FCOP Update -- October 2005

Dear Friends and Family,

My OLD friend Frank Manning, I hate it when he's right! It's kind of an Oscar and Felix thing, only we're both slobs. We just disagree on about everything, but still like each other. Go figure?  Anyway, he's the last guy in the world I would pick for a prophet but, the old goat nailed it! He wrote, "So, I suppose that the funds had finally started to flow after the tsunami and now Katrina has sucked the money away again? Bummer!"   Actually, just to keep his hat size from growing, even though mission's giving is down, we live in hope due to the faithful partners that we have developed. You guys are the greatest! Yes, even you Frank! Your sewage digester is working great.

Hey, at least we didn't get nailed by Rita! I give our kids credit for that. I was leaving for the US on Friday, Sept. 30 ^th. Rita was a category 5 hurricane headed for Galveston. I told Pastor Peter, out of self preservation as much as compassion, "You get those kids to pray tonight that this storm dissipates and breaks up, or we won't have any money for food next month!" It got their attention. As I understand, they were very earnest that night. The hurricane did exactly as they requested. (I tell you! Those orphan kids have a hotline to heaven.) I know, a lot of you prayed too, but I joked with Peter, "We're going to open a new business, www.hurricanebusters.com ." (Don't click on this one. Just kidding!)

We need our Cambodian disasters to be more spectacular. Slow death does just not stack up to 30 foot waves.  We've got an area about the size of a US county that has not had decent rains in three years. When virtually 100% of the population, of maybe 25,000 people, are farmers; there is no social net, no international news coverage, and,  your own government is in denial due to embarrassment, you have a 'lousy' disaster . No one bothers to notice, and you just suffer.  We do have a church in the area, and they sent an S.O.S.  A team of F.C.O.P. staff members, district supervisors, pastors, and doctors, went to check it out. We can't feed them all, but we can help the household of faith. About a hundred villagers gathered together in a patch of shade waiting for our truck.  We just had extras from our rice mill, Gleanings for the Hungry, Convoy of Hope, and Glad Tidings Church. Each villager was handed a portion of rice that should last them two weeks, as well as a box of protein bars, package of vitamins, noodles, and a package of dish soap. It wasn't much, but as each family came forward to receive their portion, a smile broke out across their faces.  Not wanting to create a welfare mentality, we always look for the long term solution. What? Lots of prayer, alternative employment, dry season crops, industry, etc.; we are looking and praying. In the meantime, both Warm Blankets Orphan Care and Glad Tidings Church are scratching to round up emergency supplies.

 When the distribution crowd dispersed an elderly woman came to sweep up the remaining grains of rice that had fallen on the floor. She began talking with the Pastor. She was not a church member, but they gave her some help, and were able to share the gospel with her. "I am too old to change my beliefs," she said.  They noticed her wearing a bracelet with many inscribed brass spiritual incantations rolled around the cord (a common practice to ward off evil spirits for Cambodians).  The bracelet is never to be taken off, or they are told all the evil will befall them. Pastor told her that true power was in believing in the one who defeated evil. She prayed, received Christ, and cut off the bracelet. A big smile covered her face. No more fear! Emboldened by the joy, an eighty year old woman came forward to ask Pastor Sou for prayer.  She explained that her arm had been broken for six months. A few minutes later shouts of joy could be heard coming from the crowd of villagers.  Her arm was healed! http://www.missionreports.com/drought

I do have another friend, Big Steve, (I know, hard to believe)  who is busy supplying us with 2000 copies per month of our Pastoral Training material. We bought up all the Bibles in the country, and are still short, so we may purchase some, don't choke now, Catholic Bibles. (Hey, it's Big Steve's idea. Good huh?) He is working on printing a new version and hopes to have the Gospels done by Christmas.  We were visiting the other day and both concurred that Cambodia is a tougher place to work (in terms of politics and corruption) than it was when we arrived (He came here in 1991).  I have heard that recognition is possibly the greatest psychological need. We seek it, and if it cannot be obtained positively, then negative is better than nothing. Phnom Penh, Cambodia must be in the latter group, as it was recently named among the least livable cities in the world. We missed dead last by Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. Thanks! No one likes to be last. I thought Phnom Penh was improving, most of the main streets are now paved, and we have quite a few stoplights. If you are looking for 'lousy living', visit the border 'Casino towns' like Poipet.  Cambodia has the distinction of providing Thailand and Vietnam with an abundance of gambling, and all the vices that go with it. Talk about contrasts! The walled off casino areas are as manicured as Las Vegas, off limits to normal Cambodians, unless they work there, many as prostitutes, only to return to their meager, dirty, shacks until they are cast aside due to AIDS, age, or disease. Then they die in poverty, unable to pay for the simplest health care. Often they give birth to several children in the ply of their trade, the youngest frequently are born HIV positive. We have three church/homes that are specifically located in these border towns, but we are in need of a new facility specifically for HIV positive children, as our friends at 'Sisters of Charity' are no longer able to handle the supply we provide. We continue to plant churches, dedicate new facilities, erect new structures, start new enterprises, and place urgently needed medical, dental, and construction teams. http://www.missionreports.com/oct_update05

The Director of Peace Corps Thailand visited this month (another old friend, that's three. Wow!) They are looking at a Peace Corps program for Cambodia. Then the Asian Director for NW Medical Missions stopped by, as they are looking at setting up a permanent presence here. I sure hope they continue to send us the teams and medical and dental support with this change.  Speaking of teams, Anna Blake, our 'Teams Specialist' and Ryan Taggart or 'Medical Coordinator' are probably due for a rest, as they have been 'ridden hard and put away wet' this month. We love these teams! Three countries, three churches, a family, and NW Medical Missions were involved.  Look at what they have accomplished!

 http://www.missionreports.com/lighthouse05

 http://www.missionreports.com/swiss_german05

 http://www.missionreports.com/toul_vihear_05

 http://www.missionreports.com/medical_chhnang_05

Thanks to the Foursquare Foundation we continue to train pastors, musicians, and foster evangelism through their efforts. The core group of 66 trainers has been undergoing preparation for almost a year now. Each one of them travels to Phnom Penh every month to receive the next module. Then they all go back to their provinces where they teach and train about 30 other pastors and leaders. These 2000 trained leaders then mobilize their parishioners to reach their communities with the good news. This month we saw the first fruits of our musical and arts training . We decided to add English training as an additional draw. It is a powerful way to reach young Cambodians, so we began with our Church/Home English teachers. Wendy Hicks, our new 'Communications Coordinator,' was their teacher. They each memorized over 20 verses of scripture in English and managed to sing two songs at the graduation ceremony. The music and arts graduates put on quite a show. Have a look: We are getting ready for the "End game plan".

 http://www.missionreports.com/graduation2005

We constantly thank God for the answers to all our prayers. First of all, for Pastor Cheang Ka's wife, the deadest looking living person I ever saw four months ago, is now back from Vietnam, recovering and walking, in Phnom Penh. She will return for more cosmetic surgery next month. http://www.missionreports.com/pak_sinat  Then, there is 11 year old Tan Fan who kicked his soccer ball into a cauldron of boiling water. He is now almost fully recovered. http://www.missionreports.com/cambodia/updates

So it goes in Cambodia. May God bless you each and every one! We thank God for you!

We wouldn't last a day without your prayers and help.

By, "Pa Thom" (me), on behalf of the foreign contingent to keep you posted:

Ted, Sou and Hannah Olbrich

Anna Blake, Ryan Taggart, & Wendy Hicks