Dear Friends and Family,
It is that time of the year again; the last days of our home
assignment year in the United States of America, a time to reflect what God had
done throughout this past year, and a time to look back and recount all the
blessings He has been giving us. But it
is also a sad time for us, as we’d say “Jume- Reap- Leah” (good bye) to all
our friends and family as we are getting ready to head back to Poipet, Cambodia,
in just a few more days (July 3). If
things are going well with traveling arrangements, including 2 nights-staying in Bangkok,
Thailand, and if the Lord is willing, we will arrive in Poipet (July 6). Soon, we would be greeting and saying “
Jume- Reap- Sure”(hello) to all our friends and family there! We all are excited about going back to Poipet
and are very anxious to learn what God has in store for us for the coming years!
As we take the time to reflect on what God has done, we
counted the many blessings that God has given us throughout the year! We were blessed with a good reliable vehicle
to drive to places without any worry or concern that the car might break down
in the middle of the highway! We are
grateful for His un-ending generosity to let us live in such a beautiful
furnished apartment, with a safe neighborhood and wonderful caring neighbors, including
good friends and playmates for our sons!
And throughout the year, we’ve been traveling, as a family, to visit
churches from within the Metropolitan District and to some other C&MA
churches in out of New York areas, God gave us many meaningful opportunities
to connect with old friends and making new friends along the way. He gave us numerous opportunities to do fun
things as the family that, if on our own, we could never afford for
such opportunities, nor could we ever think of or imagine! But our heavenly Father, in His caring and
loving ways, has lavished His great love and abundant blessings upon us beyond
measure!
We give praises to the Lord Jesus for protecting our sons,
Justin and Jonathan, giving them a good school year, and allowing
them to have such positive experiences in the Nyack public school! We are grateful for opportunities for celebrations! Justin made it through 10th grade
without any problem! Jonathan, not only
he’d survived his first time ever in a public school, he was having fun in
school! Jonathan turned “double digits” on April 9th as we’d
celebrated his 10th birthday!
And as for Soeuth and I, we celebrated our 20th anniversary
on May 30th!
We have also witnessed the ways He protected and watched over
us during those many long road trips. And we have seen
the hands of God working miracles in the lives of our love
ones, including how He healed my ear and restored to me my sense of hearing!
And now, we are all excited and ready to head back to
Poipet! Justin is looking forward to reconnect
with his Khmer (Cambodian) buddies in Poipet, and is excited about returning to
Dalat International School, on August 8, where he plans to finish his remaining
high school years there at 11th and 12th grade. He recently got a new pair of bright
orange cleats and is looking forward to join the Dalat school soccer
team again! Though Jonathan is a bit sad
saying good byes to his buddies in America, and he has mixed feelings about
returning to homeschool this fall at 5th grade, but he is anxious to
be in Cambodia again! He is looking
forward to swim in the ponds in Poipet (now that he could swim well—thanks the
many swimming lessons at the YMCA!). And
he anxious for a chance, once again, to have pets of his own! As for Soeuth and me, we are also looking
forward to work and partner with our Khmer brothers and sisters in Christ in
the Poipet areas and with the church leaders from the Northwest region!
As we are heading back to Poipet next week, we anticipate for some new and exciting
adventures that God has in store for us for the coming years. At the same, however, we are more than aware
and anticipate that there will be some old PLUS new challenges awaited for us
as well. BUT we are claiming and relying
upon and demanding for the Presence of God to go before
us and with us (Exodus 33:15)!
Here are some specific needs that you can pray for and with
us.
1/ Pray for good health, protection and safe traveling this
coming week and during the months of July as August; we’ll be traveling A LOT
in and out of country!
2/ Pray for smooth transitions in Poipet—moving into our old
house, and in Dalat School (Justin); pray also for safety and protection as
we’ll be moving heavy boxes and barrels (storage stuff) back into the house,
hopefully, by July 20, after we return from Field Forum;
3/ Pray for our team annual Field Forum at Sihanoukville
Province (July 10-17);
4/ Pray for wisdom and discernment and for guidance and
clear directions in areas of ministries.
This coming year, we are very shorthanded with the number of staffs. This summer, for home assignments and other
personal reasons, a total of 14 adult International Workers are leaving the
Cambodian mission field, and only 5 are returning! In addition to overseeing the 10 house
churches in the Poipet areas, this year,
Soeuth has been asked and assigned to be the Point Person for the Northwest region,
covering 5 provinces with about 80 KEC
churches—and with just two missionaries—that’s us! Soeuth also has another new assignment to be
a Youth facilitator for the entire country for the next two years!
Please keep us posted with what’s God is doing in your
life. We want to be encouragers and
prayer supporters to you as well. And we
hope to see some of you coming to visit us in Poipet sometimes in the near
future. For contact information, please
email at jjablaos@gmail.com or mail at
C/o Alliance Guest Home, 28/2 Pradipat Road Soi 13, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand.
Thank you for your prayers and support in the Poipet
ministries. Your generous and faithful
giving toward the GCF is what keeps us and other International Workers serving
in Poipet and around the world. Lost
people still matter to God, and He wants them all found! Thank you for partnering with us in bringing
the Light of Jesus to lost people Here, There, and Everywhere.
Serving together,
Soeuth and Syna
