Dear family & friends
We have had several Prayer Circles Rides
since our last letter, Yong has joined them all and earlier this month both of
us were able to join the team to ride up to the north east of Cambodia.
Throughout these rides, we experienced God’s protection and blessing, His
directing us to places and people and His growing of our faith and speaking out
of our faith
Healing: dependent on faith? Do we expect God to answer?
The latest Prayer Circles ride spanned 5 days, 10 Cambodian provinces and
over 1400 km. We encountered herds of water buffalo, red dusty roads, Mission
partners doing church discipleship and agricultural mentoring, border
crossings, waterfalls where countries meet and much more. Yet the spiritual
journey God is leading us on is the bigger adventure. One of a short meetings
we had was with a lady in the town of Anlong Veng (where Wendy used to live),
in far north Cambodia. We were led to her house via a Fijian mission partner,
who knew her through the church and wanted us to pray with her since she had
been quite sick for several weeks. We spent a few minutes with her; she
appeared underweight, fatigued, sweating but she spoke gently and there seemed
to be a spirit of peace around her. We had spent a few minutes praying with her
when some younger members of her family joined us. One of them asked her: And
after they prayed what did you feel? To which she answered: I stopped sweating.
Indeed, her skin was dry.
Later at our group talk together
over dinner, debriefing our day, giving thanks and sharing our thoughts
together. I (Wendy) shared my own thoughts about the situation with this lady.
My immediate reaction to the question of ‘what did you feel’ was that this was
a wrong question, creating expectation that the lady would feel pressure to
answer, perhaps even to make something up about her sickness.
However, I felt that God checked
my spirit and that this was wrong of me- that it was an expectation in the family
that God is full of power and miracles and that He will heal. The woman’s own
answer was evidence for the effect of the prayer. Her sickness was not healed
but she did stop sweating.
As a team, we had some discussion
about the circumstances for healing- is it dependent on our faith, the faith of
family members or something else? The Bible shows us examples where the faith
of family is key to healing- the 4 friends who brought the paralysed man,
breaking through the roof to get to Jesus. But also the faith of the individual
is key- the woman who reached out to touch Jesus’ robe and be healed. And when
God does not heal- is it about our lack of faith or immaturity as believers?
Yet we also know the timing of God’s healing is about the display of God’s power,
as in John 9. Maybe you have a thoughts about this that you would like to share
with us?
Can motorbike oil be used to consecrate the ground?
Whilst in the border crossing of Osmach, I (Wendy) also felt God prompting
me to sprinkle Holy Oil on the ground, to pray for cleansing and consecration
of the ground to God. I have never felt this idea or prompting before and I do
not carry oil for blessing with me. But I felt I should mention this to the
team and they suggested I anoint the ground with... motorbike oil! Feeling
slightly bashful, but also wanting to obey any prompting of God’s Spirit, I
took out the dipstick from my motorbike and flicked it on the ground, praying
God would indeed make the ground Holy, for His purposes. Reflecting on this, I
am glad we did this and that the team supported this idea- I believe it is in
such ways that we grow in faith and learn more about being God’s disciples. As
you read this, maybe you have something in mind where God prompted you to act
in an unexpected way? We would love to hear from you.
Thanks:
For the 3rd Journey Deeper retreat held last weekend,
which is a place for mission partners to grow in faith.
For God’s leading and blessing during the recent Prayer
Circles Rides.
Requests:
for discernment over the next 6 months, about which
ministry agency we will join as a couple (either Novo or Interserve).
For Yong starting back teaching English at Salt and Light
International School.
Specific Dates for Prayer:
February 19-28th Christian Medical Training Conference
for Wendy in northern Thailand, to update clinical skills and refresh workers
in resource-poor contexts.
February 23rd InterServe Lifegroup fellowship meeting.
March 11-15 Yong will be on another Prayer Circle in
south west Cambodia.
March 31 Small retreat for Journey Deeper group.
We will be celebrating our marriage in the UK
with a blessing on June 22nd in Devon.
If you can join us, please do! We will send more info
later.
