Sharing a Message at a Local Phnom Penh Church, Cambodia

Recently, I was privileaged of having the opportunity to share a message at a local Church in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Standing in front of the same podium where I started my first mission trip more than a decade ago, my mind was flooded with many fond memories of this place.

The church building was still the same while the congregation was just as welcoming. However, some of the people of whom I knew so well were no longer there. My beloved sister, Carol, who welcome us with open arms and hosted us a number of times, passed away a few years ago. I, along with my mission trip teammates were heartbroken. But the senior minister has been bravely carrying on since the church lost two of its invaluable servants of God.

Cambdoia is not a Christian country. Over 95% of the people are Buddists and we could see their worship altars everywhere in Cambodia.

Rev. Janice Lo and her family made a lot of sacrifices for the people of Cambodia some twenty years ago. They gave up their comfortable lives in Canada and moved to Phnom Penh to start serving the people there. Church planting is never an easy task as both my husband and I were involved in that role years ago.

But planting a church and preaching God's gospel in a hot country with a different culture, language and religion is much much more difficult.

I admire minsters and missionaries who dedicate their lives and committe to their tasks of serving God in foreign countries on a long term basis as I find missionary work very challenging.

Being in our retirement years, my spouse and I would like to get involved and do our little part to help and serve in overseas minstries as well. We always hope that our visits to some of these missionaries would give them some encouragement, assistance and maybe a tiny break in their enormous tasks. After sharing a message at the church, we went out for lunch with Rev. Janice in a nearby restaurant. We even planned to come back staying at the church for an evening this time so that we could spent a little more time in fellowship together. Thank God for the opportunities to serve and fellowship with God's people in Cambodia! RT Phnom Penh, Cambodia