My Little Friend

In Matthew 18:5, Jesus says "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. It was in January 2003 when I first laid eyes on my little friend. She was just 3 months old, small in stature despite being born full term. At the time of her birth she barely weighed 4 lbs. Her premature development was not related to being born in some 3rd world country but rather to the stressful pregnancy her mother had. Over the next 4 years, God would give me the wonderful privilege of spending inordinate amounts of time with this little girl. Her ethnic name means ‘grace’ and truly anyone who is blessed to have a child or spend time with a child realizes that children are God’s precious gifts to us. They are gifts of grace. We don’t deserve them but yet they have the ability to teach us so many things about God’s character.

My little friend was not very healthy when she was born. She had hearing loss in one ear and had severe food allergies. Her development was slow and her immune system was weak so she was often sick with colds or ear infections. She was and still is underweight and below those percentile charts that rate kids because she was a picky eater and was allergic to so many different products. Because of her hearing loss in the left ear, her balance was affected as well. I remember one day spending time with her mum and her as we visited a mall and I decided to give her a treat---a small lick of some ice cream. Unbeknownst to us the ice cream had nuts in it and this little girl in a manner of minutes broke out in a severe allergic reaction. We never thought about taking her to the hospital but instead over the course of the hour, we sat at a food court and I recall laying hands and praying over her continuously while she was asleep. Remarkably God healed her of that allergy in that short space of time and I sat amazed at what I had just witnessed. It was then that I think He began to forge a very special bond between me and my little friend. Over the months and years as she continued to be sick with various ailments, many of us prayed for her during that time, and time after time, God was so faithful in bringing healing.

For many months she would only be breastfed and refused to drink anything from the bottle. How frustrating her mother felt trying to feed her with limited success or trying to coax her to drink from a bottle. But I do remember one night visiting and as I held her in my arms, I discovered that one way to get kids to do something that they don’t really like to do is to make it a game. Soon enough she was slowly drinking from the sippy cup I had placed before her but at the same time for every sip she took, she had fun spitting out the liquid. Nonetheless, a small victory and a sense of joy and relief that God was slowly healing her of this fear.

Each weekend I would religiously go and see this little girl who had so captured my heart. It’s funny as I don’t think I ever have had any strong maternal instincts like many of my female friends but I have to say, the Lord began to use this little friend to give me a new vision and love for kids that I think was dormant in me all these years. I had fun going to Baby Gap or to toys stores looking for gifts for her…it was a whole new world for me. Now I can understand why parents go crazy buying things for their kids. In some ways, it gave me a whole new perspective of seeing how God views us----just like I was growing in my affection and love for my little friend and wanting to bless her continuously, in His inexhaustible love for us, He too wants to bless us abundantly.

As I began to spend more time with this little girl, I looked forward to seeing her smile when I entered her home or her little hands waving at me to pick her up. It is a feeling of being loved in its purest form as these little arms wrap themselves around your neck or as she laid her head on my shoulders. On many occasions when she was tired and not wanting to sleep, I used to rock her back and forth singing songs like “the Wheels on the bus go around and round’ and the more spiritual song’ Jesus loves me.’ Hanging around kids involves a whole new language acquisition! I remember the times when I would baby sit her, dancing around and trying to do every kind of facial expression or sound to get her attention or make her laugh but the greatest joy was just having her climb up and sit on my lap while I read her a book.

On a few occasions I travelled on mini holidays with my little friend and her mother. There are many lessons one can learn when you are trying to minister and care for those whose lives have experienced shattered dreams. No one who gets married envisions themselves being a single mother and this was the predicament that my little friend’s mother found herself in with no means of viable support as her estranged husband refused to provide any financial resources. It was into this setting that God brought me and as I look back I realize this season has been one of equipping and training for the ministry He has called me to ---- to care for widows and orphans (James 1:27, Isaiah 58:10-12). This journey has had many ups and downs but despite it all, one of the greatest rewards and treasures has been the opportunity to invest in the precious life of this little girl. We would often go to dinner and I remember one evening when I introduced her to one of my favorite dishes bbq ribs. I laughed so hard as I watched her eat this large piece of rib with such joy and delight. Yes, a fellow meat eater like me---no wonder she and I became kindred spirits! I recall one weekend trip we took a trip to a waterpark and my little friend was so excited at swimming---she liked the water and in the evening when we returned to the hotel room she did not want to sleep. Her mum was quite exhausted and so I took the opportunity to hold my little friend in my arms and began to sing to her all the songs I could think off. She would look into my eyes and smile and in a few minutes she nodded off. One of my other friends said to me that kids are able to sense and know who loves them and when they feel safe, they have no problems falling asleep in your arms. I think this is so true. To know that this little girl felt safe in my arms perhaps is no different than me feeling safe in my heavenly Father’s arms that I can rest in peace.

When my little friend was just over 2 years old, I invited her and her mum to Disneyland. There is nothing like seeing Disneyland through a kid’s eyes. Each day we would set out to different theme parks singing Veggie tale songs in the car as we headed to the next amusement park. My little friend became enthralled with The Little Mermaid and enjoyed taking pictures with Minnie and Mickey and I discovered Disneyland again as an adult! In the evenings we would return to our hotel room exhausted and she would watch my every movement----when I was brushing my teeth, cleaning my face, putting on or taking off makeup, the questions were endless----what’s this, what’s that, why are you doing that-----kids are so curious and their little minds seem to be in overdrive at this age as they are like sponges taking in everything you say and do. Being a godparent to this little one, I think I had the opportunity to learn more about parenting and one of the joys was reading a story to her before she went to sleep and seeing her first thing in the morning when she awoke. She would climb into my bed to give me a big hug. Those precious moments I shall treasure.

On Sundays, she and her mum would come to my church but I would head into the toddler Sunday school with my little friend. She and I were attached at the hip but it was here that I discovered another revelation from God. Serving these little toddlers reminded me of the time when Jesus bent down to wash the disciples feet. Here was the God of the universe, with all His knowledge and power, stooping this low to serve His creation. He didn’t have to but He did it out of love and the more I spent time in these toddler classes, the more I realized that serving these little ones was in effect modeling what Jesus did for us. I never saw myself ever being involved n this ministry but circumstances created such an opportunity and while initially I was doing it as a favour to my little friend’s mother, I discovered that this was another ministry that God was giving me a love for. How amazing a privilege it is to pour into the lives of these young ones and to teach them about the Kingdom of God.

My little friend is now over 4 years old and with each passing year, her vocabulary increases and her questions more detail and her conversations much longer with more descriptions. In the past few years especially I would get phone calls at work and the first words out of this little girl’s mouth was ‘hi auntie Lisa, I love you, I miss you.’ How can one’s heart not melt when you hear such words? I would always joke that I will give this kid anything she wants when she says such statements! This has made me think how God must delight in us when we say those exact words ‘Abba, I love you!’

A few weeks ago, was the last time I would see my little friend and so I spent a few hours with her at a strawberry picking farm. What fun we had that day going on a tractor ride and seeing her take two pony rides and feeding the farm animals. There was also a fake cow that the kids could milk and that seemed to catch her attention again and again as she tried squeezing the nipple of the cow. She ran through the mazes and I ran along side her as she climbed up on some stacks of hay holding her hand when she felt unbalanced. And of course what aunt would not spoil their God-child by giving her her favourite food --- a hot dog and chocolate chip cookie to cap it all!

