Dear Friends and Family,
We had a crazy February! ‘Crazy’ is my theme this month.
It was a perfectly good funeral; ruined! We’ve just finished our annual meeting, (That’s why I’m late). The Pastor of the church in Rattanakiri was there when we had one more day to go. He got a call from his assistant that one of the men in the church had died the previous night. Having just finished our ‘short course’ on weddings and funerals a couple of weeks earlier, one of our February events, http://www.missionreports.com/wedding_teaching_ceremony he was up to the task. He rattled off the instructions to his nervous assistant like a platoon sergeant to a lance corporal; everything from washing the body, to bringing it over to the church, lighting the candles, setting up a time of prayer and visitation at the church, and digging the grave. He concluded by announcing he’d return the following day to conduct the internment service. The guy’d been dead for about a day, and they had him stretched out for viewing at the church, candles were burning, and a steady stream of folks coming in for prayer, showing their respect, and consoling the grieving family. The grave was dug, and all was ready for the next morning. Quite a group had gathered for prayer in the early evening when the corpse suddenly sat up and began conversing. Scratch that funeral. They did all that digging for naught. Crazy!
God is great, I’m a moron! I got an email telling me that giving was down 50% in some areas of the US. Sixty factories had closed in Cambodia ; shipping volume was down 30% so, with no basis in a factual decline for our ministry to support my fears, I decided to worry. Yup! Me, ‘Mr. Faith man’. The fact is we actually had a good January. We’re still eating daily, even though we’ve been saddened by reports of District Supervisors in the US losing their homes, and one donor who lost more than $1,000,000 on a single batch of cattle. You focus on that too much it can make you a little crazy. My staff asked me, “How are you going to get out of this mess Pa Thom?” I got even. I looked at them like they were crazy and said “We’re going to give our way out! Gottcha, now who’s crazy?”
The good thing about being poor is that when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose, so when it’s gone, you don’t miss it. Got that? Ask 98% of the Cambodian’s about the global financial crisis and they’ll just give you a blank stare. “Global what?” For most of them, something to eat, a set of clothing, and a place to sleep is about all they’ve hoped for. Even those who lost their $80 per month job at one of the garment factories seem to face their loss with more sanity than most of us from the “West”. But, in trying to put food on the table for 3800 orphans and widows, concern over lack of money is a gnawing little demon in the back of my mind. Thank God for His personal prejudices! (He has this ‘thing’ for orphans and widows.) He’s faithful, even if I worry. I should know better by now! I must be crazy! He is committed to care for His kids. Ps 68:5. Crazy? I did give it some thought.
I was thinking of a good way to ‘just leave’, you know, like um, ‘quit’. But then we had Friday night prayer, and all the kids were so intent in their praying for me, even I couldn’t be that big ‘a rat. I hate rats! Then, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to just go to heaven?” But, God doesn’t give free passes to those that perpetrate their early entry. So, I came up with the solution. I’ll go crazy. Most folks have sympathy for crazy people. But my staff wanted to know if I was going to do, “Little crazy” or “Big crazy”. I was puzzled. I hadn’t realized there were options, so I risked the question. “Um, what’s the difference?” After giving me that, “You must already be crazy for asking that crazy question look”, one helpful employee proceeded to explain. “Well, ‘little crazy’ is when you curl up like a ball, suck your thumb, and start crying, and ‘big crazy is when you get naked and run down the street screaming.” Upon further reflection I decided that neither option appealed to me so, I explained, “I’ll just stay sane.” I just got this “Yeah, Right?’ look.
Of course after what I’d done to the staff in February, I’m sure they had justifiable concerns over my sanity. It was definitely “Crazy”. In addition to the preparation for the annual meeting and all our guests form Russia to Vietnam , Singapore and the USA. Special Thanks to Sonny Weimer, Bill Norton, George Butron, and Phil Rich for their teaching help! http://www.missionreports.com/conference_2009 ; We dedicated the Medical Clinic; built in large part by a donation from Dr. Myron Wentz through Children’s Hunger Fund http://www.missionreports.com/wentz_clinic_dedication ; then we dedicated a new church/home building http://www.missionreports.com/sang_veuy_dedication ; finished up the Garment factory worker’s dorm http://www.missionreports.com/tractor_woman_dorm ; Held a women’s ministry special in Kratie Province http://www.missionreports.com/kratie_woman_ministry ; Held training for a neat little gadget called the “Proclaimer”. It’s is a solar powered talking Bible that can be heard by up to 300 people, and since most adults in the rural areas don’t read, the pastors thought Santa had arrived. We are expecting our first shipment of 700. http://www.missionreports.com/proclaimer ;
Then we said, “Goodbye” to our YWAM team from Gleanings for the Hungry after their seven weeks of hard labor. http://www.missionreports.com/gleanings_achievment ; Of course, Mak Sou had to abandon us for a speaking stint at the National Women’s Meeting in Atlanta http://www.missionreports.com/mak_usa ; and we decided to baptize about 700 kids with The Warm Blankets crew and Bishop Julius Mbagaya from Kenya. The kids got a triple dose, half were not saved. Step one. None were baptized in water. Step two. None were baptized in the Holy Spirit. Step three; this you’ve gotta see! 700 kids zapped! http://www.missionreports.com/batism_2009 Then our North American General Supervisor, Glenn Burris, and Youth Pastor, James Kraft, came for the “Razzle Dazzle” tour. (Question: “How fast in miles is 140 kilometers per hour?”) “Hey, I had a lot to get done, places to go, people to see.” It was so much fun I did the same thing for the Director of the Foursquare Foundation, Greg Campbell, a week later. http://www.missionreports.com/ted_peter_trip . It was so busy I get crazy thinking about it. Oh, good news! We sold four tractors this week. Bad news! Emily left us. Can’t blame her, I thought we’d driven her crazy, but she did manage to leave with her sanity, and our gratitude. Emily thanks for 2&1/2 years of faithful Service! http://www.missionreports.com/goodbye_emily
Spud’s not crazy, at 84 (dog years) he just killed a six foot cobra. Way to go spud! The guards ate it for dinner, they’re crazy!
‘February was nuts I tell ya! Just plain nuts!” Now I pack my bag for 10 days of ministry in Bhutan . I gotta be crazy!
Insanely yours, but blessed anyway!
Thanks for your faithful support!
You please be blessed!
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
