Christina's Cambodia Team

2011-12-01T12:24:00.001-08:00

You want me to do what???!!!

This is what I keep asking God. I feel so much like Moses when he found out what God wanted him to do. If I may remind you, I am a nurse. God is using my nursing skills to further His kingdom through our medical outreaches but He is also calling me to do other things in which I don’t feel equipped or capable of doing. For example, I am the project manager for a church planting project in the Toul Sangke area. Recently, I had to write the vision and project plan for this church plant. For those of you who know me well, this was a very difficult task. I have no background in this area and no knowledge from which to draw upon. I had to pray and ask the Lord to help me with this. I had a church planter mentor who was guiding me through this but the responsibility still rested on my shoulders. I almost drowned under the weight of it all. However, through all this, I had to depend on God. It turned out to be a wonderful experience of dependency on God. This seems to be the theme of my life lately. Dependency on God. I was sick and had to return to the states and trust the Lord with the situation. I was dependent on Him to make me better if He wanted me back on the field. Thankfully, I was able to return in August. I am dependent on the Lord as I think through this church plant project. God has provided me with two team members which help with this work. Since we are at the beginning stages, we are doing a lot of relational building. I am depending on the Lord to help me with my Khmer so I can communicate with the people in order to build these relationships. We are also seeing ways in which we can serve our community. So we are offering English and Bible classes to children five days a week for one hour and teaching English and computer to factory workers every weekend for two hours. I am depending on the Lord as I teach English classes to the factory workers. I am also dependent on the Lord to save His people. We hope to begin Bible studies with the people we minister to in Jan. 2012 and I am trusting the Lord to give them eyes to see and ears to hear the gospel. Please pray with me during this time of dependency. Pray that it will never end but that I will always live a life dependent on Him. “Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude—an attitude of dependency, dependency on God.” –Arthur Pink

Relational Update:

I will have a new roommate beginning at the end of Nov. Her name is Naomi and she is from England. My team members have been praying for someone to come and live with me and I told them it would have to be someone special since ministry takes place in my house 7 days a week. It seems He has answered their prayers as she wants to come live with me in spite of the chaos. My team is grateful for this answer to prayer.

Travel and Events Schedule:

Nov. 7-20: Medical mission trip to Bangladesh with MTW.

Nov. 26: Thanksgiving dinner with team!!

Dec. 9-12: Team retreat

Jan. 2012: Parents come to visit for 3 weeks!!

Books I’m Reading:

Putting Amazing Back into Grace by Michael Horton

A long way gone— Memories of a boy solider by Ishmael Beah

Prayer Requests:

-Pray for the Toul Sangke church plant project.

-Pray for God to provide a Khmer pastor for this church.

-Pray for the relational outreaches with the community. Pray they will see my love for them and ask why so I can tell them about Jesus.

-Pray for the Bible studies to be able to begin in Jan. 2012. In order for this to happen, we need people interested in studying the Bible. Pray for those people to come.

2010-01-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of Evie. She is the daughter of Darryl and Kara Dedert. She decided to put a diaper on her head. So cute!!

This is Calvin. Pray for God's healing.

This is Leng Hour. He is Roath's nephew. This is the baby that was so sick that I helped take care of. He is doing much better as you can see. Praise God!!!

This is during the village health worker course that I taught with two ladies from the states. Roath was my translator.

We had twenty five people attend the course ranging in age from 17-60ish. It was a wonderful opportunity to teach the villagers basic health care and it is an ongoing ministry. Most of the participants are Christian.

Newest Team Member

2010-01-01T09:09:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege of spending three weeks in Thailand helping my teammates, Darryl and Kara Dedert, as they welcomed the new arrival of their fourth child, a baby boy, into their family and our team. His name is Calvin Luke and he was born on November 24. I was asked to come and help with their other three children; Sophie 5, Noah 3, and Evie 18 months. It was a wonderful and stressful time. I enjoyed getting to know the Dedert family better and spending time with them. I was very thankful to be of some assistance to them. It turns out that God had a reason for my going.

Calvin was born with microcephaly which is
also known as a small head. He also had some
calcifications on his brain. We had to see
several doctors and I was able to accompany
Darryl and Kara and interpret the medical
terminology. As of right now, Calvin is doing
well. We just have to watch him and wait to
see how he develops. Please remember to
pray for him and the entire Dedert family. We
trust that God has a plan for his life and we
are thankful that God has already poured out
His mercy on Calvin and the family. May
God be glorified in the life of Calvin Luke
Dedert.

