VISIONfor Cambodia • Number 126 : Summer Issue 2004

SOWING THE SEEDS OF A NEW TOMORROW

Conference Delegates(see page 3)

Beach Games at EFC Youth Camp(see pages 10-11)

In this issue:-

HOSEA UpdateAwareness Visit 04Land of the Nagas

In this issue:-

HOSEA UpdateAwareness Visit 04Land of the Nagas

2 | No. 126 Summer 2004

Editorial:It is always a joy to go to Cambodia and see all that has takenplace since the previous visit. The occasion for me this timewas the May meeting of the ICC Board and then joining ICCstaff on their annual team retreat. I had plenty of opportunityto discover the huge commitment the team make to theirtasks and their desire to help the Cambodian people to comeinto and develop a relationship with Christ. Of equal joythough is the time I spent meeting up with Khmer Christianfriends, their commitment to reaching out to theirneighbours, often in the face of adversity or even hostility, is ashining example to us all.

Geoff Collett

SAO CambodiaRegistered Name: Southeast Asian Outreach

UK Charity Number: 293382

UK HEADQUARTERSSAO Cambodia, Bawtry Hall, Bawtry,

Doncaster, DN10 6JH, UK

Executive Director: Geoff Collette-mail: exdir@saocambodia.org

Telephone: 01302-714004Fax: 01302-710027 e-mail: admin@saocambodia.orgWeb address: www.saocambodia.orgOperations Director: Ivor Greer

ivor@saocambodia.org

SAO Cambodia, c/o ICC, PO Box 612, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Tel: +855 23 215200email: hosea.pm@icc.org.khSAO Field Facilitator: Sarah Chhin

TRUSTEESDavid Adams,Andrew Au, Rev Andrew Bridgen, Dr Peter Brierley, KeithBushell, Denzil Jarvis, Peter Redman, Sue Stevens, Rev John Wallis.

GENERAL INFORMATIONSAO Cambodia is an evangelical inter-denominational mission anddevelopment agency, founded in 1973 by Major Taing Chhirc of theCambodian Evangelical Church. The Object is to promote theChristian faith and relieve poverty and distress among the peoplesof Southeast Asia.Work is now solely amongst Cambodians.

SAO Cambodia is a member of International Co-operationCambodia (ICC), Global Connections, the Evangelical Fellowship ofCambodia (EFC) and British NGO's for Development (BOND).

VISION for Cambodia:Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. Newsfor Praise and Prayer is issued with VISION magazine

DONATIONSWe rely on God to meet our needs through gifts from Churches,individual supporters and funding agencies and events.All donationsare acknowledged unless otherwise requested. General gifts may beallocated to the greatest need, although donors can indicate apreference. Funds given for a specific appeal will be used for thatpurpose.We invite individual donors who pay UK tax to complete a Gift AidDeclaration Form (obtainable from the Bawtry Office). This willenable us to claim back from the Inland Revenue tax already paid(currently 28% of the gift). Cheques should be made payable to“SAO Cambodia” and sent to the Bawtry Office.

BANKERSNational Westminster Bank Plc, 23, Market Street,Bawtry, Doncaster, DN10 6JL, UK.Current A/c: 69404054; Sort Code: 60-02-50A/c name: SAO Cambodia

AUDITORSMazars , Mazars House, Gildersome, Leeds, LS27 7JN

SAO Cambodia, Bawtry Hall,Bawtry, Doncaster, DN10 6JH

Tel: 01302-714004; Email: admin@saocambodia.orgWeb site: www.saocambodia.org

SAO Cambodia is working in partnership in Cambodiawith four other missions as part of

International Co-operation Cambodia (ICC)Front Cover Main Photo: courtesy Nigel Goddard

New Trustee - Denzil JarvisI’m not sure new is correct.Denzil has already served on theCouncil of SAO Cambodia from1991-97. As Chair of Trustee, shewas in the hot seat through someof our most challenging years.

Denzil started from a social workbackground, moved on to amarketing and communicationsconsultant/trainer and training administrator. She has workedin the private and public sectors and with charities. Hercurrent employment is with the NHS. Her home church isGreenford Baptist Church in West London.

So welcome back Denzil, we look forward to having you alongside us and benefiting from your wise counsel once again.

ICC says farewell to DirectorWillem van DisAt our May ICC Board meeting,Geoff Collett and the other Boardmembers from (Interact, WorldConcern, SIL and Danmission), said farewell to Willem and Miekevan Dis and thanked them for foursacrificial years of service. Willemand his family have ministered toICC through difficult times, as the five partners sought tomerge their field operations and administration. Willemleaves for the Netherlands at the end of June, relinquishinghis duties with ICC at the end of May. Pray for him as heseeks new employment and for the family as they settle backinto life in Holland.

Pray too for ICC as we seek to fill the vacant post and forSusanne Madson holding the fort as Interim Field Director.

