Dear
Friends and Family,
Khaaabooom! The steel roof started to sway, and Bob
Hollandsworth took a tight grip, not knowing what to
expect. Khaaabooom! Again! “We were working on the rice
mill building when there were large explosions, one after
another. The wall we were standing on shook as I stood up,
Daniel (Foursquare Vice President) calmly tapped me on the
shoulder and said, ‘Land mines’, and pointed to a large
column of smoke about 150 yards away. Only in
Cambodia”,
exclaimed Bob! They were the big, anti-tank, variety, and
they were right across the street from our new
church/home. No big deal in Balang. We expect that there,
but I forgot to warn Bob, who came to help erect the clear
span steel roof over our rice mill. No one was hurt this
time, as they were planned explosions set off by CMAC
(Cambodian mine clearing organization). They accomplished
the task by building a fire around them. Recipe reads,
“Slow bake until BANG!” Normally, the results are not so
benign, as cows, and occasional farmers are the usual
triggers. Peter (national church president) and I showed
up the next day, only to find that CMAC had now moved to
the other side of the church. The local pastor walked us
back for a look, carefully pointing out a suspicious
mound, “Don’t go there. We think there is a mine,” he
explained as he pointed out what was supposed to be the
kids volleyball court.
“We will try to
get CMAC to take a look.”
Peter’s phone rang. It was the ministry of health ordering
us to kill all our quail, AGAIN! Talk about a heart
breaker! This came just as we were near a productive
population, for the second time.
Cambodia
had its first confirmed human death to “Bird flu” a few
miles south of our main production facility, and they were
taking no chances. I guess that is the end of our quail
enterprise. At least until bird flu is nothing but a
faint, however unpleasant, memory. “Sorry” to all
concerned for all the wasted investment and labor.
The real
surprise came three weeks later, as we were able to
purchase a lot next to our Church/home in Khampong
Channang, due to the generosity of the
Thousand Oaks
Church.
They sent a team to install a new septic treatment
facility we call “Frank’s outhouse”, in honor of the
designer of the ‘constructed wetland’ treatment system,
and donor of the wind powered aeration pump, civil
engineer and friend, Frank Manning. The land is literally
located across the street from the largest CMAC
installation in
Cambodia,
in an area that has been declared “cleared” for at least
six years. On day one they started digging a trench and
unearthed a, fortunately, highly corroded, trip wire mine.
Then on day two, what looked to be a “Claymore” (Nasty
mine that jumps out of the ground and cuts your legs off).
Wisely, Ryan Taggart called in the team and had CMAC come
and inspect. Yup! It was a mine. They removed it. I am so
grateful no one was hurt. I would have guessed that area
to be one of the safest in
Cambodia.
Shows what I know.
Tap,
tap, glue, screw, there! I put my soapbox back together.
The last time I dragged it out I churned up such a
controversy I decided to break it up for kindling, but
then it’s been close to 100 degrees F so, I still have it,
and decided to resurrect it. Up I go, there. Ready? “Why
doesn’t anyone wash a rental car? That’s it! That’s the
reason why many missionary efforts are frustratingly
unfruitful! I am so thankful for that bit of insight,
which came courtesy of some unnamed
US army
general, explaining why the
US
military was not capturing the support of many of
Iraq’s
population. Most missions’ efforts are rental cars. They
are owned by foreigners, run by foreigners, funded by
foreigners. No wonder the locals don’t take responsibility
and pride in them. Now, we may have a clunker, blowing
smoke out the tail pipe, fenders flapping in the breeze,
but the pastors Simonize the heap, and love it to the
death. Why? It is theirs’. I’m just the hired gun. We are
a local NGO, not international, the Cambodian board puts
me in my place, and I do what I do through the power of
relationship. It’s the best form of power anyway. Well,
that’s it. Short, huh? Sliiiiiiiiide. I put it back in the
closet until I see how much trouble I stir up this month.
Here is what I am talking about.
“I won’t
pay for it”, I protested, as Yohan and Rain, two of our
contractors, told me about an elaborate sign they wanted
to build at the
Training
Center.
