Suh-Mission-Journal

Thoughts on Cambodia church

2010-12-20T00:43:00.003+07:00

Someone sent me a series of questions about Cambodian church for his graduate study. Big questions. Here are my brief answers and I thought it's worth sharing with whoever maybe interested.

1. How has the church grown and changed since the most oppressive days of the Khmer Rouge?
In 1979 when the Khmer Rough regime was toppled, only handful Christians survived in country. Some had escaped to other countries through refugee camps. Some returned and established churches and ministries. The church growth has been rapid. Especially during 1990s, an influx of missionaries and Christian NGOs contributed to such a rapid growth. Last several years, the church growth has been slow down (some worry it's plateaued). Incidentally many of those who were initially attracted to church/Christians for physical needs gradually dropped out. Lack of discipleship and leadership contributes to that.

2. What does the church (domestic church and international church body) do to address the poverty that exists within the country?
In Cambodia, there are many Christian NGOs (Non Government Organizations) tackling the poverty issues, primarily through community development, job training, and some advocacy. Some of the NGOs are church related. Some denominations established their own agencies for relief and development. Used to be a lot of hand-out types of ministries to the poor, creating dependency and false expectation issues, but nowadays most agencies focus on education/training for self-supporting/sustainable development. For they recognize the value and importance of developing capacity and ownership of people in the community for their own poverty eradication. Local churches, mostly small rural house churches, are seen as strategic partners who have direct access and impact on communities. So much efforts are being put (by NGOs and denominational agencies) to train and empower church leaders and members to become almost like community organizers who will facilitate village meetings and discussions how to improve their lives.

3. What are some of the biggest strengths that the church currently has?
Cambodian church is still young and small with huge potential for growth and greater impact on society. Many local churches are house churches led by farming lay pastors and leaders. So they are closely connected to surrounding communities. They are dynamically organized and not institutionalized. Can grow and reach out easily without bureaucratic structure.
Church is attracting young population (over 50% of Cambodians is under 20) by providing educational/vocational opportunities.

4. What are some of the biggest challenges that the church currently faces?
Lack of qualified leaders to lead young generation. Older generation of leaders is gradually fasing out. Transition is not smooth.
Church leaders are poorly equipped to lead churches move forward. Not enough access to resources for discipleship and personal growth. Some cases of persecutions in largely animistic Buddhist communities and growing suspicion and hostility toward Christians by nationalistic Buddhist leaders. Also growing forces of modernization, materialism and secularism choking the dynamic spirit of the church members

5. What do you see as the future of the church within Cambodia?
Like most other developing countries, urbanization is rapidly changing the landscape of Cambodia society and the church. Young people move to cities for education and jobs and many stay on. The churches targeting this population and provide relevant ministries are growing. I see this trend will continue. In rural areas, the church will continue remain small and poor, since most members are poor farmers whose worldviews and lifestyles will likely unchanged. However, through its fluid and contextualized structure, the gospel can spread like wild fire by the prompting work of the Spirit throughout Cambodia. It's homogenious society with one language, culture and vocation (rice farming). It's a small and flat country with decent roads that can reach everywhere within a day. There is a movement among some Cambodian Christian leaders to network and promote the gospel movement to every village by year 2021, called Mission Kampuchea 2021. Who knows? This can spark the fire of the Spirit.

A Bruised Reed He Will Not Break

2010-11-27T14:56:00.003+07:00

Some of you may have heard of the tragedy that occurred earlier this week in Phnom Penh where close to 400 people were killed and many others injured in a crowd stampede on a small bridge on the Mekong River. The whole country is in shock and we ask you to pray for those who lost loved ones and for the nation as a whole. Our family is fine and so far we don’t personally know any one involved.

The incident happened around the time of Water Festival, one of the main national holidays. The festival marks the return to normal flow of the Tonle Sap River which is reversed when the Mekong River is at peak flow during the rainy season. The holiday also coincides with the rice harvest. People come from all the corners of the country to Phnom Penh to celebrate.

Our family went down to watch the boat races Monday morning. We were impressed by how the hundreds of boats were coordinated and the teamwork on the boats. It was colorful and beautiful. We said to each other, “this is something Cambodia can be proud of.”

Then we heard the news next morning. We are in shock too and still processing. There are so many wonderful gifts that God has given to Cambodia and her people. Yet people seem vulnerable in so many ways and seem to be victimized more easily than other places. People are “at risk”—malnutrition, human trafficking, drug-resistant malaria, TB etc. We see young people (not just children and women) vulnerable too—even in the everyday decisions they face as they grow up.

We don’t know what makes Cambodians so vulnerable. We don’t know why evil seems to win the day in the presence of so much that is good. We do believe and hang our hope on Jesus. The Bible promises that he “will bring justice to the nations” and in the process, “a bruised reed he will not break.” Jesus’ salvation doesn’t do any collateral damage.

Please pray for Christ’s redemption to take hold of Cambodia and for him to bring justice and salvation to his people here quickly.

Summer update

2010-07-02T14:35:00.005+07:00

At last, rainy season is here (late this year). It's pouring outside of my window right now, and I'm enjoying the coolness it brings. We are also glad that the moving is over and our new house feels more like home. The last few weeks we've been busy fixing things and settling in. The major remaining issue is the bat guano in the ceiling which sifts down through the tiles. We passed by our old house the other day, and it was already demolished for a new building. We know why the landlord wanted us to be out. There is a construction boom in Cambodia making people busy building and rebuilding.
One of the ministry highlights has been the follow-up visit to those who responded to the gospel presentation at the dental clinic a few weeks ago. see the clinic:

I along with Ly and GCT staff visited their village homes. They were happy to see us and welcome us, and we were happy to encourage them and pray for them. One of them was "Sok" a mute lady. She was extremely shy and reluctant (probably due to many years of isolation and being ostracized), but when we finished praying for her, I saw her tears which seem to speak of God's work in her. Most of the villagers are illiterate, so there needs creative way to introduce them to the Bible.
So I'm beginning to use portable MP3 speakers that can play Khmer New Testament. These MP3 speakers can be purchased locally and relatively cheap. I'm field-testing so to speak. If goes well, I may use them more widely. Technology can definitely contribute to the gospel work if used wisely.

