The Record Family

Trinity Institute of Cambodia

In December, Darryl designed and the board approved the logo for Trinity Institute of Cambodia.   We chose trees to symbolize  Cambodia because one of TIC’s core values is Biblical Servant Leadership:

John 15:5 NLT “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

Matthew 23:11 NLT “The greatest among you must be a servant.”

These two verses are counter-cultural in any culture but in Cambodia they are truly revolutionary.   The goal of so many is to be the “Bong Thom” (Big Person).  Leadership is to be number one, to be powerful, and to use your power for your own advantage.  Biblical leadership is completely opposite.  Jesus Christ is the source of our strength, we can do nothing on our own.  Instead of “lording it over” others, Christian leaders must be servants. These Biblical concepts caused us to turn the normal pyramid-shaped organizational chart (with the board and executives on the top) upside down–or right side up, depending on your perspective.  This led us to think of our university as a tree that is rooted in Christ. Our students will be our fruit.  We hope that in the heart of each student are seeds of servant-leadership that will enable them to plant more Christ-honoring universities, schools, businesses, and churches across Cambodia and beyond.  The curved line that connects the three palm trees symbolizes the globe.  TIC was formed by Christian leaders from Cambodia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ghana, and the USA.  We desire that Cambodians spread the love of Christ beyond their national borders.

Darryl and Dr. Kwong have finished writing the draft-constitution.  We need special prayer cover during the week of January 9-15 because during this week we will be making very important decisions about approving the final Constitution, HR policies, partnership with Tabitha Services, and subleasing office/classroom space.   This is truly a make or break week for us. Please pray for everyone involved in this project.  Pray for unity, wisdom, protection and provision for everything we do.

Anchors of Faith: Truth, Relationships, and Experience Radio Program Update So far, Darryl has written 13 scripts for the Truth segment of the Anchors of Faith Radio Program on FEBC Cambodia’s Family 99.5 FM in Phnom Penh.  The radio station staff have produced 11 programs.  Lord willing we will begin broadcasting one program each week within the next month or so.  Please pray that Darryl will be able to write scripts at a faster pace, that the translator can keep up, and that the radio station production team can produce the programs on schedule.

Christianity: Reasons for Faith Book Update    

Darryl has been working very hard to finish up the main editing work on the apologetics book he co-authored with Dr. Doug Collins.   Meanwhile, Hoeun, the translator, has been working on translating the first two sections into the Cambodian language.  Lord willing the editing work will be completely finished in January or February and the translation work will be finished soon after that. Please pray for Darryl, Doug, and Hoeun as they work on editing and translating the book into Khmer.  Please pray for Fount of Wisdom publishing that everything needed for this book to be published from paper to finances will be provided.

Family Update

Moving to Phnom Penh has been a big adjustment for our family.   We have enjoyed having electricity 24 hours every day as well as living close to the grocery store, church, and medical care.  Benjamin seems happy in our new house and he has started going to Sunday School at the international church we attend.    Kayo has been very busy setting up and keeping our house going.  Lord willing we will be able to hire a Christian lady to help with some of the house work so that Kayo will be freed up to continue her work of managing our ministry finances, communicating with our supporters in Japan, language study, and mentoring Cambodian Christian ladies.   She has been able to start playing the flute again after putting it down since she was a musicology major in college.  She senses that God wants to use her music skills in the future so she is practicing again so that she can regain her skills.  

Thank you all for your continued prayers, encouragement, and support.   Without the strength and resources we receive from Christ, through the branches of his people in the US and Japan, we could not accomplish anything.  May God bless you all and give you an amazingly blessed 2012!

In Christ’s Loving Hands,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin

A New Chapter: Return to Phnom Penh

On December 5, under cover of darkness, we moved  from Kampong Chhnang to Phnom Penh, the capital.  The moving truck had to travel at night to avoid extortion at police checkpoints, a common practice.  This just reminds us that we need to continue to pray and work so that in Cambodia; some day the honest people can boldly operate in daylight and the criminals will have to sneak around at night.

