A different kind of Sunday

As I write this blog our church family in Horsham, UK will be gathering for morning worship.  We on the other hand are not far away from our evening meal and looking forward to the slightly cooler evening hours after a day of both hot sunshine and monsoon style rain.  The rain has left rivers of mud and emulsifying litter of every description possible caking the road outside the CHO building and our hotel.  No gutters combined with ineffective drains mean the result is less than pleasant (or safe) and so we have been taking great care moving about outside since this afternoon.

This morning,  before the rain,  we worshipped with a village church planted by CHO a full 40 minute's drive away from Poipet.  A quick getaway after breakfast meant we arrived on time for a 0930 start.

A good number of people were waiting for our arrival and we were warmly, and very politely, welcomed by a young man who stepped forward to shake our hands while others continued the applause which had started when our vehicles turned off the road into their compound.  It was mainly a congregation of women and children as the men were working across the border, a very short distance away.  When we were all were settled into a shady place Graham introduced our team, emphasising that we had come to join with them in worship, but not to 'take over'.

Our opening worship was led by a man we have met this week several times already and who we have come to appreciate very much, namely 'Pastor Timothy' who you can see pictured centre right.   A man of relatively short stature, he has an huge vitality, immense charisma and irrepressible faith which he seeks to communicate to everyone and anyone via glorious beaming smiles, confident singing and encouraging body language using every means open to him.

Our own significantly taller 'Pastor Tim', together with Chomno translating for him, then led our thoughts towards all the promises God has in store for His people in the future by referring to texts in Isaiah 65 (which I read) and 2 Corinthians (which Michelle read) and encouraged us to move forward in faith rather than live stuck or transfixed in the past, be that a happy or a destructive experience for the various individuals present.  This message was extremely apposite to the experiences of many of the adult Cambodian Christians present.   Most adults live with vivid and terrible memories and Cambodia's children are also very aware of their own heritage because of what they are told first hand and also they see large expanses of countryside here still waiting to be cleared of mines and unexploded ordinance.  Wayside signs for the Halo Trust (mine clearing) are adjacent to many mud tracks and roads.  Children know clearly what they mean and realise that the many amputees in the general population are more likely than not the victims of such devices.

And yet, these Christian brothers and sisters of ours in Cambodia, young and old alike seek daily to move forward in faith and with genuine forgiveness, hope and love in their hearts. As we have opened our hearts to each other we have shared something very precious indeed.  We have seen their courage, dignity and joy in their faith at first hand and thank God for all we have shared together so far and for everything which lies ahead in this special Connected Church relationship.

Sue