Author: Mike Thiemann

When there is so much bad news, we often feel discouraged.  This is why I am thankful that God has made it possible for us to share some good news.  After 10 years of preparation and waiting, God has opened the doors to produce Christian Apologetics/Evangelistic videos in the Cambodian language!

On March 30, Darryl’s first 3-minute film was played at Gateway Cafe’ Ministry’s Easter Outreach.  This film entitled, Jesus: History or Fiction gave historical evidence from Josephus, Tacitus, and Trajan that Jesus Christ really lived, performed miracles, was crucified by Pilate, and that his followers, known as Christians followed him after the crucifixion.  This further indicates that Jesus really rose from the dead.  www.facebook.com/gatewaycafecambodia/photos_stream

Darryl has just completed his second 2.5 minute film entitled, Life: Creation or Chance.  This film shows that if something as simple as a clay pot could not be formed by chance (water, wind, and the sun) but require a potter, then more complex living things require a Creator.  Lord willing, this film will be played on April 26 at the You’ve Got Talent Outreach at the International Christian Assembly and for an April 30 chapel service at the Korean Presbyterian Bible School in Phnom Penh.

You can view both of these videos online at www.facebook.com/internationalfishers

In addition to posting the videos online, Darryl will share these videos with anyone who wants to play them at a church, Bible study, or  to load them on their smartphone as an evangelism tool.  We may make some of them available in English and/or Japanese in the future.

Darryl first sensed the callig to make and distribute videos like these in 2003.  There were many challenges, trials, and setbacks that made it seem impossible (a long story).  Now, Darryl sees God’s perfect timing and provision so that the videos are much better quality than they would have been if he had been able to make them earlier.

Thank you for your patience, prayers, and encouragement to stick with us over these past years.  God always fulfills His promises in His way and in His timing.

In Christ’s Hands,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin.

 

 

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.  (Psalm 73:26 NLT)

Darryl’s Missionary Perspective:  “There are three people in yourself:Who people think you are, Who you think you are, and who you really are.” William Shakespeare

God’s perspective, which defines “who we really are,” is the most important perspective.  Other people may not understand us.  We may not even understand ourselves, but God knows who we really are because He created us.  We often feel discouraged because we feel unworthy to be used by God but our feelings do not define God’s reality.  We do not need to waste time asking ourselves, “Am I worthy to be used by God?”  Instead we should ask, “Is God worthy to use me?”  The answer to the first question will often be “NO, we are not worthy.” but to the second, will always be “YES!!! God is always worthy.”   God alone has the right to define, refine, transform, direct, control, and use our lives for His purposes.  He is always worthy to use our lives for His perfect plans and in His perfect timing.

As missionaries, Kayo and I often feel like we are stumbling across a tightrope over Niagara Falls with two buckets on our feet.  We often feel like one more trial, illness, or stress will knock us off the tightrope.  This is just our perspective but we are thankful that it isn’t God’s reality.  If we could see God’s perspective, we would see God’s Hand placing us on the wire and keeping us from falling off.   Even when we fall, God is able to catch us and restore us.  All we need to do is to keep walking.

Family Update:
Our family has been experiencing lots of illnesses.  At the moment, Darryl has completely lost his voice so he can only write.  We are thankful that God has strengthened us and sustained our health so that we could complete the tasks of the season.

Looking back, we realize that for the past 12 months have been very intense.   A year ago, our family was traveling around Japan speaking at churches.  Since returning to Cambodia in June 2012, Darryl’s book was published and his radio program started its broadcast cycle.   Kayo cut her finger and then she started playing the flute with the worship team.  Darryl became the Vice President of Trinity Institute of Cambodia (TIC).  Benjamin started preschool 3 days a week.  Kayo performed at the You’ve Got Talent show.  Darryl taught and marketed classes at TIC.  Then, TIC moved to a new location on the top floor of Gateway Cafe.  In December, Darryl taught a 2 week Apologetics Course at Cambodia Bible Institute.  In January we hosted a team from CC La Mirada and Kayo joined the Belle Voce Community Choir. Darryl had to get TIC ready to host classes in February and March. In February, Benjamin started riding the school bus 5 days a week to preschool.  Kayo started co-hosting the Japanese Life Group and resumed Khmer language study.   Darryl led the effort to recruit students for an English Class, a Marketing Class, and an Entrepreneurship Class and 3 more 1-day workshops.

Now, Kayo is continuing her roles in worship team, community choir, Japanese ministry, and language study.  Darryl has been busy doing the behind the scenes administrative work for the classes and workshops at TIC along with helping to arrange strategic partnerships with other organizations and individuals.   We sense that God is leading us to slow down and take some time to “lie down in green pastures” so that we can be refreshed and ready for the next season of ministry which will begin soon.

Trinity Institute Update:

TIC is just beginning to bud.  It is like a young tree that has just broken through the soil and is now “above ground.”   God is granting us favor by allowing us to build relationships and partnerships with other organizations, ministries, and churches in Cambodia.

Now that Rev. Heng Cheng, the President of TIC, has retired from his 16 years work as the General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia, he now has more time to shepherd TIC through

an extremely long and complicated process of obtaining official registration, recognition, and accreditation with the Cambodian government.   Please pray for wisdom, strength, health, and favor for him as he leads this effort.  If this process is successful, TIC will eventually receive official approval from the Prime Minister and the King of Cambodia to be a nationally accredited university.   After that, we plan to seek international accreditation so that students from TIC can earn their Associate or Bachelor’s Degrees in Cambodia before going overseas to complete their education.