God answers prayers

How many times do we pray and truly believe that God will answer our prayers? Maybe we pray for small things so as not to have our faith shaken if He does not answer. But we have all heard the truth that God always answers our prayers and that sometimes the answer is no. So maybe this is why we pray for small things. For me, I am afraid to ask for the impossible because I am afraid He will not answer. Maybe I have a weak faith or so I think and that is why He will not answer my prayer. I know the truth about God: everything happens for my good, His answers are sometimes no, He always hears our prayers, we must trust Him. However, I use the excuse, that sometimes His answers are no, to deter me from praying for the impossible.

I have been reading a book by John Owen titled Overcoming Sin and Temptation. He talks about overcoming sin by the power of the Holy Spirit and that it is not something we can do by ourselves. We must be dependent on God for the mortifying of sin. That dependence should not only be applied to overcoming sin but in all aspects of our life. We know this but do we actually live it out? I challenged myself to live a life that is more dependent on God and less on myself, other people, and all the things this world has to offer. These things are not bad in and of themselves, but I want to depend on them less. I wanted to put my faith in action. God gave me a wonderful opportunity to do this.

It was on Christmas Eve. We were having a worship service at church. I had had a bad stomach ache all day. The pain was continually getting worse throughout the day. By the time of the worship service, I was sitting in tears thinking that I would probably have to leave the service early. I could not even sing the songs at the beginning of the service because of the pain. I decided to pray and ask God to heal me of this pain. I prayed specifically for healing of my stomach. In the past, I prayed knowing that He could do it but not really believing that He would. Again, defaulting to the safety net that sometimes His answers are no. I prayed for the impossible or what I thought was impossible. As the service continued, my stomach began to feel better. I rationalized it in my head saying that I was just wanting it to be true but the pain was definitely getting better. By the time we were singing again at the end of the service, the pain was completely gone. I was able to sing and praise God pain free. He answered my prayer for healing.

It was a miracle but why should we be surprised? God has done miracles so many times throughout history. I will not downplay this answer to prayer because we serve a God that has shown His power in extreme ways. Praise God for demonstrating His power through the answered prayers of His children.

Prayer Requests

1. Pray for Roath and all our medical students. They will be having their finals in mid-Feb. Pray that God will sustain them as they study hard and pray for peace in their hearts and that they would trust God with their lives and the outcome of the tests. Pray for those that are not believers and that they would come to have a relationship with Jesus.

2. Pray for the KM team and medical mission team. Pray that God would use them to further His kingdom. Pray for their safety as they travel in this country and that they would stay healthy. Most of all pray that God will give them a greater vision of His love for His people.

3. Pray for me as I continue the work that God has entrusted to me. Pray that I would not rely on my own abilities but would allow God to work through me so that He may be glorified. Pray that the Khmer people would see Jesus through me.

4. Pray for those who are raising support and/or making preparations to join our team in Cambodia: Damon and Young Mi Cha, and Alex and Jeany Jun

Relational Update
Our new team member, Luke Smith, has arrived to the field. He is originally from Illinois and is an ordained pastor. He is 28 years old. He will spend his first year in language studies and then possibly move to the villages.
Pray for him as he adjusts to life in Cambodia and builds relationships with his teammates and the Khmer people. Pray for his language studies. Pray for his family and friends as they adjust to Luke living in Cambodia.

Books that I am reading:
Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

2009-11-12T15:44:00.000-08:00

This is Angkor Wat. It is one of the wonders of the world. It is the pride of Cambodia. It is an ancient temple built by King Suryavarman II and was dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu. Even though this is a beautiful building, it shows the depravity of man. Please continue to pray for the people of Cambodia.

I am still trying different types of Khmer cuisine. This is a plate of insects. Not too bad. A bit salty.

2009-11-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

Roath's family took me on vacation with them at the beach. This is Roath's mom being pampered. Keep praying for my relationship with her.

This is a picture of one of the temples in Siem Reap.

More of the temples. They were built in the 12th century. This is an example of classic Khmer style architecture.

