Last week we had a great time of fellowship with many other independent Baptist Missionaries. Many families wrote their own version of Christmas songs with funny lyrics about Cambodia. It was more laughter than I have heard for a long time. Thanks to Stephen Benefield for hosting the meeting.

Successful follow-up was done with Chanti. Sna was contacted by phone, but he avoided a personal meeting. Pray that God's will be done in both of these young men.

Srey Oun is healing well from her c-section, but the baby's name is no longer Eli. They changed it to Joshua. Please continue to pray for both Srey Oun and little Joshua.

On December 10th, I received a phone call regarding a young lady who had attended our church some time ago. Peakdey, just 29 years old and a single mother of 4 children from 2 different fathers, died of AIDS on December 9th. Peakdey was very poor. She and her children have spent a lot of time looking for recyclable goods on the city's trash heap. Organizations in Phnom Penh have offerred to take the children into their program. The children have been tested for the AIDS/HIV virus, but the tests are negative at this time. Peakdey's brother, Kaun, is the only living relative she
had. He has not been in our church the last couple of years, but was much closer to me and much more faithful to church than Peakdey. Kaun does not want to put his nephew's and nieces into programs in which he has no idea what will happen to them and in which he will have little hope of any future contact. Kaun and his wife Roet, therefore, have decided to raise these children as their own. This will not be easy for them. They struggle to support their own 3 children still at home. I have asked New Hope Baptist Church to give appropriate gifts for this family to offset the sudden
increase in family members. I have also asked New Hope to pray for this family and to fast one day this week. Please pray for this family to sell their house, so they can buy a house closer to Phnom Penh, schools, work, and relatives. Pray that God will provide for their needs through daily work for Kaun.

Pray that God will guide our church to give sacrificially and to be a good testimony of the love of Christ.

Pray that God will use all of these circumstances to bring this family back to the Lord and back into a good church, whether it be New Hope or another.

Other items of prayer for this week:

• We are doing the 3rd printing of the "Do You Know God?" booklet. Pray
  that all goes well, and we are able to quickly get a good quality book in
  the hands of missionaries and churches that need them.
• The government is holding up the registration of eleven Baptist churches.
  Pray God would give me wisdom as I attempt to influence the outcome of this
  situation in meetings with government officials this week.