Denzil (right) with Jacqui Heasman at acafe on the way to Anlong Veng

Willem receives a parting gift

VISION For Cambodia | 3

The 30th Anniversary SAOConference was held at theWycliffe Centre near HighWycombe. Nearly one hundredfolk participated and it was good tohave a number of Cambodiansamongst us, plenty of old friendsand some new faces too. Themeetings were blessed by theministry of Rev Peter Lewis,speaking from Revelation on the‘Unequalled Christ’ andpresentations by Hery and Susieand Jez and Jacqui Heasman onfurlough from Cambodia. It wasgood to recognise too thecontribution that John and ValerieHeard have made to SAOCambodia and the Cambodianpeople over the past twenty yearswith contributions and commentsfrom friends and colleagues. Wepresented John with a palmtopcomputer, Valerie with olive treeand them both with money for aholiday as a token of appreciation.

Let’s hear from one of thedelegates their view of theweekend

A Delegates ViewPatrick Manson (a regular visitor tothe Verners in Cambodia)

A whole weekend mingling withpeople who have a serious interestin Cambodia! For me, this was astimulating and encouraging

experience. At times, it was alsovery moving.

This was a first SAO Cambodiaconference for my wife and I, andone of the things that I becameaware of was a sense of familyamong those present. This wasrevealed by a depth of loveand care for one another.This is a very supportivefamily.

Alongside this was alsoevidence of a very deep feeling forCambodia and its people. Tearswere never far away when therewas the sharing of things related tothe needs of the people, and ofhow God had touched the heartwith a concern for Cambodia - anindication of that depth ofcommitment that the Lord bringsabout - a commitment to pray, tosupport, and often to go. Many ofthe conference participantsevidently shared this - and werevisibly moved as they spoke or justlistened.

For me, one of the unforgettablemoments of this weekend was thevideo shown by Sokhon Hong onthe Saturday evening. Thisdocumented her return toCambodia for the first time, at therequest of her daughter whowanted to make the video as partof her University course work. Thishad not been an easy experience

for Sokhon. However, she told methat the process of facing her fearsas she went back to her homevillage, to meet people she hadknown during the Pol Pot period,had helped her along in thehealing process.

A session run by ‘TheRagamuffin Project’ in theSaturday afternoonhighlighted for me the deeppain felt by manyCambodians because of

what happened there. We werehelped to understand a little betterjust how hard it could be for atraumatised person to relate toothers in a manner we would callnormal.

Pre-breakfast times of prayer eachmorning were a vital part of theconference. On the last day, thosewho would be going out to serve inCambodia sat in the centre of thecircle. This had the effect ofhighlighting their calling, as wellas their vulnerability, as we prayedspecifically for them in theirpreparation to go in Jesus` name.God is at work in Cambodia. Yet Ihave been reminded of the urgentinstruction of the Lord Jesus:“The harvest truly is plentiful, but thelabourers are few. Therefore ask theLord of the harvest to send outlabourers into his harvest.”

(Matthew 9,38)

SAO CONFERENCE 2004

John on the recent Awareness visit

tears werenever far

away

Update on HOSEA - its work and its staff

2001 - 105 caregivers trained43 organisations involved978 children & youngpeople benefited

2002 - 102 caregivers trained66 organisations involved1214 children & youngpeople benefited

2003 - 741 caregivers trained128 organisations involved4310 children and youngpeople benefited

Hosea staff members, Dara, Phearrith, Sarah and Deth.

The HOSEA Project is built on fourmain components: Networking andAdvocacy, Caregiver Training,Children’s Workshops, andResearch. Over the past three years,HOSEA team members have beenensuring that the needs identified bythe child-care facilities are met, andeach year, we have seen theseactivities grow in number andeffectiveness, for which we all praiseGod.

Networking andAdvocacyHOSEA continues to join andstrengthen the various childwelfare networking groups. At thebeginning of the year, VivaNetwork held a regional conferencein Malaysia for leaders of Christianministries to children. HOSEA senttwo of the team to attend.

HOSEA represents the Child

Welfare Group on the MinimumStandards Committee, alongsiderepresentatives from theGovernment and big organisationssuch as UNICEF. This has led to anopportunity to continue in directadvocacy, as HOSEA has beeninvited onto the Government’sAdvisory Committee for

Alternative Care.

Caregiver TrainingFollowing the success of last year’sHIV/AIDS Training Course forCaregivers, HOSEA decided torepeat the workshop. This yearthere are 22 participants from 14

Looking back:

During this year, HOSEA has beenable to undertake activities coveringall four of our components, so it hasbeen an exciting time for the HOSEAteam. Here is an update on previousreports in Vision 123.

Why are we doing it?Dara works for the HOSEA project asand Administrative assistant andbookkeeper. He had polio as a childand finds walking difficult.