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January 2019 - Dear family and friends,
Greetings to you in our first joint
news and prayer letter since we married last month: we have much to give thanks
for and celebrate – we hope you like the photos we include! We married November 21st in Florida, during Thanksgiving
week – a wonderful time to rejoice and have a wedding. The wedding was held at Yong’s former church in
Bradenton, with a ceremony that involved each of our families, as well as both
Yong’s old pastor and Wendy’s friends from the UK. Our reception was a lovely, informal gathering
at the home of Yong’s family in Florida, with many family members doing so much
to organise and arrange things to make it wonderful day for us. We are so thankful that so many people were
able to travel to join us on our wedding day, including 10 of Wendy’s family/friends
from the UK/Spain and several from across the USA.
Since all of you know one of us
more than the other and this is our first combined letter, it’s a good time to
introduce ourselves to one another’s families and friends, so we include a few
words about ourselves and what each of us are doing here in Cambodia.
Introductions…
From Yong… I have been in Cambodia
for 11 years serving initially in the northern part of the country by myself. I
was in the mountains for 4 and a half years. After my time there, I joined CRM which is now
called Novo, novo.org and am living in the capital, Phnom Penh. My background is in computer field and I currently
serve people using my skill in computer. I also teach English in a small
compound that was started by a Korean missionary couple. In addition to that, I
am starting to take a more leading role in leading a team of like-minded
missionaries riding our motorcycle circling the border of Cambodia praying for
its protection and for growth in the kingdom of God. Prayer is the most important intercession
task on behalf of people for God.
From Wendy… My main work here is as
a nurse educator at a small mission hospital (MMC) on the outskirts of Phnom
Penh. I also support my mission agency (Interserve) team with medical advice or
health screening. I keep learning Khmer language with a 1:1 tutor- there is
always more to learn and improve on! I have a role this year facilitating a
course for spiritual growth for mission partners here in Cambodia. At our
international church family, I enjoy singing and playing guitar as well as
being a part of house group. When we can
make time for it, I enjoy riding a dirt bike into rural Cambodia and hope to
join more Prayer Circles Team trips with Yong.
Christmas in Cambodia
Our first Christmas together will
be here in Phnom Penh, gathering with church family, as well as having team
events with both Novo and Interserve. We
are hoping to host a Christmas meal on Boxing Day (December 26th for those non-Brits
among you!), hopefully we will have a table by then! Slowly we are making our
home together, since Wendy has moved into Yong’s bachelor pad (!) – there is
some organising to do… (just a little, little, haha… not true. Yong)
We also had an MMC weekend retreat
(December 14-16) with all the international staff and their families – a good time
to get to know each other more and pray together for the hospital work as we
head into 2019.
For those who support us in prayer:
Thanks: for a wonderful wedding
week – we enjoyed and give thanks for God’s many blessings as we celebrated with
family and friends. Thanks for Wendy’s
visit to Vietnam with Anny, to join her family commemorating her grandmother’s
death.
Requests: for us to build our home
together; for each areas of our ministry and relationships to deepen; for discernment
over the next 6 months, about which ministry agency we will join as a couple
(either Novo or Interserve); that especially over Christmas, we would encourage
colleagues and team mates, to reflect on and rejoice in the good news of Jesus
birth, Emmanuel.
On Jan. 7-11, Yong will be on
another prayer circle around Cambodia with a team of like-minded missionaries.
Please
pray for us. Wendy is still processing
if she will join part of the trip.
Previous Newsletters:
September 2018 - Families and
blessings
I recently returned from just over three weeks of travel, encompassing
Yong's family in the States and then to my family in the UK and Spain. We are
full of praise and thanks to God for such a joyous time together, which
included becoming engaged and planning our wedding. We are so blessed by
the friendship God has gifted to us, the love we have for each other and the
courage to commit to partnering together into the future. I know many of
you have been praying and hoping that God would lead me to a man who also loves
the Lord. Thank you- God has done so!
As we traveled, it was wonderful to meet each
other's families, enjoying many meals and walks together with siblings,
parents, nephews and nieces, but also enjoying seeing each other outside of
Cambodia, learning more about each other's history, places of significance and
learning about the way God has formed us and led us over the years.
We will marry in Florida in November, which will be a fairly small,
mostly family gathering. Practically this was the best choice for us, but
if you are reading this and wanting to celebrate with us- and I dearly hope you
do!- we will have a UK celebration or blessing next year, likely in early
summer. Although we don't know the date and details yet, we would love you to
come celebrate and give thanks then, and of course to meet Yong! We will be
planning this UK visit more after the US wedding.