We lived and ministered in Kampong Chhnang for two years.  We experienced a different side of life one can only experience by living outside of the capital.  Our language skills greatly improved.  We also gained a better understanding of the Cambodian culture as well as the strengths and struggles of the Church.  We learned to depend on God through illnesses and injuries when suitable medical care was not available.

We are thankful for our time in Kampong Chhnang. We feel peace about leaving now because the local church and Christian community seem to be stabilizing and healing from the moral and spiritual fall of multiple prominent church leaders over the past few years.  Pastor Moeun has asked Darryl to return to Kampong Chhnang to speak at the church once every three months, there may be other opportunities to teach at other churches in the area as  well.  As we leave Kampong Chhnang, other missionaries are moving in and who will be able to cover Darryl’s work with Tahas Bible Institute.  A missionary from Guatemala is now renting our old rented house.  We believe that this couple will be able to reach out to the neighbors.

We are also looking forward to the new chapter ahead in Phnom Penh.  It is one of the divine ironies that Darryl went to the wilderness of Kampong Chhnang, after his Advanced English Program at the Royal University of Law and Economics was closed down, in 2009.  While in Kampong Chhnang, Darryl met Dr. Kwong, a missionary from Hong Kong, who had a vision and burden to start a Christian university.  Now, Darryl is returning to Phnom Penh as the COO of Trinity Institute of Cambodia.  God is replacing Darryl’s lost English Program with a Christian university!

Our move will make Darryl’s work with Fount of Wisdom Publishing and Far East Broadcasting more efficient as well.  There are also good, Christian Schools for Benjamin.  We are also thankful that we could rent a townhouse in a safe and convenient neighborhood from a Singaporean tentmaker missionary couple.  The electricity here is much more stable so Darryl was very happy to sell the generator and put the battery powered fans into storage!

Trinity Institute of Cambodia Update

Now that we have moved to Phnom Penh, Darryl’s work as COO of TIC will be more efficient because he no longer needs to commute 2 hours by car each way for meetings.   Now, he will have a 10-minute bike ride.

Darryl and Dr. Kwong finished the draft constitution.  On January 14th, the Board will meet to discuss, modify, and hopefully ratify it.  We are also making final decisions on the logo.  In January, TIC will be able to move in to an office located in the pictured building and will be able to rent classroom space as needed.  The rest of the building will be used as a Christian school.

Lord willing, we will be able to offer a certificate course in Strategic Management in March.  For more information about the background of TIC please visit: http://sgwm.com/record/trinity-cambodia/.

Please pray for strength, wisdom, unity and provision for this entire undertaking.  Only God can bring this Christian university from a vision and burden into reality.

Book Updatehristianity: Reasons For Faith

Darryl has been spending most of his time editing the English manuscript of Christianity: Reasons for Faith.  So far, he has edited 24 of 33 chapters (85 of 150 pages).  Fount of Wisdom has arranged for Mr. Hoeun (Philip) to translate the book. So far, he has translated three chapters.  Please pray for provision and wisdom in setting the budget and layout of the book.

Fount of Wisdom has to sell the books well below cost in order to make them affordable and available to the Cambodians who need them.  A book that would sell for $12 in the US is sold for $3 in Cambodia.  Even then, $3 is more than a one day’s wage for minimum wage Cambodian workers, as opposed to $12 being more than one hour’s wage for minimum wage American workers.

Unlike publishers in the US, Fount of Wisdom cannot pay its authors but must rely on the authors to donate their writings and raise additional funds to pay for translation and publishing costs.  Our current book, Christianity: Reasons for Faith,  will be produced in a bilingual (Cambodian & English) format.  To publish it with  full-size English text, would cost around $5,700.  So far, God has provided $5,000 through Doug and Doug’s ministry partners in the US and Japan.   We look forward to making this amazing tool for discipleship and evangelism available to missionaries, pastors, and Christian leaders in Cambodia.

Radio Program Update:  Anchors of Faith

Darryl continues to write scripts for the Anchors of Faith: Truth, Relationships, and Experience radio program.  We are looking forward to the start of broadcasting in January.  Darryl and the FEBC staff will need to meet in January or February to plan for the upcoming year of programs.  Please pray for continued wisdom for all those involved in writing scripts, translation, and producing this program.

Family Prayer Requests

1.  The past few months have been very FULL of amazing breakthroughs and exhausting trials.  We, especially Darryl, are getting physically, mentally, and emotionally tired.  Please pray for refreshment and wisdom in managing all of the demands and opportunities.

2.  Please pray for our family to settle in to our new environment and routine.  Please pray for Kayo as she gets our house and lifestyle set-up and organized.  Please pray for Benjamin to adjust to Sunday School, make friends, and adjust to life in the city.

In Christ’s Hands,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin

Flooding Update:

Two weeks ago, we were concerned about the 10 year flood that Cambodia is experiencing.  Already a national disaster, if the waters had continued to rise it could have turned into a catastrophe.  Even though we live on a hill, our backyard turned into a pond and we were concerned that the water could come into our house.  We were also concerned that National Road #5 could  become too flooded for us to drive to Phnom Penh.

We asked for prayer.  Soon, the rains stopped for a few days allowing the water to subside some.  Even though there were a couple more rainstorms last week, the flooding is beginning to go down. There is no more risk of getting cut off from Phnom Penh, where we must go for supplies and medical care.

One more adventure that came from the flooding was that we found and killed a snake in Benjamin’s

playroom.  We can’t figure out what kind of snake it was.  There are 86 species of snakes in Cambodia and 17 of them are venomous.

We thank God that Benjamin did not disturb the snake while playing.  We will need to be extra careful   when we move old boxes in preparation for moving to Phnom Penh on December 6.

Trinity Institute of Cambodia

Darryl started drafting the constitution

and Human Resource Policies in October.  Lord willing, the board will approve everything in December or January so that we can move forward.  TIC will sublease office and classroom space in a school building probably starting in December if the building is completed. Certificate classes could begin as soon as March, 2012 but there is so much to do between now and then.

• Please pray for wisdom and unity for Dr. Kwong (CEO), Darryl (COO), the board, and future teachers.
• Please pray for efficiency and wisdom in establishing the constitution and policies that will help keep this institution true to its Christian founding.
• Pray for financial provision for the set up of the office, classrooms, staff, and student recruitment.

Book Update

Darryl and Doug are making final revisions to their book, Christianity: Reasons for Faith. In November, they will begin turning in chapters to Fount of Wisdom Publishing for translation into the Cambodian language.  Lord willing, the book will be published in English-Khmer bilingual format in early 2012.

• Please pray for special wisdom in the editing, translation, translation checking, and publishing process.
• Please pray for wisdom and provision in setting the final budget for this book.   God has blessed us with a large portion of the funds already.

Anchors of Faith Radio Program

Darryl has written 12 scripts for the Truth segment of the 30 minute radio program, Anchors of Faith: Truth, Relationships, Experience. The staff at FEBC Family FM 99.5 in Phnom Penh have produced around ten complete programs.  Lord willing, the weekly program will start being broadcast,  on the radio station beginning in January 2012. Around half of Cambodia’s 14 million population live in the broadcast area of this radio station.  After broadcast the program will be available in areas that don’t get the radio signal on CDs or MP3.

• Please pray for wisdom and stamina for Darryl and the rest of the FEBC team to be able to produce 52 programs each year.
• Continue to pray for FEBC Cambodia’s finances.  They have had go off the air on Saturdays.

Family Prayer Requests

Thank you for your faithful prayers, encouragement, and support for our family  that God uses to empower us to continue or ministry in Cambodia.

