The Faith To Walk On Water Also Can Be The Faith To Call 911

Darryl wrote the script and produced this video.
To watch: https://youtu.be/Jbg4OZumG2c
English/Khmer Transcript: https://www.internationalfishers.com/khmer-blog/-did-jesus-really-rise-from-the-dead

Would you consider it a lack of faith to call 911 if a wildfire threatened to burn up your housing, child’s schooling, and livelihood?  If not, please read this message as a 911 call from missionaries.  Missionaries usually cannot call 911 because either there is no one to call or there is no one trustworthy to call.  Therefore, we are taking a risk and a step of faith by calling you through this message.  The rest is up to people, just like you, and the steps of faith that you choose to take.  

Because our main financially supporting church in the USA is now in a financial crisis and Kayo’s non-Christian parents in Japan are retiring, we have found ourselves in a crossroads trial.  This could potentially, end our missionary work in Cambodia, dating back to 2000, before the end of 2019, unless God sends help through people just like you.

We have two urgent financial needs. 1. We need to replace $500 monthly by October to cover the costs for our housing and utilities. 2. We need to replace approximately $600 monthly by September in order to continue to pay for Benjamin’s Christian school tuition. Homeschooling (or finding employment in Cambodian) would be difficult for us and it would significantly reduce our ministry effectiveness just when our ministries are expanding. 

To get a better understanding of our ministry vision, activities, heart, and financial situation please visit: https://www.internationalfishers.com/eternal-impact/record-family-2019-financial-update

  1. Please pray about how God may be leading you to personally partner with us financially in a new or increased way.
  2. Please pray that God bring other Christians, you know, to mind who might also be willing to be Great Commission Business Partners for the first time.  Our ministries in Cambodia are to the Body of Christ in general, therefore we are able to be both ministry and financial partners with Christians from a broad range of Christian denominations etc. (similar to Ravi Zacharias or Billy Graham etc.).  If anyone wants to check our doctrine, we can send them a free apologetics e-book that Darryl co-authored with a medical doctor by request. darryl@sgwm.com 

I understand many people may consider it to be a violation of etiquette for missionaries to voice their financial needs so clearly.  However, after reviewing many Bible passages, I have come to the conviction that it is permissible to do so in certain situations. 

Please consider these passages:

  1. Nehemiah 2:3 “I said to the king, “May the king live forever! My face is sad because the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.”
  2. Esther 5:3-4 “Then Queen Esther answered, “My king, if you are pleased with me, and if it pleases you, let me live. This is what I ask. And let my people live, too. This is what I want. My people and I have been sold to be destroyed, to be killed and completely wiped out. If we had been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because that would not be enough of a problem to bother the king.”
  3. Matthew 14:30 “But when Peter saw the wind and the waves, he became afraid and began to sink. He shouted, “Lord, save me!”
  4. Luke 18:1-3 “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’”
  5. John 19:28 “Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 

In each of these cases where there was a legitimate, urgent, and serious need these people of great faith, including Jesus Christ all communicated their needs clearly and verbally instead of through psychic or telepathic means.  I believe that our current need meets these standards.  Here is why:

  1. If we are able to raise the funds through monthly financial partnerships, our ministries can continue to expand like never before! For example, some P@k!$t@n! Christians in Cambodia have just started translating Darryl’s www.internationalfishers.com apologetics/evangelistic materials into their language.  Also, just one of Darryl’s dozens of videos in Cambodian on the evidence for the resurrection has been viewed by more than 23,000 people!
  2. If we are not able to raise enough funds but must homeschool Benjamin and/or take local jobs to supplement our donations, our ministries will be reduced.
  3. If we are forced to return to the USA or Japan, we have no promising career paths and insufficient resettlement funds to transition back safely and smoothly.  Therefore, there is a great likelihood that we could be forced, (against our will and best efforts until we can find employment) to become burdens on family and friends and even dependent of social welfare programs.  If God opens up a clear path to return to one of our home countries, we are more than willing to follow Him, but this does not seem to be His best path for us at this time.  

There are many other wonderful ministry breakthroughs happening in addition to what I was able to mention briefly.  Please pray for God to raise up people just like you to stand in the gap for us financially, “for such a time as this.”  Great victories are born out of great adversities.  We are trusting God to raise up a new generation of Great Commission Business Partners (Senders) from this adversity! 

In Christ’s Hands and Yours,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin Record

Phnom Penh, Cambodia  

P.S. We are still planning to be in the Whittier/La Mirada/La Habra California area between June 20 and August 6. We look forward to visiting with and talking on the phone with as many of our friends and family members as possible during that time, when our time zones are not completely opposite.