Hey Friends! It is great to be back home in Cambodia. I had a wonderful and very fast trip to America. It felt good hanging out with my family, my church and friends again. It is funny though, I had been counting down the days until I arrived in California, but it never occurred to me how much I would miss Cambodia once there. Life here is always chaotic, there is never a dull moment, but in the midst of all the crazy there is peace knowing this is home. I missed hopping on my moto and swerving in and out of cars to avoid traffic. Every day is like the highest level in the game Frogger. How can you trade that?
Right when I came home, COH took their first family vacation to the beach. I was going to tag along, but I was fresh off the plane. God is soo good! Katherine had been praying for a very long time that her, the kids and staff would have a peaceful bonding time away from the city and God totally provided. It came at perfect timing too. Two weeks after their awesome vacation, Cambodia started their 15 day holiday called “The Week of the Dead”. The Buddhists during this time everyone goes to the temples every day and pray to the spirits believing that the gates of Hell open and they will be able to find their ancestors. This is one of the biggest holidays here and you can see why it is a very spiritually dark time. Since it is such a big holiday the law requires all NGOs, Govt. organizations and businesses to give their staff and in our case the kids time to go to their provinces. So any children in the home that have some sort of family needs to go see them during this time, but we have quite a few kids with nowhere to go so they stayed home. This year Katherine and I took care of 12 children and a baby with no staff for 4 days. It was exhausting and so much fun! Since the kids that stayed didn’t get to go anywhere, Katherine tries to make their time at home special. We took them bowling at the new Japanese mall, made special food that they love and they totally got spoiled in the sweets/candy department. This was a week filled with lots coffee and comfort food. Water of Life spent a lot of time in prayer during this holiday. Praying for the kids, staff and their families. Praise be to God that the kids came home ready to be back with Katherine and their friends at COH. A few of the boys had a bunch of scrapes and bruises from falling out of trees and playing in the rice fields because in the province they get to run wild with no supervision. Boys will be boys!
COH is doing well. The kids are now starting their 5th (!!!!!!) month of summer break and Katherine, the staff and I still have our sanity so that is a good sign. The two new boys we got in June are adjusting very well. They are finally adjusting to living in a loving home rather than fending for themselves on the streets. They have some way to go but quick adjustment is a HUGE praise report. Please keep this home in your prayers. There have been several new children that may join the COH family, but we currently don’t have the manpower to take on more. We have full faith that the Lord will provide if it is His will, so please pray for discernment at WOL.
The Week of the Dead also put a hold on Curtis’ ministry. The Khmer are dead serious about their holidays. Where else can you take almost a whole month off of life?? Though the pastors that Curtis teach are not Buddhist nor practice their traditions, they use this time to spend with family. Similar to people in America that don’t celebrate Christmas but still take the time off for family time and eating until you can’t walk straight. Even during this time, the Svay Reang pastors seem more on fire than ever. Curtis started handling out questionnaires for them to fill out during the conferences and there answers have shown so much fruit! These men are really digging deep and certain concepts are starting to resonate with them. Curtis, Solomon and Ti just come completely pumped up by the men and women in Svay Reang. The pastors out there are anticipating the arrival of the Calvary Hills team. We are all super pumped about what God is going to there this month.
The Kampong Chanang pastor conference is going well too. Though still new and is starting off a little slow. Not due to the lack of men or the lack of passion on either end, it is more of a timing thing. For example, Curtis goes out to Svay Reang the 20th-21st every month which creates an accountability between pastors to come and between the pastors and Curtis. Kampong Chanang is less consistent. Curtis is trying to find a day that works best for that province and finding a translator to depend on during those set days. Please just keep this ministry in your prayers. It’s new so these kinks are expected, especially here, so please pray for God’s perfecting timing.
Speaking of translating, Curtis’ khmer is getting ridiculously good! I am continually impressed by his perseverance in his studies, both in the bible and khmer. I love listening to him chat up any khmer person he can like the security guard at the local market we go to or the mechanics working on his bike. He listens to the way the khmer people talk so he can learn the slang words and the khmer guys are always surprised when he whips out a saying usually only the khmer say. He inspires me to establish myself here. Curtis isn’t “just” learning the language or “just” teaching pastors, he is moving his heart into Cambodia deeper and deeper every day. If your heart is not in the people then you will never reach them. God has been so faithful and patient in teaching us this lesson. Missionaries here always say “you can not just live in Cambodia, you will burn out quick. You have to have a heart for Cambodia knowing these are God’s children”. Curtis and I are continually thankful that God has been so gracious as to move us here. We are daily humbled by our inability to do anything without Jesus. Thank you for your constant patience and support for us and our ministries over the past almost two years. We love you guys a lot! Until next time!
God Bless,
Bre