Do I Have A Choice?

Written and photographs by William Ting
Mission Trip to Cambodia 17-24 Nov 2007

This is a long overdue report but after some thought, it is better late than never.

I have never planned to go to Cambodia for mission last Nov because of my work. It was because one of my very important projects was due to complete in Nov. I couldn't afford to miss the commissioning date. But because Bro Paul one day came up to me and told me "William, you are going to Cambodia". I said "Do I have a choice?". Anyway, that was history now. I decided to go in faith. True enough, my project was completed on 14 Nov 2007. I went with peace in my mind.

The response for this mission trip was overwhelming. At the beginning, more than 20 people registered for it. Anyway, on the departure date, there were 21 people.

Group photo with family members at Miri Airport

We were divided into Team A & B which was led by a qualified doctor each, ie, Dr. Roy and Dr. Lau. I went with Team B.

We stayed overnight at the Bible College in Phnom Penh. Early the next morning my team left for Svay Rieng which is near the Vietnamese border.

Departure to Svay Rieng at 5:00AM - 4 hours journey

The road was mostly tar sealed except for a dusty stretch of road under construction. We stopped at a ferry point and there were so many "traders".

Scratch resistance Ray Ban sunglass, US$1 each. Anyone? US$ is freely used in Cambodia.

Delicious looking prawn. I had no idea how much they cost and neither was I brave enough to try them. I was told that I might get "food poisioning" if I was not used to the food stuff there. As a precaution, I already had Hep A&B injections before I went.

On arrival at Svay Rieng, there was a crowd waiting for us. The local Methodist Church is run by a Korean missionary who mastered Khmer language in three months.

This girl was very sick and had been waiting since early morning. She needed specialist care and there was not much humanly we could do except to ask for divine healing.
After the doctor had seen the patients, we prayed for them. We also provided them with some basic medicine.In addition to medical ministry, we also did children ministry and some social concern, eg, cutting hair.

After cutting my children's hair for the past 20+ years, Pastor Kim trusted his hair to me!

After three days and seeing over 200 patients, we finally bid farewell to Pastor Kim. We hope to return again.

Farewell Pastor Kim, family and friends

Living condition
I came from a farming background and I am used to stay in worse condition. Therefore, I found the living condition in this mission trip very good. Food was basic but Pastor Kim was so obliging that he "supplemented" us with fruits and other goodies. Thank you Pastor Kim! Also, the church is very near to Svay Rieng city (10 minutes walk away) and looking for any extra that might be needed was quite simple.

I noticed that Cambodian meals normally consisted of just two "dishes". Pastor Kim's wife made Korean pancake for us!

Fruits, etc, provided for us by Pastor Kim.

Evangelism

There was plenty of opportunity to evangelise to the people there. In this trip, our primary objectives were to do medical, social concern and prayer for the sick. In future trip, we should get ourselves more prepared for evangelism. Our team did not evangelise to as many people as we would like to. But the other team was more successful.

Missionary In Cambodia

Extracted from TMC
(Victoria, our past administrator is now a missionary in Cambodia)

Written and emailed by victoria s/m ck

Friday, 16 January 2009

Praying for the needs of the church during Sunday worship pastor in blue shirt Last September, I took a mission team to a small church for community work and children ministry. Everyone had a good time of learning and teaching even though there was a language barrier. In one of the health talk, the team was teaching the children how to brush their teeth and I noticed even the grandmas (a few of them) were joining in. One particular grandma was toothless and she was happily brushing her gum and laughing over it as well. She has a very big heart too, though she is living in poverty, she adopted 3 young orphan boys whose parents were killed in an accident. She has poor eye sight due to cataract but she is very fervent for the Lord. In this church, there is a group of grandpas and grandmas who are very fervant for the Lord and nothing will deter them from coming to church on Sundays. They are all poor church members who have no income. The younger members are mostly farmers or factory workers. This church doesn't even have chairs to sit. I had shared before about their offerings - they gave rice as an offering. This church has witnessed some miraculous healings in the past. The sick could not afford to go to the hospital or if they did, the doctors gave up on them so the only choice they had, was to turn to God. God answered their prayers in various ways.

The Cambodia Experience

Written by Andy Chew. Tuesday, December 16, 2008. Posted by Peter Yong

Cambodia Mission Trip (Part II)

Last Sunday I shared my testimony during the church service, both the morning and evening sessions. The key point was we as Christians should make mission work as part of our Christian life. There are some members of our church who do just that: going for mission after mission. Praise the Lord for giving them that vision and a humble heart to serve in this manner.

Cambodia opens its door to the world. Along with progress and development came certain negative influences. Christian organisations around the world are working very hard to bring the Gospel to this land. An important strategy would be to help the local Christians to be on their own footing and be self sufficient. To this end both short term and long term mission works are an essential part to realise this vision. I am glad to know that there are already a number of brothers and sisters who have already signed up for the 2009's trip. Amongst them are two of my young colleagues in my department.

It took me 4 years before I signed up for mission work. The Disciple (I) course and the 40DOP campaign helped me to realise the importance of doing mission work. We as children of God need to offer ourselves as vessels for Him to use to bring the Gospel to others. The love of Christ and the grace of God is not for us to keep to ourselves, but to share with others.

I used these two videos during my sharing:-

(1) Cambodia Mission 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4GREuz4xfE

(2) Cambodia Children
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq_zDgX-DrM&eurl=http://andyshchew.blogspot.com/

Most of the photos used in the videos are taken by Dr Edward Tiong.

Glory to God.


Part 1 Sunday, November 23, 2008

Cambodia Mission Trip 2008

21 of us from different churches in Miri, Bintulu and Sibu participated in the mission trip to Cambodia this year. The team had the opportunity to do medical treatment/screening, social concern and children ministry at a number of locations, both in the province and Phnom Penh. The team departed for Phnom Penh on 15th November. Rev Jessica Tiong, Brother Steven Yeoh and wife Jennifer greeted us at the airport. We travelled by bus to the Cambodian Methodist Bible School, where we spent a night doing briefing and unpacking (of our luggage) and packing (for the supplies at the province). Early next morning we set out for the Takeo Province, and after two hours we arrived at Trapeng Reang Methodist Church. We stayed at the province for three days, during which time we carried out our medical mission at Trapeng Reang, Angkrosang and Prey Cheul Teal. After that we went back to Phom Penh, where we continued with our work at the Methodist School of Cambodia and the Cambodian Methodist Bible School. We also had time to visit places of interest, like the Faith Engine Vocational Training Centre, Khmer Life Vocational Training Centre, Central Market, Russian Market etc.

Here are some of the photos taken by me and Brother Peter Ting. More photos and stories will come once I have a chance to collect them from other team members.

Group photo taken in front of Trapeng Reang Church. Pastor An Meng Thai and his wife, Pastor Chanti were posted to this church at the beginning of the year.

Sharing of testimony at the church. I had the privilege of having the DS, Rev Prak Vuthy as my translator. Devotion - spending time with God. This is a very important part of the mission. Team photo at Prey Cheul Teal Church. Patients are many, doctors are few ....... Shirley helping with eye assessment.

Dispensary.
Working till night fall. Children ministry. Nail cutting.

Colouring contest.

Grace, our youngest team member. She's only 11.

Delousing.

Hair cutting.

After the haircut.

After shampooing and delousing. Doesn't she look different?

The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Children ministry at a local school. Julia, Siew Ping and Candy did a great job.
The young men at the Faith Engine, which provide a 3 months technical/vocational course on car repair.
The Methodist School of Cambodia, where Bro Steven serves as the principal. The school has 540 students now and has become the top school in the country.
The Cambodian Methodist Bible School, one of the two leading bible school in Phnom Penh. This was our "base camp" when we were back in Phnom Penh.
The BB and GB team. From left: Private Egbert Lau, Lt Margaret, Captain Andy, Lt Candy, Captain Siew Ping, Lt Julia and Shirley (she's from 3rd Miri, while the rest are from 4th Miri)
I mingled with some youths who were waiting for a concert. I chatted with the boy on my left (his name is Pol) while his friends looked on. He had not heard about Jesus. I shared the Gospel with him and then prayed for him. May God raise up a generation for His Kingdom.
Many thanks to all the people who made this mission trip a successful one - Rev Jessica, Victoria, YuXia, Betty, Bro Steven and wife Jennifer. Also not forgetting all the local pastors - Pastor Som Sarun, Pastor An Meng Thai and wife Pastor Chanti, DS Rev Prak Vuthy, and Principal of CMBS Rev Svay Youtheroath. Above all, many thanks to our Lord.

7th Short-Term Cambodia Mission Trip

A short video clip on the 7th Short-Term Cambodia Mission Trip 15th - 22nd November 2008. Click on the link to view:-

Brotherly & Sisterly Love

Dances and Praises to the Lord

Hair Cutting

Doctor cares in the open, Prey Cheul Teal.

Health check for the needy, Trapang Reang.

The crowd and the needs

Children at the Trapang Reang's Church

Children at the Prey Cheul Teal's Church
The children at Angkrosang Church

The village's folks

With the children at Angkosang

The kids queuing for their nail to be trimmed, Angkosang.


Story telling and singing of praises

The Little Children

and Jesus

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. Luke 18:16-17

Lovely faces of kids at the city's riverbank. On their background are some bird's eggs and money on the floor. They are diligently enjoying eating the eggs without paying much attention to passer-by. They are so naive and beautiful.