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Like many people from Keo Sema, a small village in the Mondolkiri
Province, Thai Sokun had just finished her days’ work of searching for
gold on one of the local mountains. She had first started this type of
work due to a recent gold rush. The next day she would leave her
husband and their five children and travel to the main provincial
capital to seek treatment for an illness she had contracted while
working in the mountainous jungles.
Taking place in
another village not far away, Sokun’s sister-in-law had been staying at
the Chomka Te Church Home. Searching for something to feel the emptiness
in her life, she had come to the Church to find the answers. The
pastor’s mother shared with her the good news of Jesus Christ and she
instantly believed.
Now,
just five days later, Sokun learned of her sister’s whereabouts and
since she would be passing by the Home on her journey to look for a
doctor, she decided to make a stop. Unable to contain the joy that was
now in her heart because of Jesus Christ, the sister-in-law instantly
began to witness to Sokun. The next day was Sunday, and it was then
that Sokun denounced Buddhism and turned her life over to Christ.
The
next day, Pastor Rado took Sokun to see a doctor who diagnosed her with
malaria. Unknown to the doctor, Sokun was also suffering from a heart
condition. That night, Sokun died due to heart complications caused by
the malaria treatment. However, before she died, she was given the
chance to talk to one of her daughter’s about how she was at peace with
her fate.
According to Buddhist customs, when a person dies the body is taken to
the temple to be cremated. No one is there to help in this task except
for the deceased’s family members. Quite often, the typical Cambodian
has the burden of carrying this task out on their own and usually can
not afford the cremation ceremony for their loved one.
The
Christian community at the Chomka Te Church decided to help with the
funeral arrangements for Sokun. Never before had her family witnessed
so much love and care as they did on that day. As a result of her
death, a seed has been planted in the rest of her family to come and
know the joy and peace of surrendering to Christ. The Chomka Te Church
continues to pray for Sokun’s family, that they too will come to accept
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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