• Please pray for our family’s health and protection. Especially for Benjamin who recently seems to be in danger from sickness,  falls  etc.
• Please pray for strength and stamina to finish our time in Kampong Chhnang well.
• Please pray for guidance for Darryl as he prepares 3 devotions for Tahas Bible Institute and 2 sermons for Toul Ksaich Church, and delivers them in Khmer language.

Please pray for the flooding in Cambodia. So far 247 people have died and 13% of the rice crop has been destroyed. To buy supplies or go to the pharmacy Darryl has to wade through flood waters. We are concerned about the flooding in our backyard because it could eventually get into our house.

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38 NKJV

Since the visit of the prayer team from Japan the end of August, we have experienced greater spiritual protection. September, could have been a very difficult month because of the attacks that came, but through prayer, the fiery darts continue to be deflected.  For example, Benjamin was sick twice this month for around 10 days each time.  The first time, around Sept. 8 he spiked a fever of 104.5 F.  It was evening and we were in Kampong Chhnang so it was just too late to safely drive the hour and a half to the hospital.  All we could do was pray and ask for prayer.  By the next morning his fever dropped to 101 and he recovered from there.  Kayo and Darryl had food poisoning as well.  But, these illnesses did not become nearly as severe as they have in the past, so there was minimal disruption to our lives.  At the beginning of October, we are actually more refreshed than before the trials.

Reasons for Faith Book Update

As of September 30, Darryl and Doug finished collecting feedback from their editors.  In October, they will make final adjustments and revisions to the manuscript.  Lord willing, Darryl will be able to start sending the first chapters to Fount of Wisdom’s translator by the end of October.  This book started as an idea in 2009 and, Lord willing, in 2012 it will be published.

• Please pray for special wisdom in making the final edits to this manuscript.
• Please pray for the translators and translation process.

Trinity Institute of Cambodia Update

The first of many steps toward developing a Christian university in Cambodia took place in September.  Darryl’s work during the month was to write the MOU to make TIC an official subsidiary of Tabitha Services, a Cambodia based organization.  He also began researching accreditation standards and started writing the constitution and other administrative work.

The decisions that are made during this stage are very important to the future of the Christian university.  The challenge is to achieve high quality education without compromising the Christian values.  For example, Harvard University was started by Rev. John Harvard, “to advance learning, and perpetuate it in prosperity; dreading to leave an illiterate ministry, when our present ministers shall lie in the dust (What If Jesus Had Never Been Born, 53).” Sadly Harvard, Princeton, and many other “ivy league” universities have abandoned and rejected their Christian heritage.

Providentially, Trinity Institute of Cambodia is starting just as Cambodia is emerging from the shadow of war and destruction. We have an opportunity to raise up a new generation of Cambodians who will be prepared lead their churches and transform their nation

• Please pray for wisdom for the board and administrators of TIC as we set the course and lay firm foundations.
• Pray for wisdom and provision for the finances necessary to start this university.

Anchors For Faith Radio Program Update

Darryl has written 10 scripts for the Truth segment of the Anchors for Faith: Truth, Relationships, and Experience radio program.  The staff at FEBC family FM 99.5 so far have been able to produce 8 programs.  We are thankful for the progress and we are looking forward to the time when we will have enough programs recorded to begin broadcasting on the radio station and distributing recordings to places where the signal does not yet reach.

Darryl will be meeting with the FEBC staff on October 13 to discuss the future plans for the radio program.

• Please pray for continued wisdom and guidance for all those involved in the production of this radio program.
• Please pray for financial provision for FEBC 99.5 FM so that they can resume 7 day a week broadcasting, they recently have had to  go off the air on Saturdays.

Toul Ksaich Church Update

The local church in Kampong Chhnang seems to be going through a time of deepening their relationship with Christ.  It seems that after a season of storms and refining that the overall health of the churches in the area are also improving.