On my return to Cambodia, I immediately joined a retreat
for all our MMC hospital staff. It was a great time to fellowship together
as brothers and sisters of faith, singing praise, in testimonies, Bible
reading and in play together. I mentioned in my last news how much I have
been enjoying deepening relationships with colleagues as I am settling in to
the hospital work and my role as nurse leader and mentor. The retreat together
was another step to deepen these connections, to understand each other more, to
enjoy each other, sharing our mutual joy in Jesus, our vision for serving
the Cambodian people through our medical care.
Within our nurse team, we have had 3 new starters join us in August-
praise God for providing. As they learn and grow as disciples and in
professional ability, may we nurture them well.
The Cambodian election passed uneventfully, with no
political change, since there was no alternative political party. Please
continue to pray for justice, democracy and hope for Cambodia.
Friendships
Deepening relationships at the hospital and personal friendships
too – I have a lot to be thankful for!
This
newsletter follows my last brief update about my growing friendship with a
friend here which we pray is leading towards marriage. More on that below but I'd also like to
share a bit about growing connections at Mercy Medical Centre (MMC) – the
hospital where I am working.
I've been working part time at MMC hospital for 4 months now and am gradually increasing
my hours as I reduce language study. Relationships are deepening with staff as we
get used to each other, as God builds trust between us and as I understand more
of the systems at the hospital. I am
enjoying it more and more! Last week I
joined the monthly lunchtime meeting of Women's Fellowship for all the female
staff at MMC – a good time of encouragement together. My ongoing Khmer study with Anny reading
the Bible in Khmer and being in Khmer church is helping me to be
able to follow this better – praise God!
Recently I have been doing more teaching in Khmer at the hospital and more
mentoring 1:1 with two of the nurse leaders – building their
teaching and protocol-writing skills. I am so blessed to be able to support staff in
this way – what a privilege to encourage, coach and serve. It is great to see nurses start to try to interpret
and apply knowledge, rather than merely completing the requested task.
We have had some staff leave lately; please pray God will bring new staff
that have the compassion, vision and teachability to work with us to care
for and love patients as God calls us to do.
I have been growing closer with my friend Yong, whom I met through
international church, being in house group together and with the motorbike
Prayer Circles Cambodia. He is a
mission partner also, although with a different mission agency. He is
Cambodian, but was a refugee during the genocide and grew up in Florida, USA.
God led him back to Cambodia over 10
years ago. It is such a wonderful gift
from God to be growing in friendship and love together, to share vision and
passion for serving here in Cambodia.
It is also a big shift for us both to
merge our independent single thinking; to become a 'we' – but God has brought a
lot of fun and support to each other through this friendship. Please pray for us as we visit each others
families in these next weeks (August 11-September 6th). We will visit both the USA, the UK and
Spain. Please pray God would give us
insight into each other's culture that would help us understand each other
more and also help us see different facets of God's character and faithfulness.
He has already gone back to the US a few
weeks before me which is quite hard to maintain good communication and
connection together. I'm very much looking forward to joining him there
soon.
Lastly, but an important matter and prayer request, is for Cambodia as the
general election is held July 29th. Unfortunately
all viable opposition parties have been restricted to the point of impotence,
which means the status quo is a foregone conclusion and in effect democracy is
not possible. Please pray God would
work out His plans and purposes here in this kingdom, despite the tight control
and fear. Please pray for hope for the Cambodian nation, for justice, for
God to raise up and work through people of peace and for peace on the
streets during elections.
Mission
Motorbike – May Newsletter from Wendy in Cambodia
Earlier this month I joined the Prayer Circles Cambodia,
which was a great adventure and deserves a dedicated newsletter.
I first heard about Prayer Circles
Cambodia through a friend in my church housegroup. It's a group of motorbike riders (on dirt-bikes)
that was started a few years ago by a mission partner here, with a vision to
ride and pray through the border provinces of Cambodia,
circumnavigating the country each year. At
the start of May I was able to join one of their trips, riding up to the north
west of Cambodia. We had long days on
the bikes across different surfaces. I admit to being a little bit proud
of being the first lady to join them riding!
