Toothache! I’m writing to you, my beloved family, friends, and dedicated donors, with a toothache? Yup. Beware! Remember; allow everyone a little temporary insanity once in a while!
What a transitional month! I have been in Cambodia for about ten days since Dec. 27th 2008. My reluctant travels have taken me to Kenya , Uganda , Norway , Bhutan , Vietnam , and Thailand . All I can say is; it’s a good thing I retired. http://www.missionreports.com/bvt_trip You see, Ma Sou is now the FMI missionary in Cambodia . What really hurts my feelings is; that when I leave, God shows up! (I know! I know! But let’s keep our theories to ourselves. Ok?) Since I turned 62, I thought I’d retire and allow her to receive my salary in order for her to build up her Social Security balance, but God had other ideas. He wanted me freed up for His purposes. I like to lie and say I obediently responded to His nudge. In fact, a grizzly old prophet, who’s been too accurate at speaking into my life to ignore, told me that I needed to obey God or, “My forest would be burned down!” Hey! What does that mean? I was ticked, and I am ashamed to say, I let God know it in a rather un-Christian manner. We were in an hour of prayer, with about 8 leaders during our annual meeting, when it just blurted out of my mouth. “God Damn it! I don’t want to be an apostle!” It shocked me more than it did all those standing around aghast, with their chins on their chests, waiting for the lightning bolt to reduce me to a “crispy critter”. A lot of good it did me! I’ve been in four countries this month.
I have been convicted by one new revelation this month. Feelings of unworthiness do more to paralyze the Body of Christ than anything else I can think of. We don’t feel worthy; inferior to others, so we don’t have faith to act. We need to trade our inferiority complex for a ‘reality complex’. Often, both states of mind look the same on the surface because they begin with the honest recognition that we are basically just sacks of “doggy doo”. True enough (Rom. 7:18). Actually, the only one who doesn’t agree with Paul is God. He thinks we’re worth something! The revelation occurs when we actually believe that God loves us too much to leave us there, paid for our messes with His life, and filled us with His Spirit. Then, the transformation happens when we have enough faith to actually act like we believe it. I am convinced that this is where most people get stuck. We really don’t believe that we are good enough for God to use us. The truth is that God chooses to use the weak, foolish, and rejected. Feel qualified?
I learned that fact when I quit preaching about 8 years ago and made the Cambodians do the work. God took it a notch higher by getting me out of the country this past month. Pastor Peter took the post convention “road show” to the provinces. http://www.missionreports.com/training_around_cambodia Hard hearts were melted, supervisors repented of corrupt behavior, healings took place, pastors began moving in their Spiritual gifts. In short, God showed up.
We had a “Pastoral Couples Unity” conference, kind of a fancy marriage encounter for couples working together in ministry. You know, when you work with your spouse it really seems to stir up the demons. Ma Sou and I have been sharing an office for about 23 years. Things are getting better, we only consider murder about once per month. Relax! I’m just kidding! (It’s really about twice :>). Anyway, we, the “experts”, were supposed to do this with about 30 young Superintendents. Problem; I got called to travel (I didn’t want my forest to burn down) so, Ma Sou did it alone. I joked she had a cardboard cutout of me, the ‘perfect husband’, always agrees, never talks back, continual smile on his face, listens quietly. My salvation lies in the fact that he can’t fix stuff around the house, and he is lousy in bed! What really hurt was that it went so well! http://www.missionreports.com/young_generation Eight women came up to repent of abortions, one Superintendent, suicidal over his failed marriage, and the gossip that had circulated, got his relationship with a formerly bitter young wife, totally healed. Prophetic gifts were released, and best of all, thirty couples really started praying for, supporting, and loving each other. So, Ma put them on a bus and sent them down for a night on the beach. Then, (Bubbles burst) I came home.
Problem! I’ve got three containers full of modern rice production equipment riding in the ocean due to arrive on April 23rd. But, record early rains in Balang have forced us to plow all our land, repair dikes, and begin planting next week. Bummer! It means twice the seed, and not nearly the quality of seedbed, but to wait could be suicidal. There’s always next year! Our rice mill is humming out about 3 tons per day, and our tractors are performing well. http://www.missionreports.com/ricefield_ploughing Our sales are down this year due to the economic down turn, but we just sold another tractor today, so hope abounds.
Hey! Hey! Hey! We’ve got a veterinarian. Not only that, she comes complete with a skilled mechanic. Home grown and full time! Ojee (the mechanic) married Sithan (the veterinarian). Both are orphans raised in the FCOP system. Both trained in the University of Agriculture and the FCOP Tractor Factory apprentice program. As has been happening frequently, our orphans meet at different functions, fall in love, and get married. That’s good because most Cambodians won’t let their children marry an orphan. They are considered cursed. Poor Pa Thom (me)! He gets stuck with the bill. http://www.missionreports.com/sithan_wedding Cambodian brides receive a big “Bride price”, but since my 1500+ beautiful daughters are considered “untouchable” and my 1500+ sons have no money. I have BIG problem.
The “Garment Factory Worker’s Dorm” is done. We can house 480 young women. http://www.missionreports.com/woman_dorm_mar09 The problem is that last week 70 percent of the garment factories announced they will be closing for from six months to one year. Young women are flocking back to the provinces to try to find work in the rice fields, many others are forced in to prostitution, and the law of supply and demand even works in that profession. Imagine the desperation in selling yourself for $0.25? Times are tuff! We are thinking we will open up and house the women who want safe housing for free (they have no money), but how to feed them? Ouch! Any benefactors out there who still have money? I have an idea for you!
Granny power! We’ve had about 100 people come to Christ over the past few months at the Cham Chao Church . Many came to Christ through the evangelism of a group of octogenarians that are downright relentless in their fervor for setting people free through relationship with Christ. They don’t have clean water for baptism, so the church rented a couple of busses. None of them had ever seen the ocean. One of the grannies exclaimed, “I need to go to heaven now, because it can’t get any better on this world!” http://www.missionreports.com/chom_chao_baptism_mar09
Ouch! I just gave up and went for a quadruple root canal. Now, that’s quite an experience in ‘Bodia! I’m still numb, and when I smile, I drool. (I know! You’re thinking, “He’s normal.”)
We’ve opened our 106th Church/Home. http://www.missionreports.com/church_building_mar09 And, now more than ever, I feel so over my head that only God can save me. That’s a good place to be because He’s always shown up. The experts all predicted our demise 10 years ago. I still chafe at the critics; “How can you claim to be Christian when you have kids sleeping on mats! Don’t you know that the ‘Mandate for Children’ demands beds?” Smile! Ninety-five percent of Cambodian children sleep on mats. Usually my flesh kicks in and I snap back, “Just give us the money and we’ll buy the beds!” But, they don’t do that. So, we sleep on mats. The thing they don’t realize is that the kids are loved and happy. So, bring on the critics, we really do need each other, they just make us better, as long as we don’t get bitter. To all those whom I have offended with my terse, ranting, ‘smart ass’ comments; I sincerely apologize, please forgive me! Keep smiling! We will, as soon as I quit drooling. Have a great month!
Blessings upon you!
Pa Thom (Me, Ted)
And those still do’in all the work,
The Cambodian FCOP Team,
Ma Sou,
Josh and Michelle Ferguson
Kris Warner
Bob and Christal Hollandsworth
