Thank God and Praise His Holy Name!
Pastor Ki left Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Wednesday, 20 October 2004, and is now in South Korea. While he was in Cambodia, by the grace of God, many things were achieved. The things that were achieved looked nigh impossible initially! In fact, there had been concerns expressed prior to and during this trip there (as the province he planned to visit could have potential consequences to him and to his companions). Praise and thank God that Pastor Ki and his companions were safe. Our Lord Jesus promised in Matt 28:20b”I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world”. Indeed our Lord was with them, guiding and protecting them from workers of iniquity. I appeal to all our readers to acknowledge our Great and Mighty God, and to honour His majesty and glory. “Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name” (1 Chron 29:13).

Bro Kosal’s Stand and Death for Christ!
While Pastor Ki was in Cambodia, he was able to visit Bro Kosal’s fiancé and her mother, his students and the school where Bro Kosal taught. “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart” (Eccles 7:2). Apparently, Bro Kosal had been threatened by his police colleagues and told not to join Bible Study groups and the church ministry. He was told that it was incompatible to be a Christian and a police officer. Bro Kosal maintained his stand for the truth, became very active in evangelism, and helped Bro Phannith in Paillin B-P Church. Through his zeal for the faith, Bro Kosal’s mother came to receive our Lord Jesus in her heart. One day, two men lured Bro Kosal to a remote place by false pretences. At this remote place he was ambushed by two more men who beat him repeatedly and finally axed him to death. He stood firm in his beliefs and refused to deny our Lord Jesus. It was a painful but glorious death. “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints”(Ps 116:15). He was willing to sacrifice all that he had loved in this world. He left behind his fiancé, his family, and the many Khmers he had brought to Christ. Do we have this courage and zeal for Christ? Let us learn from Bro Kosal’s example and remember the words of our Lord, “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt 10:33). Let us ask God for more faith, the faith that Bro Kosal had, and seek His help that we will be able to stand firm for our beliefs in the face of persecutions.

Meeting with VIPs in Paillin, Cambodia.
Under the guidance of God, Pastor Ki achieved success in meeting the first and third governors of Paillin province. The letters of petition that we signed were handed to the first governor. The first governor noted that, on receiving the letter of petitions, he could see that Christians in other parts of the world cared about the Paillin Christians. He admitted to Pastor Ki that Christianity had brought changes to the Khmers who had received Christ. Both governors had indicated that they would help us and personally guaranteed our safety in Paillin. This brought joy to the hearts of Rev Moses Hahn, Bro Phannith, their co-labourers and the believers in Paillin. Whatever had happened was indeed within God’s sovereignty. Our Lord Jesus had said in John 15:5c “for without me ye can do nothing”. There is still so much to tell about Pastor Ki’s recent experience in Cambodia. I will leave the full account to him when he comes back. Let us continue to pray for journey mercies for him as he travels in his ministry to Korea and United States.

Our Missions to Cambodia and Help Needed!
God willing, Hope B-P Church will send a Missions Team to Cambodia from the 10th to 31st of January 2005. There are about 20 people who have sacrificed their precious time, labour and money going there. This will be our sixth Missions Team and it will include a medical component. We covet your prayers to seek for God’s will to be done, and for His protection and guidance for the team members. More than half of our church Session will go, and we have brothers and sisters in Christ from other B-P churches joining us. Remember that this is an official church missions outreach to Cambodia. All of us are involved, even those of us who are not going. We have many students in the group and their parents have been helpful. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Heb 6:10). As believers we have a genuine love for the lost and we seek to share the Gospel message of Salvation with them. We seek your prayers to ask God for funds to assist the team members to meet the escalating costs of airfares, accommodation, transport, food, medical drugs, and more importantly, materials needed for our teaching, and evangelism there. If you are burdened by God, you can pray for the team and send your contributions, marked “Mission Team Fund”, to our Church Treasurer, Dn Yaw Chiew Tan. Let us all work together for the glory of God. I urge “that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Phil 1:27).

Conclusion
I appeal to all Hopefuls to stand behind Pastor Ki and the Session as we strive to labour for Christ. Let us help to maintain unity of pure doctrine and wonderful fellowship within our church that our Lord Jesus “might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”(Eph 5:27). Amen.

Elder Michael D Lee

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