More updates from PP

The past few days hasn’t been too productive in terms of “work”, but it was a great time meeting different people! On Thursday night, had a little ‘mamak’ night with the staff from Cambodia Campus Crusade for Christ (CCCC), and my first ride on a motorbike! Eek! Good thing I was sandwiched between two girls, and I had a helmet on, so I felt pretty safe.. the speed was bearable too.. they tend to go on a much slower pace, not more than 40 km/h, unlike the Mat Rempit’s back in KL with their circus stunts huh!

Meeting people…
It was good meeting the CCCC staff – each of them having their own story to tell about how they became Christians, and the objections they received from their non-Christian family, even more so when they decided to go into full time Christian work! Their ministry is also very similar to OCF’s, so there’s probably even more common ground between us! Looking forward to getting to know them better, and just being encouraged by these brave brothers and sisters in Christ!

Mamak night with Chenda - one of the CCCC staff

Was asked to give a short testimony this coming Saturday at their weekly meeting with the students – am still thinking about it, but will probably give it a shot. Also had a chance to witness (though not tasting it!!) the local delicacy – “belud” or “pong tier khone” which literally means – “egg-duck-child”. Photos below!

Visited the CSI clinic (no, not Crime Scene Investigation .. Cooperative Services International) on Friday – there was some registration work I could do but because of my extremely limited Khmer, I would have slowed down the process having to go through translators. Plus being a non-medical personnel does limit my ‘usefulness’ at the clinic, so I ended up just surfing the net and doing some e-mailing till lunch time.

The CSI clinic only takes in patients by referral from various groups such as churches or Christian groups in different provinces. Most of the staff in the clinic are Christian. The “Jesus film” (in Khmer) is shown in the waiting area everyday.

Met up with a few missionaries from America –and was amazed at how fluently they spoke Khmer (they’ve been here for about 4 years now). They are based in a small village - Chhlong and were down in Phnom Penh for their monthly prayer and fasting meeting. Was definitely encouraged to just meet them as it does make one wonder of the heart they must have for the Khmer people to leave their comfortable home in the States and leave a rugged life in the villages here. To the praise of His glory!

Holiday at the beach…
The weekend was spent at Kampong Som (or Sihanouk ville), a 4 hour bus ride from Phnom Penh. The sun and beach was great – but I could only enjoy it from under the umbrella shade as I had further developed a cough from another dose of durians the night before. DOPE!

.........In front of Central Market....Lyna & Soocheat (CSI clinic staff)..

At the beach.......

The humongous culprit that caused me my misery.. but it was soooO good!

Had lovely seafood – fish and crabs bought fresh from the market and cooked by the restaurant for a small fee .. yum yum yum!

Praise & prayer points…

1. Thank God for the encouragement from meeting up with different people.
2. Please pray for my health – flu & cough
3. Please pray that God will lead and guide me to know what He wants me to do here. My language inability does limit the things I can do – though perhaps God may be reminding me to be a “Mary” rather than a “Martha”, during this trip?

p/s for those unfamiliar with the Bible – here is the story about Mary & Martha from the Bible (Luke10:38-42)

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."