2009-11-12T07:40:00.000-08:00

This is the province of Kampot. As of right now, we have all of our village ministries in this province.

Another picture of Kampot. This province has some beautiful mountains.

2009-11-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

We had a medical clinic with a team from Texas. A Thai pastor and wife came along to help with the clinc. His wife was praying for me. (Some of you may recognize Eden Thangi in the background).

One of the short term team members was a physical therapist. She thought I was too tense and tried to help me. Interesting way of helping someone...

2009-11-12T07:32:00.000-08:00

Roath was stressed about her exams so I took her to a place to relax. This is her relaxing!!!

Only by His Grace Update

2009-10-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

What Do I Do?

This is the question that raced through my mind when I got the phone call one early Saturday morning. I was in the middle of cooking breakfast for Roath and a friend of ours who had spent the night. I got a call from my friend, Gioia (pronounced Joy-ah), who is the director of an orphanage. She said, “We have an emergency. Isaac has fallen down the stairs.” Isaac is a 1 year old beautiful Khmer baby boy. My mind began to race. What do I do? I began to wonder why I ever agreed to work at this orphanage.

It happened back in June shortly after I arrived back in Cambodia. An intern of ours was going to teach at this orphanage and she and I meet with Gioia. Gioia expressed her need for a medical person to come and take care of the ailments of the children. I thought to myself, “I am not the person for this job. I am just a nurse. I am not a doctor.” But I felt a very strong pulling from the Lord that I was to answer this call for help. It is not about my abilities or what I can do but it is about what He can do through me if I have faith to trust Him and let Him work. John 15:5. So I girded my strength and said, “I will help.” I immediately felt the weight of this decision on my shoulders. I was responsible for making decisions regarding the health of 30 children. I knew this would surely be an adventure of faith!!!

After I received the call from Gioia, I began to wonder why God had called me to this work. I felt unqualified, overwhelmed, and completely scared. I quickly told my friend that Roath and I had to leave. My first thought was that I needed to get to a phone to call a doctor in the states. You see, the other thing that was bothering me, was that the two doctors on our team were both out of the country. It was just me! I prayed fervently to God that He would let me get in touch with a doctor to ask for guidance. After several no answers and a bad internet connection, I was able to speak with an ER physician at my old hospital. Thankfully, he told me what I needed to look for and what to be aware of. After my very brief conversation with him (I lost internet connection), Roath and I raced to the orphanage. I thanked God for answering my prayers and I felt a little better about going to see the baby but was still anxious to know what condition he was in.

I arrived at the orphanage to find Isaac sitting in his mother’s lap. (His parents are Christian and work at the orphanage.) He had a very large hematoma (bruise) on his head but otherwise he was ok. I checked him thoroughly and felt confident that we needed to watch him closely for the next few hours but I felt sure he would be alright. The next few hours crawled by as the parents watched closely over Isaac to make sure he did not show any signs of head trauma.

I went to see Isaac the next day and he was doing great. His hematoma had already started to shrink in size and he did not seem to be suffering any kind of permanent damage. The parents were very thankful and praised God for his goodness. I began to feel the relief of knowing that Isaac was ok and that God had helped me through this. I was not alone. He provided me with a doctor to advise me but, most importantly, He gave me His peace and His grace to be able to look after Isaac. I know that I cannot do this job or any other work that God calls me to on my own. I cannot be a missionary by my own strength and knowledge. I must continue to see and acknowledge my weakness so I can declare His strength to the world. He is a mighty God.

Coming Home

When I was preparing to return to Cambodia after my 2 month stay in the states, I remember thinking that it would be different this time when I landed and I was correct and wrong at the same time. First, it felt like coming home instead of arriving at some foreign place. Second, I knew what to expect instead of always being shocked by the unexpected. Lastly, I had work waiting for me instead of waiting for the Lord to show me what work to do. So the second year definitely started off different from the first. However, I was wrong as well because there were things that had not changed. I still felt like a foreigner. I know some of you may be confused by this feeling but I desire to become Khmer. 1 Cor. 9:22. This is how God has called me to reach the people. I know that I cannot do this by my own strength or effort. God must transform me, but ultimately, I desire to be transformed more into the image of Christ.