There is outbreak of Cholera in Cambodia. Many have died, including 3 men in the village. Villagers are afraid, believing evil spirits cause the sickness and death. So they place scarecrows in front of their houses. O only Christ can deliver them from the life of fear. I plan to continue helping the follow-up and possibly a church planting effort as the Lord opens the door.

Joyce continues volunteering at EFC Women Commission through advising and teaching. She is preparing and will be leading a session at the annual conference for women leaders in July 5-9. This time a focus will be to create regional networks. Rural women leaders are isolated and need encouragement from each other. A Bible study on discipleship is being developed for the semi-literate women so that they can get together and minister to each other centered around the Word. Please say a prayer for this effort.
It's school holidays for kids, but they are taking summer school in the mornings. Thanks to Logos school for providing this.
And of course they are growing daily.

Singapore Trip

2010-04-17T21:35:00.003+07:00

We just returned from Singapore trip. It was second time trip for Joyce and Mary and the first time for the rest of us. Our purpose of trip was two fold: (1) medical check-up for Mary and me (Gil); (2) family vacation during this school break--Khmer New Year.

First of all Mary needed to have a progress check up for her possible "precocious puberty." She has grown so fast over the last year that made us concerned and take her to see a specialist in Singapore in Nov. last year. Doctor said she's in "early stage of early normal puberty" in terms of her development and wanted to monitor her growth to determine if she needed a hormone treatment. Mary is not ill or anything, but a concern is if she grew too fast now, she may stop growing too soon and become a short adult. Also psychological and emotional stress related to early puberty is another concern. Thankfully, according to doctor's visit this time her growth has slowed down a bit so at this time we don't need to make a tough decision whether to treat her or not. We pray her growth would not accelerate but normalize.

For me, I needed to have a check-up on two lumps under my arm pit. I discovered these lumps a few months ago. A preliminary scanning in Cambodia showed no evidence of lymph nodes but not conclusive about sarcoma--cancer. A recommendation was to see a specialist in Singapore and have a MRI. The doctor in Singapore casually recommended a biopsy rather. Then at the lab, radiologist said there is no visible "target" to do a biopsy which she said is a rare case and recommended MRI. Interestingly that was the SOS doctor's recommendation in Cambodia. I took and showed her report to the Singapore doctor. He apparently ignored it or didn't take it seriously. (Later a taxi driver told me if it was a Singaporean patient, the doctor could have been in trouble--possibly being sued). Anyway I went ahead with MRI. Result was the lumps were 6 cm long each but most likely benign (lipoma). But the doctor recommended a surgery to remove the lumps completely in a month or two. I need to make a decision soon and feel stress about it although thankful for being spared from worse situations.

We had a nice family time in Singapore. A lot of things are quite contrary to Cambodia. Spotless and orderly. Upscale and controlled. But I didn't want to stay any longer than a week. Well, we couldn't afford it anyway; things are so expensive. Materialism was at work. I don't think there is any other city in the world that has so many clusters of shopping centers. And restaurants everywhere you turn to.

We stayed at YMCA International Guesthouse. Highly recommend. Basic but adequate. Perfect location. Everything is nearby: Bus station. Food court. Shopping centers. Cinema. Museum, and Orchard Road Presbyterian church was right next so we worshipped there on Sunday. Very nice service. Kids really liked the zoo and Science center. Joyce's favorite was Botanical garden. I enjoyed food courts.

We are happy to be back to Cambodia though. Humble modest Phnom Penh airport was so welcoming and I felt home hearing people speaking Khmer. Riding Tuk-tuk on the way home, my senses were again stimulated and came to life. All the sights, sounds, smell and sticky air blowing my face. Yes, this is Cambodia. I'm home.

One thing I was reminded of in Singapore was the importance of leadership for any group or society. Singapore became independent in 1965 and faced many challenges as a diverse society with high unemployment rate and lacking natural resources. How did it become so stable and developed in relatively short period of time? A key was effective leadership of the first prime minister who set solid foundation for the entire society--current prime minister is his son who seems highly effective and respected as well. I'm sure it's not perfect but in my mind it's a contrast to Cambodian history which is filled with tragedies due to leadership failures in my judgment. But Cambodia survived, and its people spared. Now busy rebuilding the society. Please join me praying that many leaders with the Kingdom vision will be raised up and write up new history for Cambodia.

Here are some pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/suhmission/SingaporeTripApril2010#

Long time No blog!

2010-03-14T15:25:00.004+07:00

Our blog hasn't been updated for awhile. Sorry! A lot of things happened. It's impossible to mention them all. I will post some pictures that highlight our last few months. Thanks.

Many visitors in Jan-Feb. including the students from Calvin college and Handong University

Calvin college students took over our living room. They were really good guests and eager to learn and engage. It was a delight to interact with although brief.

A short-term team from Michigan and a local Cambodian church helped building a new house for widow and her blind son. The hut on the right is the old one.

New Life Church of Phnom Penh Thmey mostly for young people. On a Wednesday service there was an altar call for many visiting students from the area. The pastor Sem is one of Timothy Leadership trainee.

Our family joined EFC staff going to visit Vietnam over New Year. At one of the stops.

Snapshots of highlight

2010-03-14T15:16:00.003+07:00

Our kids in Christmas t-shirts sent from a missionary friend's family in Canada

Grandma Dorothy visited us and had many unforgettable experiences including visiting Angkor Wat

And conversing with a Buddhist monk

Joyce continues to be involved with EFC Women Commission through teaching and consulting

Annual meeting of Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia. Gil led a session on mission movement in Cambodia

more snapshots of highlights

2010-03-14T13:50:00.005+07:00

Mary's 2nd grad class leading chapel of Logos school at their new campus

Our friend Ly Chhay sharing his life-timeline at Refocusing Leaders seminar in which Gil also attended.

Church leaders training at a village in Svay Rieng province, one of the poorest areas.

Pastors praying for their ministry plans at Timothy Leadership Training

Delicious Khmer food!!!

Regional Training in Battambang

2009-11-23T15:58:00.016+07:00

Last week, I (Joyce ) went to Battambang, a city in Cambodia near the Thai border. I was assisting the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia’s Women’s Commission in their Family Management training for church leaders. There were about 32 male and female church leaders in attendance for a 3-day workshop.

We received feedback that the training was greatly appreciated—that it addressed needs and concerns that these leaders face every day. This is the third run on the manual that I worked so hard on with the staff of EFC-WC. We were encouraged to hear that many participants plan to use the materials and what they learned in their churches and women’s groups. I can only thank God for he opportunity and the strength to carry through.

On my side, I was blown away by the faith of Cambodian Christians. The more I get to see the faith of people at a grass-roots level and hear people’s stories and testimonies, I am simply in awe. Although there may be a lack of training and Biblical foundation, there is a very deep and real faith. There is maturity that grows out of persecution, through exile from family and through living their faith in spite of hardships every day. Seeing these leaders in prayer for each other and for various issues in Cambodia and the world, I felt honored to be in the same room, privileged to take part in the expressions of faithfulness here. I thank God for bringing us to this place in this time.

One evening the staff of the Women’s commission said that they thought that since I came all the way to Battambang (5 1/2 hrs from Phnom Penh by bus), I should see some of the city. So after the program ended, we all climbed into a tuk-tuk to go “daerleeng”—this is a term which means to go out, to hang-out Cambodian style.
There needn’t be a fixed purpose as I understand it. So we drove around town, seeing some points of interest and came to spot where they thought we should get out. There were various food stalls and roadside restaurants.

They started joke around and ask me how many “bong diya” I was going to eat. We and just eaten a nice meal at the church, so I said that I wasn’t so hungry. I know that bong diya here aren’t simply duck eggs, but eggs with embryonic baby ducks (like balut in the Philippines). We sat down and started with fish cakes wrapped in vegetables, another local treat. The next thing I knew, there was a duck egg in front of me and I was being shown where it dip it and what to wrap around it. I have to say that it was better than boiled chicken eggs (which I don’t eat). I did have trouble actually finishing it, not because of the taste or even the texture (which wasn’t as rubbery as I thought it would be), but by the thought. Next time, I am sure that I can eat it all and even possibly enjoy it.

The next evening, we sat down for our meal at the church and one of the volunteers said that I should eat very slowly. She was going to bring some very good “triy aing”--roasted fish. I have to mention that the food at the training was excellent, always a soup and at least two other dishes, well-prepared, tasty, fresh. It’s not that we weren’t eating well. About 15 minutes later, the volunteer came with something wrapped in newspaper.
The experience led me to reflect on meals that I’ve had in various places over the years. And made me think about a top-ten list of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. Most of them are meals that I remember individually in vivid detail. There are a couple that made the list for overall consistent excellence.

1. Red stew with chicken made by the wife of our former student Obadiya Pandiwa in the Eastern Kambari area, Nigeria. Obadiya was our student at Smith Bible College and he had gone to work as a missionary in this remote place where the CRC was working. Gil also still talks about this meal when the subject of good food comes up. Although this list was meant to be in no particular order, this may be my favorite, even in the top 10.
2. Mom’s turkey dinner. What can I say? Will we be able to have it in the next two months while “Grandma” is visiting us in Cambodia?
3. Roasted lamb, Beijing, China. In the short 6 weeks in China where every meal was a treat this stop at a Uyghur restaurant is unforgettable. I don’t even normally eat lamb.
4. Kimchi Chigae, Charlie Kang’s, Lansing, Michigan. Gil was working at a church in Flint at the end of seminary. We were engaged and I usually went with him. Often we would swing by for this comfort food of Kimchi soup on the way back to Grand Rapids. How much of the memorability of this meal was its actual taste? How much was flavored by romance? It is hard to know.

I realize that it is hard to separate out the taste of a meal from the surroundings and atmosphere. As I look at the list that is developing, I have to recognize a certain “terroire” to many of these meals. How much of the greatness of Blessing’s red stew was the joy of eating it with a person who we had helped train and was now doing the Lord’s work cross-culturally? How much was just the red dirt, the sunlight, the expanse of the African countryside? How much of Mom’s turkey dinner is being in a warm house with family in the cooling days of Autumn or the chill of Winter in Canada?

5. Rice, beans and red stew, Jalingo Road, Nigeria. We were on the way to Gandole and needed to stop for lunch. Kathy Vanderkloet, a fellow missionary, suggested this hole-in-the-wall kind of place and I can not forget this humble meal that we had there. We often think of meals in Nigeria as being humble. But clearly that doesn’t mean not good. When I think of it, I can remember many individual meals made by each of the staff wives at Veenstra seminary and the peanut kunu made by my friend Charity and served steaming hot out of a thermos for breakfast from time-to-time.
6. Chinese feast, Beijing. One of our short-term mission team made friends with a girl whose mother owned a restaurant. Our team was invited for a meal and it felt like everything on the menu was on the table. Steamed, roasted, fried--every type of meat and vegetable cooked in every way imaginable. When I think of the banquet in the presence of the Lord in heaven, this is the meal I think of.. What does it tell you about food in China that, although I was only there for 6 weeks, two of my top 10 meals are there?
7. Korean barbecue. Well, this is another classic that seems to be good anywhere. Korean spicy tofu soup is at the same level in my mind and was a favorite in San Jose. Good Korean food is readily available in Phnom Penh and we get our share of it. But I am still waiting for the ultimate Korean dining experience when my dear husband of 12+ years takes me to Korea for the first time.
8. Omelet with deep-fried sweet potato chips, under the Mango tree, Wukari, Nigeria. I can make an omelet, have eaten omelets in fancy hotels even, but none have ever matched the perfect combination of onion, tomato and hot pepper. Maybe it is the generous oil, maybe it is the open fire. Maybe it is being able to rest in the shade of the mango tree. Maybe it was the feeling of being on the way. Something makes this experience--which became a habit when we traveled through Wukari—absolutely unforgettable.
9. Everything I’ve ever eaten in Thailand. Our vacation last week reminded me of this truism. We went for seafood—not normally my favorite. Particularly recommended was the crab curry. It didn’t sound good to me. Well, I was wrong. Thai food seems to capture the right combination of everything.
And now, a new addition to round out the top 10:
10. Grilled Red Snapper, Battambang Cambodia. As for others, the taste can’t be separated from the experience--eating outside, in front of the Methodist church, with staff and volunteers from EFC-WC, fish fresh from the fire, out of newspaper package, rushed over on the back of a motorcycle.

I can’t see changing this list, but given my experience in Cambodia so far, I am expecting the list to develop to a top-20 list in no time. People may wonder how missionaries can “eat the food” in the places where they are living. Well, the opposite is true. The question is how can we “not eat the food”? My list tells me to value the humble, roadside kind of places, and treasure the joy of sharing a meal with old and new friends.

Family Vacation in Chiang Mai Thailand

2009-11-04T22:24:00.006+07:00

Last week our family took a whirlwind 6-day vacation in Thailand. It was a national holiday—the water festival—in Cambodia and we felt we needed to get away. Thank you to Air Asia budget fares, we were able to make a “once in a lifetime” trip. Thank you also to budget fares, we were on two separate flights which meant getting our baggage, checking in and running through the Bangkok airport. Imagine a family of five losing all dignity. Thankfully we did make the flights both ways.

Once in Chiang Mai we were able to meet up with JJ and Junya Hwang missionaries. Both Gil and Joyce did short term mission trips to their hostel and discipling ministry, Jasper Kids, in Wiang Pa Pao. We were also reunited with Frank Kim our friend and member of San Jose New Hope CRC, who is serving there for 1 year.
We weren’t expecting it, but they truly hosted us. JJ arranged tours and accompanied us here and there, picking us up and dropping us off. Junya arranged and accompanied a medical consultation. Their recommendations, translations and company were amazing. Frank was fun and encouraging company the whole time.
What didwe do?: Elephant Camp adventure including show, elephant ride, oxcart ride through Lisu village, and bamboo raft trip down a small stream. Petting a baby tiger at tiger kingdom. Chiang Mai zoo—the highlight of which was the panda and animal show. We strolled the night bazaar and the Sunday night handicraft market.

We went visit the Jasper kids ministry and stayed over night. The highlights for the kids there were the cutting down of a mango tree, fishing and firecrackers. They made friends with Ethan and Abby, the Hwang kids. It was good for us to see a few familiar faces and see the progress of the ministry. Also, the trip to Wiang Pa Pao through the hills and forests seemed very refreshing
after being in Phnom Penh city for so long. Back in Chiang Mai, we went on the night Safari and the kids had their picture taken with a white tiger. On Sunday we worshiped and took communion in a Thai church pastored by Junya’s uncle. We strolled in the Queen’s garden and took in a festival the night before leaving. Check our Picasa album for more pics.

Given our itinerary, obviously, it was not a lay-around-and-relax kind of vacation. We succeeded in our purpose of getting away and having a real break. How does it feel back in Cambodia? It feels like home. Many times, we noticed and remarked how developed and advanced Thailand is in comparison to Cambodia. But that has not made us feel bad about being here. We see how a country in this part of the world might move forward—in its own way of course. And we long for the day when some of the harshest edges in Cambodian life will be smoothed out. Spiritually speaking we continue to be hopeful for God reaching out to this nation. And we are glad we are here to be part of that.

We are so thankful for the opportunity to have this kind of a break and especially thank JJ, Junya, Ethan, Abby and Frank for their hospitality and companionship. What a blessing to have friends with such giving hearts and hands.

Focus On the Family in Cambodia?

2009-10-18T13:50:00.005+07:00

We came to realize “family” as one of the most important ministry needs in Cambodia. For so many families are deeply scarred, broken and dysfunctional. We began to see the great needs in families and the need to address this issue in our ministry present and future. Recently we had opportunity to train leaders on this topic in two different occasions (Please see "Our Recent Newsletter" under "Our Personal Site" in this page).

Related to that, our househelper’s situation is quite common here. Smey is originally from a province and now living in Phnom Penh with her family. She has 3 grown up unmarried children. She and her daughter are only Christians and bread winners for family by working at expats’ home. Her husband is motorcycle taxi driver making a meager income. Two sons are not that helpful without any job. Smey also takes care of 3 young children of her deceased sister who died of sickness last year. Their father remarried and don’t care much about these children’s welfare. Smey is paying for their education and providing their needs. And recently one of Smey’s sons got into motorcycle accident and severely broke his leg. He’s receiving medical care which costs a lot for Smey. We feel for Smey. She lives a difficult life. Where does she find joy and comfort? Thankfully she has faith in Christ. We try to encourage her as best as we can. We visited her son both at hospital and her tiny house. We prayed for his recovery and new relationship with the Lord and with Smey (he has been a rebellious one). I was worried that he would be angry and bitter about his situation (he will be bed-bound for months). Later Smey told me his attitude is surprisingly different. He said “Sorry…Ma. Sorry…” That’s big. She said she’s been praying for him years. Maybe a prodigal son is returning or at least coming to senses. May God continue to restore many more families in Cambodia as a foundation for both church and society!

Gil's mom visited us in Sep

Follow up, Follow up, Follow up

2009-08-08T23:49:00.005+07:00

We are learning the importance of follow-up at a number of levels. We need to keep following-up on what we are learning in our Khmer class; otherwise, the vocabulary we learned yesterday slips away as new words come today. New words and phrases and structures are coming at us fast and furious. At this point many people max out and derail. Please pray that we can push through and find ways to embed what we are learning into our minds and everyday interactions. (Below is a sample page from our text book)

I (Joyce) went to the national women’s leadership conference last month. What a blessing to be with Cambodian women church leaders! We sang, we danced, we cried. As I get to know them more, I am amazed at their faith and faithfulness oftentimes through persecution and difficult personal circumstances. I believe that God is calling Christian women here to a new level of leadership and strength. And, from what I saw at the conference, they earnestly desire to rise to the challenge.

So, I am glad that the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia Women’s Commission is committed to following-up. And thankful that I have been invited to work alongside. Starting in September a series of regional seminars are planned. The topic is Christian Marriage and Family. My part is developing some of the training materials and being part of the leadership and teaching team.

In the process, I am catching a vision for the restoration of marriage and family here. In the past, God blessed Cambodia with a solid family structure, but it came under attack during the Khmer Rouge years. The deep wounds from those years seem to open and fester in family life. When we ask village and church leaders the most pressing needs, they invariably mention domestic violence at or near the top of the list. As we get to know people at a deeper level, we keep seeing just how shattered many families are. If the church can be better equipped to bring Christ’s love and healing to families, what a way to live out the gospel!