My little friend has now moved away. She is now living in a city with her father and I don’t know whether I will ever get a chance to see her again but as I reflect on these last 4 years, I count them a very special gift, a gift that I will forever treasure and value. How often does one get to invest in the life of a child and receive so much more in return that is immeasurable and yet in some ways isn’t this what is like when we encounter God and walk with Him. We receive more than we can ever ask or imagine. This season of my life has been very rich, very rewarding and I am thankful for each moment I had with this little girl.


God has taught me much about myself, about what it means to love deeply and to let go, to trust in His sovereignty even when I don't understand the visible reality; He has taught me about children in ways I could never learn from just reading a book and He gave me a glimpse of understanding their hearts the way He does; He has taught me more about His love; He has taught me that it is possible to love a child that is not your own as if she were, and in a spiritual sense, isn’t that what He means when He talks about us being spiritually adopted by Him as His sons and daughters. He has taught me about patience and compassion when caring for those who are marginalized and yet there is still so much I have to learn. The journey continues but this chapter of my life has come to an end. I am not surprised because with the Lord, He is always calling us on to higher heights, to new challenges and as I think of the calling He has placed on my life --- to invest in children who are rescued from the brothels of Cambodia, I know that the times I had with my little friend and the experience I gain with her are part of the building blocks for this next chapter. It’s a bitter sweet time saying goodbye and yet so thankful for having been blessed by the opportunity given to pour into such a precious little life. Indeed I do not know what the future holds for her or for me but as my favorite bible teacher Beth Moore once said 'when we love in Jesus name, it never fails' it does have an eternal impact. Thank you Jesus for the unexpected gifts you give to us!

The Life of A Child Sex Slave

Who will be the modern day William Wilberforces in our generation that will speak up for the modern day slavery of child sex slaves? This is a question I ask myself. God let us not sit silent and by our silence perpetuate the evil that is done to children who You have created in your image. I attach a recent true story of a young girl whose life eptimozes the struggle and suffering of so many in Cambodia and around the world who are enduring such pain and suffering. Let us not grow complacent in believing that our hands are tied that we cannot respond to this atrocity that is taking place in our life time. God desires us to speak up for these. Let us press on to do that by beginning to bring awareness to this issue where ever we ever. With God all things are possible! Do we believe that He can end child sex slavery? I am convinced that the battle is long but the battle can be won because He who is in us is greater than he that is in this world. Will you join me and many others to take a stand against this injustice?

Dalyn, 17, was once among the thousands of young children working as prostitutes in Cambodia. Now living in a shelter, this is her disturbing account of being a child sex slave.

I was living with my grandfather in Cambodia. As a normal, happy child I did not fear anything. Then, at 12 years old, a woman asked me whether I would like to work at a garment factory. I agreed and went with her. But she sold me to the owner of a brothel in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. I felt betrayed and cheated. I thought I was going to find work. I never thought I was going to be sold like that. There were lots of other boys and girls at the brothel. I overheard two pimps bargaining and heard one of them say my price was $150 (£78). My heart sank and I started asking myself where the hell had I ended up.

Intimidation
I saw many couples coming in and out of the rooms. From that moment on, I knew something was seriously wrong. I was frightened and desperately wanted to ask the children what kind of place this was. A group of men came into my room and told me to receive a client. I asked what I was supposed to do. They told me: "Don't worry, you'll know what to do. And if you don't, you'll do it until you do." I refused but they told me to shut up and said that "one way or the other" I was going to have to do as they say. They dragged me out of the room and I screamed and called out for help. They put a gun to my head. I pleaded for my life, telling them this wasn't the work I had been led to believe I would be doing. But the brothel owner said: "You didn't follow anyone here. You're here of your own free will. You are a prostitute and you came here looking to work as a prostitute." I said: "I'm young and I have my future ahead of me. Please don't make me do something like this."

Starved
But then he said I would be shot if I refused. He ordered in a group of men carrying electric cables. I cried and screamed out for help but nobody came. They starved me until I agreed to go with clients. I was locked in a cage with others underneath the brothel for entire days. I was only ever allowed out when a client came. Some clients were considerate and quite kind. Others were not. If I refused to perform particular sex acts, clients would beat me up and report me to the brothel owner.
The brothel owner would also beat me and tell the other girls in the brothel to beat me too. The psychological impact was horrendous. It lives with me even to this day.
When it finally dawned on me that I was a prostitute, I felt a sense of utter disgust. I had become the very thing I most despised. It is slavery of the worst kind. They have total power over you - they get you to do anything they want.
You feel like dirt and there is nothing you can do except follow orders. You could end up dead.

Rescue
I was scared right up until the brothel owner was arrested. Then I realised that we were being rescued. We were rescued by the police and the AFESIP, an organisation whose founder, Somaly Man, is a former child sex slave and famous figure in Cambodia. I was so relieved and happy. I do not know what the future will bring.
I feel it is my obligation to tell everyone that they should do everything they can to prevent themselves and others going through prostitution and all the things I had to go through. By the end of it, you will end up lower then you can ever imagine... in hell.

Compassion: The Heart of God As The Basis For Ministry

These are just some of my notes from the key note Speaker: Dr. Phyllis Kilbourn
Children At Risk – March 9 2007 (Anaheim, California)


How should compassion shape our ministry?

Compassion is a matter of the heart and not of the intellect. Unless the church begins to have moral outrage at the atrocities being done to children, unless the church begins to get angry enough to respond, nothing will change. Children are deeply valued and loved and yet we have let them become markets of exploitation for the lusts of men. Henri Nouwen’s definition of compassion is 4 fold:

1.Compassion is crying out with those in pain. It involves a deep identification with those who suffer and calls for incarnational ministry. Jesus saw the broken, the widow and the orphan and His heart was moved. Jesus moved from the most exclusive gated community to the ghettos of the world where the real suffering, pain and hurts were. Are we willing to follow our Lord in this way, to live incarnationally, to cry out with those in pain?

2.Compassion involves tending to the wounds of the poor and caring for their lives (like the Good Samaritan). It is an act of involvement that responds to the needs of the total person Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” If we are going to have a compassionate ministry, we are to have a holistic ministry. Children who are traumatized have suffered many wounds: physical, spiritual, emotional, exploited. These kids we work with don’t care how much we work with them until they know how much we care for them. Until the children can learn to trust us, they are not going to accept love on a spiritual level. Therefore, we need to be consumed with God’s compassion by tending to their wounds and caring for their lives.

3.Compassion involves advocacy. It means defending the weak and indignantly joining the oppressed in their struggle for justice. We have most lost this in the church. We are not really looking for ways to speak up as Proverbs 31:9 says: Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Children have the least opportunity for a voice, they have no voice in the government, no way to gain resources no way to speak for laws. Our moral outrage is going to have to speak up to be a voice for these children.

4.Compassion involves pleading for help with all possible means. This involves doing whatever it takes to bless these children. Not in coming in and doing our programs but offering agape---genuine biblical compassion. Willing to sacrifice to do whatever it takes to encourage them.

Stresses of caregiving
But one’s compassion can run dry. While we are clothed with compassion, sometimes our garments can get ragged. What are the reasons for the raggedness when you care for children? This ministry is physically, emotionally and spiritually challenging. The demands are endless --- this is part of the ‘sacrificing care’ where we go to the broken places of pain and weep with those in tears (H. Nouwen). It is possible that we can become exhausted as these situations can drain us because of the anger over the injustice. We need to be careful that our anger can dry out because we don’t care for ourselves. Caring for children who are abused and exploited involves intense spiritual warfare. Could it be that the children of this generation may be the last generation in proclaiming the gospel? The enemy delights in breaking the spirits of these children.

