One thing I didn't mention in the last blog was that one time when we were talking, a beggar came to me asking in Khmer for some money. Touch immediately told me "nevermind" then got up. I thought he was going to ask the beggar to leave, but instead, retrieved his own money and gave it to the beggar. A man who has very little to live on, chose to give up some of it to help someone else in need, and so that I wouldn't be bothered!

Before going to see him, I prepared a small note for him. I wrote that God will take care of him and his future, if you trust and follow God, quoting Jeremiah 29:11. I couldn't afford much, but I also included a $10 bill in the note.

He was wearing a nice pair of jeans, and a styling dress shirt-a visible upgrade from his normal cheap dress pants and loud dress shirt. He had dressed up for our final day. While he finished with his customer, God put it in my heart to pray for him. I wanted to pray to God for him. But usually when I think of praying for a non-Christian, I get really nervous, and most of the times, I back out. This time, it never occurred to me that it might be awkward. I was at complete peace.

We talked for about an hour, random things really. He also asked me to tell my team how he'll always have us in his head, heart and eyes. Before it was time to go, I gave him the note, and asked if it was okay for me to pray for him to my God. He agreed.
After a sad good-bye, we waved until we were out of sight, as I rode off on the back of a motobike. Earlier tonight, he sent me a text:

I had read your latter and i saw the money 10 dollar thank you very much every day i didn't pay for anything who was not important . I want to saved some moneys in order to buy a new big dictionary becaused my small old one didn't have a lot of difficultied words. So i can completed my wish by your money thank ! And when i read your latter i felt that my tear want to dropped you are very good .

You always gave the strength of my mind friendly with me bought everything for me i always felt so happy when you came to see me every day . Today i think i couldn't sleep when i closed my eye i saw you in and i felt so lonely because i couldn't see you mored . But nevermind i had your address ,i shall be write to you i hope my latter will be in your hand .

I want to thank everyone who encouraged me, supported me, and prayed for my final time with Touch. My only regret is that I never got to bring him a Khmer-English bible! But it is my prayer that he will seek one, and by God, he will receive one, the way Brother Yun (aka the Heavenly Man) did!!

Because of that, I've felt that I was missing out on "ministry." Two weeks before, I had just shared how ministry isn't just our work in an existing ministry, then going home at the end of the day. Then I went to get a haircut.

Meet Touch (yes, it's not pronounced the way we read it. It's more like tush, but not like "he's got a cute tush"). He's a barber who was thrilled to have an English-speaking customer for the first time when I showed up. He was grinning ear to ear while cutting my hair using manual clippers and baby powder in his run-down barbershop, because he got to practice his speaking with me. I saw it as an opportunity not to convert, but to minister to. I told him that I'd come see him every day so that he can practice speaking English.

After a few days, I felt that he was young, but very sincere. After 3 days of going to seeing him, he invited me to come over to his home to meet his family. There, I showed him pictures from the race, and he shared his family photos. I met his mother, one of his sisters (he has 7 siblings), her children, and various neighbours who peeked to see why there were tourists in a poor village. (Thanks Jess for coming with me!)

He then asked me if I had anything to share. From our previous conversation he knew that I was a Christian, and we are here to help people in need. He even pointed to a church that a friend goes to, but he's never gone, since he works every day, including Sunday.

I took a breath, but with genuine love I told him that God will take care of us, if we follow him. I told him that God wants you to obey his commands and love him and trust him, because he loves us. God has a plan for all of us, including Touch. I told him that if he wants to find out more, he can ask me questions.

I can't say that this is what will bring him to Christ. But this is the first time I genuinely wanted to share the Gospel with someone, and without someone telling me I should, or because sharing the Gospel with the locals is part of our ministry schedule this month.

Tomorrow is probably the last time I will see him. We exchanged mailing addresses so that I can write him once I'm home. I asked for his permission in sharing his picture and letter with my friends. Oh, for a haircut and a full shave including nose-hair trim, he charges $0.75. He only wanted 50 cents from me, but I gave him a dollar.

I ask that you take the time, even for a minute, just to pray for a seed to be planted, his heart to be moved, and the desire to know God personally enters his thoughts. Thank you.

Hello,

My name Touch I am 22 years old. I was born at the borderland between Cambodia and Thailand when Cambodia was wared in 1975 to 1979. Do you know will? My family will goes to live at THE U.S.A during only once month more by the UnitEDNATION that time might be in 1992. But when the wared end in 1993 Cambodia government call for all the Cambodian people in Thailand must be came back to Cambodia.  So my parents moved to Phompenh City as yet. I am very sorry to came a way from the special occation. But it's only in the past I think we should to think about the Present. Nowadays my family is very Poor buy it's a general story for some of the familys in Cambodia.

