Day 5 ...

Another exciting day began to embark at 6.00am. Today I woke up at 6am and have a short body workout. Then fix a cup of Milo and went to First Kid for teachers' Devotion. I have been thinking of giving some variations to the teachers devotion, so I decided to make Friday as Prayer Meeting.

After having a prayer meeting with the teachers, I went back to get ready for village visitation. Sothy invite me to join him to visit a small group which located in a village. I agreed because I would like to know more about their lifestyle in the village. But before the visitation, I brought Sophy out for breakfast. Then at 8.30am, Sothy arrived.

We are on the motorbike for more than an hour to reach our destination. My butt almost flatten (already so flat, now is like Sony Wega). The village life is simple and the people are extremely friendly. Spend some time there talking with the villagers. I think Sothy's church is trying hard to plant a church there. However, I think they really lack of resources and strategic plan in building up the community.

The village is quite poor, and lack of medical support. Any doctors out there willing to contribute your expertise?

They eat all kind of food. Snake, eel and frogs.

Pre-school started by Sothy's Church in the village.

Then around 10.30am, we leave the village and heading back to town. We went to KFC to have our lunch. The KFC is started by Malaysian as well. Good business, the food similar to Malaysia KFC, but the chickens are smaller.

After lunch, we went to another shopping mall which is just nearby. It was the second shopping mall. It was better than the shopping mall that we went yesterday. I bought nothing there as well, cause nothing special, whatever is there, I can get it in KL in a much cheaper rate.

The second shopping mall in Phonm Phen

After that, Sothy send me back to Agape and invite me to a wedding (his church member is getting married tomorrow). Well, I have not seen Cambodian wedding before, so I agreed. Tomorrow 6.00pm he will come and fetch.

I went back to my room, took a shower (I am full of dust, travelling for 2 hours on a motorbike, what you expect). Then take a short nap. At 3pm, I went down to check out their mime practice. They are doing very well, and the mime is very good. Then at 4.00pm, head by to my room for a final round of prayer. These few days the weather is not consistent, and keep raining. Praying very hard for good weather.

Good Friday program start at 5.00pm. The weather is very good. No rain and is not too hot either. Praise God for good weather! By 5.00pm, only a few people arrive to our church. However, at 5.30pm, it is full. According to Sophy, we have more than 200 people turned! Praise God!

The service is at the front of the church. Jam packed!

We have praise and worship to start off the good Friday service. Then follow by 2 mimes and song presentation. Cambodian really can act and sing, they are really good at it. Then by 6.15pm, it is my time to preach the Word of God.

I give it all that I have. At one hand, trying to keep the message simple, at the same time to keep my exposition correct. At 6.45pm, I give the altar call challenge. I challenge those who would like to accept Jesus into their life to respond by raising hand and moving to the front. When I first invite them to raise their hands, many hands were raised. Then when I call them to come to the front, some hesitated, but many came. Because it was so many and we didn't expect it, so we didn't really count the number of decision makers. But roughly, around 15 people to 20 people. Really praise and give thanks to God for His work among the people.

People are responding to the Word of God. Inviting the God of Peace into their life.

I asked Sophy to lead them in prayer in Cambodia language. God is working in their life. Then we end with another song presentation by a teacher name "Von". After that, Natasha prayed for the food and everyone move into the church for dinner.

People rush to the altar to accept Jesus as their God.

The food are excellent! We have beef curry with Cambodia mee and bread. Too bad that my camera no battery at that moment, so didn't manage to get some captions. We didn't actually expect that much of people, but praise God, our supply of food is more than enough to feed everyone. There is left over that we can give to the street kids.

After dinner, they started singing and dancing. Oh, Cambodians really love music and dancing. I am thinking that we should organize a singing or song composing competition next year. It will be a great event for them.

Then finally at 10.00pm, we clean up everything and back to our room. Everyone is so happy. I think tonight event is historical for the church. Everyone give their best, the presentations were great, the food were excellent, and everyone is dead tired. But what I hear at the end of the day? "Tonight is wonderful", "I am so happy tonight", "Although is tired, but it is worth it", and more positive comments. I think this is what Bill Hybels said, they found a holy discontent, that they are willing to sacrifice for the cause of it. And the best part is, most of the work are done by the local people. I see a great potential in the young adult here in this church.

Tonight shall sleep well, and wait for another exciting day to come.

To be continued ...