Day 1: Phnnom Penh to Pailin. – 455km. Eight riders set off, riding through a few main
towns, passed many Wats (Buddhist pagodas), but also many mosques. I have noticed since being back in Cambodia
there are many more Muslim villages, spread into rural provinces, not only
along the Mekong River or specific parts of Cambodia as previously. We had about 2 hours of dirt roads – fortunately
dry, otherwise we would have taken quite a bit longer to arrive in Pailin.
I had my first proper river crossing. Since I'm still very much a novice on the
bike, I did have to put my feet down... wet boots for the rest of the
day, but pleased I made it!
Day 2: Pailin
to Samraong – 331km. Late start due
to some bike problems for one of the team, then riding through rain for about 6
hours. Wet. Met with a Christian brother wanting to start a small church near Poipet,
prayed with him then had fellowship over lunch. Some roads under construction,
potholes, heavy buses and lorries for about 20 minutes, hair-raising, but
through that onto some lovely roads through cassava fields. Beautiful. Excellent fruitshake and story-telling by the
lake that night.
Day 3: Samroang
to Siem Reap – 370km. Back into my
old stomping ground! Lovely staying lakeside in Samroang, before an early start
to Anlong Veng, for breakfast and fellowship with old friends. Praying with them, especially for the youth
who are afraid to go to church because of ghosts (evil spirits) around the
church. A powerful reminder of the
spiritual realm and the very real fears people have. Rode on to Preah Vihear temple – thick mud,
then very steep ascent/descent, pushing me to handle different bike
challenges. Great! Usually great place to pray over the land from
an amazing viewpoint but all in cloud. Still
prayed blessings, healing and the authority of King Jesus as we walked through
the ancient temple (it's a Unesco world heritage site – ancient Angkor). Rode
on to Siem Reap, through peppercorn plantations and along some more dirt
roads, avoiding the cows coming home, then the heavy tourist traffic of the
city.
Day 4: Around
Siem Reap province – 180km. Joined
by 4 more friends today to ride and pray around Siem Reap province. Met and prayed with a young family who lead a
small house church about 25km from the city. Then on to lunch where 3 ladies walking by
stopped to chat and wonder who we were, chatting with them. I explained we follow the Father God. Who is
the one true God, they asked? And what about the problem of sin – amazing
interaction and humble reminder that there are spiritually hungry people here
and a lack of churches. Great to talk
with them, then pass to Cambodian pastor with us to explain more.
Day 5: Siem
Reap to Phnom Penh – 332km. Homeward
bound – after a lazy long breakfast, we set off for home, managing to liaise
with another motorbike friend who normally joins the Prayer Circles, who was
moving house that day, heading up to Siem Reap. Great to stop, pray and bless him. Just made it into PP before the afternoon
rains started.
Which made
our total mileage (yes miles, not km) 1,043. Thankful for the chance to ride, to pray, to
encourage, to fellowship, to learn more about how God is moving in this
country.
A brief team update: we had a great Team Retreat
together last week. Thankful for God
growing unity and love between us, for a new team leader, for vision and
commitment in the eldership. Also
thankful that the organising came off OK, most people were very positive about
the retreat and time together.
Next
time... Since I notice that I rarely seem to follow what I had intended to (!) let's
just see what God leads me to share with you next time!
For those who support me in prayer:
Thanksgiving: for safe and fun motorbike Prayer
Circles trip – which included some appointments God made for us; for getting a new
visa without a problem; for a fun birthday with friends; for great team retreat
together and new team leader.
And prayer requests: for me to settle more into my role at the hospital; for my
friend Anny – for God to provide another carer who can help her at
home (currently her mum is full time carer, with no respite support – I
have been helping her lately); for continued language acquisition and
self-discipline with my time to work on this.
Specific diary dates:
·
May 25th – June 3rd Visit
from friends (the Bells) from my London church The Bear- wonderful!
·
May 26th – Hospital team
family day enjoying swims and food together.
·
May 28th – Praise Evening
·
June 18th – Praise
Evening
Our Prayer Circles
team at the foot of Preah Vihear mountain. A
wet day to ride!
Back with old friends
of mine in Anlong Veng
What a great group to
ride with, including 2 other Interserve team mates.
Three ladies approached us as we were about to eat lunch- they were curious about us and we shared our faith with them.
