AK47

Wow…what a week.
Its been a week of firsts for me:
1. first tuk-tuk
2. first moto
3. first AK47 (for those of you who know nothing…this is a seriously cool Russian rifle)
4. first elephant (outside a zoo)
5. first time I’ve lived in someone else’s home
6. first time I got called a missionary!
7. first time I travelled alone
8. first time I’ve been to the tropics
9. saw my first land mine victim…a guy with two plastic legs at the market.
10. my first Cambodian beer…..i think they peel the label off Budweiser and put a new one on.

The list goes on.

Life here is great. The city is busy but the life is slow. I’m getting used to the pace of things and the atmosphere. The heat is suffocating.
It’s hard to say all that has happened. I cant imagine reading this and fully grasping what it is like here. I would really encourage anyone to come and see the work being done here. Steve and midge are real heroes. I have an awesome respect for the way they live their lives and who they are.

There is a guy called chuck who is one of the literally hundred’s of American missionaries in PP. he is building a church of mainly students in the city. He gathers over 1300 students on a regular basis to teach English and has a church of about 500 people mostly Khmers. This sounds amazing to have a Christian church of this size in Cambodia. I said to steve jubilee is a church being built on rock. It is better to have a dozen spirit filled disciples than 500 people who only go to church to hear English being spoken and never grasp the reality of grace and the goodness of god. Its great to be part of such a small community of believers who all know what it is to live with the spirit al believe in the power of the gospel to change peoples lives cross culture. God is doing an awesome work in this city and I’m so glad to be here and take part in it. I don’t think anyone in Worthing knows fully what is happening here.
I don’t know what to say…god is good.

Libby one of the Australian women in the church, who is a nurse in the city, was telling us at home group about a story from that day. She had been to one of the slum areas with some other nurses and they were told of a mother who’s baby was taken from her and sold. No one knows who it was sold to or for what purpose but she was sold for $15. Probably into slavery or the sex trade. Its would cost more to buy a pig for their farm than a child.
The poorest people often live near the sewage canals or over a lake of all sorts of horrible things. Sometimes because the houses are so shoddy babies fall between the floorboards or roll over the side into the canal or lake and drown.
This is obviously very disturbing but is one of many stories I have heard this week of things that would cause national outrage if they happened in England but no one thinks twice about here.

Those who dwell in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the almighty.
Psalm 91:1

This verse has lived with me for the last few weeks. Having seen what I’ve seen in this city. This verse comes to life. These people are so needy they turn their attention to other things. Without the knowledge that God can protect and provide for them. It is a great injustice.

One major problem, however, is that language can often work against you. Steve was telling me about one problem they’ve had…using the word ‘spirit’ or ‘holy spirit’ in khmer often means idols or evil. Which in turn can cause great fear. So this misunderstanding can be fatal. In all sermons, songs and bible studies. The words have to be changed to ‘good spirit’ or ‘spirit of jesus’ which they associate with goodness and love…quite rightly so!

Long blog I know…but always good to get stuff off my chest and im sure there are some die hard friends who will read it atleast once… I hope.

Thankyou for your emails. Please stay in touch.
Much love in Christ
Ben.