So, I ask for your prayers as I work with the EFC Women’s commission to follow-up. Please pray that the regional events can be places where a movement for healing and restoring families takes flight. Please pray that the materials will get to the heart of the issues and we can speak to people’s hearts. Moreover, pray for the EFC Women’s commission staff (Mrs. Chenda, Lynny, Dy Noeuth, Oudam, Chenda) as well as Chann and other volunteers who work faithfully with very limited resources to fulfill a high calling in Cambodia.

Our children, David, Isaac and Mary, will be returning to Logos International School next week. We are looking forward to actually starting the new school year rather than coming mid-way which was difficult last year. The kids have a busy schedule with some extra- curricular sports (soccer, basketball and, we hope, ballet) and piano lessons on their plates. We are also considering engaging a Khmer tutor for them once a week to supplement their once-weekly class at Logos. We are so grateful for how well they are all doing, but also recognize that they are vulnerable here. Please pray for their health and safety and for them to do well in their school work, activities and relationships.

Thank you for your continuing prayers, support and encouragement.

The Color of Hope

2009-07-22T11:18:00.015+07:00

A few weeks ago, we were invited to do a pilot project in partnership with Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC). Our theme was “Come let us rebuild” from the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah is about the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and also about the renewal and restoration of the hearts of the people to worship and serve the Lord after years of Babylonian captivity. Four CRWRC national workers and our whole family went to a remote village Poom Thmey “New Village” where about 40 leaders including 15 women leaders had gathered.
They came from the surrounding area of Svay Rieng province, some from as far as 50 km away. The group was eager to listen and learn. They also shared their concerns for their communities and for their churches. CRWRC spent one day teaching about their community organizing process in which the community identifies needs and develops a locally-owned and -controlled vision for development. Then we spent a day on Biblical leadership and how spiritual and physical restoration go hand-in-hand. It is God who has a plan and we seek to follow his plans for our church and community.

We realize that we have a long way to go to learn to communicate effectively. It is one thing to get around Phnom Penh. It is another to really speak to the heart of someone in the village (where 80% of Cambodians live). We also need to learn more about the people and what is in their hearts. We were encouraged at the commitment of the leaders and their genuine desire to serve the Lord and reach out to their communities in spite of persecution and other hardships.

Our kids had a great time in the village. They were able to go into the rice fields and search for frogs, crabs and fish. They got to fish in a stocked pond. They played with new puppies and baby chicks. Mary was instantly adopted and loved by the village girls and women. We could tell that the villagers were very happy that someone was delighted with their world. It was refreshing to be among the fields. The farmers were transferring the seedling rice from the nursery plots to the fields. The new rice is such a beautiful bright green that it was refreshing just to look at it. It was a picture of the potential that we felt was present. Like the new green rice, there is growth, ripening and fruitfulness ahead. There is much that the Lord plans to do here for the sake of his church and his people.

Moved in and Moving on

2009-07-04T13:17:00.000+07:00

Last several weeks we were busy with moving into our new house, on top of our daily language training and other events. Preparing an old and empty house into a home for our family has been a challenge to say the least. Imagine getting furniture and appliances from 4 different expats leaving the country and bargaining to buy household items with our limited Khmer. It was another great learning experience to understand the life and culture here.
But after living someone else's house for over 5 months (btw it served us great), it feels good to be settled into our own place. We believe God has provided this house for us. It's spacious and close to kids' school, our office and language school.

Another gift from God is a vehicle for our use for both in-city and out-of-city travel needs ('98 Honda CRV). It came in time for rainy season.

Language training continues with progress; we are at the mid point of 1 yr program. Kids are enjoying their summer school 1/2 day program. Ministry opportunities keep coming to our way. Although being still in observing/discerning stage, we slowly and carefully start being involved in a few things: Joyce helping out Women commission of Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia and a new Christian NGO called "Genesis Community of Transformation"; Gil regularly meeting with a few Cambodian leaders and leading devotions for EFC staff and commissions. We also started collaborating with CRWRC in training village leaders for spiritual and community development. We are excited about these opportunities and ask your prayer for continuous discernment and effectiveness.

L.H.I.C. II

2009-05-12T20:44:00.000+07:00

My family has been attending a Cambodian church close to our house. Guess what's called? It's "Living Hope in Christ" Church. Very dynamic intergenerational church. Its founder Rev.Barnabas Mam has an amazing testimony of surviving Khmer Rouge era and doing years of ministry while at a refugee camp (actually many Christians here have unique testimonies). Barnabas is an evangelist, church planter and discipler. I tagged along with him and his team leading a revival meeting in a rural province. It was during Khmer new year holidays which is filled with pagan practices and was at a historic temple site (I went into one of the old temples and it was spiritually challenging experience). Imagine people singing praises to Jesus and responding to the gospel message confronting these dark forces. I was really encouraged to witness that. Here is a clip:

Clearly Cambodian people are very open and responsive to the gospel. But churches are young and small and workers are few. Please pray with us that the Lord of harvest will raise up more workers for His kingdom in Cambodia. - Gil

Living Hope In Christ

2009-05-12T20:24:00.000+07:00

Rainy season has officially begun. This was no surprise to us, having experienced several downpours that left rivers running in the streets and many places in Phnom Penh under 8 inches or more of water. The announcement came with the warning that, since the rains came early, they could also stop early—people should prepare for drought later in the year. Here is what Gil took the other day:

These announcements came shortly after the Khmer New Year. Khmer New Year is a time for celebration and family reunions, honoring ancestors. A lot of predictions for the coming year are made. On one of these three festive days, at a specific time, the “angel” for the year was welcomed. Again, there was a dire warning: this particular angel had a thirst for blood, so expect a difficult and possibly turbulent year. Expect bloodshed.

We are in a country vulnerable to the vicissitudes of the weather. Farmers depend on getting the right amount of water at the right time. I feel that mirrors the spiritual situation. People are vulnerable to the vicissitudes of so-called deities. Put this together with a deeply shadowed past history and one can see that Cambodia could be a place with little hope.

One thing we’ve noticed is that Christians have brighter countenances than the average person on the street. I don’t think that it is because they are better off. No, they have a living hope that helps them face the future that no one can predict. They have Christ dwelling in them. Please pray for the living hope of Jesus Christ to sweep this country.
- Joyce

Mission Kampuchea 2021

2009-03-15T22:10:00.000+07:00

One Sunday morning, the visiting pastor at the Khmer service we attend called anyone who wanted special prayer or healing to come forward. A few people went forward, then more. First the older ones, then the younger. In the end, it seemed that more went forward than stayed in their seats. Those in their seats may have wanted to go forward too. To us, it was a simple picture of the desire of Khmer people for the presence and healing of Christ. God is moving in Cambodia. People are longing for the shalom that only comes from Christ.