How do we mend our raggedness? Self care is important. If we fail to look after our own needs we can burnout. The story of Elijah who had won a tremendous victory at Mount Carmel and finds himself exhausted after that victory. Twice God sent an angel with fresh bread and water. Elijah laid down to eat and drink because the journey was too much for him. Some times the journey can be too much for us and Jesus modeled it with His disciples where He encouraged them to come and rest for a while. Caregiving involves balancing our needs with our care for others. How do we replenish ourselves? First, we can fail in this whole area of our spiritual lives. God is our source of compassion. He is the ‘well’ and our safety net. We can develop spiritual apathy because we neglect our walk with him. Second, we need to focus on who God is. He is a just Judge. We need to focus on His different promises. He is in control and He has ways of comforting. Third we need to reset our priorities and expectations and truly care for ourselves. If our relationship with God is not right, our relationship with our co-workers is not going to be right. Fourth, we need to establish relationships within the community. They can see things from a new bias. They can help us to detach and find areas of recreation. It is important to detach emotionally and we need to look at each of these to see where we have lost our touch.

In our brokenness, we can be a compassionate blanket of love to reach out to these children to give them warmth. May God make us that blanket of love and shape for children.

Recounting and Remembering God's Faithfulness

Boy time has flown. I can't believe the last time I blogged was on Christmas day. We are now in April and I wish I had more time to keep this blog up to date but it just seems that there are more pressing things to do. At any rate, today is Monday --- my sabbath day where I intentionally do not have any thing planned in the evening so that I can do whatever I feel like. It seems a perfect opportunity to just blog as a way of 'resting in the Lord.' But alas, there are many thoughts flowing in my mind about all the things I need to do. Isn't it funny how active our minds are. So why blog now? Well, I really want to share what has been happening because I find if I don't write it down, I will forget these spiritual markers that are shaping my journey and how easy it is to forget and not be thankful for God's faithfulness.

At the beginning of the year I expressed to the Lord my desire to experience and see the maximum amount of His glory that He would want to reveal to me. I got this idea from my favorite bible teacher Beth Moore. God has not disappointed. He continues to direct my path especially with the opportunities to share more about and bring awareness to the issue of Child prositution in Cambodia. Over these past months, the Lord has opened doors in different venues for me to speak on this issue and how grateful I am to see others who are joining with me to form an 'army of the Living God' who desire to give a voice to the voiceless. I am thankful to the 'core group' that He has raised up that encompasses 24 people (and growing) from 7 churches. Our raison d'etre is simply to use our what the Lord has given us to push ahead and raise awareness of this issue. We are excited at putting together a conference later this year on September 29th that we trust God will use to draw people near and far to come and learn and take action.

But in the midst of that, I have had the privilege of attending a Children at Risk conference in early March in Anaheim, California. It was so inspiring to be among many fellow believers who have a heart for working with children at risk. Who are these childen that are risk---they range from child soldiers, to orphans, to street kids, to children who are sexually exploited. While the problems and the challenges seem so huge, I was reminded again that we need to move from shock to seeking to make a difference one child at a time. It was great to hear of the strides being made in different corners of the world and to network with others whose hearts are committed to making a difference in the lives of the next generation. As I think of this, God has been gracious in giving me a verse that has been my vision as I enter this phase of my life. The passion to invest in these lives whose spirits have been so crushed by the lusts of man stems from my faith in God that as we commit to investing in their lives He will bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair so that they will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendour. Isaiah 61:3

Who Is Jesus?

Happy Birthday Jesus! This Christmas morning I awoke with the desire to list the names of Jesus as a I reminder of who He is to me and to the world!

He is our Advocate (1 John 2:1)
He is the Almighty (Revelation 1:8) – the all powerful, ruler of all
He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8,17, 2:8, 21:6, 22:13)
He is the Anointed One (John 1:41 & 4:25)
He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith(Hebrews 12:2)
He is Author of Eternal Salvation(Hebrews 5:9)

He is the Only Begotten Son (John 1:14,18)
He is the Beloved Son (Matthew 12:18)
He is The Bridegroom (Mark 2:19-20; Matthew 9:15; Luke 5:34-35; John 3:29)
He is the Branch(Isaiah 4:2)
He is the Bread of life(John 6:32) ---Satisfies, strengthens and sustains.

He is the Capstone (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7)
He is Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16, Luke 9:20, John 1:41)
He is Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25)
He is the Corner-stone (Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Zechariah 10:4, Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:6)
He is our Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)-- instructs, stands besides us.
He is our Creator (John 1: 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17)

He is Dayspring or Rising Sun (Luke 1:78)
He is our Deliverer (Romans 11:26)
He is the Desire of the Nations (Haggai 2:7)
He is the Door, the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7,9)
He is El Shaddai --God Almighty (Genesis 17:1)
He is Emmanuel/Immanuel, God with us (Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:22-23)
He is Eternal Life (1 John 1:2; 5:20)
He is the Everlasting (Eternal) Father (Isaiah 9:6) -- Always exists

He is a Father to The Fatherless (Psalm 68:5)
He is the Faithful witness (Rev: 3:14)
He is our Firm Foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11)
He is the Firstborn over all Creation (Colossians 1:15)
He is the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5)
He is the Forerunner (Hebrews 6:20)
He is Friend (John 15:15)

He is the Gate (John 10:9)
He is God (John 1:1-3, 20:28, Colossians 1:15-17, Titus 2:13, Isaiah 40:3)
He is God and Lord (Jn.20:28).
He is God Blessed forever(Romans 9:5)
He is God's glory (Hebrews 1:3)
He is God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16)
He is God, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation (Col 1:15)
He is the Good shepherd (John 10:11)
He is the Governor (Matthew 2:6)
He is the Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13)
He is the Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14)
He is the Great I Am (Exodus 3:14)
He is the Great Physician (Matthew 2:16-17)

He is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22)
He is our Healer (Matthew 8)
He is the Heir of All things (Hebrews 1:2)
He is High Priest Forever (Heb.6:20)
He is the Holy Child Jesus, or Holy Servant Jesus (Acts 4:27)
He is the Holy One (Acts 3:14)
He is the Holy One of God (Mark 1:24)
He is the Holy One of Israel, your Redeemer (Isaiah 41:14)
He is our Hope (1 Tim 1:1)
He is the Hope of Glory (Colossians 1:27)
He is the Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69)
He is our Husband (2 Cor. 11:2)

He is the I Am (John 8:58)
He is the Image of God(2 Corinthians 4:4)

He is Jehovah (John 6:35, 8:12, 8:58, 10:9, 10:11, 11:25, 14:16, 15:1, 18:5,6)
He is the Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)
He is The Just One (Acts 7:52)

He is King (Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:4, John 18: 36)
He is King of Ages (1 Timothy 1:17)
He is the King of Glory (Psalm 24:10)
He is King of Israel (Matt 27:42; Mark 15:32; John 1:49; 12:13)
He is King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2)
He is King of kings (Revelation 19:16, 1 Timothy 6:15)
He is the King of Saints (Revelation 15:3)

He is the Lamb of God (John 1:29,36)
He is the Leader and Commander of the people (Isaiah 55:4)
He is The Life(John 14:6)
He is the Light of the World (John 8:1)
He is the Living One (Rev. 1:18)
He is the Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4)
He is Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of David (Rev 5:5)
He is the Logos/Word(John 1:1)
He is Lord -- Master and Lord: (John13:13)
He is Lord and God (Jn.20:28)
He is Lord of All (Acts 10:36)
He is Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16, 1 Timothy 6:15)
He is the Lord of Glory (1 Corinthians 2:8)
He is the Lord of Peace (2 Thess. 3:16)
He is the Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5)
He is Lord of Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)

