Latest from Phnom Penh
February - May
It's been a while! Last I wrote the schools were closed for the former King's funeral. We've since had two more New Years (Chinese and Khmer [great for resolutions!]), the former King's birthday celebration, a whole load of Logos/Asian Hope goings on, and all the craziness of closing up another school year. And now I'm no longer 6000 miles away, but back in the UK! So here are some glimpses into how God has used your prayers over the past few months :) Your prayers really are powerful, and I am very thankful for them...
March... 'Inspire'
Logos
P4s/3rd Graders perform 'Mighty To Save'
Talent
High Schoolers' comedy act for the young kids
Show!
Brother and sister perform their song 'Restores My Soul'
I reluctantly volunteered again to organise this year's show. As someone aptly put it, 'it's a beast of a show with a life of its own'! But I love how God uses it. Guiding 5 - 18 years olds to perform something worthwhile isn't easy; hence my choice of the theme 'Inspire' (the word from 'in + spiro a translation of the Ancient Greek word pneo, "breathe". In the Bible literally 'God breathed'). We challenged the Logos students to think about how, by definition, to really inspire others means to receive from God in order to point others to Him - the very source of inspiration. And so many did! :) Not only that, but it was a time of healthy grieving, as many chose to write songs, or choreographed dances in honour of and inspired by the faith of two very special people in this community who tragically died this year - Yohann Kim, a 17 year old Logos student, and Jeff Evanson, house parent of the Asian Hope girls' home. I helped one of those girls write a song in honour of Jeff. She said to me later that writing and performing it was a turning point in her dealing with her 'Dad's' death. Praise God :) Below is a video of one of the dances 'Live Life' (choreographed themselves).
Live Life
Talent Show 2013 LIS 'live life'
Healing hearts!
As with any school here, we have guards at ours 24/7. One newer guard recently ended up in desperate need of help; his wife, Srey Pov, mother of 3 small children, was given weeks to live due to heart failure (because the type of operation she required isn't available in Cambodia). Our Head Teacher sent word out to all the Logos staff and students, and we were able to raise the $3000 and arrange a heart operation for her that week with 'Jeremiah's Hope' - a group of retired heart surgeons who come to Cambodia two months a year! Incredible the opportunities God gives us to share His love and truth here.
Teaching...
3 John 1:4 says, 'I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.' So what else would I be more excited to tell you about than three children in my class, who in April made the decision to follow Jesus! All three said that they'd been carefully thinking about it for a long time. Two of them (below) are from Cambodian missionary families and the other (no pic) is Taiwanese. His parents are quite anti-Christian, so please pray for him especially.
Prayer...
- The above kids!
- The next 6 weeks rest in the UK: for time with family, friends, and catching up at church in Glasgow :)
- Decisions to make about ministry in Cambodia. As you know, I need to decide by December whether to go part-time with Logos in order to be involved with either another Asian Hope ministry, or one outside of the organisation.
And finally...
A reminder of why I do what I do. A new Asian Hope video of three former students of Logos and Asian Hope children's home who have now graduated from University and returned to Cambodia.
Asian Hope: Full Circle
Much love, michaela
P.S.
Had to attach this. A letter written by one of the kids in my class. They were given free choice for their journal, and this is what he decided to share. Too precious not to pass on...