Regional Church Conference

Feb 2-4 was the KEC (Khmer Evangelical Church) regional conference. Representatives from all the KEC churches in the Northwest of Cambodia attended the 3 day conference at the Eden retreat center in T'mol Kohl. I went with the Strongs, Sharon and Kandi (C&MA missionary in Poipet) for the last day of the conference. They invited us, the missionaries, to come up and share about the ministries we are involved in. This was my first time speaking Khmer in front of 80 Cambodians and I was nervous! I just shared that I have been in Cambodia 2 and a half years and that I am teaching agriculture at the Battrang Middle School. I asked them to pray for us because we want to share Christ with our students. My teammates shared about their minstries as well (much more fluently than I was able to!). During the break, people came to talk to me about the school and agriculture class. It was encouraging and a man in the government in the Poipet area seemed interested in coming to the school to see what we are teaching.

After the break, a Cambodian American pastor shared from the Word of God about tithes and offerings. He spoke from passages about the Levite priests and how they were to give back to the Lord 10% of what they received from their inheritance. He also spoke on other passages, like Malachi 3:8-10 and 2 Corinthians 8:2, and encouraged the pastors and church members at the conference to be faithful in giving to the Lord.

After the conference ended, we ate together and I got to eat some vegetables that I have never tried before in Cambodia. We had steamed sesbania flowers and fresh neem flowers and a few other vegetables that I didn't know. All of them were really bitter, but that means they're are really good for you according to the Khmer!

On the way back to Battambang, we were able to bring back about 18 people in the Strong's truck and I got to sit in the back of the truck Cambodian style! It was a good experience and even more fun when we got a flat tire and the guys changed the tire while us ladies got to sit in the shade. =)

Please pray for the churches in Cambodia to be faithful to the Lord and to be vessels of his grace to the nonbelievers around them. Pray that their faith will be strong and they will continue to grow in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus!