I remember holding a gulp of hot water in my mouth before asking my mom to take my temperature. Anything, to get out of school, I hated school. Well, I’ve matured. Now, I actually ‘sort of’ pray that God would make me sick, nothing terminal, just strep throat, or slight pneumonia, something serious enough to get me out of my trips. As usual, much to my chagrin, my health was good, and the trip to tour with ‘Asia Link’, in Norway , was very fruitful, as well as snowy and cold. http://www.missionreports.com/pathom_norway . Not that I don’t love those people, I do, I just didn’t want to travel any more. In fact, these trips turned out to be very important. I have a theory; the more you need to do something the less your flesh will want to participate. Have you ever noticed that? I learned something very important on these trips. Diversity, Wow! Do we ever have it in the Christian Church! Everything form the ultra-sacramental Eastern Orthodox Priests, who look to me like walking carpet bags with incense burners attached, to the wild eyed Pentecostals jumping pews and barking like dogs. Then there are 100,000 different clubs (Churches) in-between, all of us thinking we have the corner on “Truth”, frequently condemning the other “clubs” for their heresy. The only thing we all seem to agree upon is that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. It struck me; maybe that’s the only really important thing? One thing I am convinced of is; that all of us will get surprised when we get to heaven, because, none of us have it all right!
Sectarianism and tribalism are tearing up Kenya and Uganda . http://www.missionreports.com/pathom_africa/ They are 90% Christian. So, what’s wrong? I was in Jinja (sp?), Uganda . I went with John Kamanzi (our Foursquare leader) and Craig Muller of Warm Blankets Orphan Care, Int. to help set-up the Church/Home model we have here in Cambodia . It was Tuesday. There were five “clubs” (churches) all within a kilometer of the last church in the row, which we went to assist. Church members were trying to care for 160 kids that had come out of the refugee camp nearby. They were considered tribally “undesirable” by many in the area. As Craig and John began processing them, Craig noticed the third girl in line. She was seven years old and her right side was slumped over, she began to cry. “What’s wrong with her I asked the caregiver?” The old grandma murmured, “She fell and broke her arm on Saturday, but we don’t have any money to take her to a doctor.” I’m thinking, “Five churches in a half mile, and no one can help a seven year old girl with a broken arm? What’s wrong with this picture?” Well, I took off for the hospital with “Grandma and girl” in tow, and we got her arm set, but it’s the whole “I hate you, you hate me” thing that still haunts me. Somehow, we’ve got to learn to work together.
T’was nice to come back and still find some Christmas unity in Cambodia . The ‘Pastor’s Fellowship of Cambodia’ packed our Training Center in a show of Christmas spirit. I think some of our Foursquare churches are still celebrating! (who wants to stop a good thing?) There must have been 500 major Church Christmas parties of several hundred to 3000 in attendance. All of them presented the central issue of our Christian faith; the arrival of Christ on earth. I never grow tired of watching the Cambodian “spin” on Christmas. I love the dancing cows moving around the manger to a Cambodian tune, and the tinkle-tinkle of angel wings as they fly through the air. http://www.missionreports.com/activities/index.html So many people came to know Christ through these events I’m not sure we will ever get an accurate count. Several pastors decided to move the new converts down to the nearest river for an instant baptism. Now, that’s a good way to celebrate Christmas.
It was encouraging to hear the Provincial leaders of Siem Reap Province praise the FCOP church/home model at the dedication of the new Chantrea (Some Vuey) facility. What was special is that it is an area where ‘critics’ have been very vocal. Enemies may not do much for unity, in fact they can gnaw at your marrow, but they are good for a few reasons. Enemies sharpen us; cause us to focus on weak points, and force us to make needed adjustments. For another, Jesus said we’d have them. If everyone loves you, guess what? You’re not in God’s will! So, what to do? You better go out and ‘tick’ some people off. Just kidding!! Really! “As much as it depends on you live at peace with everyone.” Right? Don’t worry; there are always plenty of grouches to go around. Look at the ‘Prince of Peace’. They killed him, primarily because he told the truth. You don’t make friends when you tell the person who invested in a Yugo that they’ve bought a piece of junk.
Concerts, youth rallies, women’s meetings, and children’s clubs have really been popular, even during the Christmas season. The women have aggressively taken hold of the Holy Spirit and are really changing their provinces http://www.missionreports.com/women_ministry_pursat and the youth movements? They seem to setting the tone for the future of their country. http://www.missionreports.com/youth_group That’s great, because they make up most of the population. Peter (Our National Leader) meets with about 100 of them every Sunday afternoon to actually teach the same Biblical Theology course we use to train pastors.
A few of our Cambodian youth joined a bunch of YWAM’ers from Gleanings for the Hungry demonstrating the love of Jesus in a practical way at the Preaek Touch Church/home by building a security fence. http://www.missionreports.com/construction_preaektouch Then by painting, and unloading and distributing arriving shipments of paint, http://www.missionreports.com/paint_container soup mix, and canned fish http://www.missionreports.com/gleanings_cannedfish freshly arrived from Gleanings. Busy people! Thanks!
Speaking of Busy, we finished up the rice harvest during the cold weeks of early January. Many of our fields were so far out in the country that we simply set up camps in the harvest area. It is always a lot of work, but a fun time of building lasting relationships that much of the Western world seems to have lost with our automation, and supermarket living. http://www.missionreports.com/harvest_done We hope to have enough rice to sustain us through the year and with the help of the Butte County Rice producers and Glad Tidings Church it should be a ‘Slam dunk”. Our harvest was good, the test weight is high, and milling quality should be great. Everyone loves the taste of ‘New Rice’
If you really want to know how well FCOP functions you need to speak with Dr. Dale Canfield of Medical Teams International. He’s been on seven dental teams over the past seven years and they have treated and seen most of the Church/Homes in Cambodia . He claimed this was his ‘retirement trip’ but we’ll get him back. He’s too valuable to loose. He did bring a veteran team with him and, as usual they did a marvelous work in one of the poorest regions of Cambodia . If you can imagine having never seen a dentist, and living with perpetual toothache, you’ll get an idea of the gratitude expressed by both young and old alike. They operate by picking a central location at a church/home, moving in our mobile and portable equipment, and then bringing in the surrounding churches. They always treat hundreds and never stop being amazed at the attitude of the leaders and children. http://www.missionreports.com/mti_dental_svayrieng_09
Hot off the press, I just received a call from Bob Hollandsworth. He’s on his way to Bangkok for surgery on his ear after seeing his eye, ear, nose, throat doctor this afternoon for (I have no idea what this is) ‘chronic media olitis & cholesteatoma’ (sp?) Anyway, it’s not good, no insurance, so he needs your prayers. We’ll get the kids on it right away.
Still learning life’s lessons!
Blessings!
Pa Thom (Me, Ted)
And those still do’in all the work,
The Cambodian FCOP Team,
Ma Sou,
Emily Plater
Josh and Michelle Ferguson
Kris Warner
Bob and Christal Hollandsworth
