We would like to introduce you to the Chey Narin family. Our friend Narin, with his wife Quenie, and children Daniel, Donna and David, serve in Cambodia as missionaries to the Khmer. Narin is Khmer, formerly with Campus Crusade for Christ. Quenie is from the Phillipines, who came to Cambodia for an administrative position at Norton University and then married Narin.
We worshiped at their church this morning, Gospel Commission Fellowship. Narin's message was on stewardship and giving- a tough sell to the American crowd, and it could be an even tougher sell to those who have so little. But Narin's message dealt with the reality that the church in Cambodia, including their church, belongs to God, and God would have us each help one another- not just in service, but in sharing what we have and meeting needs that we see.
In the GCF, that includes using their church building also as a student dormitory for young men who are studying at the universities. These men in return give to the church through service, helping to set up for Sunday morning, providing guard service and transportation assistance. So the need of the church and the need of these men are helped by each other.
Quenie has developed a similar vision of economic and service helping among for the church. She rents space in the church building during the week to run a pre-school/primary class. She employs teachers, helpers, a cook, a guard, and cleaners, many of whom are church members or relatives of church members.
The second picture below (yes....we are experiencing internet uploading difficulties on this blog) is one of her helpers, who is able to live independently also at the church, and save money for her vision for the future. This young girl's vision? She wants to return to her local province, and begin an orphanage to help keep her villagers close to their extended families, supported totally by the Khmer, not by Westerners. Pray for her that she will experience God's peace for her vision. That is her request.
The next three pictures are additional economic and service helps planned by Pastor Narin for his church. Being a small, new congregation, his family must find rent for the home at a price that is below market standards. But last month, God gave Quenie and he an idea- a vision one might say. They were graced in locating four bungalows around a courtyard, which the landlord offered to them at a very fair rental price. The Chey's are now living in one two-bedroom unit, while they make plans for the other units to be used by teams that come to minister in Cambodia, providing bedroom, living room and kitchen facilities, as well as courtyard meeting space. This is an example of God's economy around the world meeting the needs of one another.
If you are in a position to know of a team, or be involved in planning a team, you are welcome to contact Pastor Narin directly for rental or love gift information at chey_narin@yahoo.com.
Not only has this idea provided their housing, and offered service to teams, it will also provided additional jobs for church members to clean, cook and transport those coming to serve.
Another ministry Narin conducts within his church is a rice sale/distribution which allows for employment of those for accounting and for distributing, discipling them in Christian business principles which include honesty. These young men and women not only gain a slight profit for the church budget, but gain employment skills to be used in their next upward job movement.
(The rest of this post is below the pictures. Sorry for the inconvenience)
This final picture is of a student reunion that we held last night!! Yes, we have known these students for five years, beginning when they were young provincials first coming to Phnom Penh for study, but too poor to find housing. An early ministry of Asia's Hope was to partner for a Student Center for them to live in for free.
Well, these young people are now graduated, and, are thankful that in God's economy and plan, they have each found jobs in which they can continue to help one another. Some of them room together, some offer helping hands to younger brothers and sisters, some send money home to their village to help, some work in the local prisons as volunteers to provide hope to the prisoners (through Prison Fellowship).
Each of them offered spontaneous conversation of what they are experiencing as young adults- of how thankful they are that they can now earn money to feed themselves and help others. John and I praise God for being able to see them and hear how well they are "growing up".
John and I also freely ask for any of you who are able to do your own "helping"of one another. We have tried to write in this blog not only the helping of service, but how in Cambodia there is direct helping economically needed still as the safety net is thin.
Again, we would direct any who are interested to www.asiashope.org where on line giving is an option. We would especially encourage giving to The Hope Fund (the equivalent of a general fund) to provide for medical needs, vehicle repairs, new staff assistants, etc).
We return to the States in one week. We are looking forward to seeing many of you then.