Prayer Requests:

*****Urgent Prayer Request******
I just found out that my English Teacher at TIC and her mother were attacked while riding on a motorcycle.  The thieves stole the mother’s (Vanny) purse and drug her off the motorcycle, breaking her pelvis.  The daughter (Kira) was driving and she has scrapes and bruises.  This is the missionary family of Jeff Evanson, a missionary who died at 58 of a heart attack last August (I wrote about it in an old post.)

Please pray for this family.

We cannot emphasize enough how important your prayers, encouragement, and support are to us.

• Please pray for a season of rest and recharging for our family.
• Please pray for wisdom, favor, and strength for all of those who God is calling to take Trinity Institute to the next level.
• Please pray for strength, wisdom, courage, and favor for Kayo in all of her various ministries.  Please pray that God will raise her up to be a bright light for him among the unsaved Japanese expats living in Cambodia.
• Please pray for continued favor and blessings on Benjamin as he grows in his knowledge and understanding of spiritual things.
• Please join us in praying for favor, blessings for our senders in the US and Japan and that God will reveal to them how He can use their gifts, talents, and prayers to transform Cambodia.

In Christ’s Love,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and *stature, and in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52 NASB)

Missionary Perspective:  Jesus’ life on earth provides the best example for missionaries to follow.  Instead of coming to earth with great fanfare, he came as a baby.  Instead of immediately starting to minister, Jesus took 30 years.   Missionaries, like any other Christian leader can often be tempted move too quickly in our ministries.  Jesus’ life encourages us to take time to learn, grow, and build relationships.

The ministries that Kayo and I are involved in now, would be impossible if they weren’t built on a foundation of prayer, relationships, and experience that stretch back many years.    After many years of preparation, we are entering into a new chapter of our lives in ministries which require us to use all the skills that we possess, (and sometimes skills that we don’t possess yet,) on a regular basis.  Some days we wish we had more time to prepare. Still, we understand that we can never be “fully-prepared” for ministry because God often calls us to exceed our own ability, strength, and resources so that we will depend on Him.

Family Update:

We are thankful for the prayer warriors who have been praying for us.  Since sending out the prayer request e-mail last week, things have improved for us.  For months we had been struggling with one sickness after another (104 fever/infections/eye problems/food poisoning etc.).  Sometimes two of us were sick at the same time.   It is difficult to be sick but because we were also in a season of very intense ministry, it was also stressful to have so many things to do but to be unable to do anything because of sickness.  This past week, because of your prayers, we could finally move forward and make progress in a lot of areas.    When people pray for us, it really makes a huge difference in our lives.

Kayo’s Music/Japanese Ministry:

God is opening up doors for Kayo to minister based on her training in Music and Bible Exposition with her Japanese background.   She continues to play the flute with the worship team at the international church we attend.  Her love for music has opened the door for her to meet Cambodian and Japanese musicians and other Japanese people who are here as missionaries, foreign aid workers, diplomats, or who are married to Cambodians.  On Sunday Feb. 10, she was able to join with another missionary from Japan and host a Japanese language home fellowship.    They were able to sing in Japanese and Kayo could go back to her Talbot notes to provide some basic Bible teaching in Japanese as well.  There are hundreds of Japanese living in Cambodia but they have no opportunity to gather together to worship, pray, and study the Bible together in their own language.  Please pray that God will use this group to minister to the spiritual needs of the Japanese which will then spill over into the lives of their Cambodian spouses.

Trinity Institute Update:

They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. (2 Corinthians 8:5 NLT)             

As VP of Trinity Institute of Cambodia, Darryl has had the privilege to see God move in the hearts and lives of missionaries and Cambodian Christian leaders to lead them to “give themselves first.”   Building a Christian university from scratch requires much more than money, it requires people who are willing to give themselves: their skills, their talents, their experience, and their time.  There are many colleges in universities in Cambodia that started off with a lot of money but without people to give themselves they end up being only a collection of buildings.  Trinity on the other hand, has started with very little money but God is raising up experienced missionaries and Cambodian Christians who will give themselves.  We are blessed to have volunteers from more than 7 nations.   Some of these are former principals, teachers, corporate executives, accountants, social workers, a medical doctor, and pastors.    We are blessed to have teachers who could earn a much higher salary in their home countries who are willing to come and teach at TIC either as volunteers or for a Cambodian-wage.

A couple of weeks ago, Darryl was uncertain how he was going to get the offices and classrooms at TIC ready for the 3 Courses and 3 Workshops which will start on February 26 (www.trinitycambodia.org).   Darryl went to a Men’s Bible study/breakfast and one missionary in the group said that God had blessed him with some unexpected funds so that he could buy a new color-laser printer for his ministry of writing, printing, and distributing free Christian books in the Cambodian language.  This brother was looking for some ministry that he could donate his old color-laser printer and boxes of toner.  He donated it to Trinity.  That same morning, Darryl rode his bicycle across town to Trinity, which is on the top floor of

An unexpected blessing, two truckloads of office furniture.

Gateway Cafe.  Another missionary from New Tribes Mission was waiting for Darryl and offered him an iced coffee.  This man told Darryl that his mission had a complete set of surplus office furniture that they wanted to store in Trinity’s 2nd office (for teachers) for a year while this missionary and his family are on furlough.  God worked it out so that TIC can use this furniture for a year, while our funds are limited, and then we can purchase any pieces that we want to keep (all of it) later at a good price.  These financial blessings, freed up funds for Darryl to buy fans and other things that are needed to make the classroom and offices more usable for students and teachers.

International Fishers Update:                                                                                            

You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others (2 Timothy 2:2 NLT).

Darryl’s Christian Apologetics ministry  is also taking off.   Despite his workload at Trinity Institute, Darryl is trying to keep some time in his schedule to open to teach and speak on the evidence for the truth of Christianity at Bible schools, seminaries, churches, and organizations, as he is invited.    He is very encouraged that his former students are teaching others.  One of his students from his Apologetics class at Cambodia Bible Institute in December is now teaching what he learned in a Sunday school class at his church.

