Back at home base

Dear friends,

It has been two amazing years serving the children of God in Cambodia. One of the greatest treasures I have found in this journey of faith with Jesus is humility. Seeing the children appreciating the least that they have taught me to be humble and not complain of what I have. Seeing the children loving Jesus in their simple heart taught me to be humble when I'm before the King of Kings. Seeing my fellow brothers and sisters labour for the Kingdom of God without holding back their time, energy, finances, taught me to be humble and not fret.

Another treasure I picked up along the way is perseverence. I've learned perseverence through my Cambodian brothers and sisters who tirelessly give of themselves for the work of God. Their perseverence is not born of flesh but of faith. They persevere because of their faith and love for Jesus to see their nation transform.

I'm now back at home base, Malaysia. After 2 months of resting and seeking I was led to a special school. This school believes in teaching godly values to the children, molding them not only to be successful academically but also building their character base on the word of God. I must say, it has been a great and painful experience seeing children from another side of the world suffers differently form children in Cambodia.

Carring humility and perseverence, I pray that God will give me the grace to love these children as according to His Father's heart.

Thank you for reading and I will try my very best to keep this blog updated more often.

God bless you!

Vacation Bible School with FREEDOM CHURCH

A team of 21 people from Freedom Church, Oklahoma organized a week long VBS for the children at Poipet recently. We saw more than 300 children from the neighborhood came to learn about Jesus. The team taught from Ephesians 4:32. Children enjoyed the games, art and crafts and the bible stories. Some of the team members also demonstrated the love of Jesus by helping to paint a school. Kids were happy to have their picture taken.

Learning new worship songs.

"Making Melody In My Heart" - Children enjoying themselves with the song

HUNDREDS of kids came everyday to play and learn and about Jesus!

Children learnt about sins and what Christ had done for them on the cross.

More bible stories.

Lesson on self hygiene.

Fun with games!

Kids @ art & crafts

"I'm a Father to the fatherless"

Everyone was waiting expectantly for his arrival. His journey back home is a miracle. He was found in a place where he doesn’t belong given his age and his nationality. He was exploited, taken away to a land that is not his but God the Father saw him and miraculously orchestrated his journey back home.

Everyone was excited as the black land cruiser pulled in to the Imparting Smiles Children Center at Poipet. Children and adults came forward wanting to have a look at him. Some were curious but most were rejoicing for what God had done.

Ti broke into smiles as he saw the playground. He had the best time in his life trying out the swings, slide, see-saw and making new friends. All the children love him and very quickly accepted him into the family.

Indeed God is a Father and He will take care and defend the weak and the fatherless as how He had did it for Ti.

Ti is learning to adjust to the new life and he is doing very well. He is very curious about everything and never stops asking “What’s this?” and “Who is that?” He loves cars and the first Khmer word he learned was “lan” which means “car”. He is learning to count now and making good progress in picking up more new words.

Without he realized Ti has touched so many of us especially for Christian Life Gospel Center, Malaysia (CLGC). So thankful to God for the perseverance of those who have been working hard and praying constantly for the return of Ti. My prayer for you is that God will continue to put in your heart the Father’s love so that you will be His hands and feet to look out for the little ones who are oppressed and bringing them to the place where God wants them to be.

The children helping Ti to learn

Ti likes to mimic. He's cute.

Power of the Cross

Since being back here I’ve been falling sick more often then before and interestingly I found myself always fell sick a few days before I’m to teach the bible. It has become a pattern that I knew that it is the works of the Enemy. This time around the same thing happen again. I drank some soup and I see no reason to be sick but I did and started to cough very badly each time I speak. I cancelled some of the classes because I’m beginning to feel pain in my chest when I cough.

During the morning devotion I felt I shouldn’t cancel the night classes. As I preprare for the class I felt God has something for the kids. In one of our English lessons we are learning about Easter and so I wanted to share with them from the Bible on the meaning of Easter and its significance in our Christian faith.

Evening came I was still coughing and feeling dizzy but felt I just need to hang on and rest the next day if needed. After the worship something happen. All of us were caught by surprise and I have to call off the class. See, the Enemy is not giving up. BUT God is good! Whatever had happened was dissolved and I could resume the class as planned.

During the class I could felt God was just capturing their attention. I’ve never seen them so attentive before. I know for some of them they began to understand their faith more clearly. At one point I felt sudden warmth flowing through my body. I thought that was strange for I’ve never experience God that way but didn’t give much thought to it because I was still sharing. Right after the class I realized that I haven’t coughed a single time during the session and even now!

Hey, I’m healed!

Praise God for the power of the Cross that not only gives us eternal life but also heal us from all sicknesses. Praise God that He has spoken to His children and has strengthen their faith.

