Record Family Cambodia Missions Update (Joy in Trails)

“All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. Matthew 8:32 NLT

Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  James 1:2 NLT

Keeping our Joy In Trials: In the past month, we have experienced some “opportunities for great joy”.  Here are a few examples:

  • Darryl started “emergency apologetics classes” to equip a Cambodian pastor and
    Beware of free range cows.
    Free range cows.

    a Filipino missionary so that they will be able to protect and vaccinate their 14 churches who have lost 7 members and an evangelist to a cult and a Bible school student to Islam.  Please pray that they can help restore those who have strayed from the faith.  The day before the first meeting, the Cambodian pastor was returning to Phnom Penh from a weekend of ministry in a a rented SUV (from Lyna Garage), when suddenly a “free-range-cow” charged his vehicle causing $400 worth of damage.  A village leader gave the group a ride, but his vehicle broke down.  By God’s grace, this pastor was able to make it to the first apologetics class.  Right before the third meeting, the faucet in our upstairs bathroom broke in the ON position, which required us to turn off the water to the entire house and make emergency plumbing repairs.

  • A couple of days later, Darryl was getting ready to go to Lyna Garage to film “The
    Benjamin bicycle
    Benjamin on his bicycle.
    Mrs. Lyna Tan, Mr. Meas Savong, and Mrs. Samoeun Intal filming The Bible: God's Instructions for Life video.
    Mrs. Lyna Tan, Mr. Meas Savong, and Mrs. Samoeun Intal filming The Bible: God’s Instructions for Life video.

    Bible: God’s Instructions for Life” so Kayo went to pick Benjamin up at school.  On the way home, Benjamin’s training wheel bicycle fell over and he got a deep gash on his chin.  By God’s grace it didn’t bleed much so we could clean and bandage it and he didn’t need stitches.  We had to pray and trust God to heal Benjamin so that Darryl didn’t have to cancel this video shoot that had taken six months to set up and couldn’t be rescheduled for a long time.  Darryl is still editing this video, Lord willing he will release it this week.  In addition, was able to film Mrs. Samoeun Intal’s testimony.  She was the founder of the FEBC Christian radio station in Cambodia and has also paved the way for other kinds of Christian media in Cambodia, including International Fishers. www.internationalfishers.com/samoeun-intal 

  • Kayo’s ministry to Japanese speakers in Cambodia has also experienced great
    Japanese Life Group
    Japanese Life Group
    IMG_20150519_091729
    Kayo cutting Ryoken’s hair so that he can learn how to be a waiter (using English) etc. at Gateway Cafe.

    breakthroughs and trials.  Mr. I, the 76 year old Japanese man has made a clear profession of faith.  We have also been able to help a Japanese missionary family get settled in, find a good vehicle, and to overcome some other obstacles and trials.  We have also helped Ryoken, an 18 year old man from Japan, get settled in, plugged in to Gateway Cafe Student ministries, and started studying English and volunteering here in Cambodia.  Please pray that he will learn English, learn employable skills, and most of all that he will come to know Christ in a new way that goes beyond his parents’ faith.    These breakthroughs also came with trials.  Kayo has been sick and exhausted off and on for the past few weeks. We took her to the doctor twice but they couldn’t diagnose anything.  We are treating her at home for amoebas now. Last night she had an allergic reaction to the medicine.  Please pray that she will be fully healed before our trip to the USA on June 11.  Benjamin has also had unexplained illnesses that disappeared after prayer and Darryl got food poisoning after going to a lunch hosted by a Bible School.  There have also been other inter-personal conflicts that are also related to spiritual opposition.

Despite all of these trials we see God’s hand moving in our lives in ministry in ways that we have never seen before!  So, we can have joy that God is using us and that His work through us (despite our weakness) is such a threat that we merit opposition and trials.   If things are happening to us in Cambodia, it is likely that our Senders may also be under some spiritual trails and opposition too.  The enemy’s tactics include: deception, destruction, disconnection, discouragement, distraction, and division.  In the USA, you may not have a cow charge your car, but a co-worker may accuse you unfairly.  This is why we must continually pray for and encourage each other.

USA Trip June 11-August 14:

We are looking forward to seeing as many of our beloved Senders and others who are interested in being used by God to help reach the world for Christ.  We will be in California from June 12-23, Missouri from June 23-July 14, and back in California from July 14th to August 11.

For our friends in California, there is a special Open-House on Saturday June 20th from noon-5pm.  Please e-mail darryl@sgwm.com for more details on this event or to schedule other times to get together (in CA or MO).

In Christ’s Hands,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin