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
- 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.
- Special spiritual protection over our family, especially Benjamin