One way that the church is responding in faith and obedience is through MK 2021. This movement aims to have a cell group/church in every village by the year 2021. Many church denominations and mission organizations in Cambodia have joined the movement. A survey of existing churches and programs is being undertaken with a view to determining areas of need and places that may have been overlooked or under-served. Based on the survey, more specific strategies will be developed and churches and missions will share the work.

We are very excited about MK2021 because the church is united in this effort. The movement is for evangelism, but not only for evangelism. The dream is for transformed people and a vibrant church to witness to the whole nation through Christian faithfulness. Though the church is small, the vision is big: for a great awakening in this great country.

We are also excited that the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia (EFC) is the backbone of the initiative. This blanket organization is coordinating and facilitating MK2021 alongside of its other work. One of our mandates is to support the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia in its ministry. Even while we are studying the language, we have set up an office at EFC. We have been invited to work with the staff at the central office in spiritual formation. We will also be consultants to some of its programs and agencies.

We are very thankful for the welcome that EFC has extended to us and the opportunities it is offering for us to support and empower its work in Cambodia.

Enjoying Diversity/Learning Khmer

2009-02-23T22:37:00.000+07:00

In Joyce’s Khmer class of 11, there are 2 Chinese, 2 Filipinos, 3 Koreans, 1 Cambodian American, 1 Chilean, and 2 North Americans. Not all are missionaries. But this small demographic shows the face of mission in Cambodia. The Church of Jesus Christ is reaching out in diverse ways through an amazing array of people. We were delighted to learn that there are even some Nigerian missionaries to Cambodia! God is working through all of his people for all of his people. In the words of a song that our tutor taught us: no knong Preah Cris, yeung jiya crewasah dai muy—in Christ, we are one family!

How is the language learning going? Some days are very frustrating. We feel like we’re in kindergarten, mixing up our d’s and b’s—actually, the Khmer alphabet equivalents (of which there are many). As we try to speak, sounds come out wrong, the vocabulary which we should know, almost know, thought we knew … eludes us. Other days we manage to communicate something in some small way which excites us and gives us hope. It’s hard to believe that there could be joy in this humbling, stretching experience, but there is. We are thankful that we can laugh at times with classmates at the university and with our tutor, Borey.

As we have talked with people we realize that it is very difficult to stay on task and follow through with Khmer lessons. Many people fall away at some stage—mostly because they become occupied with something else. The course is intensive and it is difficult to keep apace. The basic program is a one year course with four levels.

Please pray for us to be able to stay focused and keep working hard. Also pray that Christ will enable us to absorb the language and become fluent.

Receiving Hospitality at Eden Farm

2009-01-27T21:13:00.000+07:00

Over the last few days we have smelled incense, heard firecrackers and seen chickens sacrificed to ancestors in honor of Chinese New Year. There is a significant population of people of Chinese descent living in Cambodia. The shrines were a very vivid reminder that few people here love Jesus and call him Lord..

Last weekend, we made an overnight trip to the countryside. We wanted to see and learn more about a project being started by Ly Chhay and his wife Navy Chan—Eden Farm and Eden School of Agriculture.

Navy worked for many years with CRWRC, the development branch of our denomination and it was she who laid the groundwork for our coming to Cambodia. They are starting a farm with the hopes of building it up into a self-sustaining training center—to teach farming and the business of farming.

We didn't realize that a lot of the wonderful produce and fruit that we eat is actually imported from neighboring countries. Over 80% of the population are farmers. Still, there is a need to teach farmers here to grow and sell produce in a commercially viable way.

The project is in its early stages and there are several facets to the dream, including a primary school as well as vocational school. We were given a tour as Ly shared his vision (Navy is currently studying in the Philippines). We realize that this kind of dream needs a lot of prayer on top of all the hard work that Ly and others are contributing.

Ly also took us to some nearby villages where we were able to greet a number of families. The closest village does not have any Christians. There are clearly many spiritual needs as well.

We left with many thoughts and impressions. The deepest impression was of Ly's passion to help the rural people. Also, we were so blessed by the gentle hospitality that Ly offered our family. The trip left us with a deeper desire to be able to communicate well in Khmer and of course to pray for this venture to flourish.

Suhs "New"s

2009-01-10T20:30:00.000+07:00

It has been about 2 weeks since we arrived in Phnom Penh. As expected we are adjusting to a "new normal." David, Isaac and Mary are busy at their new school (Logos). There are different routines, different teaching methods and some different subject matter in their classes. There are new faces, new names, new activities. But we feel that the transition so far has been positive. They checked out a Saturday morning soccer league this morning and may make that part of the new normal. Logos School is holding a jog-a-thon for its new facility and it would be a great encouragement to our kids if they received some support from our friends in Canada and the States. Please consider making a modest donation via online giving: www.asianhope.com The deadline is January 16.

For Gil and Joyce, we are settling into a routine of studying Khmer. Unfortunately, we are not in class together as the time conflicts with the kids' schedule. Someone told Gil that Khmer is in the Guiness book of World Records as the most difficult language in the world (not sure he was joking or serious). There are many more consonants and vowels than in English. Also, the sounds are affected by the surrounding letters—the same letter makes different sounds in combination with different letters. It would take a mathematician to figure out just how many different sound and letter combinations we have to memorize. Did we mention that the script is Sanskrit? The good news: once you know the letters, you can read anything because it is phonetic. Of course, there is still vocabulary, syntax, idiom, oral comprehension and actual speaking to be mastered. We are hoping to find a good tutor to supplement our formal classes at the University and request prayers for us to find the right person to help us.

Ministry opportunities are already coming at us and we can see how we could be easily drawn away from our focus on learning Khmer. At the same time we realize that involvements could strengthen our Khmer as well as forge solid relationships. We are planning to begin office hours at the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia next week and begin learning about its commissions and ministries. We also hope to go back to the villages that we visited in August shortly to let the pastors know that we are back. Other things that are passing before us are serving an international church on an interim basis and teaching advanced English. We will observe some leadership training modules (Timothy Leadership Training) in early February. We request prayers for discerning what to do and not do and just how involved to be at this early stage.

