Last week I made a mistake when telling the wonderful story of what God has done and is doing in the life of Samnang and Sokhom. The below is a copy of last week's email, but the part in red is erroneous. I must have misunderstood something the first time I talked to them about when they were married. They were married before the Khmer Rouge Regime not during it. Please forgive me. I have put the corrected story on our blog page.
http://theruppels.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/reaping-where-i-bestowed-no-labour/
Dear Friends, This past Thursday (July 29, 2010), God gave me the privilege of leading a man and wife to a saving knowledge of Christ. Samnang and his wife Sokhom both have a 40 year history of God planting Gospel seeds in their hearts.
About thirty-two years ago, the Khmer Rouge randomly chose young people and forced them to marry in mass weddings. Samnang was placed directly across from Sokhom, his wife to be. Little did they know that God had already been planting the Gospel in both their hearts. Sokhom had been to church in the early seventies before the Khmer Rouge took control in 1975. During that same time Samnang was travelling in and out of the country studying at universities abroad. Though he had not made room in his own life for Christ, his brother accepted Christ and became a pastor for an evangelical church. That brother was then murdered by the Khmer Rouge during their regime.
A Christian nephew who started pastoring in the province during the nineties coupled with radio ministries in Phnom Penh continued to water the seed of God's Word growing in their hearts. Samnang and Sokhom turned away from Buddhism and started to search for the truth. Through Bible reading, visits from Mormons, listening to the radio, and talking to Christians they realized that there were many different denominations in Christianity and were confused about where to go to church.
Just last year a new missionary family, the Carlyles, rented a house across the street from this couple. The Carlyles were a great testimony to them and quickly won their trust. Since brother Carlyle is still in language school, he introduced them to me in order to finish the task of explaining the Gospel.
Sometimes we plant. Sometimes we water. Sometimes we reap. Sometimes we do all three. Surely, God is involved in every step of the miraculous process. What a privilege it is to be one of many labourers over a 40 year span. So much the more, what a privilege it is to be a labourer together with Christ in bringing in an eternal harvest!
Please pray for this couple to continue to come to church and become committed to church.
Please pray for their discipleship as I start this Tuesday explaining the wonderful relationship that they have just begun.
Please pray for their 3 children and 2 grandchildren to be saved. All of them live with Samnang and Sokhom.
In the field,
Rodney Ruppel
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