Darryl will continue to speak there monthly until December, when we move to Phnom Penh, and may return periodically to preach in the future.  Now that he has completed his apologetics series to help the church understand that God’s Word is true, he is moving on into encouraging the church to learn the “whole counsel of God.”  In August, the Japan Prayer Team gave the pastor a Bible Handbook and Commentary Set in Khmer language.  In October Darryl wants to give the church members a one-year bible reading plan and will continue to encourage the church to move more toward a more systematic pattern of bible teaching instead of random topical sermons.

• Please pray that this church will become a church that is truly well- grounded in the Word.
• Please pray for protection and discernment for the Pastor and other leaders so that they will not look at situations from the outward appearance, but truly see the heart conditions of the people in the church and to have the courage to apply the Word.

International Fishers: Christian Evidence Ministry Update

We’ve closed down our website www.wwnet.org and transferred most of the apologetics articles to www.sgwm.com/record/if.  In the future, Darryl will post new articles here.  This is more efficient than trying to maintain two websites.

Family Update

We have agreed to rent a house for five years in Phnom Penh starting on December 6.  We are blessed that the house is owned by a Singaporean Christian family, is in a great location, is very clean, and is in a safe neighborhood.  In addition to being a safe haven where we can work and live, we will also have enough extra room to host our missionary-friends who work in the countryside but must come to Phnom Penh.   If/when short term teams come to visit us, we will also be better prepared to host them.

• Please pray for our continued physical health and protection.
• Please pray that we will be able to “finish strong,” in Kampong Chhnang.
• Please pray for special wisdom and provision as we prepare our 2012 budget to meet expanding ministry and family needs (Benjamin’s education etc.).
• Please pray for healing for Darryl’s mother.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”  Matthew 19:26 NLT

We have had three very intense weeks in Cambodia since returning.  We’ve experience heavy rains and floorboard deep floods, daily blackouts, mechanical and computer problems, and illnesses.  We’ve also had great blessings and breakthroughs in our ministry.

Out of our weakness, trials, and spiritual warfare God has been growing some amazing fruit!

University Project Update:  Trinity Institute of Cambodia

The university planning committee has finished its work.  We now have a mission statement, a vision statement, a name, a board, a CEO, and a COO.  The name for now will be Trinity Institute of Cambodia (TIC), Lord willing, it will eventually grow to become Trinity University of Cambodia.

The mission statement is:  To actively equip and mentor our students to discover their identity and purpose and to actualize their potential. This means that we want the students to discover who they are as special creations of God, along with how this identity influences all other identities; national, cultural, and personal.  We want them to discover the purpose that Jesus Christ has in their lives and to reach their fullest potential through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The vision statement is: Renew Minds Transform Lives.

The board will be made up of Rev. Heng Cheng (General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia), Dr. Andrew Kwong, Dr. Kevin Lowe, Mr. Uon Seila, and Darryl

Dr. Kwong will be the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and Darryl will be the COO (Chief Operations Officer).  Please pray for special grace and wisdom for all those involved in the leadership of this new venture.  At this point, we have no funds, so all administrators and board members are purely volunteers.

As COO, Darryl will have to draw on his political science background to develop the policies and structure for the organization.    This will be a part-time position so that Darryl will be able to have time for his other ministries.

Update: Anchors of Faith: Truth, Relationships, and Experience Radio Program, FEBC 99.5 FM

So far the FEBC radio station staff has been able to produce more than 5 half-hour radio programs.  Darryl has written and had translated scripts for 8 programs.  In September, he will continue writing more scripts for the Truth segment.  During a recent visit to the station, Darryl was able to meet Meng and Ally the voice actor and actress who play the roles of Udom and Nimol.

Mission and Prayer Team from Japan August 25-30: The Ordinary is the foundation for the Extraordinary

On the surface, they were very quiet, polite, and very Japanese.  Pastor Kita from Kayo’s home church, Tokyo Chapel, accompanied a team of six church members from Tokyo Grace Church, which was made up of a two university students, two corporate workers, a language teacher, and a pastor’s wife. Even though they were with us for only five days, we can honestly say it was an EXTRAORDINARY time!

What made the time so extraordinary was that this team was very committed to prayer.  They started each day with devotions and intensive prayer.  Everywhere they visited they prayed intensely.  After meeting the team and taking them to meet and pray for Precious Women Ministry, which helps Cambodian women escape from prostitution, Kayo returned to the guesthouse and told Darryl, “When they prayed, I sensed that the demons flinched and ran away.”

We took them to Kampong Chhnang, a place where we have experienced a lot of spiritual warfare and oppression.  Everywhere they prayed, Darryl sensed the darkness lifting, even though he could not understand their prayers.

The team hosted a special meeting in our house in which they shared their testimonies and encouraged the Cambodian Christians not to compromise their faith despite the pressure from their families and culture.  They also went from place to place in Kampong Chhnang praying for the Bible School, The English and Computer School, and the local Church as well as praying at the Pastor’s, Elders’,  and a Church Members’ home.  They prayed for healing for the sick and steadfastness for the Christian leaders.

We believe that God really used their prayers to make a breakthrough in many of the areas of our life and ministry.  They were able to raise funds to build a room and bathroom for a young church family whose 27 year old husband and father has total kidney failure and is only surviving because of donations for dialysis.  They also led worship, gave testimonies, and Pastor Kita gave the message with the help of Darryl’s former student Seila, who could translate from Japanese to Cambodian.  Seila was Darryl’s English student back in 2001.  She accepted Christ in a student Bible study he was leading.  Later, she won a scholarship and earned a BA and MA in Japan and became fluent in Japanese.  It was very encouraging for us to see the seeds planted ten years ago, bearing fruit in Seila’s life and testimony.

While we praise God for the team’s service, we believe that their ministry of prayer was even more important.  Sometimes short-term teams come to Cambodia so consumed with service that they overlook the importance and power of prayer.  The “work” of ministry can always be done by the long term missionaries but we need the spiritual breakthroughs and cover that only intensive prayer can bring.

We arrived in Phnom Penh on August 12. It is good to be back on the field in Cambodia. We are in the midst of the rainy seasons which bring with it the adventures of flash floods. On Sunday evening, the street in front of our guesthouse was so flooded that the water was above the floorboards of our car. Thank God it didn’t leak.

Today we will make our way home to Kampong Chhnang Cambodia a 1.5-2 hour trip over a narrow highway with every possible challenge from speeding buses to meandering ox carts.

We are looking forward to resuming our work and ministry.

Anchors For Faith: Truth, Relationships, and Experience

Radio Program

In March, Far East Broadcasting’s Cambodia FM 99.5 station was able to record the first 30-minute radio program.  Darryl was very happy and pleased that even though he originated the radio program’s concept and the original script for the truth segment, the final product sounded completely Cambodian.  For the Truth segment, Darryl writes dialogue scripts for conversations between two Cambodian university students “Nimol” and “Udom.”  In this script, “Udom” and “Nimol,” discuss the evidence that helps them overcome their own doubts and the objections of others about the truth of Christianity.  For the Relationships section, FEBC staff members prepare a dialogue about how Christians should relate to other believers and offer practical advice about how Cambodian Christians can maintain their witness and testimony with their non-Christian family and friends.  The Experience segment was based on the testimony of Pastor Sok Em, our close friend, the founding director of Tahas Bible Institute.

Sadly, Phearun who played the role of “Udom” in the Truth dialogue was killed in a traffic accident in Phnom Penh.  Despite their sorrow over the loss of their co-worker, the staff at FM 99.5 found another young man to become the second “Udom.”  Since then, they have re-recorded program #1 and are on schedule to record 2 episodes each month until they far enough ahead to begin broadcasting on the radio station which has a potential audience of 7 million of Cambodia’s 13 million population.