In one day I saw some foreigners walked before my hairdressing, that is your team but I am afraid to speak to you all. But do you know? I'm very liked the foreigners when I see them everywhere in Cambodia. And I really wanted to help them all the thing if I can. One day one great day for me when I am sitting in my hairdressing I saw you with your friend finded the Tuk Tuk soon after I had spoken English with you. I feel so very pleased to help you, especially I had cut your hair and thank you very much for most prices. I just know your thing when I see your letter but you had told me already but that time I can know a little bit because you speaked fast. Sorry. And I really like your work. It's a good heart of you all that is my favourite to I'm very want to join with you all but knowledge is weak I study Khmer only seven grades because I'm poor don't have much money for study.

I but nowadays I am trying to study English every evening by myself at home but before I start I used to study at school may be two years and from that time to Presenly may be four years. But I think I can't because I have no much time as you see that. I am a simple barber that start work from the morning to the evening non stop for a little money to complete the lack in my family. But I have one dream also someday in the future I shall be complete my wish I want to make the normally interpreter in order to help all the foreigners like your groups.

Oh! Speaking about the sport I like football like watching and Playing but do you know there are two sports I like. One is motorcycle and race car but these two sport I only to watch don't play. I like to travel too especially to the Uropean but I don't know someday. And I like to watch movies like Hollywood or case history especially cartoon movies. And at the end I hope that you will be understand my letters and hope you won't be forget me when you go back home and when you want to visiting Cambodia again you can call my phone number ### ### ### or address hourse number ###A Trie distric Streng meanchey Phompenh Cambodia. Please help to correct me

THANK YOU!

From me TOUCH 27/1/10

80 percent of the people in Cambodia are under age 30. . .

How many people would need to be slaughtered before the world notices? How many people-more importantly, who-would need to know before the world reacts?

In 1975, shortly after the Vietnam War, the Khmer Rouge, run by a French-educated Cambodian native, took control of the country. Then they decided to cleanse its nation from any and all Western influences. They chose the worst possible way to do it.

 

 

 Pol Pot used Toul Sleng (aka S-21), a school where he used to teach, as his detention and torture centres. A place once used to teach and inspire children now brought fear, isolation and confinement. Classrooms were turned into cells, and barbed wire blanked the buildings. When I entered the school, I could almost hear the screaming. I even saw dried blood on the classroom floors. Here, people were tortured to confess their non-existent crimes, and driven outside of the city on trucks to what is now known as the "Killing Fields."

 

 

Babies were treated differently. One depiction suggests soldiers would grab infants by a leg, and swing it against a tree, bashing its head for a quick and simple death. The crushed bodies would be then tossed into a separate pit. Another depiction shows babies tossed up in the air, while another solder would point his bayonet up, and skewering the falling bodies.

By the time the world realized, reacted, and brought an end to Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, nearly 2 million people were executed-almost a 3rd of its nation. During their reign, the Khmer Rouge managed to fool not only its country, but much of the world.

A photo exhibit at S-21 genocide museum displays a 2-week trip a group of Swedes were invited on, to show the world how the Khmer Rouge was helping its country. The exhibitor now regrets and admits that the "trip was a mistake since they became a part of the propaganda of the Khmer Rouge." He, like many at the time, was tricked to seeing only what they wanted the world to see.

Even as I type this, my head hurts, my stomach turns, and tears flow down my face. The effects of the Khmer Rouge are still evident today. There are still many graves not yet excavated. Half the city seems to be under construction. Too many are living in poverty, struggling to make a living.

First there is the poverty. This "village" is a system of poles and platforms and boards, all raised about 3-6 feet off the ground that is the sewage water. During the rainy season, this water rises. When it does, so does fecal matter, garbage, and the disease-carrying mosquitoes. I don't want to forget to mention the foul stench.

The home owners require rent in full each time, or you get charged 10% interest. You're not allowed to pay by day, or week. And when you live poverty, you simply cannot afford to save up money. When you can't pay the rent in full, 10% interest is added to the following month's rent. Eventually, you're forced to leave. (I believe that Cambodia is under a large facelift, especially of its capital, Phnom Penh, and this is a very indirect way to push the impoverished out of the city.) The walls and roof are rusted corrugated metal sheets, and the "streets" are full of cracks and openings, constructed of whatever material is available over flimsy poles that sway with each step that make you wonder just how many children fall through each week. 