Dara says...At the end of 2003 we successfullyprepared a Child Rights Workshop.Caregivers from 24 Provinces and citiesand 70 caregivers from 44 alternativechild care centers in Phnom Penh andKandal Province came, two wereBuddhist monks.

We smiled, laughed, ate and learnedtogether during 3 days and were pleasedwhen the pre test and post test clearlyshowed that the improvement in peoples’understanding. Now we are preparing afive month long course on HIV/AIDS,testing, transmission, protection firstaid, child development, hygiene andnutrition as well as caring for peoplewith AIDS.

Why does HOSEA do this job? This isthe one question people are alwaysasking, because they know we areproviding many valuable contributionsto communities and to children at risk.We always answer because we areChristians and we ask our Lord forwhat we need to do this job.

For me... I am happy with my work andmy life today. Because I have a livingand can get around and function in myrole although the world wasn’t designedto accommodate “my kind.”

Monks at the Workshop

Caregiver learns resuscitation

4 | No. 126 Summer 2004

VISION For Cambodia | 5

Children’s workshopThe Children’s workshop wasarranged by HOSEA and wasattended by the Mission Awareness2004 team who led the activities. Itis part of a growing opportunity todo direct children’s work now thatrelationships are established with theChild care community.

Many children live at the PhnomPenh municipal dump. This is adangerous place of heaped rubbish,decomposing scraps, the gnarled andtwisted bones of broken machinerysharing a home with discardedmedical waste and huge shards ofbroken glass. The intense heat of theCambodian sun, the overwhelmingsmell and the clouds of flieshumming over mounds of wastemake this inhospitable terraingenerally a place to be avoided.

But hundreds of people call it home.Everyday children and their familiescan be seen climbing over the pilesof rubbish, stick in one hand, ricesack in the other, picking throughthe refuse trying to salvage itemsthat can be recycled, resold, reusedor eaten. Children who would lovethe opportunity to go to school mustforgo the privilege, and run the dailyrisk of serious injury and infection tomake a few pence so their familiescan survive.

There are places of refuge for themduring the day, facilities where they

can rest out of the blazing sun, theircuts and infections tended to. Placeswhere they can shower, eat and learnto read and write. Places where theycan play and be children, where theycan be unburdened from the adultworld they’ve been forced into fartoo early. HOSEA helps two suchfacilities by training caregivers, andby providing fun activities toencourage networking and friendshipbuilding between children andcaregivers.

Forty children stepped out of theminibus in their best clothes, one ina thick, purple ski jacket, andanother in an older brother’s schooluniform. They shuffled into theChurch hall, completely silent, wary,untrusting. The burst of colour fromthe parachute lying on the floorsparked interest and it was not longbefore the adult-like masks gave wayto 6 year old squeals of pleasure and12 year old grins as the unfamiliargame got underway, and broke theice.

The room filled with laughingchildren, colouring, modelling,playing, shouting, singing, smilingtogether in the knowledge that thiswas a safe place, with safe people.Orphans, street children, childrenwith HIV and children withbackgrounds of extreme povertyplayed harmoniously for the entireafternoon, making things that theyhad never had the opportunity to seebefore, let alone play with - puppets,paper games, play-dough models,musical instruments.

Little goodie bags of fruit, snacks andbottles of water were handed out byHOSEA during the break. Despite thetell-tale signs of borderline

malnutrition and hunger, most ofthe children took a peek inside thebag and then tied the handlestogether without touching thecontents. Slightly worried, HOSEAteam members sat next to a little girlof 8 for a quiet, break-time chat. Thesnacks are great, she reported. ‘I’mtaking mine home for my mummy -I know she hasn’t eaten anythingtoday.’

ResearchHOSEA has been conducting a surveyto discover the level and quality ofchild-care given by monks in templeslocated in rural communities. Thishas been with a view to modifyingHOSEA’s current workshops andtraining courses to offer to themonks as caregivers. The researchhas proved popular with the monksand temple priests, who areoverwhelmed that a Christian projectis seeking to help them do a betterjob, and the positive relationshipsformed have led to interestingconversations.

Looking forward, there are manymore activities planned for the restof the year, including a ParentingSkills Training Course, a DrugsAwareness workshop, an HIV/AIDSworkshop for monks, re-recordingsongs about good health andnutrition on a CD for children,another Social Activity Afternoon forchildren at risk, more retreats withThe Ragamuffin Project and morenetworking and advocacy. For thisHOSEA will be recruiting two moreteam members to join us.

Praise God with us for all the waysHe has used HOSEA for His glory,and join us in prayers for the team,and all the planned activities.

Sarah chhin

Deth says “I am the Khmercounterpart for Sarah, who managesthe project. I am also a mother. Whatdoes being a mother mean to me?Sometimes I feel sad, sometimes proud,sometimes I work hard and sometimes Ihave fun with my little son Matthew.He is our first son and a so I can say heis a wonderful gift from God to Grahamand me. Matthew smiles his lovelysmile most of the time and all myproblems go and enemies and strangersbecome friends.”