Next Saturday we will move into our temporary housing/sublet. That will give us more stability but there are still many logistics to look after. Pray for that transition as well.

Please know that throughout our time, we have been assured of God's provision for us. He has already been letting us feel at a deeper level the burdens and struggles of the Cambodian people and shown his heart for them. At the same time we have been held in the palm of his hand and continue to trust in his guidance and care. ~ Joyce

Arriving in Cambodia

2008-12-30T14:28:00.000+07:00

What does EVA stand for? A few days ago, we stepped onto an EVA
airplane in San Francisco. We flew over 13 hours to Taipei and 3 ¼
more to Phnom Penh. Everything seemed to go without a hitch and we
can honestly say that it seemed like less time. Very efficient
airline?

An immigration worker was waiting in PP to hand us our visa documents. Two CRWRC staff, Ruth and Pastor Paulerk, were waiting in the luggage area. We picked up all 12 of our suitcases and boxes and were taken to the guesthouse where we are staying for the first few weeks. We had a nice meal and slept a good 8 to 9 hours.

Yesterday we walked to a local market to pick up some flip flops, not
realizing that we would walk past the kids' school. Although the
school is not in session, we met the facility manager who just
happened to be stopping by. He showed us around. Unexpectedly
David's and Isaac's teacher were preparing for the next session, so we
were able to talk with them briefly and see their classrooms.

We are obviously thankful for all of that. The kids have landed in
good spirits and have been interested and engaged in their
surroundings. They had their first tuk-tuk ride. (here is a clip)

We are starting to get settled, but realize that we need to be patient
since we need a little advice on some of the things we need to do
(banking, cell phones etc.) and CRWRC is closed for the week. Most
Christians are on break and even away for the week..

Gil and Joyce are hoping to start Khmer language at the Royal Phnom
Penh University on January 5 when the kids also start school. We will
meet with the people we will sublet from this week and see the house
we will move into January 17.

Well, feeling good—well, feeling a little hot—but manageable. EVA:
Ever Vigilant Ally--That is Jesus.

With gratitude to Jesus and our friends,

Our Journey So far...

2008-12-10T07:28:00.000+07:00

Our family is a testimony to unity in diversity. Gil is from South Korea. He immigrated to the Los Angeles area when he was 17. As well as holding various jobs to help support his family, he went to community college to learn English. He started attending church at that time and gave his life to Christ. He felt a call to ministry and continued his education in Biblical Studies at Biola. Joyce grew up in Stirling, Ontario, Canada. Her parents were Dutch immigrants and she grew up in the Christian Reformed church. She eventually went to law school and practiced family law for a short time before listening to the call to ministry.

We met at Calvin Seminary, Grand Rapids MI in our very first class. Who knew that romance would flourish while parsing Hebrew words? Actually it took several years of taking classes together and the encouragement of others for the relationship to become more serious. We were married prior to our last academic quarter and immediately left for Smith Bible College, Baissa, Nigeria where we both completed seminary internships. We worked at Smith for 1 ½ years and came back to graduate, May 1999. Gil was ordained.

In the meantime our first child David was born (April 11, 1999). If all had gone according to plan he would have been born after coming back to the US. Instead he was born six weeks early, the day we were supposed to leave Nigeria. David has never forgotten his bush beginnings and continues to be interested in outdoor pursuits. Had we stayed in Nigeria, he would probably be an expert tracker and hunter by now. We hope that he will be able to channel that energy into gardening in Cambodia. We hope that he will be able to exercise his tender heart and people personality well in Cambodia.

Gil served as interim pastor in a Korean congregation in Toledo, Ohio, as we discerned our next step. An opportunity arose to continue leadership training in Nigeria at Veenstra Seminary, Donga. We felt that there was still much needed work to do in support of the Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria. We returned to Nigeria on David’s first birthday.

Isaac was born exactly on his due date (August 22, 2000). His name, meaning “laughter” came from Gil’s spontaneous eruption of joy when he found out that he would be having a second child. Isaac is a very self-motivated learner and we hope that he will find many things to challenge him and new things to learn in Cambodia. We also hope that he will continue with his drawing and illustrating. If there are any spelling bees in Phnom Penh, Isaac will be an eager participant. Undoubtedly, his “techie” skills will also grow. He is anxious for e-mail buddies.

Although Mary was born (July 29, 2002) in Grand Rapids MI during home service, her name has African connections. The day that we found out that we were going to have another child was the day that the tribal conflict in Donga led us to facilitate the evacuation of all of our Tiv students and their families. It was a grim day, but out of bitterness (mara) came something sweet. Mary loves to color and draw and create things. She thrives at school and is an excellent reader. She holds her own against her big brothers with a passionate personality and strong sense of justice. We hope that she can feel helpful in Cambodia and also that she finds some good friends.

As we were finishing our second term in Nigeria, tribal and religious conflicts as well as banditry enveloped our area. We felt like we were constantly running the gauntlet with our three small children. During those two terms, we helped shepherd Veenstra seminary through a leadership transition and saw the blossoming of next generation leaders in the church as a whole. We felt that it was a fitting time to let go, though it was difficult to leave our many friends and students as well as the way of life to which we had become accustomed.

God led us to San Jose New Hope CRC where Gil was the pastor of the English ministry. This ministry was a challenge that enabled Gil to grow in areas that were not fully utilized in Nigeria. Joyce was blessed to work with Christian Reformed Home Missions part-time as a coordinator for campus ministry. She also took great joy in a short time as interim pastor of the youth ministry at SJ New Hope. The desire to complete what she had started over 10 years earlier was activated and she started the candidacy process.

When we came back from Nigeria 4 ½ years ago, we were presented with the opportunity to start a new mission field for CRWM in Cambodia. At that time, given the intensity of our final year in Nigeria, we felt unable to make that decision. However, as restlessness grew in our hearts over the beginning months of 2008, we sought the Lord’s guidance. One morning Gil opened the CRWM website and noticed that the Cambodia ministry which had never been taken up had just been reopened. We knew almost immediately that this was a second chance. There was a convergence of experience, training and interests as well as burden for the people and country of Cambodia.

