Cambodia Update January 2014

If the Lord had not been on our side. . . Psalm 124:1 NIV

Back in Cambodia

God blessed us with a good time of encouragement and reconnecting with family and friends in the USA from November 15 to January 6.  He also allowed us to be out of Cambodia during the worst of the political and labor protests and related violence.  Since returning to Cambodia on January 7, the streets have become peaceful again and there is some hope that the political parties will negotiate a solution to the present problems but violence could erupt again (http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sen’s-defiant-stance).  On a related note, the prospective buyer for our rented townhouse seems to have backed out so, we will remain here until someone actually buys this place.  It has been on the market for more than a year now.

As Psalm 124:1 says, “If the Lord had not been on our side. . .” our lives and ministries in Cambodia would be impossible.  There are so many environmental, financial, health, physical, political, and spiritual challenges on every side that we could not have survived much less thrived without God’s blessings and protection, many times through His people and sometimes directly.

Trinity Institute’s new Location and New Chapter

TIC's new location
TIC’s new location!

TIC has moved from Gateway Cafe to the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia’s building.  The EFC building is more centrally located, has more space, and it will be easier to register

TIC's Temporary Cleaning Team
TIC’s Temporary Cleaning Team

with the government.  God is making it possible for more people to share their time and talents to develop TIC.  The English program should launch this spring and lord willing the Associate and Bachelor degree programs in Education program will launch later in the year.  More opportunities to launch Leadership and Entrepreneurship programs and possibly to offer classes  in Chinese and Intercultural Studies (missions).  More partnerships with Christian organizations and universities are also in the works.

Now that there are qualified Deans in the Schools of Education, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership, the English Program has a curriculum developer/teacher, and there is also an Academic Director, Darryl, as Vice President, can focus on developing the support services for TIC (Administration, Maintenance, Marketing, and the Library/Bookstore).    It is encouraging to see new growth in the areas where Darryl and others have been working to prepare the ground.

Japanese Life Group

Kayo along with another Japanese missionary and a Japanese-speaking Korean missionary have launched the first Japanese Alpha Course in Cambodia.  This is a 10 week video-based evangelism and discipleship program that combines apologetics, relationships, and gives participants a safe place to build relationships and experience God’s presence in their lives.  Please pray that God will use this and future rounds of this course and other life-group ministries to give Japanese living in Cambodia opportunities to know Christ and share that truth with others.