Happy New Year! It seemed that we were just busy wit the December activities, and now it’s nearly the end of January 2010 already! We trust you all had a wonderful and blessed Christmas holiday.
Our family enjo
yed having Justin home for Christmas break. But with all the traveling we had along with other church activities, our time together seemed so short. This past Sunday 1/17/10, we dropped Justin off at the BKK airport, on his way back to Penang, Malaysia, where he is now on a weekly routine at Dalat Int. School. It still sad letting him go, but Justin seems happy and continues to do well there. Pray for our family during this time of separation and pray for Justin to have good 8th grade year there and that he’ll continue to grow in God’s will.The 8 church sites (plus guests) came together on evening of Christmas Eve to celeb
rate the birth of Jesus! About 600 people came and stayed throughout the two-hour service! Everyone had wonderful time enjoying the Christmas songs, dances, skits, testimonies, and a powerful Christmas message. Unfortunately, we’d experience some electrical problem/power shortages, just before the time for altar call. But the main message was shared and heard. Pray that God would raise up those whose hearts had been touched by the truth on that evening.
Ever since the day of the baptism, November 28, 2009, we’ve been witnessing more people coming forward to receive Jesus every week! I am not sure of the exact numbers, but at least 2 or 3 people came forward, each week! Some even came willingly to have the spirit strings from around their bodies cut off! (For Khmer people, wearing spirit strings, around their waists or wrists, signified that they fear of and belong to Evil Master of this world). As a result more new believers are signing up for classes. Lately, we’ve been discussing that if only we have some extra help, we could easily start 3 or 4 new discipleship classes! Looking back, all 8 young churches in the Poipet and Malay areas had experienced some hard times toward the end of 2009. But clearly, as we’ve seen that, God was preparing fields for harvest right now. Please pray for more workers to join us in the Poipet ministries.After a long waiting (since beginning of 2004), the house church at Ang Salaa Village will have their own Sunday church service beginning Sunday afternoon of Feb. 14, 2010. Everyone, especially Phally and her husband-- Mourl, the key couple from this village, is so excited with much anticipation about this big event. Following this direction will require many sacrifices of times and efforts from the key church leaders, but we all sensed that this is wear God is leading us. Please pray for the good outcome and for the big opening party that the villagers will prepare. Pray also as we will be joining a small group at Srey Moum’s house (see Nov. and Dec.’s newsletters) sometimes in February as well. Already and on their own, a group of 8-12 ladies (all new believers) have been faithfully meeting every day for Bible studies!
Despite of much opposition, the Poipet church building construction has begun! As mentioned in previous newsletters that on the day of ground breaking, some zoning officials came to the land site and opposed us of their charges and demanded that we would need to have them a very high price of $5000 in order to have land deed correctly changed! But God is in charge. He miraculously intervened by sending us people who know the system and they gave us advice and some unofficial permissions to continue with the building plan while the long process of changing land deed is being carried out. Pray for the construction works at the land. Pray for protections for all the workers. Pray that they would be faithful to follow everything according to the written contract. Pray that we’d continue to find favor with some of the local officials in processing the land deed.
Please pray also for these up coming events:Jan. 27-29, All C&MA missionaries will be traveling to Phnom Penh for a prayer retreat.
Feb. 1-7, our family (minus Justin) and Copeland family will attend a Family Education Conference at Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Feb. 2-6, Regional conference for the northwest region
Feb. 14, A Sunday church service will begin at Ang Salaa Village.
In Christ,
Soeuth, Syna, Justin and Jonathan Lao
