Many of you have entered into a work of faith with us by praying for the men that have been studying the Gospel with me. The work we do can be seen (your prayers & our soul winning efforts), but that which can't be seen is what we trust God to do: a life changing work in the hearts of men. God recently reminded me of just how much Khmer people must change in their thinking when they get saved.

During Cambodian New Year, we had a wonderful service and gave our people opportunity to testify about how they got saved. It was very enlightening.

• Proh first heard about Christ through literature that was passed out near his home. The tract mentioned a “lake of fire”. Proh thought, “Surely this religion is false. Everyone knows that lakes are filled with water, and fire and water cannot be in the same place.”
• When Wang came to church for the first time, Sakaun (now his father-in-law) was giving a salvation testimony. Wang thought that he must be a liar, because God surely could not be as great and good as this man was saying.
• Nuet believed a common Buddhist teaching that if you sin, you must receive sin (punishment) back. She was sure that there could not be any other who could receive the punishment for her sins.
• Theary says she hated missionaries because they turn Khmer people against their own religion, nation, and king. (Cambodians believe that if you betray one of the three, then you have betrayed them all.) She was also mad at the government for allowing those foreigners in to destroy her country.

These testimonies only begin to illustrate the battles that wage in the hearts of Cambodian people. There are many more obstacles that they encounter when faced with the truth of God’s Word, but with God’s help, His Word will produce fruit.

On March 7th, I asked you to pray for Meoun to be saved. About a month ago, he was rushed to the emergency room. The following night I stayed with him at the hospital so that his wife could get some sleep. A white man staying up all night to tend to a Cambodian was a bit strange to most, and Meoun (whom I found out prefers to be called Sokmait) was fielding questions from many people who were assuming that he had already become a Christian. Initially, it made him a bit uncomfortable, but he seemed to handle it better as time passed.

After arriving back home, his mother demanded that he make an offering to the spirit of his dead father. This, she said, would help him get better. As I talked to this family about this spirit offering, Meoun confirmed with me that he had not yet decided to believe in Christ, but he was still considering it. However he was now doubting the usefulness of such a spirit offering! I told him that no matter what he decided to do, I would still be willing to go teach him more about Christ. By the end of the visit, Meoun had decided that if his mother wanted an offering made to her dead husband, then she could do it herself. Then he used this phrase, “but not in my house” I was astounded. A little over a year ago he was persecuting his wife because she wouldn’t participate in such worship.

Four days later I had the great privilege of further explaining the Gospel for over an hour to Meoun and then seeing him trust Christ as his Saviour! Praise God! Discipleship has already begun, and his first assignment was to tell his wife and daughter that he had accepted Christ. On Sunday, they were beaming with delight about their husband/father’s new life in Christ.

More good news is on the way. Cambodians are considering Christ. Barriers are being broken down. Truth is being revealed. God is doing what we can’t!

Thank you for being a part of this Work of Faith.