduating next month. We are really proud of her and excited as she will continue working as a student in our salon.
• Please pray for all the activities we have coming up to celebrate and share about the real meaning of Christmas with the people in Cambodia.

I want to wish you all a wonderful and special Christmas with your loved ones. May we all take time to remember our Lord Jesus Christ and the hope and joy we have because of Him.

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