Darryl will also be helping Gateway and One to One university student ministries, with their Easter outreach at Gateway Cafe.  This year, they want to present the evidence that Jesus really rose to from the dead to more than one hundred university students.  Darryl and Sopheap are planning to team up lead a lunch-time group for those students who are interested in knowing more about the evidence for the truth of Christianity.

Darryl, Sopheap and Sovanna are also developing evangelistic videos for smartphones and Internet.  There are other opportunities to distribute audio and video recordings in process as well.

Thank You!  You will probably never fully understand (until heaven) just how much your prayers, encouragement, and other Kingdom investments impact Cambodia.  We have the privilege to see the results first hand but it is impossible for us to fully communicate everything that is God is doing through our ministry partnership.    On behalf of our family, and many others in Cambodia we thank God for your faithfulness, and pray that God will bless you greatly!

In Christ’s Hands,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin Record

John 1:23 NIV John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.'”

John 3:30 NIV  “He must become greater; I must become less.”

2013: 90 Years of Evangelical Christianity in Cambodia

In 1923, a missionary with the Christian and Missionary Alliance introduced Thaa Haas “Grandfather Haas” to Jesus Christ. Despite severe opposition, there were 2000 Evangelical Christians in 1965. By 1975, there were 10,000 believers. Between 1975 and 1979, during the Khmer Rouge reign of terror, many of the Christians were killed. Many of the Cambodians were forced to flee to the refugee camps in Thailand. Many of the current Christian leaders accepted Christ during the early 1980s. History is made up of the real lives of real people. Darryl has learned so much by serving alongside of Rev. Heng Cheng, the co- founder and President of Trinity Institute of Cambodia and Rev. Em Sok, the founding director of Tahas Bible Institute (named for Thaa Haas), who have been faithfully walking with the Lord for more than 30 years now. In 1990, there were 10 evangelical churches, now there are 2,000 and 12,000 more are needed. According to Operation World, there are now approximately 240,000 Evangelical Christians in Cambodia, or 1.6% of the population.

Further Reading:
http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/interviews/a-discussion-with-reverend-heng-cheng-evangelical-fellowship-of-cambodia
http://www.sokem.us/ www/tahas.org
http://www.operationworld.org/camb

The Next Chapter: Preparing the Way for Cambodian Missionaries

Even though the number and percentage of Christians in Cambodia is only 1.6% and more than 12,000 more churches are needed, the Body of Christ is growing in strength and maturity. It is time to prepare the Cambodian Christian leaders to take over the main responsibility for evangelizing their own country and then prepare to launch foreign missionaries from Cambodia to other unreached places in the world.

Many nations that received foreign missionaries in the past are now sending missionaries. There are more than 400 Korean missionaries in Cambodia, including more than 30 with doctoral degrees. There are more than 200 missionaries from the Philippines. Even though only 1% of Japan is Christian, the churches there are launching more and more foreign missionaries. There are also missionaries from Africa and Latin America. Some missionaries from these nations are going to Europe to relight the fire of faith there.

In order to launch missionaries to other countries, Cambodian churches will need to be mature spiritually, numerically, and financially. By encouraging Cambodia’s church to prepare to launch missionaries they will become mature and independent in the process. Just as teens need to know that one day they will be expected to become adults, Cambodia’s Church needs to know that it needs to prepare for full maturity and independence as equal co-laborers in Christ’s service.

Darryl believes that within the next 10 to 30 years, Cambodians will be ready to be sent out as missionaries. First they can reach their own nation. Then, they can branch out to neighboring countries. Finally, they can go global. Cambodians are gifted at language acquisition and cultural adaptation. Cambodia has diplomatic relations with many nations that are closed to missionaries from the US due to political or historical factors.

Equipping Local Leaders to Take Leadership
“It hurts me when foreigners think that Cambodians can’t do things.”

Darryl taught an intensive 40 lecture-hour Christian Apologetics course at Cambodia Bible Institute from December 11-21. His class was made up of 8 Cambodian and Vietnamese pastors and church leaders. Darryl taught these topics:

• God’s Existence: Evidence for Creation and the Weakness of the Theory of Evolution
• Bible’s Inspiration: Historical, Archaeological, Scientific, and Prophetic confirmation that the Bible alone is God’s Word.
• Jesus is Lord: Historical, Archaeological, and Prophetic Evidence that confirms that the New Testament’s writings about the birth, life, death, and resurrection are true.
• God’s Character: Evil, Suffering, Hell, Jesus the Only Way, and other objections that people raise.
• Christian Unity: The importance of correctly identifying and uniting with other true believers (John 17:23).
• Discernment: The importance of being able to defend God’s Word against false teaching, cults, and how to evangelize people from other religions.

This was the first time that these students had ever encountered the evidence for the truth of Christianity. It encouraged them to share their faith outside of their own churches with confidence. Darryl also encouraged these pastors to train others to be tent-maker missionaries to their own families, workplaces, and communities.

Sopheap, one of Darryl’s Evidence and Evangelism students at Trinity Institute of Cambodia has, completely on his own initiative, started teaching the evidence that he learned in Darryl’s class to around nine non-Christian Cambodian university students. He has also started taking classes at Cambodia Bible Institute. Sopheap and Darryl had lunch together one day at Gateway Cafe. Darryl shared with Sopheap how he was happy that he could teach people who would teach others instead of trying to teach everyone by himself. Darryl also shared that even though he can supply a lot of facts, evidence, and information, that Cambodians are better equipped to communicate the Truth to other Cambodians.

