Meet Marin. His polio prevents him from walking on two feet so instead he crawls about on all fours (see brief video below). Marin lives in the Svay Reing Province of Cambodia, just minutes from the Vietnam border. He and his wife have four children, two of which have severe physical handicaps as well. Marin supports his family without begging for help. He crawls in the muddy fields, planting vegetables and rice. One year we gave him money to buy a new wheelchair to replace the rickety, old thing he could barely get around in. We found out later that he bought a new chair and gave it to his handicapped daughter.
Marin is a beggar but not the kind we would naturally assume him to be. He is a beggar telling other beggars where to get the bread: that is he tells the lost about Jesus, the Bread of Life. He is a passionate preacher for Jesus. Marin attends all of our LeaderCare seminars when we travel to the Vietnam border, and he is one of the most knowledgeable Bible students around.
We meet so many in Cambodia who inspire us. And we aspire to be like them in their devotion, commitment, and love for Jesus. Some drive us to “all fours” in humility and gratitude.
Be sure to watch this 30 second video showing how Marin lives day to day. His hand gesture is not that of begging, but rather that is the normal/formal way Cambodians greet others.
The flooding in Cambodia this year caused a lot of damage. Crops were washed out, homes, buildings and roads were damaged, and things were very chaotic. But God works in all things!
Thanks again to all of our 2018 Golf Tournament sponsors and participants! The funds we raised will go toward flood relief and the various components of our work in Cambodia (preacher training, leadership seminars, orphan care, water well drilling, medicine and food).
On the second day of teaching in a mostly Muslim village, this woman really made me nervous. Her expression never changed – she just stared at me. She sat in the same spot and did not move during the class sessions. I was clueless as to what she thought about our teachings about Jesus, but she did not seem very happy to be in the room. As we shared Jesus with these precious souls many laughed at our illustrative stories while others seemed to show great interest in the One we called Jesus. But this Muslim woman just stared at me.
One of the greatest honors and privileges in the world for a Christian is to share Jesus with those who do not know Him. This is commonplace in Cambodia where over 90% of the people are Buddhists. Some have heard of Jesus but most know little or nothing about Him!
This little girl came to one of our CCM workers with a snake in one hand and a bird in the other. Fortunately they were both dead! She was proudly walking around with her plunder and was looking for someone to cook them for her. On the one hand, you have to admire the ingenuity and ability of the poor Cambodians in the villages who know how to make it from day to day. On the other hand, there are so many needs that Christian love can fulfill.
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