Mission Updates & Articles

Outreach to Women and Children, Cambodia Update – December 2008

Dr. Ralph Mayan, Interim Mission Executive, Lutheran Chruch–Canada, recently returned from his visit of missions in Southeast Asia with Dr. Norman Threinen, CLMS Mission Projects Director. He filed the following report pertaining to Project 0807.

"The picture above was taken along the side of a rice patty about one hours' drive North of Phnom Phen and a 20 minute drive from Kompong Chnang, Cambodia. The deaconess' name is Chea Sothy. She is the woman dress in very dark clothing, again in the center of the picture amongst the children. Deaconess Sothy gathers the children from around the area, many of them coming with the parents across the rice patties each Sunday morning and she conducts a Sunday School program. The activities include a bible story (The day we were there David and Goliath) singing, prayer and a snack. The program lasts about one hour. The program is conducted in the home of a family who has simply opened their hearts to Chea and the message of the Gospel."

"...It is just fantastic to see what these women are doing in teaching children, in working with women, especially does who have been deserted by their husbands. The project has been a tremendous blessing and I am going to recommend that it be repeated next year. .......What especially thrilled me is that several of the deaconesses who are receiving assistance, were already involved in this ministry and their local congregations were providing what little support they could from their own offerings. The assistance received through CLMS has allowed them to augment the work they are doing and so they are able to reach more children and enter into different villages.

"Please convey to the CLMS Board my personal appreciation for their support of Project 0807 as well as all the other projects. When you actually see what is happening in the field, you see just how much is being done with the dollars sent - much more than I would have ever imagined."