They also talked about how that, leaders like Sopheap need to be prepared to take the responsibility and leadership for the ministries in Cambodia. In this conversation, Sopheap made the comment, “It hurts me when foreigners think that Cambodians can’t do things.” This statement made it clear to Darryl that a new generation of Cambodians are rising up. This new generation is not looking for foreign funding and leadership. They are looking for foreign partners who will help them develop their skills and knowledge so that they can be equal partners in ministry in Cambodia and beyond. This is a very encouraging sign!!

Kayo: Ministering to JapaneseLiving in Cambodia through Music

There are many Japanese living and working in Cambodia. A few are missionaries but the vast majority are foreign-aid workers, sponsored by the Japanese government. In the future, we expect that there will be more and more Japanese business people. Many of these people are lonely and are seeking spiritual food more than they would in the comfort of their own countries. Kayo’s love for music has helped her to make friends with other Japanese. She is searching and praying about ways to reach out and to minister to them more effectively. Even though there are International Churches in English, many Japanese also need fellowship, encouragement, and Biblical truth in their own language.

Happy New Year!

May God’s love, grace, and presence become greater in your life in 2013.   We thank God for making you just the way you are.

In Christ’s Love,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin

Here’s a quick update of what is happening in our ministry in Cambodia.

Trinity Institute of Cambodia

>Darryl’s Evidence and Evangelism Class finished on November 21.  Two  students (one American and one Cambodian) want to share the things that they learned in the class in impoverished villages where they minister.  Another Cambodian student is starting a class to teach this evidence to Cambodian university students.  It is encouraging that our work is multiplying.

>The Entrepreneurship Certificate Program will begin in 2013 with 2-week modules in February, May, July, September, and December.  A Christian entrepreneur and management consultant will teach these courses along with some John Maxwell Leadership workshops.  Our goal is for Cambodians to become equipped to start Christ-honoring businesses so that they can support their own churches and organizations which minister to the poor.

>We are planning to start English classes in February.

>The School of Education is working on partnerships with existing teacher-training programs, which have been organized by various missionaries and organizations.  Please pray for God’s will to be done in orchestrating the entire process.

>We are in next step of a long process of registering with the Cambodian government.

>God provided funds for office furniture, bookcases, and 30 desks for students.  It is encouraging to think about all of the students who will sit in those desks and learn to apply Biblical truth to their professional and personal lives as educators and business leaders.

 International Fishers: Christian Evidence Ministry

>Darryl will be teaching an intensive 40-hour Christian Apologetics Course at Cambodia Bible Institute from December 11-21.  The textbooks will be Christianity: Reasons for Faith  and Christianity: Discerning Essential Doctrines and Preserving Unity.  

>Other media projects are on hold until January.

Kayo’s Music Ministry

>Kayo continues to play the flute with the worship team at church.

>Her music is opening doors to build healthy relationships with non-Christian Japanese and their Cambodian spouses.

Prayer Requests 

>Kayo has been actively sharing the gospel with her parents.  There has been a lot of opposition, emotional pain, and trials related to this.

>Our landlord will sell our house early next year.  We planning to stay here until at least 2016.  Please pray for a smooth process and a good place to rent.

>We thank God for the successes and breakthroughs in our ministries in 2012.  However, all of these battles have left us feeling emotionally drained.  Please pray that God will minister to us and give us the encouragement, strength, and confidence to continue on His paths.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD.

“They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Trinity Institute of Cambodia: 

With the approval of the 1st Amendment to the TIC Constitution on October 18, Darryl officially became the Vice President of Trinity Institute of Cambodia.   Dr. Andrew Kwong, the former CEO, became the Chancellor (international representative) and Rev. Heng Cheng, a widely respected Cambodian Christian leader, became the President.  We feel confident that these organizational changes will make the institution more efficient and effective in fulfilling its mission.

TIC also hosted a free Leadership Workshop on October 20, which more than 50 people attended.  The workshop was led by Mr. Benjamin Goh, a Singaporean, Christian, corporate-executive who left the corporate world to start his own management consulting and training company so that he could be free from the political pressures to take his bosses to night clubs and the red-light district and so that he could have more

time with his family.  Benjamin is a       certified John Maxwell coach and trainer.

From October 22-27, Benjamin also taught an Entrepreneurship Course to train Christian business-people to start Christ-honoring businesses across Cambodia.  According to MK 2021, there are 14,073 communities in Cambodia. Only 2050 communities have a local church.  This means that more than 12,000 churches are needed.  In order for these churches to become financially sustainable, without depending on foreign funds over the long term, about 42,000 Christian-owned businesses are needed and 14,000 Christian-owned schools.    If this dream becomes a reality, Cambodia could be transformed in all levels and sectors of society from the poor, the victims of trafficking, all the way up to the highest levels of economics and government.

Trinity Institute has moved to a new location on the top floor of Gateway Cafe Ministries.  Gateway, is a Christian Cafe which supports other ministries. It also has a drop in center where university students can come to study, use the library, use internet, fellowship, relax, and play.  Recently, it became clear that the Learning Lab would not be suitable for Trinity Institute because the Learning Lab is a preschool and a primary school and the floor where Trinity was subleasing for classes was also used as a play area for the children.  The noise of children playing, running, laughing, and bouncing balls off the walls really disturbed our classes.  Since there were no other suitable classrooms in the building and there was no other place for the children to play, it

became clear that it would be better for TIC to find a new location.  We were planning to store TIC’s office cabinets and furniture in our house until we could find another location for the office.  In order to avoid the noise, Darryl hosted his Evidence and Evangelism class at our house.  When his students asked why, and Darryl told them, 3 of his students told him about Gateway Cafe.  It turned out that they had an opening for 2 offices, a large classroom, common area, and a balcony for less rent! Gateway’s had been praying and planning for months to start offering classes in that part of the building, but they were too busy with the restaurant.  Trinity can provide the classes and Gateway Cafe can provide the food and activities.  Together more students will be blessed!