Phearith says “I am a supportworker in the Project and really like mywork here. I enjoy the way thatHOSEA does team building because wecan deepen relationship with oneanother as well as have fun. This is oneof the factors that lead us to be good atnetworking and successful in our work.I do not forget that the Lord our Godalways shows us the best way.”

different facilities, including aGovernment run orphanage.Presenters on the course are mainlyKhmer and mainly Christians.

A new initiative is a Proposal andReport Writing course, whichHOSEA is sponsoring 25 facilityadministrators and directors toattend.

Caregivers at the Hosea Child Rights Workshop

Tim Martindale (Godmanchester)I look back with very fondmemories of a few days in the sunin Cambodia last February. It waswarm in every way; thetemperature was never less than 30degrees (even at night!) but morememorable was the warmreception from our hosts andindeed everyone who met us withsmiles, generosity and hospitality.

Arriving alone after the rest of theream, I was confronted by thegrimaces of the guards and officialsat passport control in Phnom PenhAirport. I was relieved to be met bythe friendly smile of Pola. Pola isthe husband of Sarah, the Managerof the HOSEA project (seealso page 9). Pola is aKhmer and speaks as muchEnglish as I do Khmer! AndPola was to be my guide forthe day! And an excellentguide he was for awonderful introduction toCambodia. The lack of a commonverbal language was completelysurpassed by Pola’s friendlywelcome and enthusiasm to helpme see Phnom Penh. From theextravagance of Sihanouk’s goldplated, silver floored palace to thepoverty of the cardboard shanty-town next door and from theelevated Wat Phnom to the depthsof human depravity at Tuol Sleng;a former Khmer Rouge prison.

Pola’s father had been a General inLon Nol’s Army. He was born intoa happy family with a comfortablehome in Phnom Penh. After hisfather resigned from the Army theywent back to his father’s village inthe province of Kratie, where therewas work at a rubber plantation.Pola’s father died following themove and then after Pol Pot cameto power the family wascompletely broken up.

In 1979 Pol Pot was deposed andPola, with his mother and onebrother, returned to Phnom Penh.The family home had gone andthey had to live as best they could,but 5 brothers and 3 sisters hadmiraculously survived. 2brothers and 14 nieces andnephews were not sofortunate.

As we met and talked to theKhmer nationals inSAO/ICC, the Church andthose we met in the projects, werealised that Pola’s story was notexceptional amongst those thathave lived through the recenttroubled times. This is what liesjust beneath the surface andbehind the welcoming, warm and

hospitable smiles. I am surethe returning tourists willnot see this as they soak upthe warm sun and exoticsites and sample the Khmercuisine in the myriad ofexcellent restaurants across

the bustling city. We felt humbledand privileged to have had a peakbehind the mask to the heart ofthe Khmer people. We pray thatthe work of SAO/ICC will continuein the many excellent projectswhich we saw, to bring hope andhealing to a wonderful Countryand its people.

Roz Johnson (Bawtry)Highly recommended, taken at atrot, there’s so much to see, so

many people to meet andso little time to do it in.The schedule was a miracleof forward planning andday to day flexibility! Wehad many laughs and lotsof more thoughtful times.It is impossible to decide

what the most special times were.One of the best for me was beingwith the street children - playinggames and crafts with them withthe HOSEA people. Their laughing,smiling faces and openness werewonderful - and from children thathad next to nothing. We would allhave liked to spend more timewith them. One other wasthe visit to the SPPA projectsto see the micro-enterprisesin the villages where theyare making granulated sugar,soy sauce, futons, and othersewing projects. The industryof the workers and theimagination and persistenceof the team were impressive.

An excerpt from my journalat the end of the trip sumsup most of it for me.‘This has been one of the mostwonderful /tiring /emotional/encouraging /frustrating/funny /challenging two weeks

6 | No. 126 Summer 2004

Reflections on Awarene

We had alook behind...to the heartof the Khmer

laughing,smiling facesfrom childrenwith next to

nothing

of my life. The contrasts of dirt/dust,rich and poor, old and modern,decrepit, shanty and ornate palaces,city bustle and village life, freedomand captivity, the bizarre and ‘off thewall’ all need a lot of processing in mymind. The wonderful hospitality andpatience of our hosts, the smilingpeople; the chaotic traffic, lack of roadrage; continuous pipping of horns;traffic just flowing slowly around youwhile you steadily progress across theroad - all these are lastingimpressions. Also the amazingprogress made by the mission staff indifficult circumstances - all due toGod’s abundant grace and their hardwork, commitment and sense ofhumour.’

Rev. Peter Warren (Blackpool)I had been looking forward toactually going to Cambodia for along time but as we flew intoPhnom Penh, I realised that I wascompletely outside mycomfort zone! For a fewminutes I was anxious as Isaw the shanty town housesand the dusty scenery.However as we landed there was agreat sense of anticipation andexcitement. This was going to be a

very special experience!