“Oh no”, they explained, “We will pay”. They did too, and
finished it just in time for our 5th annual
convention. No rental car here. The rules were strict. “If
you’ve been to several before, please stay home and let
new pastors come (as a result 1/3 of the pastors who came
last year stayed home). Only one staff member per church
allowed. Only district supervisors are allowed to bring
their spouse. No youth pastors.” Why were we so strict?
To try to keep the numbers down! In a facility designed to
accommodate 400 we had about 1500 gathered for most
meetings. We had to move the meeting outside under a
series of tents. 1254 pastors were registered, plus we had
local staff, 120 orphans, local church members and guests.
We had international guests from the
Foursquare
Church from
Singapore,
the
US, and
Hong Kong. I would say,
it was the toughest meeting we have ever orchestrated. I
am convinced there were forces that didn’t want it to
happen. See:
http://www.missionreports.com/conference2005
The
theme was, “Care for My Sheep” from John 21:16, but the
working reality was the “Anointing of God”. He didn’t
disappoint us. Guest speakers, Bill Norton of
Yuba City,
California, David and
Mihaela from
Romania,
Intercessors,
Sonny
and
Darleen Weimer, of
Fort Morgan,
Colorado,
along with a host of local talent, helped bring heaven to
earth. Around 500 new pastors were baptized in the Holy
Spirit, 200 in water, close to 50 were delivered of
witchcraft, sins of pride and jealousy were confessed, and
then the really neat stuff started to happen. Cancerous
tumors disappeared, deaf ears were opened, paralyzed arms
were healed, two couples planning on divorce reconciled,
then on the next to the last
night, about 9:00pm an older woman, new
home
group leader, collapsed, complaining of pain and paralysis
in her left side. Our two staff doctors administered aid.
She had a stroke. Then, her entire body went limp, she
quit breathing, her bladder released, and her heart quit
beating. The doctors worked on her, to no avail. Hundreds
of people gathered around. They wanted to call an
ambulance. “There is no point”, said Dr. Chhaya, “She’s
been dead for nine minutes”. He remembered the girl raised
from the dead in Mondolkirri last year. “All you can do is
pray!” Hundreds began to cry out to God. After several
minutes, she gasped, blinked, and sat up shaking her fist.
This is her story. “Before I became a Christian I
sacrificed two cows to a spirit, but today I received the
Holy Spirit. The spirit tried to drag me to hell but your
prayers brought me back”
February
was a busy month! We started with a visit from our major
construction partner, International Cooperating
Ministries, they have helped us construct 72 Church/Orphan
homes and are committed to more. We need home sponsors!
See:
http://www.missionreports.com/icm_jan2005/ .. We also
need your prayers. In
Cambodia,
if you want a government job, you buy it. Last November
the directorship of the Ministry of Cults and Religions
sold for $25,000, to a Buddhist (it is not considered a
high level, prestige job), but then the Muslims decided it
was worth having, street rumors have the price paid as
high as $1,100,000. I guess $25,000 doesn’t last long,
since no refund was given the former director. Anyway,
since the new director has taken over no new Christian
church permits have been issued.
Bert
Reed of ICM paid a visit to many of our new Church/homes,
we dedicated two more facilities last month, and Northwest
Medical Missions sent a dental team, (make sure you see
the story at the end of the website)
http://www.missionreports.com/dental_jan05/ The
Thousand Oaks Church has a team in country as does
Children of Promise International.
Our
micro-enterprise operations keep growing with a new
weaving site being constructed, the tractor factory
producing many obsolete parts, for American made Case
tractors, as well as rebuilding some for use in
Cambodia.
One church home opened a bicycle and motorcycle repair
shop, several others are selling handicrafts made of wood,
and some sell vegetables produced in their fields. It all
helps keep us chugging along!
http://www.missionreports.com/tractor_factory/
That’s
enough Ted! Shut up! Ok! Ok!
Blessings!
Ted, Sou
& Hannah Olbrich & Anna Blake and Ryan Taggart
Cambodia