Lord willing, we will be able to offer classes as soon as January.  One urgent need is for funding for 30 student desks for the main classroom and some office furniture.  With the other ministry activities, our ministry budget is maxed out for 2012, unless special donations come in.  For more information about making a special donation, please e-mail trinitycambodia@gmail.com   For more pictures of Gateway Cafe visit: http://www.facebook.com/gatewaycafecambodia/photos_albums

Darryl has been forming curriculum development committees made up of volunteer- advisors.  On September 18, Darryl met with the Language Department Curriculum Committee.  One of the advisors on that committee was Jeff Evanson, a long time missionary and linguistics expert with Mission to Unreached Peoples.  Jeff made some great suggestions for the language program in that meeting.  Two days later, he died unexpectedly while swimming.  Jeff was a good friend to our family.  Even though we know that he is in heaven, we miss him, and we know that his family misses him as well.

Kayo’s Talent Show and Music Ministry Update

On September 28th as Kayo and Chammi prepared to go and play the flute and piano at the You’ve Got Talent Show at the International Christian Assembly, it started raining and kept on raining for hours.  Kayo and Chammi loaded up our 1991 Camry with Kayo’s flute, Chammi’s electric piano, and Chammi’s computer.  They drove through deep flood waters that caused another car to stall, we are thankful that our car made it through without getting the electronics wet.  Later, Darryl and Benjamin came by Tuk

Tuk (pictured).

The previous month about 800 people attended but we were amazed that 300 people braved the knee-high floodwaters to attend.

This was a milestone for Kayo.  After she became a Christian, she felt God’s leading to lay down her music career.  Last year, she felt that God was giving her music back to her.  After 12 years break from the flute, she had to re-learn everything from the beginning.  Kayo and Chammi did a good job with their performance and Darryl could take a few pictures.  Benjamin had an urgent need for the restroom so Darryl and Benjamin heard most of the performance from the bathroom.

International Fishers Update

Teaching Apologetics:  Darryl’s Evidence and Evangelism Class continues to go well.  One American student said that he now feels more confident when talking to non-Christians.  This man goes out with a group that reaches out to sex tourists who come to Cambodia to take advantage of low-priced prostitutes.  When Christians talk to the sex tourists about how their activities really hurt the Cambodian women, they often respond that they are atheists, there is no God, and evolution is true, so they can do what they want.  At least this man is equipped to answer their objections and present the gospel clearly and confidently.  A Cambodian student is teaching his friends and co-workers based on the things he is learning in the class.

Darryl has been invited to teach a 2-week intensive Apologetics course at the Cambodia Bible Institute (CBI) in Phnom Penh this December.  Even though Darryl’s schedule is getting busy with Trinity Institute, he really loves to equip students (pastors this time) with the evidence that Christianity is true and to protect people from cults.  In this course, Darryl will use both of his books as textbooks (Christianity: Reasons for Faith  & Christianity: Discerning Essential Doctrines and Preserving Unity) to give the students the evidence for  the truth of Christianity and the discernment skills to effectively deal with cults without unnecessarily dividing from other Christians over secondary differences.  In order for this course to become a regular course in the CBI curriculum, Darryl will also be helping to train one of the regular teachers so that if Darryl can’t teach it in the future, they can teach it on their own.

Christian Media Update:   

• The Anchors of Faith: Radio Program continues to be broadcast weekly through the end of the year.  Darryl plans to reformat the recordings and scripts for distribution on CD’s and MP3s.
• The Christianity: Reasons for Faith book is being well used byt the university students at Gateway Cafe.
• Work on the Facts for Faith video series will have to be postponed until at least January because of Darryl’s busy schedule and because our video editing computer keeps breaking.

Prayer Requests

1. Strength, health, rest, wisdom, resources, and grace that we need to be faithful with all of the opportunities that that God has placed before us. 
2. Special spiritual protection over our family, especially Benjamin

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. This is an amazing season in Cambodia. Sometimes things have been amazingly difficult but there have also been many amazing breakthroughs.

In August Kayo’s started playing the flute twice a month with the

worship team at the International Christian Assembly (ICA). Kayo and Migiwa, another missionary from Japan have also been approved to play at the You’ve Got Talent! Show on September 28, an outreach program, which will also be held at the ICA Church. At the August 31 show, 500 people, including members of the Cambodian Royal Family attended with 200 more people turned away for lack of space. Organizers expect more people next month and are considering making 2 shows. We really see God’s blessing in this Kayo set the flute aside 12 years ago and so she had to reteach herself how to play over the past year. We joke that last year, Kayo was playing for chickens in Kampong Chhnang, this month she will play for the Royal Family. Not only this, but Kayo’s finger has healed from her July cooking accident which put her music and life at risk. When we consider these things, we are amazed at God’s power, protection, and faithfulness.

Benjamin started preschool at Hope School. He loves it and keeps

campaigning to go 5 days instead of just 3. He was awarded “Superkid” award for being brave in his first week at the new school. He is getting closer to the Lord and is learning to pray and is understanding the Gospel more and more.

The Anchors for Faith Radio program continues to broadcast every Sunday afternoon. We had to cancel the January 5 Anchors for Faith Seminar because FEBC will not be ready to launch the Voice of Love Mobile smartphone recording distribution ministry. Darryl continues to develop the Facts for Faith Videos for distribution on cellphones.

