Our Involvement

~~~ John tells it all.                                                                         December 11, 2014

So here we are at the beginning of our third year in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Who’da thunk we’d ever wind up serving here? God’s plans are amazing and sometimes unpredictable. God himself, however, is totally reliable in everything He does. Thank you, Lord, for calling us here to be in Your will for this country.

     Our involvement with U. of N. / Y.W.A.M. continues. We have been doing base repairs and maintenance, electrical work and plumbing. Jackie got to assist at getting the main building painted. She’s cat woman when it comes to the high up in the air work. She really enjoys the ladder work when John has electrical work to do. We have taught for a week in a D.T.S. school, lead devotions and meetings and have offered private counselling and advice (when asked). Sometimes we’re just mom and dad (or grandma and grandpa!).

     Our work here is not only with Y.W.A.M. We have been blessed to be able to help and cooperate with our local church, and other N.G.O.’s. We've previously written about our involvement with an NGO is from Switzerland. They have set up a large egg (chicken) raising business which is employing and training several Khmer people/families. Another is running a children’s home, a restaurant, a demonstration farm and is building a huge housing project for displaced people. Others we've helped in small ways work in training and employing Khmers, provide help for the disabled and operate schools for expat kids. We have installed water wells and purification systems, solar photovoltaic electric power, drip irrigation and lots of other fun things. Every new opportunity is a challenge and a blessing. We spent yesterday rewiring and adding lights to a private school down the street from us. Father God has put us in a place where the experience and abilities He has given us can benefit people in need.

     There are many needy places on earth, but this is the one He has assigned us to. Cambodia is tottering and stumbling forward in its development and recovery from almost unimaginable horrors. Anyone with a heart to help is welcome here. Take some TESOL training, quit your job, sell everything you have and move here. Spend a year learning the language, culture and customs and make a difference personally. Are you not able to do that? Then recruit and finance some English teachers and cycle them through the existing schools here. Serving God is an adventure! If you feel a leading to be involved in any of these ways, please contact us. We’d be happy to help you help.