My First Few Days

Today is Sunday. The activities so far have included attending church, playing volleyball, and killing a giant gecko living in the Hale's house (I have video documentation:) The church service, which began at 7:30, looked similar to that of FBC Parker in regards to its structure. We began with announcements and singing. Next I went to an hour of Sunday school led by Mr. Hale, and then a main worship service in which Pastor Chheng preached. I would like to add that Mr. Hale sat beside me in the back and translated the sermon into English, a difficult task and one for which I am very thankful. I found it beautiful to hear the various hymns I am used to singing in English sung in Khmer as well. Before Sunday school, Pastor Chheng really put me on the spot and asked me to stand in front of the nearly one hundred church members and tell a little about myself. Pastor Chheng is incredibly grateful for and overly kind to anyone who comes to visit the church. In the young adult Sunday school class, Mr. Hale continued a discussion in Mark and began the class with Mark 10:32. In this verse we looked at the reactions of those who followed Jesus to Jerusalem and the reason for this reaction. In the main service, Pastor Chheng preached on God's promises to His people. He used Scripture from Job 5, Psalm 91:3, Psalm 116:8, Isaiah 46:4, and 1 Corinthians 10:13. In my last post I mentioned sharing the Gospel in the morning and also teaching an English class. Since then I have had the opportunity to do both. Every weekday morning we meet with about 10 other church members and drive mopeds to houses just 15 minutes away. The areas are very poor to say the least. I am unable to upload pictures at this point I certainly plan to upon my return home. For the English classes I teach about 30 students, using a common beginner English book. The classes last for an hour. The first time I taught I was incredibly nervous but after seeing the Cambodians eagerness to learn I have become more relaxed. The classes are free to anyone off the street and a good way to let people know about the Church of Mercy. Not to mention the Cambodians get to hear English from native English speakers, something they do not receive in the state schools. Yesterday morning, rather than visiting homes with the direct purpose of sharing the Gospel, we visited homes of some church members and others who had shown interest in attending. Since many in Cambodia have never even heard the Gospel before, they have many basic questions about the Bible. For example, we visited one man who had very recently received the Gospel and attended church. One of his questions for us had to do with the genealogy of Jesus in the first chapter of Matthew. It is culturally common for Cambodians to worship their ancestors so this Cambodians man wanted to know if Jesus' ancestors were other gods. This man may seem like a funny question but the Gospel was so new to him that it was a legitimate question that needed to be quickly addressed. I thank God for the Hales, Nuons, and Cambodian Christians who, by His grace, have dedicated their lives to showing these people the truths of God's Word. Well I think I have said more than an adequate amount for one blog post. We are about to eat before long. I am actually enjoying the food here, although I think the Hale's occasionally Westernize the meals. Thank you for all your prayer and support, I am unworthy of both.

John 6:28-29
"So then they said to him, 'What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires?' Jesus replied, 'This is the deed God requires- to believe in the one whom he sent."