Sokhom

Beach Trip

The Salmon River in Idaho (The River of No Return) is probably more famous, but the Clearwater River in many folk’s estimation is the bigger, better river. It’s called the Clearwater River because that’s what it is! Likely created during one of the Ice Ages, it’s located at the end of the glacier where small rocks found their way. The river flows from snowpack out of the Sawtooth/Bitterroot Mountains, and the result is a crystal clear river in which you can see the rocks on the bottom.

There is no Clearwater River in Cambodia. Like many of our ponds, lakes and rivers, the water is brown. Most Cambodians live their whole life without ever seeing clear water. Our CCM Jesus Children had heard the rumors about the great ocean, and they didn’t want to be those folks who grew up never seeing it. So they came up with a plan. They talked Grandpa “Softy” Sokhom into sending them to see the ocean. Early in the morning, they loaded up multiple vehicles with children and their adult chaperones and drove to the ocean. The kids were stunned by the magnitude and the beauty of the ocean, but even more so by the clarity of the water! They found it hard to believe that water came in any other color but brown!

Everybody had a great day at the ocean in the magnificence of God’s creation! They played and splashed and picnicked and made memories that will last them a lifetime. These children love simple pleasures. They’re not spoiled brats or ungrateful little whiners. In fact, they’re just the opposite: appreciative, kind, and grateful for the opportunities Jesus Place affords them. Their attitudes are as fresh as clean, clear water.

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2024 Medical Mission Trip Update!

Mike’s back from his recent trip with an update on all God’s doing in Cambodia!

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Sokhom’s New Truck!

Sokhom's new truckThis is one humble, happy, grateful and excited servant missionary! As Cambodia continues to open up travel post Covid-19, Sokhom has organized and conducted many more LeaderCare seminars in remote villages around the country. He teaches Bible to groups of newer house church leaders, and they in turn pass on the teachings of Jesus to members of their house and respective churches.  But Sokhom has to go to them and driving in Cambodia is dangerous.

In 2009, Sokhom personally paid to have his two vehicles shipped to Cambodia to begin mission work. Then one of his vehicles was confiscated by a government official several years ago. He’s just been driving his old truck ever since, racking up over 300,000 miles. As you can see, it was time for something new!

God bless you for participating in giving gifts of love to bless a non-stop, tireless servant for the Lord.  What a blessing to know our favorite missionary and servant is in a safe, practical and reliable vehicle! Want a ride? Contact Mike Meierhofer and you can join him in Cambodia on an amazing future mission trip!

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Medical Mission Trip Update

Check out Mike’s update from the February Medical Mission Trip!

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Severe Storm Update

“Never in my life have we had storms and flooding in the month of January like this.” – Sokhom 

 

The storm hit quickly and rushing waters ran through CCM Center. There was no loss of life at CCM, although a couple of the workers nearly drowned while trying to move cattle to higher ground. CCM’s main buildings were only slightly damaged and major cleanup will help put things back to normal. There are heavy losses in the fishponds as the levees broke in a few spots and fish headed down stream. Nearly all of the coconut trees survived. Fish, frogs, shrimp, coconut trees, etc. are all part of the plan to be more self-supporting in the future.

Please pray for the waters to recede and everything to return to normal so this great ministry can continue.

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Little Children Praying to a Big God

Kampong Leng “Island” is one of the most precious places in Cambodia. CCM helps support two orphanages there. We have graduates of our Cambodia Bible School (CBS) ministering at both orphanages, but we also provide a nurse that takes care of the children’s physical needs. Our young preachers’ mission is what James would call true religion: reaching out to the community with the good news of Jesus Christ and caring for the orphans. Additionally, CCM doctors make several trips to Kampong Leng during the year to check on all the children.

The orphans will smile and laugh as they play with nothing more than a rock and a stick. And oh, how they love to sing songs about Jesus! They have such a pure faith. It’s free from the glamour, glitter and clutter of the world that blinds so many from seeing Jesus clearly.

In the photo above, the children are praying for their daily bread or, in the Cambodia case, RICE. They have so little, but they are big in gratitude. They are little children praying to a big God who loves and cares for all his children.

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless Sokhom and the rest of the workers at CCM as they labor to bless physically and spiritually the orphans, widows, poor, sick, Buddhists, Muslims, and beyond.  

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INDIANA SOKHOM

In 2015, CCM purchased 75 acres of land with the goal of the ministry becoming mostly self-sustaining. It was nothing but brush and trees. But over the past several years, we have cleared and developed the land. Sokhom and our students have dug fish and frog ponds, planted around 2,000 coconut trees, farmed rice, and even run cattle. We sell everything beyond what we eat with the goal of becoming truly Cambodian run and funded. We want the gospel to take off in the Cambodian culture, carried by Cambodian Christians!

But it’s a jungle out there! If you look closely, Indy… I mean Sokhom, has a snake and a rat on a pole! Some of the guys (excluding Sokhom) are going to eat well tonight. While he’s not big on snake and rat, Sokhom is having a blast serving the Lord with vigor, commitment, and great faithfulness!

While working the land will cover the fixed expenses at CCM Center, there will still be a need for help from faithful Christians around the world for medicine, orphans, and water wells. There are so many people we can reach through the generosity of others. Thanks for your support of this phenomenal work of the Lord!

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Burn Baby Burn

In Acts 19:11-20 the Apostle Paul leads many to salvation in Christ in Ephesus. People carried handkerchiefs or aprons from Paul’s body to the sick, and they would be healed. Many brought their magic books and burned them in the fire as a sign that those powers were no longer necessary since they have Jesus in their life.

As we preach Jesus in the remote villages of Cambodia, Buddhists and Muslims will come to be baptized into Christ wearing superstitious bracelets and multi-colored belts to protect them from the evil spirits. Sokhom literally checks peoples’ wrists and waists as they come forward. When he finds a person wearing a religious-magic item, he talks to them about the uselessness of it compared to the real power of Jesus to work in their lives. Then he uses it as a teaching tool and talks to the crowd to help them see that Christ is all we need. These evil spirits have no power compared to Jesus! Others will then remove the bracelets and belts and we will burn them in a fire – just like Acts 19.

One year Sokhom held up his Bible in one hand and a lighter in the other and jokingly said to me, “This is all I need in the villages of Cambodia.”

BURN BABY BURN. 

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CCM Campus Tour

Just like everywhere else, the past twelve months have been a challenge for Sokhom and CCM.  Some parts of the ministry are still on hold due to Covid-19, others are receiving some extra attention.  Sokhom and the students have worked hard improving the facilities and preparing for everything to come fully back online.  We showcased their progress at our annual golf tournament, which raises funds for infrastructure every year, and we wanted to share this video with all of you.  Thanks to Tom Sweat and his family for putting this together for us!

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