We are looking forward to moving to Phnom Penh (December 28, 2008). Our first year will be devoted to Khmer language and culture learning and relationship building. Our mandate is church leadership development and ministry coordination. Within that mandate, we have some flexibility. We ask for prayers for discernment, especially through our first mission term (January 2008-June 2011), to discover which particular projects, ministries and relationships we ought to pursue for the sake of the gospel in Cambodia. We are thankful that the way has been prepared by the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, so that we have avenues before us. We are also thankful for the welcome extended by the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia.

We feel blessed that so many friends and churches have come alongside of us with support, encouragement and prayers. It takes a village to raise a child; it takes a community to send out a missionary. To all of you we say mungode, akun, kamsahapnida, thank you!

*This was an insert to our commissioning service bulletin on December 7, 2008

The Wood Between the Worlds

2008-11-16T00:56:00.000+07:00

In C.S. Lewis’s "The Magician’s Nephew", there is a place that the book’s characters discern as “not a world at all—an in-between place.”The Suh family seems to be in just such a place now. We are not yet in Cambodia; we aren’t fully in San Jose anymore either. Our hearts and minds belong partly to both places, partly to some no-man’s land in between. It is an uncomfortable place to be at times. We feel torn between so many things and people and drained by balancing it all. I was almost feeling sorry for myself. Then yesterday I chatted with an acquaintance who had seen the “for rent” sign in our yard. I told him that we were moving to Cambodia to do mission work. I had thought he was Vietnamese, but he shared that he spent the first 14 years of his life in Cambodia—third generation ethnic Chinese living as Vietnamese in Cambodia. His family was warned to flee their village before the Khmer Rouge came into their area in the early seventies. So they immediately left their home, and lived in Vietnam for a time. Then he, as a young single man, he had the opportunity to take a boat to Malaysia. His relative was a mechanic and helped him get on a “good boat” that actually reached its destination without major hardship. From there, he came as a refugee to Denver and eventually moved to San Jose. He considers himself to be one of the “lucky ones”—but every single step was difficult. Of course, that put things into perspective for me. Our transition has the luxuries of time and resources, preparation and closure. How do we live “between worlds”? One day at a time; one step at a time. With thanks in our hearts. We are not alone, after all: the“Wood between the Worlds” is Christ’s country too. - Joyce

*We have set our departure date: December 27. David, Isaac and Mary’s school in Phnom Penh begins on January 5.

First Impressions

2008-09-03T23:12:00.001+07:00

We had the opportunity to go to Cambodia in August, for the purpose of meeting church leaders and potential partners for our ministry. We feel happy about ministry prospects and feel that the problem won't be finding ministry, but discerning what to do among all the possible ways in which we could serve. We will share as that discernment process happens.

It was the first time in Cambodia for both of us. What was our first impression?

It is difficult to sort all the sights and sounds and smells of a new country. Let me describe some of the smells. There were cooking spices and herbs (our hotel was called "anise")—obviously we won't suffer for food. There were streets in Phnom Penh that smelled bad—there is a large open waste water canal. It took a few days for me to figure out that behind everything was the smell of incense. Shrines are so ubiquitous that incense suffuses the air even of a burgeoning city like Phnom Penh.

We did not go out in the streets once without seeing the saffron robes of the monks. The most striking and ornate buildings are the temples and pagodas. These are every where too. People come from all over the world to see them. Interestingly, of the few Khmer words that we learned, two of them might be translated sacred or holy. The sense of the sacred seems to suffuse the language. What is sacred? Mostly it seems to be places. We took our shoes off a lot.

Juxtaposed to these impressions, my most difficult moment was at Choeung Ek, the Killing field that we visited a short distance outside of the city. Over 8,000 bodies have been excavated from mass graves at that particular site: including children and young people, women and men (there are more that haven't been excavated). It's hard to gather one's thoughts in such a place. There is a shrine of skulls. What got to me the most though was that, as we walked among the open pits, we were stepping on clothes that were coming up from the ground. I felt like it was such an indignity for those who had been buried there, a violation on top of all the dehumanizing that had happened to them.

When it comes to the sacred, it's everywhere, but people don't seem to be included. The regime of the Khmer Rouge was intent on eradicating every vestige of human dignity. As I learn more about the history of Cambodia, I wonder whether the culture ever gave people the sense that they are in the image of God and therefore imbued with basic dignity and worth. Could the average person, working in his field, ever feel the holiness of his calling, think of himself as a temple of the Living God?

Of course, these are first impressions. People and places are always more complex than they first seem. We do hope, however, that as we bring the gospel, people may find dignity in that they are made in the image of God, rejoice that God considers them worthy of giving his Son for their salvation, and live their lives as vessels of Christ. - Joyce

(see the related photo on the side bar)

Do you hear the Wind?

2008-08-27T04:08:00.000+07:00

Some months ago, the Wind blew and stirred up an unnamed restlessness in the Suh family. We began to consider whether God might be calling us in a new direction.

One morning, Gil casually scanned the Christian Reformed World Missions website. A new ministry position in Cambodia had been posted: ministry coordinator/leadership trainer. We had considered ministry there when we came back from Nigeria, but we couldn’t make such a big change at that time. No one had ever stepped forward in the meantime.

Was God giving us a second chance? We felt that we’ve been able to process our experiences in Nigeria and been better equipped to work at leadership development. We’ve felt anew the urgent call to bring Good News to the nations. We’ve remembered our roots and commitments as a couple and our first love of cross-cultural mission.

At the same time, and more importantly, the Wind has been blowing in Cambodia. God is on the move. “Now is the time,” we’ve been told by a new Cambodian friend, “the door is open.” We want to follow after Christ’s love for this still largely un-reached nation. Christ is calling followers--which means that there is a need for leadership development and training for the church. We accepted the call with the great excitement and joy. We believe that Cambodia can become a beacon of faith and hope in Southeast Asia. We will be working out of San Jose until December when we hope to go to Phnom Penh to begin our ministry there.

Is the wind blowing your way? Will you consider whether God is calling you to join our ministry through financial, prayer or family support? If you want to receive our ministry updates, newsletters, and prayer requests, please let us know joycesuh@sbcglobal.net or gilsuh@sbcglobal.net
We are hoping for engaged and committed partners—in whatever capacity you are able. Do you feel the Wind?

“You hear it rustling through the trees…. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God.” (John 3, The Message)