He is Man of Sorrows(Isaiah 53:3)
He is Master and Lord (John13:13)
He is Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15)
He is the Messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1)
He is Messiah (Daniel 9:25, John 1:41,4:25, Matthew 16:16, Luke 9:20)
He is our Mighty Fortress (Psalm 31:3)
He is Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6)
He is the Mighty One(Isaiah 60:16)
He is the Morning Star(Revelation 22:16)

He is Our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7, Exodus 12)
He is the Potentate (1 Timothy 6:15) -- High officer, great authority, mighty
He is the Power of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
He is our Precious Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:6)
He is Prince of Life (Acts 3:15)
He is the Prince of kings (Revelation 1:5)
He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
He is the Prophet (Luke 24:19, Acts 3:22)
He is our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3)

He is Rabbi (Teacher/Master (John 1:38, 3:2)
He is our Redeemer (Job 19:25)
He is our Refuge (Isa. 25:4, Psalm 62:7)
He is the Resurrection and life (John 11:25)
He is the Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5)
He is the Righteous One (2 Timothy 4:8)
He is the Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4)
He is the Rock of My Salvation (2 Samuel 22:47)
He is the Root of David (Revelation 22:16)
He is the Rose of Sharon (Song of Songs 2:1)
He is Ruler of God’s Creation (Rev. 3:14)

He is our Savior (Luke 1:69, 2:11, John 3:17, Titus 3:6)
He is the Servant (Mark 10:45, Acts 3:13, Mark 9:35; 10:42-45, John 13:1-20, Acts 3:13-26)
He is our Shield (Psalm 84:9)
He is Son of David (Luke 18:39)
He is Son of God (John 1:49, Heb. 4:14)
He is Son of Man (Matthew 8:20)
He is Son of The Most High God (Luke 1:32)
He is the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 42:1-4, 49:1-6; 50:4-9, 52:13 to 53:12)
He is our Strength (Isaiah 25:4)
He is the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2)

He is Teacher (John 1:38, 3:2)
He is the True Light (John 1:9)
He is the True Vine (John 15:1)
He is the Truth (John 1:14, 14:6)

He is the Way (John 14:6)
He is the Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
He is Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6)
He is the Word (John 1:1)
He is the Word of God (Rev. 19:13)

He is Yahweh(John 6:35, 8:12, 8:58, 10:9, 10:11, 11:25, 14:16, 15:1, 18:5,6)

Remembering My 'Surrogate Grandmother'

Today I attended the funeral of one who holds a special place in my heart. Her funeral was truly a celebration of her life. I had opportunity to share a brief memoir of what I remembered of my beloved Auntie Thora who died at 89 years old this past Tuesday December 5th. Having not had the opportunity to experience the blessings of grandparents since they all died either before I was born or a few years after my birth, God brought into our lives a long time friend of my mum's who was not only a follower of Jesus Christ but whose life was a reflector of God's love by the various ways she touched so many hearts in so many ways. She inspires me to not grow weary in doing good for at the proper time I will reap a harvest if I do not give up. Galatians 6:9. Here are my thoughts:

This past Wednesday morning my Mum called me at work to let me know that A. Thora had passed away, I asked myself the question how would I remember A. Tho and at that very moment the Lord brought to my mind the verses from 2 Timothy 4:7-8: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, will award to me on that day.' A. Tho indeed fought the good fight, and finished the race with such grace and dignity and kept the faith. Being a caregiver to Uncle Don for so many years, she modeled what it meant to ‘love in sickness and in health’ by loving sacrificially and selflessly. She demonstrated such kindness, gentleness, diligence and perseverance despite the daily challenges and though she may have been small in stature, her strength was larger than life because her strength came from the Lord.

Auntie Tho always displayed such calmness and contentment. It was obvious that God’s peace was evident in her life and I think it’s because she knew how to cast her cares on the Lord. I don’t think I ever heard her complain about anything. She had the faith to believe that He would be her refuge and Her mighty fortress during difficult times and she had the faith to believe that He would sustain her and give her all she needed, one day at a time for His joy reigned in her heart.

My sister Suelyn commented that her fondest memory of A. Tho was spending Sundays with her in Guyana where she made the first green and white lace dress for the only doll Suelyn ever had as a child. Time together with her was magical and went quickly and she always had the best of snacks and could always capture our attention. A. Tho and U. Don may have had no physical children but God indeed blessed them with many spiritual children and grandchildren. They were and are the spiritual parents and grandparents to many for they knew and understood what it meant to invest in the next generation. They had the ability to talk to anyone regardless of how old or how young that person is/was. And to all who came to her, A. Tho knew how to give advice without judgment, how to listen with compassion and how to counsel with words of wisdom just like her Savior.

To my mum who knew her since she was 16, A. Tho was her mentor and her surrogate mother as she lost her mother when she was a teenager. I am sure there are many here who would say the same. She was never too busy for anyone and welcomed all with such warmth and love.

When I think of A. Tho, she exemplifies for me the servant heart of our Lord Jesus Christ. She served quietly, with such humility for she was never one to seek the limelight or draw attention to herself, she simply sought to encourage and lift others up. I feel deeply blessed to have known her and as my little niece Jacquelyn said ‘we will remember A. Tho in our hearts’. Today, I think we will all agree that there are many people who cross our paths but there are very few who leave a mark/impact on our lives. A. Tho was such a person. Her friendship will forever be remembered as a precious gift from God. She is an example of a life well lived for the glory of God and as she now receives her heavenly reward, I can here the Lord say to her ‘well done, good and faithful servant.’Amen

STAND, PEOPLE OF THE WEST

Living in a fantasy
While all the worlds in misery
The East became a place of strife
But here we lead an easy life.

Ah! The agony and suffering,
The wars, the famines – everything
Disease and bloodshed – all are rife
In the Asian, African, ordinary life.

And parents lose their sense of drive
When their children die before age five.
Many look to the ugly knife
To end their miserable, hopeless life.

When a tsunami overthrows your home
You leave, find somewhere else to roam
And wonder why you bother to live
When life takes all you have to give.

When earthquakes split apart the land
When your life disappears in the shifting sand:
‘Tis a struggle just to go on living
The world is not at all forgiving.

So here we are in a Western Land
We lounge on the couch by the TV stand
And watch, unfolding, news of the East
Engrossed by the terrible news of the East.

The man says: “Yes, that’s very sad;”
And again: “It’s really just too bad”.
He bids farewell to his dear wife
And goes and leads his business life.

The wife remains and stays at home
She talks with friends on the telephone.
When her child asks of the Eastern strife,
Replies: “Son, that’s merely part of life.”

And so we stand in luxury
(Or lie in lawn chairs by the sea)
And contemplate the joys of life
Of simple, easy, rewarding life.

For shame, O people of the West!
You ride a carousel, and all the rest
Of humanity toils and works and strives
To turn the wheels of your fairytale lives!

Now is the time to arouse from stupor
And mend the sorrows of the poor
The time to help and heal and care
For those in the world who are dry and bare.

I charge you now to heed the call
Of Him who loves you more than all
Now stand and act and do not rest
O men and women of the West!

by Samuel Ganton, Age 14

God inspired me to write this poem. Normally, it takes me days, working sporadically to finish a composition, but I wrote this one in about half an hour. I cannot take much credit for it, and I pray that God will use it for His Glory.
Samuel.