John Heard told us to make themost of the initial impact ofCambodia as we travelledfrom the airport. We wouldnever again come toCambodia for the first time.Sights, sounds and smells(!)overwhelmed our senses....motos with up to five on board,life, activity, people everywhere,vibrant colour, food stalls, dust andheat.

Over the next two weeks we gaineda wonderful and priceless insightinto Cambodia. Special memoriesincluded flying in the tiny MAFplane to the remote areas; seeing aunited international team atMondulkiri; understanding some ofthe joys and challenges of missionlife with Jez and Jacqui Heasman inRatanakiri; and experiencing acountry open to the good news ofJesus, with a young and vibrantchurch that seeks to minister toboth body and soul. We met somany wonderful Cambodian

Christians - ordinarypeople who are making areal difference. For oneafternoon the MissionAwareness team helped run

activities for local children who‘work’ on the rubbish tips of

Phnom Penh. It was aprivilege for us to beinvolved and helpwith the ongoing workof HOSEA. It wasclearly a very specialoccasion for thechildren, who were ajoy to be with. Theevent was a greatsuccess for thechildren and all theleaders and helpers. Asthe bus took thechildren home, Ireflected that there wasa bus full of specialsouls.

We saw so many different thingson the trip and it really was a lifechanging experience. Myperspective has been broadened asI have seen God at work in newand different ways in His world.

One sight seemed to sum up somuch. After the SAO trip I stayedon for two weeks to meet

Cambodian Christians whohad lived through theKhmer Rouge years. On mytravels I saw a small boyfloating on a metal bowl inthe middle of the vast Tonle

Sap Lake! He looked quitecontented too! That little boysummed up the fragility, theresilience, the humour and thesheer miracle that makes Cambodiasuch an amazing place.

I came back from Cambodiawondering when I would returnand hoping that it wouldn’t be toolong! Thank you John Heard andSAO Cambodia for makingCambodia become a reality for us.

ess Visit Feb 04

SO HOW ABOUT YOU?■ Do you want to be able to pray with

first hand experience of the country?■ Are you interested to see what God

is doing through the Mission and inthe Church?

■ Do you want to give the Missionworkers a word of encouragement?

■ Do you want to move out of yourcomfort zone?

■ Do you wonder if God is calling you?

Why not come and find out for yourself ona Mission Awareness visit. Contact Elaine atthe office for information about future trips.

fragility, theresilience, the

humour

a young andvibrant church

VISION For Cambodia | 7

8 | No. 126 Summer 2004

From Nagaland to the land of the Nagas*

Rev Wati Longkumer

Wati’s CallIn the summer of 1995, whilestudying at Trinity TheologicalCollege in Singapore I received afax from a Baptist Pastor in HongKong whom I did not know. Thecontent of the fax and thesubsequent meeting with him wasto change the course of myministry. He said that he had cometo know of my call to Cambodiaand knew of a mission opportunitythere. Would I like to meet him?

When we met a few weeks later hetold me of their search for teachersfor what was then the only BibleSchool in Cambodia - the PhnomPenh Bible School - of which hechaired the Board. For me this wasan answer to prayer andconfirmation that God wanted methere.

A year earlier I had begun prayingfor mission opportunities inCambodia with the specific requestthat the Lord would open doors fora teaching ministry. But inquiriesto missionaries on the field hadgone unanswered. I was losinghope. But God does work wonders!Here I was, meeting a person whoheard about my vision from afourth person in a chain. A friend

of mine told her friend in HK whotold her friend and she told herPastor. Now he was inviting me tocome teach at PPBS!

In Cambodia at lastBy September 1995 I visited PPBSon an introductory trip and by theend of February 1996 I was livingin Phnom Penh and beginning mynine years of ministry.

Besides his responsibilities at PPBSWati is also the Co-Coordinator forNETCLIK (Network for Educationand Training of Christian Leaders InKampuchea), a network oforganisations conducting orsupporting Christian Leadershiptraining in Cambodia, which SAOCambodia attends. A furtherresponsibility is as Chair of theCambodia Cassette Bible Institute, atraining programme spearheaded byFEBC to take the Bible to thevillages.

*If you are wondering what aNaga is, it is the mythicalmulti headed snake of Cambodiawhose image appears at many oftheir historical and religioussites.

Rev Wati Longkumer and his familyare from Nagaland India. He ispresently the Dean of Academics atPPBS (the Phnom Penh BibleSchool). They have been sent toCambodia by their home missionBoard, the Nagaland MissionaryMovement, in partnership with theHong Kong Baptist Church. Hereceived his theological training inIndia (BA & BD) and Singapore(M.Th. Biblical Studies). Wati ismarried to Arenla and they have twoboys Chizuk (7 years) and LongsenLuka (4 years). He has taught atPPBS since February 1996. He isnow preparing to come to the UK forfurther study at the Oxford Centrefor Mission Studies.

