Mission: Cambodia Short-Term 2025
A Singapore Prologue
Sam, Stephen and I flew into Singapore, arriving at 10pm for an overnight layover (leaving at 8am again). We were undecided on accomodation (>$160AUD pp) and seemed to be trying to outdo each other on saying “I’m easy”. In the end, Stephen’s brother (Ken, a pilot) helped us find accomodation in the city. We satisfied Stephen’s craving for frog leg jook, and we also stumbled into durian season.
On the flight to Siem Reap I sat next to two ladies. One was in her 70s and the other was 92 (but looking very healthy!). They were on the way to celebrate some building work that had been completed for the Mustard Seed school - a Christian school supported by Covenant Methodist church in Singapore. As we got to know each other, we found out the older lady had served with OMF a long time ago!
Siem Reap
Sightseeing in Siem Reap
Given the team had done most of the conference prep beforehand, we were able to do some team bonding while sightseeing in Siem Reap. This is a big benefit, as previous teams have spent around 4 days (in Cambodia) for team building and planning prior to the conference.
We visited Tonle Sap (Sam fed a crocodile), Phare Cambodian Circus (amazing show that helps support local education) and Angkor Wat (apparently the coolest day the Porter’s have had to visit it…but still VERY hot!).
Simon and Ange briefed us on a bunch of cultural things. They shared their experience with giving, and the financial disparity within the country. It is very confronting. But, many people don’t see themselves as poor, unless you tell them they are. Some experiences in our trip reinforced this - as we realise that sometimes (sometimes!) our generosity implicitly communicates the disparity in our lives.
On the third day, my phone wouldn’t turn on in the morning. Simon took it to a shop which said there was some kind of short circuit and it could be fixed for US$25. It got returned 3 days later, unable to be fixed. (I got through the rest of the trip without a phone.)
Taprohm 189
Muffin Man
Brother Bong
Siem Reap Palace
DaHok Village
We visited DaHok village, outside Siem Reap. We tagged along with Abraham and Nee who visit the village weekly, and once a month on a Sunday. Abraham is an independent missionary from South Africa. He brought his family.
Nee is a local Cambodian missionary with OMF. She brought her friend Bopa who is a university student. They rode a motorcycle in the heat because Bopa gets motion sickness in cars. Nee was the Porter’s helper in Siem Reap, back when Reuben was born. On the way to the village. Ange told us her amazing story which you can read here: https://omf.org/us/nees-story-megan-in-cambodia-pt-4/
Nee and Abraham held a gathering, underneath a black tarp that provided shade, but radiated with heat. They played games, sang some Christian songs and Nee shared a Bible story. The laughter of the kids was magnificent. I honestly don’t think I’ve heard that kind of pure, raucous laughter in a whole group of kids for years. I was encouraged by the passion, humility and perseverance of Nee and Bopa as they served others in the heat. Not only did Nee teach, but she brought food, as she always does - which everyone enjoyed.
This village was a place where Angeline and Simon did pioneering work. At one point in time, a local man was known to be experiencing trouble with spirits. He spent a week (some weeks?) living in the village temple, but he only became worse. Some Christian missionaries prayed for him, and he healed shortly after. On this trip, we visited this man’s mother. She said it was a horrible period in her life.
Nee and Abraham were able to gather people together because of one woman who welcomes them to the village. She is a person of peace. She has at some point considered becoming a Christian, but could not overcome the societal pressure of making such a choice.
OMF Field Conference, Siem Reap
The Conference
When we arrived, Jo was suffering from a bad case of vertigo. We prayed for her before the conference started, and the symptoms alleviated for Jo. But then, she lost her voice! Through the conference, we shared many tea breaks and meal times with missionaries on the field - they have a custom that they don’t start eating until every seat at a table is filled. We met people who are from Korea, USA, Brazil, Germany, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. I probably missed some.
TCK Program
We broke the ice with games of Bridge-Bank-River and King Caractacus which the kids loved. The TCKs (Third Culture Kids) are a great bunch. The OMF team has helped establish a great community within missionary kids.
Over the week we shared 4 stories with the kids:
Philip and the Eunuch (Acts 8)
Zaccheus
The Woman at the Well
The Thief on the Cross
Based on the coaching we had back home, we were challenged to memorise these stories, to teach the kids to be able to recall them as well. It was hard work remembering the stories - but each team member did really well. Facilitating the reflection questions with the kids was a bit harder. We’re thankful for the older kids who came alongside to help.
The Teens
I led the teenagers with Janice. We had been briefed that we didn’t need to inundate these kids with a Bible-heavy program. In the end, we found that the time slipped by, and we would’ve liked more time to engage the teens. But in small moments, Janice and I were able to have personal moments with each of the group.
Most of all I was encouraged by the way these teens could fluently switch between cultures. They could happily exist in a village, just as much as they could walk into a hotel restaurant. Simon called them chameleons. On the upside, they may walk into varied situations, less encumbered by whether they belong. On the downside, some TCKs might feel rootlessness: they don’t belong ANYWHERE.
Generations Forum
On the first day, the OMF team held a Generation Forum where they held a panel of four people from different generations. They gave comments on 12 different statements. Then, the team/audience also responded with green and red cards whether they agreed or disagreed.
Some of the statements: “Anything less than 10 years is short-term”, “A.I. should not be used in sermon preparation”, “Social media is an important part of communication, without it, you’re missing out”, “Missionaries should accept a lifestyle with only basic furnishings” (surprisingly - the Boomers were the most lenient on the last one).