“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” Proverbs 16:24

Diin. A name that I heard so much about even before returning to Cambodia. He’s a little cute cubby boy who is almost like Dennis from the comic Dennis the Menace. Diin came and stay at the center since December 2010. He used to steal, cheat, lie and fight before staying here. Now that he is here adjusting to a lifestyle which is new and totally alien to him was a great challenge. The children find it hard to befriend Diin because he hits and bullies them. He was also a great distraction in the class. Once I heard he was sent out of the class for being rude to the teacher. Even then he was not afraid and continues to make life difficult for the people around him.

Since knowing what kind of a boy he is I’m ALWAYS strict with him. He behaved but it was still difficult at times to control and get him complete his work.

One evening I saw him sitting by himself watching others playing and I asked him why isn’t he playing with them. He replied saying “they don’t like me”. I believe it must be a painful moment when he uttered those words. We talked a bit and finally I said, “Diin, you are not a bad boy.” He looked at me couldn’t believe what he just heard. Because of the many naughty acts he had done people always get angry with him. His mother scolds him whenever neighbors complain about him. People at the market hate him because he steals from them. For a child with a background like that hearing a kind word means a world to them. I made him wrote on a paper twice “Diin is a good boy” and since then there was a change in him. I too was surprised with the changed that’s happening in him.

Indeed pleasant words are the best medicine that brings life and healing to the soul. Now Diin is no longer a pain in the neck (at least to the adults). He stop all the fighting and bullying. He is the best in class. Never make any noises anymore and his favorite quote is “be quiet and listen”. He discovered the joy of being a good boy. In the days to come he’ll learn to befriend others and others will also learn to accept him as part of the family.

Diin working on his colouring. His works used to be monotone but now there are more colours. Life must be colourful for him after being a good boy.

"I see..."

One of the things I enjoyed doing was to helped the children discover their creativity. Recently we had fun playing with colours and getting them to share what they see in their painting. Here are some great works that I just want to share it here.

Sokkhan: " I see a monkey with painted face."

Riettrai: "This is a tree with green leaves and beautiful red flowers."

Meng Hong: "I don't really know what this look like...hmm...maybe an x-ray of my brain?"

Chomran: "I just like how the colours mixed with each other.
I can look at the colours for hours."

Chantla: "Lion!"

Lai Heng: "I think this one look like a cartoon character. Those with super power."

Chan Tee: "Hm...a bug?"

Our Not-So-Friendly-Neighbour

“Bong Christine!! Bong Christine!!!”

I was working on some work and a boy came by calling for me urgently. At the back of my mind I thought maybe one of the kids injured him/herself and needed medical aid urgently. Coming out from my room with the medical kit I saw a bunch of them standing at the porch with a snake!

“We just want you to take a picture of the snake,” said the kids. I laughed in my heart with relief. Look like what I need is not a medical kit but a camera! So introduce to you, our 56 inches long not-so-friendly-neighbour - dead.

“Do you also want to go away?”

Jesus came over to the Sea of Galilee after disputing with the Pharisees at Jerusalem. A Large crowd followed him because they saw the signs and wonders he performed on those who were sick. Seeing the multitude His heart was moved with compassion and He provided for them and that evening Jesus fed 5,000 of them.

By night fall Jesus and his disciples went away in a boat to Capernaum and the next the day when the people cannot find him at where he was the night before they went out all the way to search for him and came to Capernaum where they found him.

When Jesus saw them He begins to speak to them about Himself. He said “I am the bread of life…Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day…” (John 6:48-58)

The people responded by saying, “This is a hard saying, who can understand it?” (John 6:60)

Jesus knowing their thoughts said to them, “Does this offend you?”

* * * * * * * * * *
Throughout the journey the crowd was with Jesus and so is His twelve. They were there when He healed the sick. They were the ones partook of the fish and bread blessed by Him and saw how it miraculously fed 5,000 of them.

Yet when Jesus challenged their mindset they turned away from Him. (John 6:66)

As we journey with God more and more God will challenge us in our mindset. Living in this fallen world, our thinking pattern, thoughts and mindset will naturally lean towards the way of the world, but as we mature in Christ we’ll find conflicts between what we use to know and what is said in the word of God.

Coming from a typical Chinese family having security of life is the ultimate goal or reason for living and by definition as a Chinese “security of life” equals to having a good job which could generate consistent income that can give you what you need or want. (That’s why Chinese work so hard to make money). For someone who doesn’t have that will be seen as being irresponsible and will be look down. This experience has been very real in my personal walk with God.