He will conduct research on thehistory of the Cambodian Church, asubject where very little research hasbeen done so far. He hopes that hisstudy will further equip him to helpthe fledgling Cambodian Church.

The Longkumer family

Phnom Penh Bible School

Phnom Penh Bible School:To meet the urgent pastoral needsof the Church in Cambodia, PPBSwas established in 1992 by theCountry Network, a non-denominational organisation thatnetworks with other missionminded agencies to supportChristian leadership training inAsia. It offers a three year tertiaryDiploma in Christian Ministry. Todate 146 students have graduatedmany of whom are now in keyleadership positions in theChurch in Cambodia. PPBS has acurrent enrolment of 75 students.The fulltime faculties are drawnfrom five countries and areassisted by a pool of visitingnational and expatriate teachers.

Small Bible group

VISION For Cambodia | 9

Sarah is leading the HOSEA childcaregivers support project and Pola isher Khmer husband and an SAOCambodia affiliate.

Meet Pola...I interviewed Pola so that you canall get to know him a bit!

What is your full name?My name is Chhin Pola - Chhin ismy family name.

When were you born?I’m not really sure, but in mypassport it says 1st March 1969.

What is your occupation?I have my own ministry servingpeople who are called by God towork in Cambodia - I want to helpthem have good experiences inCambodia, so that they can workfor God more effectively. I offerthem services as a PrivateContractor - finding houses,renovating and building houses,making furniture, maintenancework and being a taxi driver. Iespecially like carpentry becauseit’s like sport - you work up asweat!

What are your hobbies?I enjoy playing sport, especiallyfootball, volleyball and ping pong.Every Tuesday I play football witha group of foreigners. I also likelistening to music and reading myBible.

What’s your favourite food?People aren’t going to be interestedin that! I like to eat anything aslong as it has meat with it!

What was your bestexperience in England?I appreciated the way people

respect each other and likedmeeting Christians who welcomedme as a brother. I also enjoyedlearning how to live as a family inEngland.

What was your least enjoyableexperience in England?Walking for long distances, becauseI get a bad back.

What was the most surprisingthing you saw in England?The way women kiss men whenthey meet and also people whopierce their eyebrows, tongues andbelly buttons - why do they dothat?

What makes you happy?I always thank God that He hasgiven me a wonderful wife andthat I have been able to visit hercountry. It was great to see that wereally are all one big family. As anorphan that makes me reallyexcited.

Our house has a lovely garden,home to many wonderfulcreatures, not least Rocky, ourscatty dog. These animals are fine,as long as they stay outside!

When the rainy season begins, itmeans an end to peaceful sleep!After a long and heavy downpour,the whole garden becomes a bigbog, and all the frogs have a party!Frogs and toads of all shapes andsizes have competitions on whocan croak the loudest, and addingthat to the sounds of crickets andcicadas, sleep becomes elusive. Thefrog chorus can be amusing though- one of the toads croaks, ‘Ha haa,ha haa!’ every night!

Rocky is part forest dog, and anyother animals in our garden are fairgame for him to seek and destroy.Woe betide any poor frog whodares to hop across the drive! Butthis skill has its advantages,especially when he hunts downlarge rats. He’s also taken tosniffing out mice, which live in thekitchen and run around our lounge- really, very helpful.

After one storm, we were delightedto find a baby python sunningitself on a bush. Our next doorneighbour found the motherpython in their yard, wrappedaround their prize fightingcockerel! It was over 2m long and

very beautiful - the neighbours letit eat the cockerel, and thendecided to take advantage of theCambodian belief that pythons arelucky, and sold it for a large sum ofmoney!

As I said, it’s fine when the animalsare outside - this means they alsocome inside. One Saturdaymorning, we were up late andexpecting guests, so ran aroundmadly getting ready. It wasn’tuntil we were entertaining that Ispied a huge, male crab climbingup the lounge curtains!Don’t you just hate it when thathappens?!

Chat from the Chhins

10 things we miss from England● hot water on tap● regular dustbin men● washing machines● lie-ins● the cold (Pola!)● drinkable tap water● small spiders● reliable electricity● mouse traps● ant free sugar

10 essentials in our house● mouse glue● barred windows● Tiger Balm● communal flip flops in the

bathroom● surge protector● toothpicks● toilet-side water squirter● 6m long cobweb duster● mosquito coils● water filter

Sarah and Pola

All things bright and beautiful...

Brian Maher

Neh 6:16; “.......this work had beendone with the help of our God.”

Todd Smith, an advisor (fromCMS NZ) to the EFC YouthCommission, and I were standingwatching 320 young Christianleaders taking part in lunch timegames at the Youth Commission’s9th Annual Youth Leaders’Conference. Todd, there to teach aworkshop on principles of biblicalleadership, said: “So Brian, you’vefulfilled your vision for Cambodianyouth. No other Cambodian youthcamps come close to the qualityyou provide here.”