And my God, the children!! Most of the kids in the village don't have shoes. The dirt ground paved with rocks, broken glass, metal, garbage, feces, construction debris, you name it. What you also see a lot on the ground are playing cards. Almost everyone gambles--from parents, to young adults, to children. I'm talking about 7 yr olds. Whatever money they have, they gamble it. The most appalling fact is that the adults and children gamble together! The kids pick up everything the adults do: swearing, fighting, smoking, aggression, etc.

While most of the children are sponsored to go to school, some are still more accustomed and like their "old" lifestyle of sleeping in, no school, swimming in rivers, and gambling. Kids that have worked in dump sites to make money, have already experienced independence and an adult social life, all before the age of 10. When these kids are brought to school, they have trouble adjusting, feel stupid compared to those who are younger and literate.

Whether you're eating at a restaurant, or near a tourist attraction, it's not uncommon to have people come beg for money. Sometimes they're someone with a physical disability. Sometimes it's a mother with two small children. It doesn't matter who, it never fails to break your heart. It always make you feel like crap.

 

You can see the kids and adults gambling together.

Weelapong, now 36, was one of those kids who was sent to the next major town to stay and learn as a young man, and entered into the same lifestyle and then quickly spiraled downward. Thinking he could change it himself, he joined the Thai military, saying "this would be the thing that can help me start to be better." Needless to say, it grew worse.

One day he went back to his family's village where there happened to be a speaker from America who had come to share Jesus in his village. The speaker came over to him and started to pray and prophecy over his life. Wee accepted the Lord and was filled with the Spirit. That day things changed; he was able to walk with the Lord's strength out of his bondages and into freedom with Christ.

God gave Wee a vision also to see 20-30,000 Karen Hill Tribe youth coming together to worship God. Wee has been walking towards this vision for 7 years now, and what that looks like is: Youth evangelism in schools, villages, cities, and in the homes in which the children are sent when they need to go to school. Wee has put together many championship soccer teams and finds one of the best ways to disciple kids is to teach them how to play soccer for competitions.

He has built amazing relationships with teachers, government officials and the police, bringing them to work together to provide better opportunities for the children's future. Wee puts on sport camps, goes into all city schools, and provides his home as an alternative place for kids to come and live whose parents struggle financially to send their kids to the schools. This opens a great door for discipleship.

After more than 10 hr of travelling, we crossed the Thai-Cambodia border by bus and foot, and arrived in Siem Reap. We were totally spoiled by a really nice place to stay for two nights (we got a fantastic group rate with a pre-existing relationship from a previous WR team). It was a much needed time of rest, sleep, and of course, our new squad leaders, Jory, Katie, and Weston, and new team leaders in Tim, Matthew, and Celeste. All teams stayed intact, save for one team whose one member was pulled to lead another team.

We also got to visit Angkor Wat, considered one of the 8^th Wonders of the World, and the biggest temple in the world. It's where Angelina Jolie filmed Tomb Raider. It's fairly big, so it's kinda hard to believe that it was lost for a number of years.

I'm also aware of Khmer Rouge, and the Killing Fields-the biggest genocide in recent human history, that ended no more than 10 years ago. There are still mines in rural areas, many of which are still off limits, many people with missing limbs, museum/schools depicting and explaining the horrible tragedy that was one person's way to "cleanse the nation."

Our ministry in Cambodia is called Destiny Rescue, which runs a school and a daycare. Students come from 3 separate slum villages (more on this in the future), and they have sponsors (mostly in Oz) that provide schooling, food, and medical care for the children.

PLEASE DO NOT POST COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG, OR EMAIL ME RIGHT NOW FOR SPECIFICS. THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE WHERE I'M STAYING, AND WHILE IT MAY BE HARD TO BELIEVE, THERE IS A CHANCE CERTAIN GOVERNMENT AND SECRET POLICE MONITORS SUCH INFO.

Imagine being forced into joining the military or imprisoned for life. Imagine having to choose to join the military that you are against, to protect your family from rape and persecution from that same military. Imagine having your daughter or sister, no matter the age, forced into work as prostitutes or in bars in Thailand. Imagine being told where to build a church, if at all, then have the government tell you when and what you can have in the service, and for how long. Everything is controlled. Nothing is a choice.

Tonight, I wept for a nation I've never been to, or know anything about. I prayed, I felt the heart of God broken for the people of that nation. I felt a righteous anger in what has been taking place for more than 50 years. I prayed that God would send people into this country. I spoke freedom and peace for the people that live there. I prayed for eyes to be opened, for those with power to be physically slapped and realize the corruption and greed they're drowning in.