I learned a very valuable lesson through a disagreement with a Khmer person. I learned that I look at things through Western eyes. Khmer people have a completely different perspective. There is not a right or wrong but different. However, I live here now so I must try and not only understand their perspective but learn to see it the same way. If God grants me this prayer, I believe it will open up the gospel in a whole new way to the people. It is about understanding where God has placed them in this world and how I can show them the love of Christ in the context of where they live. I learned that I need to listen more and talk less. I do not want to become the teacher described in 1Timothy. May God protect me from desiring “knowledge” but to only desire knowing Him and glorifying Him.

Relational Update

Roath’s family is treating me more and more like a family member. The last time I visited with them, her parents asked me why I came to Cambodia. I told them, “I wanted to help the people.” I did not say anything else. They contemplated my answer. They know that I am a Christian. I am slowly trying to bring the gospel to them more through my actions than my words. I can see that God has softened their hearts toward me. He has a purpose for bringing me into their lives and I pray that He will draw them into His fold.
One day, Roath and I were blessing our food while the rest of the family watched us. Her mom was talking but when we started praying, she stopped talking. It was the first time she had done that. I know God has a plan for this family. I am so thankful to watch Him work.

Books that I am reading:

Restoring Broken Things by Steven Curtis Chapman and Scotty Smith

Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson

Prayer Requests

1. Pray for the Community Health Teaching Course. We will have 25 students from the surrounding villages. They have no medical training and we will be teaching them basic medicine. Pray for me as I attempt to teach in Khmer. We will also be presenting the course with a Christian perspective.

2. Pray for our medical mission team that will be coming in early Nov. Pray that God would use them to further His kingdom. Pray for their safety as they travel in this country and that they would stay healthy. Most of all pray that God will give them a greater vision of His love for His people.

3. Pray for me as I am feeling overwhelmed with the work. Pray that I will not lean on my strength but will lean upon God. Pray that I will remember that it is not up to me to accomplish His purpose. I am only to walk with Him and glorify Him in all that I do.

4. Pray for those who are raising support and/or making preparations to join our team in Cambodia: Luke Smith, Damon and Young Mi Cha, and Alex and Jeany Jun.

Pictures from Christina's Scrapbook

2009-02-23T12:10:00.001-08:00

Christina was an honored participant in a Cambodian wedding ceremony.

Here she's holding gifts for the wedding guests.

This picture includes Christina with the team along with Roath and Michelle.

And this is the bride and groom.

Christina is carrying the bride's dress as they walked around the center piece about 5 times. She wrote, "I kept praying that I would not fall as I was wearing shoes that had a heel on them! It was one of the most difficult things I had to do."

Christina is standing with the other two bridesmaids. During a traditional wedding ceremony, the bridal party changes clothes many many times.

In January, Christina traveled to Myanmar for 2 weeks. She visited her close friend Eden. Christina wrote, "I asked Eden to order for me. She came back and gave me a dish with pig's heart, tongue, ears, intestines, and liver. It was a very interesting meal."

This picture was also taken in Myanmar. Christina was attending a Buddhist nun.

This is the whole team in Myanmar.

Christina wrote, "We asked the driver if he would mind stopping so I could take a picture. As I was standing on the wheel, I realized that this is not the smartest thing to do as I could get really hurt if the cows moved. Fortunately, they stayed real still for me. I thanked the driver and gave him a tip for being so kind. He was very happy and thanked me."

"This picture is me at Bagan. Bagan is a town in Myanmar that is famous for having 2,000 Buddhist temples that were built in 1100-1200 A.D. It is an absolutely incredible site to look out on the horizon and see so many temples. I have seen many temples throughout my travels but this time was different. I was in one temple looking at a Buddha god and watching the people bow down to it. I began to think of the people I know in Cambodia who are not Christians. I felt their bondage to this religion and I began to feel the evil powers at work. I know this is hard for some of you to imagine living in America but it is very real here. I had to get out of the temple immediately. Fortunately, I had my ipod with me and as I walked back to the van, I listened to some Christian music. As I sat in the van, I began to weep for the people. Please remember to pray for these people. It is so dark in this part of the world with very little light. Please pray for the light of Jesus Christ to grow."

Christina wrote, "This is our team with some Buddhist monks. It was the first time we had a medical clinic in a Buddhist monastery. This was in a village that was hit very hard by cyclone Nargis. There were still lots of human bones behind the monastery as they did not know what to do with them. The people had a look of shock still on their faces as many had lost several family members and friends. Please remember to pray for them."

