In this and many other third-world countries, there is such a lack of education that people are forced to rely on misinformation and superstition when dealing with health issues. Rather than belittling people for what they do not know, we want to help Cambodians fill in their gaps of knowledge by providing things like family health seminars, hygiene teachings at our children’s program, and other practical activities.

Since two of our staff members recently became Red Cross-certified in first aid, we jumped at the chance to multiply their newfound knowledge in Saang. It was fun to see both old and young joining in to practice bandaging wounds, treating burns, moving injured persons, and other important skills! Sopheak and Solomon also taught on responding calmly and rationally in emergencies, something that we really want to emphasize in this culture where panic is the more common reaction.

For In His Steps, missions work is defined not only by evangelism and discipleship, but by the holistic transformation of individual lives. Something as simple as a lesson on the importance of hand washing or how to deal with infections often opens doors to conversations that could never have happened if we were not dealing with practical as well as spiritual needs.

1 Peter 2:21 says that we are called to follow in the steps of Jesus. His example is not only of preaching or praying, but of taking time for children, healing the sick, and serving others. So whether through a first aid class, a pastor’s fellowship meeting, or a delivery of food and vitamins, our goal and our purpose is to be like Jesus, and to walk in His steps. As another verse reminds us, whatever we do whether in word or deed should all be for His glory!

- In His Steps

A view of the Kairos Training Center as construction continues.

It’s been two months since we last updated you on our building project, and in that short amount of time much progress has been made! It’s exciting to see walls, windows and roofing appear out of what was merely some concrete posts and piles of supplies not very long ago.

Today we want to share with you our vision for this building, which we have named the Kairos Training Center (KTC). It was only after much prayer and discussion that we decided on this name. “Kairos” is a Greek word meaning an opportune moment or season in the will of God, and we see this as a time of opportunity in Saang. 

As this new building takes shape, we are transitioning out of one season of growth into a new one. The property that we once called the Foundation Center is now simply the Center where the KTC and our other ministry buildings are located. This is not the abandonment of our original vision, but the multiplication of it.

This new building will have something to offer for each of our different target groups (orphans, widows, families, at-risk women, the GCCS congregation, local pastors, local government, etc). The programs and classes that we already have will be able to expand, while added space will allow for more new opportunities to reach the community. We’ll also be able to be more consistent since our classes won’t have to run for cover during Cambodia’s frequent rainstorms!

There is so much possibility for the future and we are excited to see what God does in this new space. In this appointed time, we are praying for God's kingdom to come more fully to Saang as we follow the vision he has given us. Please join with us in praying that He would be revealed to each and every one of the people who come through the doors of the Kairos Training Center!

- In His Steps

- IHSI

Martha, a GP from upstate New York, taught several women’s health seminars at our Center and with other local churches, reaching over 120 women and girls. Superstition and ignorance surround the topic of women’s health in Cambodia, so it was wonderful to have many from Sak Saum and the Saang community receive this teaching!

At each seminar, simple lessons were given and many questions and concerns were answered. All those who attended received hygiene products and undergarments, and more importantly, were empowered to understand their bodies and make better health decisions for themselves! In addition to teaching seminars, Martha also did examinations and consultations with women in our programs, again answering questions and addressing individual concerns.

We loved having the opportunity to work with Martha in providing health education to women on this important topic! Individuals with specialized skill sets (medical or otherwise) can be a great blessing to the communities we work in. If you are interested in applying your skills through ministry with In His Steps, we hope you’ll click here to learn more!

 - In His Steps

Change can be uncomfortable, but we believe that God has good things in store as we journey through this time of transition. As we move forward, one of the things that God has provided for is a project that we have been hoping to begin for some time: the construction of a new multi-purpose building on our Foundation Center land!

Due to the volume of people attending our English classes, church services, children’s programs and other activities, we frequently end up holding these events outdoors for lack of space. That works great during more temperate months of the year, but is a challenge during Cambodia’s long rainy season and scorching hot season. That’s why we’re so excited about this new building, which should be completed this summer just as rainy season makes its entrance!

We’re thankful to be able to partner with Pearl Alliance in this new project, and are prayerfully looking forward to using this building to bless many more members of the Saang community. Please pray with us for:

•  Safety and peace at the construction site
•  Salvation for the laborers involved
•  Good fruit in the lives of all that we reach through the use of this new building

Stay tuned for photo updates in the coming months!

- In His Steps

These last few months have been exciting times for Gospel Community Church Saang! We’ve been seeing a lot of new faces in our services, had several salvations, were able to do some outreaches with other local pastors, and are seeing great growth in our youth-aged members as they help with different areas of church ministry. Since we also recently had two more births among church member’s families, we have even more reasons to celebrate!