Trinity Institute of Cambodia has also been active. After working with the board to develop policies to resolve a serious HR problem, the TIC board has appointed Darryl to switch roles from Chief Operations Officer to Vice President. Until the roles are filled, Darryl also has to serve as the Financial Director, Academic Director, Head of the Language Department and the School of Business, in addition to being board member and board secretary.  Dr. Kwong the CEO, will become chancellor (international representative and internal advisor) and Rev. Heng Cheng will become the first Cambodian president. This should be a more efficient organizational structure. Please pray that Darryl will have wisdom, strength, grace, and stamina to juggle all of these roles and that God will raise up others to help.

Darryl’s Evidence and Evangelism Class, which teaches students how to incorporate evidence/apologetics into their current ministries, started on August 29 with 6 people. On September 5 there were 10 students. More students may enroll next week. Because Darryl is teaching in English with a bilingual textbook Christianity: Reasons for Faith

, the students are Cambodian, American, Australian, and Croatian. It is rare for Cambodians and missionaries to be able to come together and learn together as classmates.

God continues to be good to us. The tasks and challenges before us are greater than our ability, wisdom, and strength, we continue to depend on God to empower and use us as tools to complete HIS work in Cambodia.

In Christ’s Love,
Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin

“Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.” Psalm 126:5 NASB

July was a month full of trials that brought tears but also the joyful harvest from tearful sowing in the past.  We trust that the Lord Of The Harvest will turn the tears of this past month into a harvest of joy.

Kayo’s Music Ministry:  Meaningful Trials

Kayo has been looking forward to joining the worship team at the international church that we attend.  She wanted to join back in February but Darryl’s schedule was too full so he had to delay until after our home assignment in Japan from April to June.  July finally came, and all of the pieces fell into place for her to start practicing with the worship team on July 7.

It is very difficult to plan special events such as birthdays or anniversaries etc. in Cambodia because things seem to go wrong on the actual day.  To make sure that Kayo’s birthday was properly celebrated, Darryl celebrated her birthday early.  On Kayo’s actual birthday, July 2, the kitchen got moved into the living room to prepare for repairmen who didn’t come, Kayo fell down on a wet floor, nearly fell down the stairs, and then the real trial hit.  While chopping chicken with a meat cleaver, she accidentally chopped her finger leaving a 2 ¼ inch 2.5cm gash nearly to the bone.

God arranged it so that Darryl was in the kitchen when the accident occurred so that he could stop the bleeding before Kayo fainted and lost too much blood.  There is no reliable ambulance service or blood transfusions in Cambodia so simple injuries like this can be life threatening.

Kayo is very committed to her music ministry.  She was practicing the flute even before the 6 stitches were removed and she attended her first worship practice on July 7.  Kayo’s next worship team event was a Bible study on July 18. On that day she came down with a high fever and couldn’t go.  She had to cancel another meeting related to an outreach concert as well.  Her fever went down for a day and then spiked back up to 102.7 F, on July 21 so she could not attend her second worship team practice. Since she had fever for 5 days we began to suspect dengue.  We asked for prayer both in Cambodia and around the globe.  The next morning, Kayo’s temperature miraculously returned to normal and she was strong enough to go to church.  She has been healthy and has been getting stronger ever since.

Kayo says that God has been teaching her a lot through these trials.  Even though we believe that these trials were attacks from the enemy to prevent her from moving forward with her music ministry, God has been using them for God.  Kayo learned about worshiping through suffering, about balancing family, marriage, and ministry, and about waiting for God’s timing.  Even though her finger is still healing and she hasn’t been able to practice very much, she says that her skill is as already back to where it was before the accident.

Anchors of Faith Radio Program Update

 The Anchors of Faith Radio Program began its 6 month broadcast cycle on July 1 on FEBC’s Family 99.5 FM. We are thankful that God has provided all of the funding, even though it was beyond our 2012 budget.

All of the pieces are falling into place for the Anchors of Faith Seminar a one-day event to be held on Saturday, January 5 at Trinity Institute of Cambodia.  Since the Anchors of Faith Radio Program’s last broadcast day will be December 30^th, this event will serve as a follow-up meeting for the listeners.  The program will introduce them to more resources that can help them grow in their faith and become more confident in sharing the Gospel.  FEBC plans to unveil their new Voice of Love Mobile ministry which will distribute audio Bible teaching to cell phones, MP3/MP4 players, and computers via micro SD cards, the Internet, and other formats.  The Anchors of Faith Radio Program will continue its ministry as the first radio program to be distributed through this system.   Darryl has also invited Fount of Wisdom Publishing to join the event, set up a book table, and, if it is ready, to unveil their new Cambodian language e-book/audio book system for smart phones.   It is an amazing time in Cambodia, when Christians are poised to use cutting-edge technology to communicate the Gospel to a new generation!

 Facts for Faith Videos: 10 years as a vision. . .5 months to reality.

 We are very excited because FEBC has also agreed to distribute Darryl’s apologetic’s videos through their new Voice of Love Mobile ministry.  FEBC has a well established Christian media distribution network in Cambodia.  Only God could open the door for a radio station to distribute videos!  Darryl has started working on a 3-minute Facts for Faith video called “You Are A Special Creation.”  This video will illustrate Psalm 139:14-18 with some of the amazing evidence for an intelligent creator that comes from recent scientific discoveries about DNA.  After that, Darryl wants to make another video called, “You Are Valuable.”  Darryl plans to relate the value of currency (a $1 bill vs. a $100 bill etc.) to illustrate Genesis 1:26 which is about humans being created in the image of God who have a value that is greater than animals and which cannot be taken away by disabilities.