February Update Letter

2009-02-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

Dear fellow laborers of Christ,
Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes his steps.” I have always believed in this verse and so I have had the mentality of holding my plans with an open palm. I may make very good, sound, solid plans but, in the end, God will direct my steps and those steps may lead me to a different plan. That is what has taken place in the past four months. I am still living in the city and will be staying here for at least another year. God has closed all doors for me in regards to living in the village at this time. It is not time for me to go. God has shown this clearly to me in several ways:
• I still have so much to learn about the Khmer language and culture
• He has provided me with ministries in the city (discipleship with Roath, teaching medical students, new job as short term team coordinator)
• Our team leader and his family are taking their year-long furlough starting in July of this year. Dale and Nancy Knutson and I will be the only team members remaining. As a team, we do not believe that it would be a wise decision for me to start a village ministry with my team leader in the states
As most of you know, I waited ten years to go on the mission field. It is His pattern with my life that I am to wait. I hope to be working in the village one day but it is not time right now.
The ministries God has given me are wonderful. Let me clarify this statement. There are many struggles in the ministry and I know I am not adequate enough to handle these responsibilities. However, the truth is that God is in control. It is not up to me to make these ministries grow. That is God’s job. I am only supposed to be willing to trust Him and let Him use me for His glory. That is why the ministries are wonderful. Roath is growing in the Lord. We have had many problems and God has been testing our faith. We have seen Him answer prayer after prayer. Roath said to me one day, “Since you have come into my life, you have made my confidence in the Lord grow.” God is using me in her life and it is all for His purpose and His glory. Praise be to God who uses broken jars of clay to pour out His goodness and mercy.
Beginning in July, I will take on the role of short term team coordinator. It will require me to coordinate and host short term teams that come to work with us. This new job will stretch me in many ways and I am excited to see how the Lord will grow me through all this. It is hopefully a temporary job until God brings someone to fill the role on a more permanent basis.
The bible study with the medical students and the mobile medical clinics are progressing very well. God is definitely working through these ministries. Our vision is to continue to show mercy to the people so they hopefully will see God through us and come to know Him personally. Our medical students work alongside the doctors and see what it is like to provide Christian medical care. Some are believers and some are not. Please pray for these ministries and all involved.
I cannot believe that my first year is almost finished and I will be returning to the states in a few months. If it is God’s will, I will spend two months in the states and then return to Cambodia for another year of service. God has blessed me with these ministry opportunities and I desire to continue serving Him here. I am looking forward to seeing all of you and telling of the wondrous works of our Savior. Continue to pray for us.

By His grace and mercy,

Christina Thomas

Christina's October Letter

2008-10-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

Dear fellow laborers for Christ,

Sometimes I cannot believe that I have been here for almost four months already. There are some days when I feel like I just arrived and there are some days when I feel as if I have been here for a lifetime. I have spent the last ten years of my life preparing for this calling. I have dreamt of the day when I would live in another country and be able to share the Good News with the people. Well, the dream has come true and I find myself struggling with this new country and its culture. Sometimes I want to take the easy road and go back to what I have known for 29 years. There are times when I question whether I can do this type of work. Am I strong enough, good enough, spiritual enough? The truth is I am none of these things. In the words of Jim Elliot, “Missionaries are very human folks just doing what they’re asked. Simply a bunch of nobodies trying to exalt Somebody.” I take comfort in 2 Cor. 12:9,10, Isaiah 40:28-31 and my all-time favorite verse Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.” Amen.

Even though things have been difficult for me, God has showered me with many blessings and encouragement. One of my greatest passions in life is relationships. I love when God brings people into my life with whom I can love, encourage and talk about the wondrous workings of God. I have been blessed to have the privilege to disciple one of His children. Her name is Roath. She has been a Christian for one year and has a desire to grow in her faith. She is a medical student and she is the only Christian in her entire immediate and extended family. Please remember to pray for her. God has opened the door for me to have a relationship with her family so please pray for my time spent with them.