It was true in some sense. Myvision of seeing Mr. Uon Seilacome on as a full time co-directorwas especially rewarding.

Later I looked out over the 375people worshiping God, andrealized that my vision is only

partially fulfilled. I rejoiced thateach year we could give thismany young people anexperience they will never forget,preparing them to demonstrateChristian maturity, unity andleadership in their communities.However, I lamented the fact thatwe could only focus on thosewith leadership potential due tolack of resources. My vision is topurchase land in Sihanoukvillewhere there could be year roundtraining and teaching.

More than one person asked me;“Brian, you don’t look as stressedas you have before just before theYouth Conference.” Any stress Imay have had was coming fromhaving my wife Debbi in Thailandfor a thyroid operationwhile I looked after ourthree kids. For the firsttime I did notaccompany Seila a dayearly to set up. He hadtwo punctures on my

pick up and then the radiatorbegan to leak - business asusual! I wasn’t that stressed because itwas clear that the funds hadalmost all come in, andbecause the YouthCommission, and the manyvolunteers who have helpedfor quite a few years are nowquite competent.

The buses arrived a bit late,and all 320 campers and 70helpers disembarked onto thegrounds of the CCS Hotel.After a hilarious orientation forthe campers by Seila, he sleptthe rest of Monday and into

Tuesday, exhausted from monthsof activity. Camp Directors, Dr.Tevyneath, Pastor Runnath Nara,Youth Pastor Seng Vitol, and I,picked up the slack.

After the evening meal, PastorMam Barnabas opened the

conference, summarizing thetheme of “Youth Fulfilling Vision”through the book of Nehemiah.We are helping the Youth tounderstand how vision evolves andwe can work along with God to seeit unfold. How did the process of

Nehemiah’s vision unfold?What kind of person washe that God gave him aspecial vision? Was thefact that he was an advisorto the Persian King a

coincidence? He wasn’t a pastor,nor a priest; does God use laypeople to do great things? Well,these young people would find out.

We ran workshops, led by

Brian, who has previously written forus about the Cambodian Church,spends most days working for theEFC’s Youth Commission and is acolleague of our own GrahamSymons. He has lived with hisfamily in Phnom Penh since 1994.

WORKSHOP CHOICES:Level A - for new Christians■ Life Decisions & Planning■ Introduction to Sexual Awareness■ How to understand your Bible■ The Value of Women to the church■ Christian Response to HIV/AIDS■ Coping with Stress & Trauma■ Reaching Out to Youth in Crisis■ Biblical Principles of Leadership

Level B - for the moremature

■ Youth Fulfilling Vision■ Interactive Bible Teaching Methods■ Khmer Bible Translations■ Problem of Pain & Suffering

Nehemiahfulfilled the vision

God gave him

EFC Youth Camp Fulfilling

Todd Smith leading a workshop

Conference Leaders

10 | No. 126 Summer 2004

The Last Word“Hello, my name is Boravuth, also calledBenjamin. I am the worship leader ofthe New Life Church and the leader of ayouth group. I have been a believer fortwo years and came to Christ throughthe witness of a close friend. In thiscamp, one the messages that touchedmy heart the most was a sermon givenby Pastor Mam Barnabas, who spoke onthe story of Nehemiah. He just did notgo out at once to accomplish his visionbut waited for God’s leading and timing.Despite people laughing and making funof him, Nehemiah was victorious infulfilling the vision that God gave him.

A workshop that really touched myheart was ‘Reaching Out to Youth inCrisis’. They gave us very specificexamples of how to reach unbelieving

young people. Another workshop thatwas valuable was Introduction to SexualAwareness. It encouraged us youngpeople to remain pure until we getmarried. Our culture is now changing, itis becoming acceptable to date and havegirlfriends. It also encouraged us toremain faithful to our spouse when wedo get married, rather than take anotherwife, have a girlfriend, or to visitprostitutes.

The games we played on the beach wereso much fun. There was one game whereteams threw and caught water balloonsin Kramas (scarves) over a covered volleyball net. We had to use the Krama notonly to catch the water balloon, but alsoto throw it back over the covered net!(see also front cover)

This was my first time attending, and

although it was pretty intense andtiring, I loved every part of the camp. Iplan to take these ideas and use themwith my youth group. I will also applythe lessons learned to my own life andthat of my church’s youth group. Pleasepray for me as I would like to returnagain next year for more fun and newideas.”

Cambodians and expatriates, tohelp youth awareness of the socialissues plaguing Cambodian and togive them some tools to respondbiblically. Other workshopsencouraged the camper’s ownpersonal spiritual growth, andprepared them for leadership intheir churches.