Although I don't have much background info, I cannot explain why I felt such sorrow for the nation that has so much beauty in its country, natural resources and peoples. The country I am referring to is β ц я м @ and is spelled this way to avoid easy searches by this country's government. If you enter this country, you are shadowed by the secret police, to monitor your behaviour, who you come in contact with, and where you stay, etc. This is very serious. We never mention names because you do not want to jeopardize any of our contacts, the ministries, and the years of work put in already.

Have you ever seen those people with long necks with golden rings? They're one of 2 different tribes of Karen (Kaa-ren) in Northern Thailand: Boh and Sgaw. We had a chance to visit a Sgaw Karen village (not the long necks) for a Christmas party and their Sunday service. Almost the entire village of 200-300 was Christians. It was an amazing thing to realize. They're living in the most remote part of Thailand in the mountains, many of them looking like they belong in an article of National Geographic, yet they have God in their lives.

When we arrived for the Sunday service, we were told that apart from explaining who we are and why we're there, one of should give a message. We circled up and prayed for God to speak to us who that person should be, and of what. While we prayed I thought about things I could potentially share. When we were done, no one had gotten a strong conviction. I said, "I'm not strongly convicted, but if no one else is willing, I am." And so I was selected.

While I wasn't sure I should, I figure, I came half way across the world, supported by friends and family and other supporters to serve people, and preach the Gospel. I don't want to sit on the sidelines to be an observer. Not that it was the main reason, how many of us could say that you visited a remote mountain village in Northern Thailand and shared a message to 200+ Karens, a group of people I didn't even know existed 2 weeks ago?

My message was simple, a bit of my testimony and an experience topped off with an analogy on sin. Since I had asked God to tell me what to speak, I wasn't shocked that my full outline didn't materialize. My fav part was from a cheesy analogy I came up with while weeding in Nicaragua, where sin = weed. It's easy to pull out a weed when it first starts to grow. But when you don't pull out a weed and let it grow, it become harder to pull out since the roots grow deep and wide. It also become difficult to distinguish what is weed and what is good crop, especially if you don't have farming experience. If you let it grow even longer, it overpowers the good crop so much all you have left is the weed. To pull out a weed that's been growing way too long, you have to dig deep...real deep.

*

I know it's past, but I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas, and wish all the best in 2010!! Go Vancouver Olympics!

For the 3^rd month, the men will be serving separately from the women. The women will head into red light districts to reach out to prostitutes, girls who work in bars-women who do not have options. While our ladies tackle this physically, emotionally and spiritually daunting task, the 15 men on our squad will have what's called "Manistry."

For the most part, that entails taking a red-light bus 9 hrs to arrive at 5:30am and not having anyone pick us up for 2 hrs, then driving up 4.5 hrs the next day to another city in 2 pick up trucks with all our luggage through winding mountain roads, to arrive at dusk, set up tents in the middle of a land of palm and banana trees-land purchased only a week before us arriving, with only light coming from our headlamps, waking up in dampness from the morning dew, clearing the dead tree limbs, about 200 dead fallen coconuts (no exaggeration), chopping down huge dead trees, have ants and bugs get in every imaginable things, pulling dead weed from a dried up pond, pumping water back into that pond from the river, then burning up ALL dead things in bonfires that became infernos, digging two holes 6 feet deep that would be septic tanks for bathrooms for the refugee camp that would take in both Burmese and Thai children, then walking about a 100 m through cornfield to arrive at a river to shower with 14 other men, some losing their soaps in the current including me, then after dinner, share our thoughts and pray with the men, only to head back into your tent that isn't as clean or dry or warm as you'd like it to be.

It's not all as glamorous as I describe it. One night we had to endure eating at a buffet with endless meats you cook at your table for the equivalent of $3. Another time, we hiked to a giant secluded cave that only a few know about or visited. The gov't tried to make it a tourist destination, but because the only road in is through a small village, the villagers would always remove the signs to the cave so that visitors would not be able to find it. This cave is pretty much a tunnel with river rushing through it. Thankfully when we were there, the water was only a few feet deep. But during the rainy season, it can rise up to 5 feet or more. Inside you see the most interesting rock formations, bats, exotic spiders, but only if you bring a light source, because it's completely dark.

We also found ourselves playing soccer against what seemed like 20 Thai kids on a full sized field. It was the most difficult game of soccer I've played, especially when the sun set, and all I could see was 20 feet ahead of me, never really knowing where the ball was until it was coming at your head.

Please pray for the work we're doing. The land we're working on used to belong to animists, who are people who worship spirits in animals, trees, water, etc. We're physically and spiritually taking back the land that was used ungodly and claiming it in Jesus' name. It may sound dumb, but when you worship and pray over the land that you're working on, whether it be land, or workplace, you are bringing God's kingdom.

My next blog will talk about a prophecy spoken over me.