7th Annual Youth Retreat

September 1, 2010

Acts 2:32 “ God has raised this Jesus to life and we are all witnesses of the fact.”

This was the logo for the 7^th Annual Youth Retreat. Your Life is a Witness for Jesus ChristWe had 75 students participate, originally I wanted the retreat to be an outreach, but the National Youth Council decided a few years back that they wanted it for a time to help youth who are believers have the opportunity to be encouraged to grow deeper. So, we focus on teaching and small group discussions as ways to help take the teaching and make it more practical for day-to-day life.

My goal this year working with the National Youth Council has been to take steady steps backwards allowing the council to take more ownership and control. We have covered a great distance together, and the group of leaders I have been working with are now not so much youth but young adults. It has been a long and arduous journey but the first night of the retreat they played a video retrospective of the past 6 years and I must say I was a bit misty eyed as I looked at a review of my ministry over the years. So many days while bogged down in the middle of the walking with people and it seeming like no progress is happening and wondering to myself why I am here? Am I making a difference? And then to see it on a screen I was filled with a parental type of pride of seeing where we have been and how far we have come and it giving me a renewed sense of purpose, hope and vision for the future.

It was three very full days of teaching and fun. Fun being the optimum word! We have a young man named Cheat who came into his own this year and shined at the retreat. This young man has the ability to create a game from nothing. Most of the time the his games are crazy and fun; no one is quite sure what is happening but everyone is laughing and enjoying them-selves, to the point of exhaustion, and for youth it doesn’t get much better than that. As you can see many smiles! The retreat ended on a serious note with time around the bonfire. It was my time to teach and I used 1Corinthians 11:1 Paul says, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” We had a time of prayer and repentance, so that we could leave the retreat ready to have others see us as witnesses to Jesus Christ. I know I consistently say this but it was the best retreat ever, far beyond what I could have ever dreamed. It made me think of Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” The key is the power that is at work within us. Thanks yet again for your prayers and partnership, that power we share allows, God to receive the glory, the people to get the message and us to be blessed by being involved.

April 17th

April 17^th is a very historic day in Cambodia because 4/17/1976 is the day the Khmer Rouge took over.

Thearath, yes in Khmer culture your last name goes first so the whole facebook thing, has been a bit challenging, because some of my Cambodian friends have done it the traditional way and others the Western way, it is a bit confusing. Another confusing thing is that when you marry here, women do not take their husband’s last name, so it is difficult to identify married couples and family members entirely from their names. I was pondering what to write about, and since today April 17^th, 1983 was the day a very good friend of my was born, I thought I would write about her. I realized just today that I was a senior in High School when she was born. Since the victory over the Khmer Rouge happened on January 7^th, 1979 she did not live during that time period, but instead began her life during the Vietnamese occupation, which puts her in the category with 70% of the 14.1 million people in the country who were not alive during Pol Pot’s reign of terror. She is at the forefront of what I call the new Cambodia. They are not as bogged down with the consequences of Cambodia’s history but instead have the ability to dream, and see the possibility of positive change and hope for the future.

Most of you will recognize the face and the name. Thearath is one of the gals that I am working with on the Emmanuel Friends Church plant. It has been my privilege to know her for the past nine plus years. Of that she has been a member of the National Youth Council for the past 5 of those years. Over the past year we have been involved in a mentoring relationship and I have seen her grow in her faith, leadership, and desire to hear God’s call on her life. She has the greatest smile and encourages me consistently with it, and her quickness to laugh and just plain enjoy almost any situation. She is a positive person, who is a delight to be around. Sunday morning at church I witnessed and event that was probably
not even possible just a few short years ago. In the middle of church Vysal said they were going to play a game, a game I thought to myself during church? They brought Thearath up and tied a blindfold around her head and lead her around and during that time brought up a cake. She was totally surprised, we sang Happy Birthday – yes that is different in church, but then the Pastor when on to share how much they appreciate her and all she does in ministry at the church. Then her mom who was crying by this time had the opportunity to give her praise as well. In the past open displays of affirmation like this were unheard of. I was thrilled to watch this play out, because I saw how touched she was personally, but more than that I saw how this group of individuals is pulling together to truly be a family of believers. Often times we look at youth, and they look at themselves and say I am too young to affect those around me. This is an example of how untrue that thinking is. It reminds me of Jeremiah, when God tells him, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you;.. “do not say, ‘I am a youth,” Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. “Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 1:5, 7-8 NASB. Thearath listening to God and following him, has assisted in pulling this church together. She is but one example of the many young people I have the opportunity to coach, mentor, be a friend to, and be stunned by their lives, as well as walk through challenges and disappointments with them.

Praises:

· For Ny and Thearath’s commitment to Emmanuel Friends church plant

· My time in Thailand and new expectancy for the future

· My health check-ups in Thailand all is looking good

Prayer Requests:

§ I will be the speaker at the International Youth Group April 30th

§ For youth event in Battambang May 1-3

§ My continued walk with the Lord – reliance on Him alone – He is my provider, leader and Lord