Inadequacy--an opportunity to trust God

This past weekend I had the privilege of sharing at 3 services at my home church about how our lives can intersect with the lives of those who are oppressed and what we can do to respond to breaking the chains of oppression. My main desire was that people would see God’s heart through what I shared and that it would be His words that would touch people. I was completely overwhelmed by the response by many who came forward offering their skills, their finances as they caught the vision of investing in ‘one child at a time’. I went home feeling exhilarated and thankful for what the Lord had done. I began to pray over the names of people who signed up and the others who I had had conversations with ---to be entrusted with encouraging others to be involved in standing for God’s justice and to be His voice to the voiceless is quite an unbelievable task.

Yesterday morning as I awoke feelings of inadequacy came over me as I thought of the ‘pioneering’ work ahead. Yet the Lord in His love and graciousness sent two timely reminders that were a source of encouragement and blessing to me to keep pressing on and persevering. One of these reminders came from an email I received from those on the front lines who are directly involved in the battle to end child prostitution. The comments were like life to me. This is what was shared at a recent gathering of agencies in Cambodia.

In the corporate worship time we were reminded of Psalm 24 and that Cambodia is the Lord’s and all that is in it; and that we are a generation that will seek the Lord.

*Also from 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. We have a ministry of reconciliation. That God reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and that we can share that with others. That families will be reconciled through our ministries, kids to their fathers and fathers to mothers etc.

* We were reminded of the army in Joel, who worked in unity. There was prayer for the unity of the body of Christ and unity within the coalition. John 17:20-26.

*There was a reminder in the ministry of building the capacity of the local staff to take on God’s vision. Call forth the teachers, preachers, evangelists, prophets, apostles etc.

*Also, one person felt that some people feel inadequate to do what God is calling them to do. They reminded us that God requires only an open vessel which He will fill. You do not have to have all the answers. Your ministry will come from your communion with the Lord.

*Walk in authority, compassion and power.

*Enjoy the Lord.

*Believe in God for great things!

*Putting on the full armor of God & stand firm in the battle.

*To be committed to praying for one another.

*Our God loves us with an everlasting love.

*Fill your minds with the things of Phil. 4:8.

But if this wasn’t enough to keep moving forward, I went to my weekly bible study at my pastor’s house. This week starts the first of 10 weeks in which our whole church will be studying ‘Believing God’ – a video bible study series that was developed by Beth Moore one of my favorite bible teachers. At the study the Lord encouraged me from the words of Joshua 1:3-5 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea [a] on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

It is a reminder that this is God’s work and that He will raise up the army, He will open the doors and He will be with me throughout the process. These are not new words to my ears but they serve as a reminder that my focus needs to be on Him and not the ‘work’. The promise land that He has for me is one that requires I keep stepping forward into my ‘Jordan river’ and that I keep believing His promises despite the challenges before me.

"What Is That to You? You Follow Me!"

Today I received an article from one of my favorite authors, John Piper. I thought I would repost it here on my blog as a reminder to myself about comparing to others. I hope you enjoy it.

John 21:18-22

After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. He answered yes three times. Then Jesus told Peter how he would die—apparently by crucifixion. Peter wondered about how it would go with John. So he asked Jesus, “What about this man?” Jesus brushed off the question and said, “What is that to you? You follow me!” Here’s the whole interchange.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:18-22)

Jesus’ blunt words—“None of your business, follow me”—are sweet to my ears. They are liberating from the depressing bondage of fatal comparing. Sometimes when I scan the ads in Christianity Today (all ten thousand of them), I get discouraged. Not as much as I used to twenty-five years ago. But still I find this avalanche of ministry suggestions oppressing.

Book after book, conference after conference, DVD after DVD—telling me how to succeed in ministry. And all of them quietly delivering the message that I am not making it. Worship could be better. Preaching could be better. Evangelism could be better. Pastoral care could be better. Youth ministry could be better. Missions could be better. And here is what works. Buy this. Go here. Go there. Do it this way. And adding to the burden—some of these books and conferences are mine!

So I was refreshed by Jesus’ blunt word to me (and you): “What is that to you? You follow me!” Peter had just heard a very hard word. You will die—painfully. His first thought was comparison. What about John? If I have to suffer, will he have to suffer? If my ministry ends like that, will his end like that? If I don’t get to live a long life of fruitful ministry, will he get to?

That’s the way we sinners are wired. Compare. Compare. Compare. We crave to know how we stack up in comparison to others. There is some kind of high if we can just find someone less effective than we are. Ouch. To this day, I recall the little note posted by my Resident Assistant in Elliot Hall my senior year at Wheaton: “To love is to stop comparing.” What is that to you, Piper? Follow me.

What is it to you that David Wells has such a comprehensive grasp of the pervasive effects of postmodernism? You follow me.
What is it to you that Voddie Baucham speaks the gospel so powerfully without notes? You follow me.
What is it to you that Tim Keller sees gospel connections with professional life so clearly? You follow me.
What is it to you that Mark Driscoll has the language and the folly of pop culture at his fingertips? You follow me.
What is it to you that Don Carson reads five hundred books a year and combines pastoral insight with the scholar’s depth and comprehensiveness? You follow me.

That word landed on me with great joy. Jesus will not judge me according to my superiority or inferiority over anybody. No preacher. No church. No ministry. These are not the standard. Jesus has a work for me to do (and a different one for you). It is not what he has given anyone else to do. There is a grace to do it. Will I trust him for that grace and do what he has given me to do? That is the question. O the liberty that comes when Jesus gets tough!

I hope you find encouragement and freedom today when you hear Jesus say to all your fretting comparisons: “What is that to you? You follow me!”

Learning to walk in freedom with you,

Pastor John


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© Desiring God
By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.

Thanksgiving 2006

Today is the Thanksgiving holiday in Canada. It is nice to get this extra day just to rest but this morning as I awoke and lay in bed I began to think of all the things I was thankful to God for. So often in our busy lives we do not take the time to stop and reflect on God’s goodness to us. I wonder if we did this on a more regular basis whether our hearts would be filled with more gratitude and less envy or discontent. At any rate, today I felt prompted to sit and write the many ways that I am thankful to God.

I am thankful to the Lord for:

• Dying on the cross for my sins and for His resurrection that I have new
life in Him
• Choosing me to be part of His family
• His love and grace
• Gift of family and friends and their continual support and encouragement in
so many ways
• Gift of my church family and pastors who demonstrate and model servant
leadership
• Friends that I have accountability with and for the wisdom and discernment
He has given them to challenge me and to speak His truth into my life
• Purpose and meaning He gives to my life and the passion He has placed in my
heart for those who are broken and oppressed
• His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to me
• The visions He inspires me to pursue
• The privilege I have of partnering with Him in His Kingdom purposes
• My health
• My ‘day’ job which I consider to be a blessing since it is my hobby
• Friendships that have been difficult and challenging for in and through
them I have learned much about myself and about Him in the process
• Encouraging me to take risks on His behalf
• The opportunity to invest in the lives of young kids and to discover His
love through them
• The opportunities to be His voice to mobilize and encourage others to be
involved in building His kingdom
• Modeling to me what it means to endure the cross for the ‘joy’ that was set
before
• The strength He gives me to keep running the race despite the obstacles
• The abundant life I have experienced through and in Him

