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Volume. XXXii, No. 39 Missions Series – Cambodia – Part 1 Hope BPC organised two Missions teams to Cambodia in 2018. The first team consisted of Sisters Joyce Gong and Purdee Yeo. They were in Sihanoukville 5 – 12 January. The second Missions team, consisting of Elder Michael Lee and Bro Tien Lee (and his two children, Adam and Marissa); Sisters Marion Chan, Alice Lee and Peng Ha Yeo. Elder Michael and Sis Alice Lee were in Cambodia, 16 - 23 Jan and 25 - 31 Jan; Bro Tien Lee and his children, 16 – 27 Jan; Sisters Marion Chan, 16 – 26 Jan and Peng Ha Yeo, 16 – 23 Jan and 25 – 27 Jan. Adam and Marissa made Hope BPC Missions history by being the first under 10 to go on any missions trip! Elder Michael and Sis Alice Lee, with Sis Peng Ha Yeo also went for a short missions trip to country X, 23 – 25 Jan, where we had fellowship with a missionary and his family. We cannot identify this country because this will possibly jeopardise the missionary and his family. This country’s attitude to Christians is unfavourable and pastors have been known to disappear. These missions trips were the first to Cambodia since 31 January 2008. Prior to 2008, there were at least seven missions trips to Cambodia. The purpose of this Missions trip is to fulfil the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus as in Matthew 28:18-20, “18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Missions is very important. Hope BPC must obey the Great Commission and be a missions-oriented church. As such, we are all encouraged to be involved in Missions, local and overseas. Firstly, the first team report is presented. Team One Report by Sisters Joyce Gong and Purdee Yeo After the initial set-back of not being allowed on our planned flight from Kuala Lumpur to Phnom Penh, on Friday, 5 January, we were thankful for God’s guidance and working, enabling us to get We were met in Phnom Penh by a driver organised by Sister Chhun Sonida, personal assistant to Rev David Koo (President of Life University) and taken to Sihanoukville. The road from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville was noticeably better than on previous mission trips. There were even street lights! The four hour drive seemed similar to playing Mario cart but with cars, trucks and little motor bikes going in both directions, and there were also occasional showers. We arrived around On Saturday morning (6 January) after breakfast, Sister Sonida took us to Life University to meet the high school principal, Mr Mang Sokhom, and the Bible and English teacher for the High School, Brother Reach Na. We also met Brother Sambath, head of Life University’s Theology department. Both brothers Sambath and Reach Na are graduates of Life University’s Bible College program. It was good to meet them on the Saturday and have time to discuss how we could help and what could be done, as well as having some time in advance to prepare. In the afternoon Brother Sen Ponnreay (vice principal of the high school and Sister Sonida’s husband) took us around Sihanoukville. There have been many changes to Sihanoukville since 2008. It is a lot busier but there were traffic lights and the roads were a lot better. There were a lot more cars and shops. There was also a lot of construction going on, and we saw many casino-hotels. Brother Sen said many foreigners from a particular country had come and effectively forced locals and other foreigners away from Sihanoukville because they were willing to pay much higher prices for house/car rent than the others could afford. It was also making the cost of hotels dearer. That evening we fellowshipped with Rev Pong Sen Yiew, Brother Kenneth Cheong (from Jesus Saves Mission in Singapore) and Sister Sonida over dinner, where Rev Yiew and Brother Kenneth shared about their work there, in the Theology department at Life University. ……to be continued. |
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