Reuben represented the younger generation, and he spoke with thoughtful clarity.
Family Service
One of the requests for us was to run a “Family Service” on the final day of the program. We had trouble visualising what that was - as we meandered between “a time of sharing” and something that felt more like a “Sunday Service”. The team went through some hiccups as we (quickly!) got to Wednesday afternoon needing a plan of what needed to land for Friday.
In the end we pulled together an encouraging hour for the OMF team.
The kids shared “All About Jesus” (Sovereign Grace) which they had learned through the week
A few girls led “You Alone” (Trevor Hodge)
Joy (one of the girls) played keyboard with the music team, with the encouragement of Sam
Jo shared her experience as an MK (“once an OMF MK, always an OMF MK”)
I spoke from Daniel 6 (Daniel and the Lion’s Den)
Stephen pulled it all together and chaired
Phnom Penh
Kampong Chamlong
We visited a village church, which is being served by Pastor Roat and Buti. Ange taught Roat English among other things many years ago. This church is 10? 20? years old but has just a handful of people attending. One local woman is a key part of this church.
They started the service without electricity and sang songs with local tunes. Pastor Roat preached from 1 Tim 4, and he touched notes that our team from ECC had learned in the previous month from our own pulpit.
After the service, the team welcomed us for lunch. They pulled down a papaya from a tree in the back lot. While they prepared lunch, they showed us some of the new construction: they have been building some rooms for the church - all works done by local church members: musicians, dentists, pastors. They’re hoping to buy the building next door - no-one goes there, for fear of the spirits they think inhabit that lot.
I had a short translated conversation (thanks to Buti and Simon) with an older man called Luong. He told me about his grandkids, and two sons that don’t know Jesus. He had some story about visiting the doctor recently and sharing Jesus with him too. He had spectacular gentle and kind eyes - I don’t take this for granted given the hardships people of his generation faced.
Fount of Wisdom
We visited this Christian publishing house. Simon is on the Board for this organisation. They have been able to grow the Christian literature in Cambodia. They began with translating books into Khmer, but in recent years have been able to help publish work from local authors. It’s not easy to get books into the hands of Cambodians - it’s not cheap to buy books, the level of education doesn’t support a great reading culture, and then there is the familiar aspect where our generation is too distracted to read anyway.
Their director was suffering from Parkinson’s disease, and his son was undergoing surgery in Siem Reap. So it wasn’t the most ideal timing. But most of the team had been together for many years (10, 12, longer).
Phnom Penh Bible College
We were able to meet with Vuthy - the principal of the Bible college in Phnom Penh. He studied at SMBC. It was challenging to hear the Cambodian context. Most of the students are studying part time. It’s hard to balance theological training and theological qualification.
One of the local challenges is how they encourage city Christians (primarily Phnom Penh) to spread the Gospel to the villages. Cambodia (18m) may be somewhat smaller than Australia (27m). But in Australia, over 75% of our people live in city/metro areas. It’s the opposite in Cambodia. The need for the gospel to reach rural areas is huge.
Tuol Seng S-21 Camp
Visiting this place known as the Genocide Museum is a stark reminder of the atrocities that occurred in the heart of this city. It is a confronting, heavy experience. We followed the audio tour which was excellent in sharing so much history with some original recordings of people and relatives who testified. Near the end of the tour was a recording of Comrade Duch’s confession - the only party leader to be convicted for these crimes. As I heard the recording (link here), I thought: that’s a really good confession, as if this man held repentance and forgiveness higher than trying to exonerate himself (as many confessions tend to do).
Later, we learned that Comrade Duch (Kaing Guek Eav) became a Christian while hiding out in a village. He was the only person to turn himself in. His ability to confront the truth was part of confronting Jesus: the way, the truth and the life.
Learning Khmer
It might have come late in our trip, but we enjoyed learning Khmer with Tha and David at the OMF guesthouse. We learned the basics of introducing ourselves.
David shared his story growing up in the time of the Khmer Rouge. His family has multiple generations of Christians. His family fled Phnom Penh for Kampong Tom. His memory growing up was that his mom was always very skinny. He survived as a toddler because his mom helped him hide among the pigs to eat with them. The family was on a list to be executed, and went through many stressful nights of hearing soldiers pass by their house. He says that some local village relationships meant they were spared on a few occasions. About a week later, the Vietnam army liberated his village. God delivered his family.
Leaving Cambodia
Praise God for this opportunity to experience Cambodia. It’s a country where Christian faith still faces real pressure from Buddhism, and an active spirit world. The team left Cambodia in good spirits, already allowing ideas of another mission trip down the road. Stephen, Jeanne and I all wondered how we might be able to have our families join us in the future. For me, it was two weeks well spent - enjoyable and appreciated work, a number of experiences that taught my heart and the joy of fellowship in the global church.
A Singapore Epilogue
God helped set up time with (Uncle) William Wan and (Uncle) Paul Choo on the way home. Both shared their wisdom and insight the ministry of ECC up ahead. Uncle Paul shared about Goducate’s work in Indonesia and Philippines (suggesting work in the Philippines is better for short-termers).
On the flight back from Singapore to Sydney, there was a Cambodian man across the aisle from Sam. He kept looking over at us with a friendly smile. We got to use the little Khmer we knew - joom reap suah! We only got as far as learning that he was coming to Sydney for a holiday, and if we understood correctly - that he was visiting his “gon trai muoy” - his one son!