A Holy Moment

Last Friday Sept, 29th I went with a bunch of friends to see Anne Graham Lotz, Billy Graham’s daughter speak at The Just Give Me Jesus revival event that was being held here in Toronto. It was an evening event and it was an opportunity for all the women to bring their friends and associates to hear the gospel the first night. The arena was practically full with over 19,000 women and a scattering of men filling the pews. Anne herself is a prolific speaker and the anointing that is on her father is definitely on her. She was bold as she presented the gospel and talked about Jesus. It is easy for those of us who have heard the gospel message to tune out and yet she has a way of weaving in new truths in the gospel stories. But then again, isn’t that really the amazing thing about God’s word that it is living an active and can speak to old and new believers! What hit me though was something that happened near the end of the event as she gave an altar call, inviting people to come down and receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Several women came down the aisles but at one point it appeared as though some people were leaving, probably wanting to get out of the stadium to beat the congestion. Anne noticing this, spoke up and said very wisely ‘can I encourage those of you who are leaving to stop and stay till the end, this is such a holy moment and would you sit and just cheers those who are coming down the aisles as a sign of encouragement to them.’ She was right, this was a holy moment, with streams of people heading down to the front till there was no space. I have no idea how many came down but it had to be over 1,000 people either recommitting their lives or giving their lives to the Lord. It is not often that we have the privilege of seeing so many make a decision for Christ and it was a special moment to cherish as we cheered old and young alike with our claps as they came down the steps. The clapping would subside and then another round of clapping would start up again. This went on for several minutes as more and more women, some coming by themselves others with their friends. It was an awesome sight to see and I couldn’t help but think, how the angels, how the saints in heaven must also be cheering on these new ‘family members’. And yet in all of this, I thought to myself isn’t it just like us to miss God’s ‘holy moments’ because we are so preoccupied with our own agendas. We are so concerned about self preservation or inconvenience or we are so focused on our own needs that we miss out divine moments to encourage and build up others and in essence we miss out on God’s blessings all because we are consumed with our own selfish desires. It was a stark reminder to me, to keep my spiritual eyes open so that I do not miss these holy moments. But it also served to remind me to take time to soak and rest in the Lord and to treasure such ‘holy moments’. To not feel rushed because of external pressures but to truly taste, savour and receive all that the Lord wants to give us before we ‘move on’ to the next season! In a society that is so performance driven, the hardest thing to do is sit still. Someone once said it takes more strength to do nothing than it does to do something. I concur with that especially given my own nature to ‘do’. But in this month of ‘silent/sabbatical rest’ I am discovering more and more the joy of resting in Him without feeling guilty. There is after all a time to be Martha and a time to be Mary.

Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline says that loneliness reflects inner emptiness while solitude is about inner fulfillment. As I ponder what it means to have ‘inner fulfillment’ I suspect it has more and more to do with a deep seated satisfaction and contentment in the Lord regardless of what is going on in the external environment. It is abiding in Him in such a way that our personal worries or the worries of the world do not encroach and overwhelm us. Rather, we leave them at the foot of the cross so they do not weigh us down. I can’t help but think that that inner fulfillment is tied very much to God’s glory as I recall the words from John Piper ‘God is most glorified when we are most satisfied’---may it be so Lord in my life and in the life of all who are followers of you Jesus, that as we each pursue the callings You have given to us, may Your name be so glorified because we are experiencing daily satisfaction in You regardless of the tension of living in this world but not being of it!May it be that through this process of reflection, of solitude, of rest that we view them as holy moments to enjoy Your presence anew and to taste and see afresh that the Lord is good indeed!

Sunsets in Cambodia

As we were on our way back to Phnom Penh after 6 hours driving back from Siem Reap and Kampong Cham, the beauty of God's creation enfolded before our eyes. Here are a few of the sights as the sun was setting.

September 2006 Newletter - Cambodia Reflections

Dear Family & Friends

As I reflect on my 5th trip to Cambodia, I realized how easy it is to become discouraged and weighed down by all the challenges in this nation. Feeling hopeless and overwhelmed is a constant temptation if one is not intentional about keeping their focus on Christ. Yet, my time in Cambodia was once again an opportunity to step into the River of God and to see Him give life and hope to people in the midst of trying circumstances.

In Cambodia, one cannot hide from the poverty, it greets you every where you go, from the incessant beggars who roam the streets and markets, to the women with faces disfigured from acid due to revenge attacks, young kids half clothed or naked for which begging is a way of life, to the brothels that operate in the midst of residential areas or near local pharmacies. Sadly, sex for sale here is just another commodity. It is no wonder that those in the marginalized Vietnamese community who live along the river banks find it ‘normal’ to sell their 13 year old daughters into prostitution. The level of resignation and helplessness of the poor adds to the spiritual oppression that weighs on people as the ‘darkness’ attaches itself to the poverty. This was perhaps no more evident than in the border town Poipet, which is often referred to as the armpit of Cambodia. I don’t think I have ever encountered such 'darkness' in my life. Driving through the 'no man's land' section---an area that is neither Thai nor Cambodian, but is a strip of land that houses several white washed casinos and one infamous ‘luxury’ brothel that caters to heterosexual and homosexual pedophiles; how easy it is for the devil to deceive us with those fancy 'white buildings' with all their glitter and gold highlighting their external beauty to entice anyone, yet within the walls of these buildings, the darkness reigns. As I left Poipet I couldn't help but think this is the devil's play ground--for now. Yet, it is in these very environments that God’s redemptive work can be found as the darkness is penetrated with the Lord’s explosive light. It is these places that the words from the prophet Isaiah are becoming a reality through the work and life of those whom the Lord has sent to serve there. "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him. If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. (Isaiah 58:6-7, 10-12)

One of the inspiring repairers and restorers of the broken walls in Cambodia is Marie Ens, a 71 year old Canadian missionary whose life exemplifies the words found in Psalm 92:14 --- They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green. In my annual visit to Place of Rescue, an orphanage and AIDS centre where Marie acts as an advisor, I am reminded that this is one of the pockets of light that is making a hole in the darkness. Coming here is like a breadth of fresh air. AIDS families/widowers who are so often ostracized have the opportunity to be part of a community that cares for both their physical, emotional and spiritual well being. It was such a blessing for us to pray for each of these families. Quite a few of them are responding well to the anti-viral drugs and gaining weight while others seem to be flourishing without the medication. There is even room here for grannies---many of whom have been left destitute as their families have died of AIDS. The 116 orphans that call this place home are so filled with the Father’s love and joy, smiling and cheerfully greeting all who come to visit. They act as little tour guides quickly grabbing your hands and proudly showing you around the grounds. We celebrated the monthly birthday party with them and provided knapsacks for all the kids along with other assorted goodies. Seeing Marie this time, I couldn’t help but wonder, what if she had listen to voices who were telling her not to return to Cambodia because of her age, what if she hadn't followed the vision God placed in her heart for this AIDS Centre & Orphanage. Praise God, she did. Her life is a testimony and a reminder to me about following in obedience to the Lord. I think of the implications of her choices and the many Khmer lives that have been impacted already. I dream of that day in the future when all these orphans grow up and the impact they will hopefully have on this nation for God. I dream of that day when they testify of what He has done in their lives all because one woman embraced her divine moment and was obedient to the calling placed on her life.

Another place where God’s light is shining is at CCAM - Cambodian Christian Arts Ministry. It was started by two broken, middle-aged, single-again women (one widowed and one divorced) who are both in their late 60s ---Noren Vann Kim a Khmer and Gioia Michelotti, an American. God laid on their heart a vision in the late 1980s to use Khmer traditional arts (music, drama, dance, visual arts and literature) as vehicles for evangelism, church training and worship. In 1995 they opened CCAM. Today, 46 boys and girls who were former street kids and gang members have been rescued, sheltered, protected, fed, clothed, and educated in a Christian environment. They are part of this program that is using the arts to bring healing and expression to their lives. All the children eventually become members of the CCAM Evangelistic Performing Team that travels around Cambodia and tours around the world preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ through traditional Khmer style songs, dances, dramas, plus preaching and testimony. As I watched the kids perform a series of beautiful Cambodian dances based on the psalms and Cambodian folk tales, I could not imagine any greater joy but seeing young lives that were once broken, be restored and the hidden beauty of God in each be unveiled, as they use their talents to worship the One who first loved them.