The purpose of these and future videos, which will be produced in English and Cambodian languages, is to provide a resource that Christians can use to help them share the Gospel with their loved ones with more confidence.  For example, if Christians have access to these videos through their smart phones they can use them to help them gain momentum or overcome objections during evangelistic conversations.  This is important because one of the main reasons why we Christians do not share our faith is because we are afraid that someone will ask us a question or raise an objection that we cannot answer.  Lord willing, these tools will help to overcome that disabling fear.

Christianity: Reasons for Faith Book Update

 The combined work of Darryl and Doug Since 2010 has come to maturity.  Today, July 26, the book, Christianity: Reasons for Faith English/Cambodian Bilingual Edition is set to be distributed to bookstores!  For the first time, Cambodian Christians have access to evidence and answers that supports the truth of Christianity in their own language!  We trust that God will use this book to help bring the lost to salvation and breathe new life and excitement into Cambodian Christians and missionaries.  The next step is to pursue publication in the USA through a Christian print-on-demand publisher.  This step will make the book available in bilingual format for Cambodians refugees and emigrants around the globe in places like Long Beach, CA.  Darryl and Doug are also thinking about making an English-only edition designed for missionaries to other countries.  This edition could be used as the basis for customized translations to many other languages.

 Trinity Institute of Cambodia Update

Despite some setbacks and disappointments related to our spring classes, Trinity Institute of Cambodia continues to move forward.  In September, Darryl is planning to offer a special class called Evidence and Evangelism this class will use Christianity: Reasons for Faith as its textbook and will help equip missionaries and Christian leaders to incorporate Christian apologetic’s evidence and answers into their existing ministries and evangelistic efforts.

Alex, one of our friends from Mitaki Green Chapel in Hiroshima,

Japan is a leading diplomat with the United Nations Institute of Research (UNITAR).  His work takes him to places like Afghanistan and Iraq to provide seminars and training to help develop the government and business leaders.  He has wanted to provide training in Cambodia for some time, but has not been able to find a reliable local partner.  The door has opened for him to provide training in partnership with TIC.  This will help give TIC greater exposure, credibility, and it can help prepare the way for TIC’s accreditation process with the Ministry of Education in the future.

We are also excited that Benjamin, a Christian management consultant from Singapore has agreed to offer a Certificate of Entrepreneurship and Growing Business Management through TIC.  This will give students in Cambodia access to world-class training from a Christian perspective, without leaving Cambodia, for affordable price.  Other programs such as an MA in Leadership and and Education program are also in the works for 2013.

Prayer Requests

 1.      Please pray for protection, health, and strength for our entire family.  The trials of the past month have frequently hindered our work and have exhausted us at times.

2.      Benjamin is set to attend preschool on August 8.  Please pray that the disease that has killed 50 children in Cambodia will be stopped so that schools can open again after being closed by the Ministry of Education.

3.      Please pray for the Body in Kampong Chhnang.  Scandals (adultery, divorce, and unethical stewardship) have destroyed the credibility and testimony of Christians and have left the Christians vulnerable to discouragement, cults, and compromise.  Darryl is planning to take a missionary, Chuck, who in the past planted the most successful church network in Cambodia before falling into adultery several years ago.  He has since repented, found reconciliation with his wife, family, and church, and has been restored.  He has been sharing his failures and restoration process with Christian men in Cambodia to help prevent others from falling and to help those have fallen to repent.  Please pray as Darryl and Chuck travel to Kampong Chhnang on August 21 to start exploring men’s ministry there.

4.      Please pray that God will resolve the lingering problems from the spring classes at TIC.  Pray that God will give special wisdom, unity, and courage to the leadership so that we can serve our students with integrity.  Pray also for the upcoming classes and events.

5.      Please pray for the development of the Facts for Faith videos and the Anchors of Faith Seminar set for January 5.

 

 

Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NKJV)

We have been back in Cambodia for two weeks now.  Here are some things that need prayer cover now.  Lord willing, by the end of July, we will have enough information and pictures to do a more detailed update.

1.  Anchors of Faith: Truth, Relationships, and Experience radio program.  This radio program, which Darryl has been working on since mid-2010 will start broadcasting weekly, this Sunday, June 1-December 30.  Your prayers have made helped provide the spiritual protection necessary to produce this program despite great spiritual opposition.  Please pray that: 1. God will use this program powerfully to strengthen the faith of the Christians in Cambodia and help bring non-believers to Christ.  2. Pray for the FEBC Family 99.5 FM staff and station as they broadcast this program and finish production on the last 4 episodes.

2.  Christianity: Reasons For Faith book

God’s timing is amazing!  Darryl and Doug’s book, Christianity: Reasons for Faith is  also on schedule to be printed in July or August.  Please pray for the final work of Fount of Wisdom Publishing as they wrap up, the layout, cover, and translation checking and pray that the printing process will go smoothly.

3. Trinity Institute of Cambodia

In July, the TIC executives and board will need to make some important decisions about future degrees, majors, curriculum, and seminars to be offered to the public.  Please pray for wisdom, unity, and efficiency in all of these decisions.

4. Kayo’s Music Ministry

Kayo is preparing to join the worship team at the international church we attend, in July.  She is also preparing to participate in a music outreach the end of August.  Please pray for God’s wisdom, timing, and strength for these things.

5. Kampong Chhnang Trip

Lord willing, we will travel to Kampong Chhnang for a weekend in July to visit our friends there and so that Darryl can speak at the Toul Ksaich Church.  Please pray for protection over our trip and that our car’s recently replaced engine and transmission will function well.

In Christ’s Hands,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin

“Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” (Jude 1:3 NASB)

Jude, the younger-brother of James, and half-brother of Jesus, wrote to the churches to vaccinate them against the beginnings of a false teaching, which would eventually grow into Gnosticism. Jude probably would have preferred to write about the joys and blessings of salvation, instead it was necessary for him to write to defend the faith. As a Christian Apologist, Darryl has often “felt the necessity”, to “contend earnestly for the faith.”