Many times in perusing the purposes of God we will be challenge to let go of our “security” and stepped into the unknown. My logical mind tells me to earn enough first (when I’m young and energetic) then do whatever you wish but faith tells me “if you hear God today, OBEY”. You may have similar experience in different areas of challenge. At crossroad like this we have a choice to make. It will be a choice that affects not only our physical condition but most importantly our spiritual condition.

As the disciple (from the multitude) turned away and walked with Jesus no more (John 6:66), He turned around towards the twelve and asked “Do you also want to go away?” * ouch * A question that hit real hard. Questions that can only be answered with a “yes” or “no” always call for a strong stand on what one believe and “grey area” does not exist.

We are living at the end of the age and Jesus is looking for disciples. A disciple is someone who follows everything that was taught by his teacher and if we say Jesus is our teacher, let us also walk as a true disciple and not turning away from Him and from His truth.

*Reading from John 6*

Matthew 6:19-20

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

Few hours before this 50 Ringgit note can buy you a pair of jean or a decent meal for five but now this it can buy you nothing. The owner of this 50 Ringgit note thought the money will be safe in the pocket but it was too late when the washing machine started spinning. The owner can't stop lamenting to me how sad it is to lose the money just like that. This piece of paper can be RM100 or even RM1,000 and all can be gone in just split of seconds. Nothing is stable especially in this present time. Economy can be properous now but crash in the next day. What use to be THE STRONG CURRENCY are not longer strong anymore.

The new year has just begun. Let's us consider our ways as we start the new year. Invest in things that have eternal value and not temporal.

BLESSED CHRISTMAS!!

Hi everyone! Just want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Blessed Christmas and may our Lord Jesus Christ brings great joy and love in this season for you and your family!

Ps: I'm currently back in Malaysia with family and friends. Hope to put up some post soon.

BIG present!

A team of great people from Memphis, Tennessee was here last week to build the kids a playground. The playground is HUGE, and I think it is probably the BIGGEST playground in town!I’ll let the pictures tell you the rest of the story :)

Moving the old swing to the new location

The playground is still not fully completed yet, but it is getting there very soon!

Fun time with the kids

They love the swing so much that they let it turn round and round. They get dizzy every evening and still loving it!

Do you have any idea what this boy was doing?

I was on a trip down to Phnom Penh recently and we made a stop at Svay, a town that is about an hour away from Poipet where I lived. As we were waiting for the passengers to board the bus, I saw this boy. This boy is probably about 15 years old. He was bare footed and wore only a pair of long pant and a jacket to keep himself warm from the cold weather (It’s winter now at Cambodia). Instead of being in school he was begging on the street.

It was very heart breaking to see the ways he begged. I saw him kneeling for at least 10 minutes in front of a man hoping that the man will give him something but he was being ignored. Another time, he followed and hanged on to a person, but was being ridiculed and later being pushed away. The last time I saw him, he was knocking on the window of a taxi hoping that the passengers in the taxi would show him some kindness, but the taxi just droved away.

This is just one example of kids begging on the street. At where I lived (Poipet) you can see little children begging on the streets everyday. Some of them are really poor therefore begging is one of the ways to survive. Some of them are being exploited and made a beggar.

When I see them, honestly, I just want to take them home and also wished for someone to take them home or help them in some ways. There are just so much needs around, so many children and families to help but always there is a lack of laborers.

Matthew 9: 35-38 said:
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

I don’t know how you feel after seeing those pictures and read Matthew 9:35-38. But I pray that you will be the worker in wherever you are to touch and changed lives.

Learn your Khmer!!

The teacher said to the two boys: "You need to go back to Kindegarten because you don't know your Khmer alphabets"

Me: Oh! No! (saying in my heart after hearing the comment)

Chanda & Vaan said to me: But English alphabets are easier to learn.

Me: *Double oh no!*

The conversation above just illustrated an interesting encounter I had recently with two 1st Grade boys. In the midst of helping the kids to have better opportunities in the future through learning English, it had somehow made them feel less interested in learning their own mother language. This is not good. Their mother tongue is their culture, it's their identity.

The above encounter triggered some thoughts in me as I reflect my journey as a Christian. I’m sharing the following from the perspective of being a Chinese.

When I was a young Christian, fellow believers told me that now that I’m a Christian I must “change” my name, meaning to have a Christian name (by the way is there really such thing as Christian name?). The explanation given was that the Christian name reflects that I’m a Christian. How silly! The Bible said people will know that we are Christian or disciple of Jesus Christ by our fruits, our lifestyle. For the Chinese, names (which also include the family name) are very important, you don’t simply change them. In that name is one’s identity. In that name one could tell whether a person is a Cantonese, Hokkien, Teow Cheow or any other Chinese ethnic groups.

