| A scarred past. | | | | accepting the Gospel message. In a country shrouded |
| In Cambodia, a church might consist of 10 Christians | | | | so long by Buddhism, it is remarkable to see hearts |
| gathered beneath a sugar palm, its trunk still bearing | | | | being opened, one by one, to the light of the truth. |
| shrapnel scars from the battles that have been | | | | The people of Cambodia are on their way to |
| fought around it. Or it might be 40 worshippers who | | | | discovering that the only true refuge from turmoil |
| congregate in the house of a specially trained church | | | | and trouble is found in the saving blood of Jesus. And |
| planter. | | | | trained church planters long to shepherd them with |
| In either case, Cambodian Christians cannot erase the | | | | an eternal, unshakable comfort. |
| deep scars that have been left by decades of brutal | | | | Fire burns their heart |
| violence. | | | | Cambodian Christians have a vision for their nation |
| Years of atrocities and political turmoil have gouged | | | | and a heart for the whole world. Fire burns in our |
| out a spiritual void in the hearts of Cambodians. It is | | | | heart! one pastor says. We long to bring our nation, |
| a void that the national religion of Buddhism, with its | | | | every community, into His heavenly kingdom. |
| unattainable path to enlightenment, has failed to fill. | | | | And God is using them to do just that. As they |
| Picking up the shards | | | | impact their communities with the love of Jesus, their |
| In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Cambodia was | | | | nation is changing, one soul at a time. The body of |
| left with socialist groups fighting for control. Millions of | | | | Christ is growing, as local gatherings of believers are |
| innocent people were executed, and civil war raged | | | | established in areas where there were no churches |
| for decades. | | | | before. We are excited to be a part of what God is |
| Although a democratic government has begun with | | | | doing in Cambodia. |
| the help of the UN, the painful scars still remain. And | | | | The Lord uses trained church planters here in |
| the wounds reopen every time another mine | | | | Cambodia, another pastor explains. It is really a great |
| explodes, planted years ago by the warring factions. | | | | help to our hungry nation and us. His living Word |
| The vast majority of Cambodians have looked to | | | | enables us to be fully fed, and will help us bring our |
| Buddhist rites to try to heal their wounds. But | | | | whole nation to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord |
| Christians in Cambodia know that the peace their | | | | in the near future. May the Lord bless the workers to |
| country aches for is a peace that only Jesus Christ | | | | carry on this good ministry until we reach the whole |
| can impart. | | | | world for Jesus. Amen! |
| A different explosion | | | | The future for Cambodia |
| Eager to impart that peace to their fellow | | | | As more Cambodians are brought into fellowship with |
| countrymen, Cambodian Christians are enthusiastically | | | | Jesus Christ and His Church, please pray for the |
| entering church planter training. And church growth is | | | | shepherds who care for this tender new flock. Pray |
| exploding. | | | | that God would call more Christians to labor in this |
| Cambodia is the first Buddhist country in Southeast | | | | teeming harvest field, as the indigenous church |
| Asia to show such a mass movement toward | | | | planting movement spreads throughout the country. |