One of the personal highlights for me was spending time with Helen Sworn of Chab Dai—an organization that represents a coalition of 20 Christian NGOs that seek to end sexual abuse and trafficking of children in Cambodia. Chab Dai has developed an innovative project in rural areas of Cambodia to increase awareness and education of sexual abuse and trafficking, through a training program for churches. During a pilot scheme in 2005 it was found that many of the pastors were unaware of the issues of people trafficking and how to tackle them, through this naivety, some had even facilitated children being trafficked. The pastors were then educated and helped with current cases in their communities. They now have a renewed passion for protecting the vulnerable in their communities. They have confronted traffickers, followed up cases with the help of the coalition’s assistance and have spoken out about the problem. This has had such an impact at the community level that the Village and Commune Chiefs will begin attending training. It is through programs like this that God is transforming communities and empowering His people to fight on behalf of those who are oppressed.

Gladys K Mwiti, an African counsellor working among children in crisis writes: ‘If any adult has ever loved a child, he already carries in his heart the potential solution to the enormous problems of some child nearby. If you have ever delighted in a child, then your heart already knows the way. If a knot has ever formed in your throat over the problem of a particular child, then your journey has begun. The knots began to form in my heart in my two visits to the NewSong project otherwise known as the Agape Restoration centre run by AIM4ASIA. The centre is protected from prying eyes by lots of trees. With its oasis like feel, it truly is a place of refuge for young lives that have tasted much sorrow and/or horror. The girls that live here are those who have experienced the ‘worst of the worst’ having been sexually exploited, tortured and abused in ways that we can never imagine. Some of them have STDs and are HIV infected. But here at the centre, each of them is being restored to a life of dignity, their hearts, minds and souls transformed through various lessons, counselling, and the powerful, healing message that God loves each of them. What a privilege it was to meet 16 special young girls ranging in the age from 10 to 17 years old and their caregivers/house mothers. To watch them sing “Jesus loves me this I know”, to see them laugh and play in the centre’s swimming pool and to sit with one 16 year old who shared about her dream to be a pilot, I could not help but be filled with hope that Jesus will one day ‘repay them the years the locusts have eaten and never again will they be shamed’ (Joel 2:25,27) As my team member Kelita sang a few songs, the girls sat listening attentively to her while I found myself in tears as I quietly prayed under my breath for each of them. In that moment, I seem to be gripped with two competing emotions: sadness & grief for the suffering and pain that they endured and yet, joy & thanksgiving for the One who rescued them and Who is able to make something beautiful out of their brokenness and bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair so that they will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendour. Isaiah 61:3

In returning home, the journey with these ‘new friends’ continues but in a different way. The Lord has opened doors over the next 3 months for me to speak on the plight of these young girls. Pray that He would anoint my lips and that His heart would be reflected in the words I speak. As well, as I think about tangible ways in which people on this side of the pond can be more directly involved in investing in the lives of these precious children, pray that it would be His dreams and visions that I would follow ‘for unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain.’ (Psalm 127:1)
In closing, I am mindful of so many of you who have stood in the gap for me time and time again. How grateful and thankful I am for your continual support and encouragement and most of all your prayers offered up to the Throne of Grace on my behalf. Truly this year has been one in which I have felt overwhelmed by God’s goodness and love, something that continuously humbles me and yet captivates my heart. There really is no greater joy and privilege in walking with the Lord through places of pain and suffering and realizing that Jesus Himself ‘endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him.” (Hebrews 12:2) It is this joy in doing the Father’s will, the joy in the risen Christ, the joy of knowing Him, the joy of partnering with Him, the joy of seeing Him transform and resurrect lives that have been mistreated, devalued, dehumanized, oppressed and imprisoned---it is this joy in Him and through Him that I long to see in those who are finally set free from the yokes of injustice and oppression so that they can be all that He has destined and intended them to be. Indeed there is no ruined life that is beyond God’s repair.


For His Glory
Lisa

Stop The Traffik

As part of my 1 month silent retreat from my trip to Cambodia I've been spending the time reading, reflecting and researching. Despite the physical and mental fatigue from these annual trips, I love this 'down time' that I have to be quiet and sit still before the One who knows my thoughts even before I speak them out. This month of 'silence' has often been one in which I encounter more insights into what the Lord would have me do next. It is a time when my emotions while still raw from all I have seen, begin to develop into some tangible expressions that eventually or hopefully will lead to future action.

As I have been doing some research in preparation for a few upcoming speaking engagements its been neat to see how God is raising others around the globe to be involved in stopping Human trafficking. Today I came across this organization call Stop The Traffik. It turns out they are connected with one of the groups that I met with recently in Cambodia. Human Trafficking is after all tied into the whole issue of sexual exploitation for children. There definietly seems to be momentum as God is raising up people all over the world. Thank You Lord that You are close to those who are crushed in spirit!

Sunrise etc

Today we decided to change our plans a bit and stopped into Kampong Cham to meet Diane Moss who works at Sunrise an AIDs hospice. The hospice is the home of 6 female AIDS patients who are cared for by 4 caregivers. What is encouraging is the 120 volunteers that the hospice has from 19 different Khmer churches in Kampong Cham. Truly it is refreshing to see the body of Christ be united this way. We spent time praying for the 6 AIDS patients joining our hands together with them. It was a special time and while language is a barrier, I am always touched by the fact that despite their fragile condition and frail bodies, even these AIDS patients can sit up and smile.


Tomorrow I meet with a couple more folks who are doing some strategic work here in Cambodia in high places. Then on Monday I will return to NewSong to see the 16 girls who are now in the centre. These are the precious ones who have been rescued from the brothels. We also hope to meet up with some Vietnamese friends here who are working in New Hope ministries---New Hope works among the marginalized Vietnamese community here and many of the young girls are often sold into prositution by their parents. More on this after the meetings.

Glimpses of Poipet

We returned today after spending 2 nights in Poipet. The journey there took us 5 hours by road and when I mean 'road' I do not mean 'paved road' but rather a red clay path that was filled with many pot holes. It was probably the most bumpiest ride I have ever had in my life but I'm glad that we went there. We had a wonderful time with Khmer missionaries...an amazing husband and wife team who have already planted 4 churches and who are focused on discipling the young members of their churches to be leaders. Both husband and wife survived the killing fields and the Pol Pot period and it was so inspiring to hear of how the Lord protected them even before they came to know Him. There is much that I would love to write about them but I will save that for a time when I am better able to process all that I heard from them. Suffice to say, they are truly God's special agents in this town. We did a lot of prayer ministry here and I have to say all that I heard about Poipet being the armpit of Cambodia is true. This town gives new meaning to the word 'darkness'...there is a whole new dimension of darkness here and it is perhaps no more evident than in the 'no man's land' section---this is the area that is neither Thai nor Cambodian...but it is a strip of land that houses several white washed casinos and one infamos brothel that caters to pedophiles. Driving through this area at night I couldn't help but think how the devil is able to deceive us .....these fancy 'white buildings' with all their glitter and gold that highlights their external beauty would entice anyone, yet within the walls of these buildings, the darkness reigns. The Khmers work in these casinos but the owners are all Thai or foreigners. What is more weird is that neither the U.S dollar nor the Cambodian Riel is acceptable currency this zone. Only the Thai Bath can be used. Earlier this morning two of us took the opportunity to walk into the 'no man's land' area ....we were trying to find the 'bridge' where girls are trafficked across. We were only able to get to a certain point and decided it was best to just prayer walk that area. This 'no man's land' is almost a transit point as many goods are being transported back and forth across the border. Poipet is expected to become a special economic zone because of its proximity to the Thai border and I can see why. Yet for now, its quite dingy and brings a whole new meaning to the word 'poverty'. One of our evenings we drove around some of the side streets and right next to houses or shops, we saw brothels in red neon lights with the girls just sitting outside. This seems so contrary to Cambodian culture as there is no shyness or apparent embarassment about being seen in the open. What amazes me about this is 'sex for sale' is just like another commodity here. It's no different than selling households goods or food as its so in your face in this part of Cambodia.