The amazing thing is that as we discover and share the supporting evidence, which shows that “our common salvation” is based on a solid foundation of TRUTH, our faith and joy grows as well. During our time in Japan, visiting our supporting-churches Darryl has had the opportunity to speak about some of the evidence that proves that the bodily, miraculous, resurrection of Jesus Christ matches undeniable historical facts, while the alternative theories fail miserably. When we consider all of the evidence, we can identify with Thomas, when he had the opportunity to see, speak with, and touch the Risen Christ. All Thomas could say was, “My Lord and My God!” (John 20:28) When we finally come to the place when we recognize Jesus for who HE is, all we can say is, “My Lord and My God!” and all we can do is follow HIM at all costs.

Christianity: Reasons for Faith: Publishing Process Update

On April 18, Darryl was finally able to send the completed 145-page English manuscript of his second book, Christianity: Reasons for Faith to Fount of Wisdom Publishing. The completed English/Khmer bilingual book will be published in Cambodia in June or July.

Sending off the manuscript reminds us of God’s faithfulness in making this book possible. This book had been on his mind for many years now. As we look back, we can see that the enemy did not want this book to be written or our ministry in Cambodia to continue. In January 2010, soon after beginning the research for this book, Darryl was struck with dengue fever. He continued researching until his fever reached 104 F, he could not read but he could listen to Defending the Faith lecture CD’s from Biola University. After being hospitalized, nearly dying, Kayo’s hospitalization with dengue fever, and Benjamin’s miraculous healing, the book project was put on hold until Darryl met Dr. Doug Collins in the fall of 2010.

The rest of the writing and editing process was challenging. We lived in Kampong Chhnang at the time and the electricity became very unstable often with daily blackouts for 6-8 hours. For a while, Darryl could work by powering the computer, fans, and the rest of the house with a diesel generator. Later, the generator became unreliable and so the work continued using a Netbook computer with a 10 inch screen while trying to keep cool using a fan powered by a car battery.

Despite these challenges, trials, attacks, and obstacles, the work could continue. God raised up faithful Christians in the US and Japan to help with editing, proofreading, illustrations, and funding. Darryl is humbled and blessed by God’s amazing faithfulness.

Once the book is published in Cambodia, we will continue to cooperate with Fount of Wisdom Publishing to make the book available to Cambodians living in the US and other countries by publishing it through a new Christian Internet-based Print-On-Demand publishing company. After that, we are thinking about making an internationalized English version for missionaries so that they can in turn customize, translate, and publish versions of this book in many different countries and languages.

Anchors of Faith: Truth, Relationships, and Experience Radio Program Update

The Anchors of Faith radio program is still on track to be broadcast on FEBC’s 99.5 FM station in Phnom Penh from July to December. FEBC continues to develop their broadcast and communication capabilities to better minister to listeners who call in for spiritual counseling. In addition to covering a broadcast area of 7 million people, there are also credible reports that officials at the highest levels of the Cambodian government are listening to 99.5 FM.

At this writing, Darryl has written all 26 scripts for the Truth segment of the radio program and has sent them off to the translator. FEBC’s staff is diligently working on producing the remaining programs for broadcast starting in July. God has already provided 40% of the $2,340 needed for production and broadcast.

Please pray that God will use the 13 hours radio program to; Open hearts of to the Gospel and give Cambodian Christians more confidence in the Truth of God’s Word so that they will not compromise their faith but will have more boldness in evangelism.

Trinity Institute of Cambodia: Christian College Update

Trinity Institute of Cambodia was able to hold its first two certificate/credit classes on March 19 and 20. The two classes are: Strategic Management and English for Strategic Management with eight or nine students each. Even though the enrollment is not enough “break-even” we are thankful for the start. So far, the feedback from the students has been positive. They feel like they are learning “twice as much” as they learn have learned in secular universities.

This is just the beginning of what we hope will become a Christian university which will positively impact Southeast Asia until Christ returns. We may be able to bring Christian teachers and professors in from other Asian countries such as Indonesia and Japan. We are waiting for God to make His will and provision clear for these and many other amazing opportunities for partnerships with Christians internationally.

Lord willing, we will be able to start more certificate/credit classes in July. Once the book, Christianity: Reasons for Faith is published in Cambodia, Darryl is considering using it as a textbook for new class which he wants to develop and teach which will equip TIC students with the evidence for God, the Bible, Jesus, and overcoming objections to Christianity.

Japan: April 3-June 12

Our time in Japan has been amazing in many ways. We have been able to fellowship with many Christians who have a real heart and mind for world missions. During our 10-weeks in Japan, we will visit and speak at 14 churches across Japan and have a booth at a one-day conference.

In our “free time” Darryl has been finishing up the book, writing radio scripts, networking for Trinity Institute, and fellowshipping with friends. Kayo has been busy making travel arrangements, meeting flute teachers and friends, and practicing the flute in her mom’s closet. Benjamin has been a good traveler and over all good but needs prayer for his strong will. In Hiroshima, Kayo’s parents treat him like a prince. The grandparents are having so much fun with Benjamin that the neighbor complained that they were making too much noise!

Prayer Requests
1. Pray for continued stamina, health, and wisdom as we visit churches in Japan.
2. Pray for efficiency in our work so that our family can find some times for some much needed rest and relaxation before we return to Cambodia.
3. Pray for God to continue to open Kayo’s parents’ hearts to the Gospel.
4. Pray for continued good relationships and grace from Christians in Japan because our family is frequently unaware of and out of sync with Japanese cultural conventions.
5. Pray for the book publishing and radio program production processes.
6. Pray for continued guidance, wisdom, and provision for Trinity Institute.