The dynamics of this areinteresting; Christian expatriateswho are community developmentprofessionals; missionaries; fiveformer campers who are now in‘full time Christian Service’ and 2or 3 experienced Cambodianpastors, only one of whom has hadany formal Bible training. Theseolder pastors, with experience ofdepending on Godthrough many trials andpersecutions, have a lot toteach the Youth. Theyouth camps are not foryoung people who wantto be pastors. There aremany Bible Schools in PhnomPenh for that. We want to train

youth to be salt and light asprofessionals; teachers,lawyers, businessmen,farmers or wherever Godplaces them among the ebband flow of life in theCambodian community.

This year, 80% of the campers

came from the provinces, manyfrom very poor families. WithCambodians having an averageannual income of $300 per year, itis exciting to see that young peoplecome up with money, andunfortunately, each year we areforced to turn many away.

workshopsthat touched

my heart

a Vision

Youth Conference participants

Beach games

VISION For Cambodia | 11

SAO Cambodia, Bawtry Hall, Bawtry, Doncaster, DN10 6JH • Tel: 01302-714004Email: admin@saocambodia.org • Web site: www.saocambodia.org

Government StalemateNo party managed to achieve therequired majority following theJuly 2003 election and there hasbeen no constitutional governmentsince. But the Cambodian People’sParty (CPP) has proposed a two-party coalition government withFUNCINPEC under a 55-45 plan,with members of the Sam RainsyParty joining within theFUNCINPEC framework. The CPPwon 73 seats, FUNCINPEC 26 andSam Rainsy 24. There have beenprotracted discussions between theparty leaders – Prince Ranariddh(FUNCINPEC), Sam Rainsy andHun Sen (CPP) – on the terms ofthe coalition. Meanwhile CPP, withHun Sen as Prime Minister,continues to governunconstitutionally. In May therewere early signs of a possiblebreakthrough

World Trade Organisation(WTO)WTO countries have givenCambodia an extension fromMarch until September to completeconstitutional parliamentaryratification of the agreed entryterms. But the political deadlockmust be solved first.

Market EconomyCambodia is aiming to achieve agenuine market economy.Assuming final accession intoWTO, the country is expectinggrowing overseas markets for its

products, garments in particular.The target is to turn one of theworld’s least-developed countriesfrom depending on foreign aid intoone benefiting from foreigninvestment.

Garment FactoriesThe garment industry employs230,000 workers and in 2003accounted for $1.5 billion, themajority of Cambodia’s exportearnings. Factories have madewage improvements but still haveproblems with forced overtime, theUN International LabourOrganisation (ILO) said afterinspecting 62 of the country’s 200factories.

Khmer Rouge TrialsPreparations for a tribunal to trythe ageing leaders of the KhmerRouge for crimes against humanityare delayed. Cambodia and theUN agreed to create a special courtbut this still needs approval byCambodia’s National Assembly,which cannot yet happen becauseof the political deadlock. NoKhmer Rouge leader has facedjustice for the 2 million peoplewho died in the “Killing Fields,”many of them tortured andexecuted, others dying ofstarvation, disease or overwork.

Those likely to be indicted includeIeng Sary, a former deputy primeminister, and his wife, KhieuThirith; Khieu Samphan, a formerpresident; Nuon Chea, a formertop leader; Ta Mok, a formermilitary commander; and Kang KekIeu, a former torture prisoncommander known as ComradeDeuch, the latter having given hislife to Jesus in recent years.Meanwhile, Khieu Samphan, hasrecently published memoirs inwhich he denies taking part in themass killings, saying his role wasceremonial. Pol Pot, the topKhmer Rouge leader, died in 1998.

Poverty Reduction FailureIn 2000, Cambodia, together withthe majority of UN member states,adopted a MillenniumDevelopment Goal to combatpoverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy,environmental degradation andgender discrimination. But PrimeMinister Hun Sen admitted hisgovernment was failing to reducepoverty.

Mekong River dammingAlong parts of its length, one ofthe world’s great rivers has beenreduced to a fraction of its formerflow by Chinese dams andengineering works. The Mekongstarts in the Tibetan plateau andflows through China, Burma,Thailand, Laos, Cambodia andVietnam. The dams are likely toseriously affect Cambodia, whereannual floods create the world’sfourth largest catch of freshwaterfish and work for 1.5 millionpeople. Cambodia catches 400,000tonnes of freshwater fish a year,behind only China, India, andBangladesh.

Riot AftermathThai officials moved back into theirembassy in Phnom Penh just overa year after a nationalist mob burntthe building following unfoundedrumours of Thai claims ofownership of the Angkor Wattemples, Cambodia’s symbol ofnational pride.

Terrorism SuspectsA court dismissed terrorism chargesagainst four foreigners and aCambodian accused of belongingto the al-Qaida-linked JemaahIslamiyah regional terror network.

Cambodia NewsCompiled by John Heard from various sources