As I left Poipet this morning I couldn't help but think this is the devil's play ground--for now. The missionaries we met have endured much spiritual warfare and the believers there have experienced persecution that we in the west have no concept of understanding. It is doesn't take much to get discouraged living there but I am convinced with all this warfare, that a day is coming when there will be an explosion of God's light in this place that will penetrate the darkness. The workers in this part of Cambodia more than any where else indeed need much prayer yet I am inspired by their determination to push forward, persevere and stay focus despite the surmounting obstacles that are ever before them.

Exchanged Glory - Angkor Wat

We arrived in Siem Reap on Sunday and yesterday (Monday) we went to visit some of the temples at Angkar Wat for the whole day. It was quite an impressive array of man's ingenuity to build all these temples and the intricacy in which the carvings of many legends and folklore associated with Hinduism and BUddhism. Yet after a few stories I found myself tuning out not from physical fatigue but rather from spiritual fatigue. I couldn't help but think how many people believe in these tales and legends and myths about the many gods associated with these two other religions. It is quite exhausting to hear of so many gods when there is One True God whose message is so simple to understand yet the 'god of this age has blinded man' and the gospel is veiled'. Romans 1:25 resonated in my mind---They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. In these temples of AngKor Wat it is easy to see the magnficient creation of man and to be in awe of what man has created yet, the sad truth is that all of these carvings 'serve created things rather than the Creator.' As followers of Christ we look to the Cross and in it we see the glory of God---we see love, pain, joy, hope, resurrection...all of this and much more.


Tomorrow we head to Poipet for two days. So the next posting will be when we are back in Siem Reap on Friday.

Quick Snippets

On Friday morning our team got invited to meet the folks of CCAM - Cambodian Christian Arts Ministry. It was started by two women---one Khmer and the other an American...they are now both in their late 60s who met in the U.S. Their vision began in the early 1980s to use Khmer traditional arts (music, drama, dance, visual arts and literature) as vehicles for evangelism, church training and worship. Their desire is to train and evangelise Cambodians for Christ through the arts, giving priority to the disadvantaged espcialy the poor, abused, uneducated, handicapped, widows and orphans. There are 46 boys and girls who have been rescued from the streets of Phnom Penh that are part of this program that is using the arts to bring healing and expression to their lives. We saw a beautiful dance performance by the kids at CCAM. Again I couldn't help but be filled with tears as I looked into their eyes. They did 5 dances for us, 3 of which were based on the Psalms and 2 of the dances were Cambodian folk tales. More on this at a later day

Later I met with LInda Chisholm for a meeting. i wish I could spend more time on this email to tell you all that she shared with me but unfortunately I am running out of time. she has so many stories but one that was recent is about two Vietnamese women who have been arrested and are now in one of the prisons that she ministers to..they have been charged for selling their 10 and 11 year old children for sex. As she says, much grace is needed to see them the way Jesus sees them.

I have a meeting this morning with folks at New Song to see the site and then we head back to Place of Rescue this afternoon for the rest of the day. We are planning to pray for each of the AIDS families and then will help at the monthly birthday party in the evening. We bought 130 backpacks for the kids and filled them with all sorts of goodies. It should be a fun but tiring time. Tomorrow morning we leave bright and early for Siem Reap so I am hoping i will have more time to write then.


So I'll sign off for now. Next posting will be in Siem Reap

A Vision of Christ''s Compassion

As I sit there today at this internet cafe I am mindful of the fact that this is one of the things on my 'daily'to do list. While it is less a priority, I know I need to update the journal otherwise it is easy to forget what I see and hear as we move from one meeting to the next. Over the past few days as I have sat and listened to many of God's laborers in Cambodia one of the common threads that I have seen in their lives is obedience to God's vision in their lives. It is not a new revelation but perhaps if anything serves to inspire me more to keep stepping out in faith with God as He imparts vision. In a country like Cambodia there are endless needs because the country's social, moral, spiritual and physical infrastructure has been decimated and it will take years to rebuild. Yet, as I talk to each of God's servants here there is one thing I keep seeing in them---His compassion for the broken hearted, the marginalized, the forgotten, the vulnerable, the exploited. Matthew 25:42-45 and Isaiah 58:7-12 seem to be the scriptures that ruminate in my mind every day as I meet people and learn about what they are doing here. Yesterday (Thurs Aug 24) I met Helen Sworn of Chab Dai. I still haven't processed all that she shared but what amazes me is how God has taken the vision He has placed in her heart and has expanded it in such a short time, such that the work that is being done at Chab Dai is now being used as a model in other countries. But more than that is the people of influence that HE is orchestrating for her to meet. There is no doubt that God is close to those who are crushed in spirit and when the enemy seeks to create discouragement here (and it is so easy to do) the Lord shows that He is in charge and He is in control. It is the Gospel and the hope it brings that is so imperative for all in this land to see. The darkness pervades but the light is shining and will penetrate the darkness no matter what. To those we meet who have experienced much pain and suffering, to the children we see barefooted, crying for food, to the beggars at the market, to all of these the words of Isaiah 61:3 is the prayer offered up on their behalf --this is the vision He has for them- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

STay tuned for more comments about the Cambodian Christian Arts Ministry that seeks to use music, arts and drama to minister to street kids and orphans. As well, a meeting with Linda Chisholm, a 71 year old widow who is the Executive Director of the Prison Fellowship in Cambodia.

A Pastor's Vision

Today half of us went to visit Pastor Sok & Savy Em in Kampong Chnang. The ride was beautiful as we see all the green hue of the rice paddies. The colors are so vibrant and the road is less crowded as we leave Phnom Penh to these more rural areas. Sok and Savy are setting up a bible training center for pastors in the Kampong Chnang area. Pastor Sok and Savy used to be the pastors at the Toronto Cambodian Alliance church before they felt God's call back to their nativeland. God has given them a vision for training up the leaders in the church. Their house is painted white and stands out among the brown little huts and houses that surrounds the red clay road. They have put a light in front of their house--quite symbolic really as the neighbors comment to them how grateful they are for this street light that brightens this unpaved road in the neighborhood. We spend time praying with them and then take a 10 minute walk to the site where construction is going on of a new leadership training centre. We prayer walk the area and anoint the rooms as we ask the Lord to make this place holy ground for those who come to attend the classes. Already they have interest from 23 young Christian leaders in the area who want to come. The central building has 3 classrooms and they have been given another section of land to build a residence for the students. Pastor Sok & Savy don't have much back in Toronto but they believe in this vision that the Lord has called them to and are using their own funds to build this building. There tell us that Christians as far as Battambang want to come to this leadership training centre when it is done. I'm excited for them as I dream about the possibilities that God would multiply the offering they have made to strengthen the Cambodian church leaders in this area.


Tomorrow we are off to see Helen at Chab Dai.