God has opened up another way for me to have a relationship with another Buddhist family. I mentioned in my previous letter about my Christian tutor, Srey Hoeun. She is getting married this month and has asked me to be a bridesmaid. In this culture, the actual wedding ceremony is only seen by the immediate family and the wedding party. Foreigners are rarely asked to be part of the wedding party so this is a very high honor. The funny side of this opportunity is that I have to change into ten different dresses. Anyone who knows me knows that one dress is one too many so ten is an atrocity! One of the reasons I am doing this is so I can continue to have a relationship with her family. Who knows what doors this may open for the spreading of His kingdom. I trust that God not only has a sense of humor about this but has a divine purpose. So please pray for me as I will be completely out of my comfort zone.

My language study is progressing. I have completed the first level of Khmer and am currently studying in Level 2. Besides language school and discipling Roath, I am leading a small bible study with medical students every Saturday morning. Please pray for this time. Our team also does medical ministry outreach to the villages once a month. My role is to register the patients and triage them. I am thankful that I am able to use my nursing skills to help with our ministry.
God is working here in Cambodia. Even though it is difficult right now, I am thankful and humbled to be a part of His work here. Thank you for all your love, prayers and support. I know there is a solid fortress surrounding me that consists of your prayers. Keep praying, my friends. Keep praying and have faith that God is doing a mighty work here.

Sincerely,
Christina

October Update

2008-10-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

"How many of us have said and sung with all our hearts 'Anywhere with Jesus,' but at the same time we did not realize all that it meant for us. Indeed at home, and surrounded by all that home means, we could not know. When the test comes we must not forget that 'anywhere' means for missionaries something different from life in England, and let us take very good care not to make a misery of anything that 'anywhere' brings us. To us in Algeria it must mean sometime or other, Arab food. Do we object to it? And mice, do we mind them? And mosquitoes, do we think them dreadful? In some parts it means close contact with dirt and repulsive disease. Yet if Jesus is there, what have we possibly to complain of? It means living among a stiff-necked and untrue people and struggling with a strange and difficult language. And yet let us evermore write over all our miseries, big, and for the most part very little, these transforming words 'With Jesus.' And then the very breath of Heaven will breathe upon our whole being and we shall be glad."

I found this quote from Lilias and it was exactly what I was thinking. She was a missionary in the late 1800's to Algeria, North Africa.

The first picture is at a youth retreat that I attended in August. Around 100 students attended and 7 prayed to receive Christ at the end of the weekend. I was able to share my testimony with them.

The second picture is of my tutor, Srey Hoeun.

The third picture is of the girl I am discipling, Roath.

The fourth picture is of a small bird that I ate. Yes, I ate it. Brain, beak and all. We were on a five hour bus ride to visit her family in Battambang and we stopped for a snack. Roath said I had to eat it if I want to be khmer. It was not that bad actually but it's the first time I have eaten a whole bird.

This is a buddhist temple that I visited. We just had the Pychum Ben Festival and that is a time where the Khmer people pray for and offer food to their ancestors. I went home with Roath during this time and we went to the pagoda with her family. However, we did not pray or offer food to the ancestors. Her family knew that we would not do this because we are Christians. We honored her parents as scripture says by going but we did not participate in the activity.

This is a picture of Roath' mother standing beside a buddhist statue. I am really working on developing this relationship with her. She does not trust many people but by the grace of God, she trusts me. I know there is a divine reason for this.

July update

2008-07-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

Dear fellow laborers for Christ,

Chum riap sur!!! That means hello in Khmer. I can’t do the symbols but that is the phonetic way of writing it. I have been here for seventeen days but it seems like it’s been longer. I am currently in a state of culture shock. Even though I have traveled the world, there is a drastic difference when you know you are not going home any time soon. Then you say to yourself, “I am home.” I LIVE IN CAMBODIA. That is when reality hits you square in the face. So the adjustment is a process but I am beginning to feel “settled”. Here are some interesting details of my life.

I live with an Australian missionary named Michelle. She has been here for 3 months and is a tremendous blessing to me. She is able to show me where to buy food, where to load my cell phone, where I can get on the Internet, etc. She also has to handle all the affairs of our home as she speaks more Khmer than me. I bought a bicycle and ride to school every day. There are literally few traffic laws in Cambodia and there is no rhyme or reason to the flow of traffic. People also travel on the “wrong” side of the road and I must admit that I have done that myself. I have already experienced my first wreck but do not worry. My foot took the brunt of the fall so my bicycle would be spared. Priorities are of the utmost importance!