Last year, we blogged about our first baby dedication, where families and guardians publicly committed to raise their children in God’s ways. Considering the recent additions to our church body, it seemed right to have another dedication service this past week! Before beginning our dedication, we shared with our congregation the significance of this event, and for those who have only recently begun attending we know that this was a message they had never heard before.

Here in Cambodia, children are often seen either as a burden or a source of income. Consequently, family structure has been molded by patterns of dysfunction and exploitation. As Christians we agree with God that children are gifts to be treasured, loved, and raised according to biblical principles. Baby dedications give us a chance to reaffirm this.

As each parent publicly committed to raise their children to love and know God, church members stood and promised they would do their part to help bring this goal to fruition. It was a special time, and we hope to have many more such dedications as Gospel Community Church Saang continues to grow! 

Meet the two youngest members of our church, pictured with their parents: Caleb Goodlin (left) and Micah Sok (right).

 We at IHSI want to wish all of our supporters, suscribers, and partners in prayer a Merry Christmas. May your holiday be filled with joy as you celebrate Jesus' birth with your loved ones!

- IHSI

Yay Phait with Pastor Pheaktra

At our weekly women’s group meetings, Yay is often the first to exhort others to trust God and pray when times are difficult. She has the credibility to say these things because she lives them out and never complains. Even her stories of hardship and family difficulties are interspersed with thanks to God for his faithfulness and examples of his answers to her prayers.

When our staff saw that Yay Phait's house was growing dilapidated and offered little protection from the recent bad weather and flooding, we decided to help her by building a brand new house. Once the floods had receded and her land was dry, we moved forward as quickly as possible to construct a Khmer-style stilted house for Yay. It’s one of two houses that we have been able to rebuild this past month. Below are some pictures of the construction process and Yay enjoying her new home!

Pray for Yay Phait and her family, as her grandson recently passed away due to struggles with alcohol addiction. And keep the other elderly members of Gospel Community Church Saang in your prayers too, that they would be blessed with health and provision for everything they need. 

- In His Steps

We recently received a donation of 200 Khmer-language copies of the book “Bait of Satan” through Messenger International. Having already partnered with John and Lisa Bevere for other projects, we were excited to have an opportunity to bring this resource to Cambodians in their own language. After meeting with their Asia contact in Phnom Penh, we loaded up a tuk-tuk full of books and brought them out to Saang for distribution.

Even in Phnom Penh (Cambodia’s capital city), there are not a lot of quality Christian resources available in the Khmer-language. In rural areas like Kandal province, many pastors have little or no access to Christian books and teaching materials. When we arrived with “Bait of Satan” in hand, these pastors were quick to open their copy and begin reading, hungry to learn more.

As we made our rounds delivering the books, we heard many stories of how devastating flooding in the region has challenged pastors and their congregations dealing with the aftermath. Although things are getting better, many families still have a lot of work ahead repairing homes, cutting down waterlogged crops, and trying to resume life as normal. Eric and Pheaktra were able to offer some advice, but more importantly, listened as pastors shared their concerns and struggles.

The following week, we continued with our next initiative: giving away eyeglasses that had been donated from a family in New York. Re-visiting each pastor and again spending time to encourage and advise them, we also distributed glasses to them, their families, and congregation members with vision problems. It was perfect timing, since many of them had their books on hand to test out the new eyeglasses!

Whether visiting pastors in their homes or meeting with them each month at our pastors’ fellowship, we want each church leader in our area to know that we love and care about them. Being in ministry can be a lonely calling, which is why we emphasize listening to and encouraging each other, not just giving resources or dealing with ministry business. We want each pastor in Kandal province to know that their service to God is not for nothing, and they are not alone! Today, please join us in taking the time to pray for the Body of Christ in Cambodia. 

- In His Steps

Working with local village leaders, we learned of many neighboring families that need help and had not received any government aid. After investigating, we began buying supplies and coordinated an event to distribute them to those most in need. Below are some photos from this morning at the Saang commune center, where we gave bags of rice, noodles, tracts, and more to 54 local families.  

For now, we are focusing on the immediate problem: ensuring that those most affected by the flooding have their basic needs met. But we know that in the months ahead, more needs will arise, as floodwaters drain and reveal the true extent of damage to the area. Meanwhile, the cost of food and other staples is already increasing.

 Please keep Cambodia in your prayers, that God would show his compassion to those in need through In His Steps and others on the field. Also, pray for government leaders in this time, that corruption and lack of infrastructure would not hinder their designated relief funds from reaching people in crisis. If you would like to support our flood relief efforts, click here to learn more.

-In His Steps