Now, if you wonder why I still called myself Christine that’s because I realized too late that I don’t have to “change” name and “Christine” is kind of stuck with me now. LOL!

I use to also hear people making comment saying “If I became a Christian I have to live like a Westerner, eat with fork and spoon and use only plate.” (No offense to any Westerners just that typical Chinese view Jesus as the westerner’s God).Why such comment? Because they were told that they must change to identify themselves as Christian.

May us be very careful with what we taught and model for others through our lifestyle. Certain things are just cultural. People don’t have to change what is cultural to identify themselves as Christian. It is good to let them keep what is cultural ‘cause that’s what makes them unique.

So, what happen to the boys mentioned earlier? They have to start learning Khmer and we have three older girls who are more than happy to teach.


Sokkhan using the flashcards to teach.



Games time with Tina

Jewels in Banteay Meanchey Prison

We headed towards the Banteay Meanchey Prison with a mission and that’s to get the kids out from the prison and bring them to the center. The kids are in the prison because their parents are inmates there. Since their parents are there and there’s no one to care for the children at home, hence the reason why they are in the prison. After walking through the knee deep flood water we arrived at the administrative office of the prison (If you wonder why the place is flooded that’s because it rained heavily few weeks back). We waited for a few minutes and saw two mothers came out with their girls.

As they came nearer towards us I was just telling God “Please let us bring them home today”. However, due to some reason we couldn’t take them with us. Now, we just have to wait for them (the parents – which equals to impossible ‘cause cell phones are not allow among inmates / prison chief) to call us back and tell us when we can pick up the kids.

While we wait, pray together with us for:
1. God to bring the right people in authority of the prison to “open” the way for the kids to be released.
2. God to work in the hearts of the parents that they will be willing to release their kids.
3. God to work in the hearts of the kids whom He has intended to come with us that it won’t be a traumatic experience for them to part with their parent.
4. Plans of the Enemy that hinder the kids from coming to be destroyed.


Walking towards the prison (yellow building). People washing bikes and children having fun in the flood water.

The prison

Walking towards the administrative office

There they are! The mothers (in blue uniform) one carrying her baby another walking with her girl.

The stall right outside the prison. I was told that the water level was waist deep as of yesterday and today it is knee deep.

A visit to Bon-lit

Why is Jesus hardly in the church but was always with the people and at different villages? Apart from him loving the people, I think another reason could be because he really wanted to understand them and by understanding them he could communicate effectively with them.

One of the best ways to get to know or even to understand a person is when you visit their homes. I find this very true for myself.

Yesterday two of us visited the homes of our kids at their village. It took about an hour motorbike ride on the highway to arrive at the village. The first home we visited was Kim Sung’s home. It is a nice simple wooden house by the paddy field. We met her parents and family. During our conversation they never stop praising God and sharing testimonies on how God has been so good to them. Then we head out on the bike for another 20 minutes to visit another girl. This village that we went to is called Bon-lit.

As we rode into the village I saw many youngsters and little children. It is the Cambodian All Soul Day (something similar to the Chinese’s All Soul Day – Qing Ming. During this time the people will visit the temple with offerings (food) to offer to the ancestors.). There’s a BIG temple located in this village and because of the celebration many people gathered at the temple, some to perform their religious duty and some especially the children and youth gathered to have fun. As we rode further in I saw men and young people gathered in groups blasting loud music and playing snooker.

Then we arrived at Imm’s home. Her house is a simple wooden house on stilts. Comparing with the houses around hers, you can tell that they are not very rich. We sat and chit chat and they began to share how their neighbors would laugh at them for being Christian. But still they never stop believing in Jesus.

As we were heading home, we made another stop at Ramorn and Sokvanah’s home. Their parents are church leaders and they work as paddy farmer to feed the family. During the conversation, they kept praising God for the good things that He has done for them especially for their son, Ramorn. When I first knew Ramorn, I couldn’t understand why he is such a challenging boy. I was told that he used to smoke and drink and was thinking how is that possible. But now that I’ve seen the environment where he grew up I begin to understand. In this village, young people gathered together for fun, and in the fun there were smoking and drinking. So, it is very easy for young children without proper guidance to follow what the majority is doing.

It was a worthwhile trip although riding on the bike under the hot sun for an hour and having to ride through some VERY bumpy roads were no fun at all. The trip gave me a glimpse of another side of Cambodian community and helping me to understand them better.

You eat our food, we eat you.

Just a day after the "dog episode" (you can read from the post entitled "Don't mess with the Cambodians", a cat came by hoping to look for food, but it ended up being the food! Once again, animals in Cambodia must learn not to mess with the Cambodian.