I have been sleeping well but I do have an interesting guest by my window. There is a lizard that resides in a crack somewhere and it makes an unusual noise all night long. For you southern boys, it is like it revves up its engine (throat) and then lets out 3-4 “uh-kah” sounds which are quite loud. I can still hear it clearly through my earplugs. My roommate assures me that I will stop noticing it in a few months but I am still skeptical. However, I prefer the lizard to the nuisances that follow me constantly in the house. The wretched mosquitoes!!! They follow me morning, noon, and night. Michelle rarely gets bitten but I average 5 bites a day. Even the bug repellant is no match for them. They are relentless in their quest for my blood. I do have peace at night when I sleep under my mosquito net. Pray that God would protect me from malaria or dengue fever.

My health has been adequate. My emotional state has been fair. I am only feeling homesick occasionally. (The notes from Northpointe church were absolutely wonderful. I have them taped on my wall to give me encouragement.) My spiritual state is wonderful. God has been right here with me and holding my hand throughout all this. There is no doubt He has me here for a purpose and He will work through me to further His kingdom among the Khmer people. Please keep praying for me. Pray for God’s grace on my language studies. I have a wonderful tutor and she is a Christian. Pray for my adjustment to the culture and the people. Pray for the people. They are so loving and sweet but they desperately need Jesus. Please keep sending me e-mails and I would love to get some letters.

“You need not fear the terror of the night, not the arrow that flies by day. Though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come. And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun and hold you in the palm of His hand.” On Eagle’s Wings by Michael Joncas.

By the grace of God,

Christina

Christina's New Home

2008-07-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

Christina took some pictures of her new apartment, so we could see where she's living now. She took this first one on her front porch. Notice the dead rat in the corner. She said the cats occasionally leave presents for her.

Here are some views from the porch:

Christina bought a bike so she can get around town.

Now, we move inside. This is her living room.

...And her kitchen.

...The powder room.

I had to ask her why she included a picture of a bucket. She said this is the way they flush the toilet. They fill the bucket and then pour it into the tank.

...The laundry set up...

...Her bedroom...

...And her roommate Michelle (with a bug zapper racket??)

Christina has arrived in Cambodia

2008-06-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

Christina has arrived in her new city and will move into her home on Tuesday.

She asked us to pray for the people of Cambodia.

- Pray that God will open the hearts of the people... That he will give them ears to hear and eyes to see so that they may receive the Gospel.

Psalm 146:8 "The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down..."

- Pray that they will be given understanding as to why she is there. Pray that she would love them with the love of Christ.

1 John 3:23 "And this is my commandment, that we believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us."

- Pray for their healing spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Malachi 4:2 "But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out like calves from the stall."

2008-06-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

Dear fellow laborers in Christ,

The time has finally arrived. This has been such as awe-inspiring journey as I have seen God work in my life and answer prayer after prayer. One thing that God has taught me throughout this process is that He is the only one that can completely satisfy me. It is difficult to leave the things that we think satisfy us such as family, friends, jobs, and comfort items. I thank God that He has taken all these wonderful blessings away from me because it has made me look deeper at my relationship with Him. He is to be my all in all and the lover of my soul. What a wonderful blessing it is that the God of the universe desires such an intimate relationship with us.

I want to thank each one of you for the different ways you love and encourage me. I want to thank you for being a part of my ministry. God has placed a burden on your hearts for evangelism and spreading the gospel and it is wonderful to see His people have a desire for the expansion of His kingdom.

I have attached a prayer letter. Please pray for me and the work that He has called me to do. I cannot do this alone. I desire for my brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage and uplift me. I will also be praying for you. Please feel free to email me with any prayer requests that you may want to share.

I will send a newsletter once a quarter during my eleven-month internship. If you have any questions about the work or about me personally, please email me and I will try to answer them for you.

I look forward to continuing in ministry with you. Let us work together as the body of Christ. We should set an example for how amazing the love of Christ really is so that the world may be drawn to our wonderful Savior. Let us pray for one another and love one another so that God may be glorified through us. May God bless you.

Sincerely,

Christina

2008-03-14T14:09:00.001-07:00

I'll be in Phnom Penn for the next year.

2008-03-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Join me on this big adventure!

2008-03-14T13:55:00.000-07:00