September 2011 - Many reasons for thanksgiving

Hi folks - I need to start off this month thanking everyone who makes it possible for me to be here and share God's love with the poor. The joy I get to see in the faces and attitudes of the poor as hope invades their misery is a blessing from God and He has made that possible through all your prayers and support.

Months go by quickly here as there is seemingly endless tasks before me and visions that go beyond my own imagination and surely must be His.

The month started with a crash...another motorcycle crash for me and severe burns from the motor to my right leg. There were some third degree burns from the motor and it resulted in another trip to Bumrungrad hospital for surgery to my leg. I am healing fine but it will be a couple of more weeks at least partly because of my stubbornness to do what the doctor ordered (feet up and bed rest). You will see in the rest of the newsletter why I didn't heed his orders.

Before flying to Bangkok I received a call from ICC another missions group and they wanted to know if they could build a home at the village as the village they wanted to build a home for was flooded. This was unexpected but welcomed as we have a close relationship with ICC and work together with similar visions. It was hard to get around and build the home as I was in extreme pain but it was worth it see another home for another family completed.

After flying back from Thailand and the operation it was a blessing to be able to facilitate a young girl named Srey Mouv who had a hairlip to receive surgery at a local childrens hospital to repair her mouth. As I went to visit the family in the hospital with Leakhena I was overwhelmed with emotion for this little girl. You see her family had the opportunity three other times for this operation but because of foreigners coming to the village in missions groups etc and after seeing the young girl would often dig into there pockets and give money to the girl's parents. The parents actually didnt want the girl to have the operation because she was providing food for the family table. In our generosity and with good intentions we can actually hurt the people we are trying to help. I think I have mentioned it before but please if possible read the book "When helping hurts" - it has been a real blessing to me to follow most of its guidelines in engaging with this community I love so dearly. I walked out of the hospital and started weeping because I knew the difference that the operation would have on her future and was able to be here and help facilitate but more importantly witness God's love for this precious girl. Knowing how precious not just this one little girl but the whole community is in God's eyes was just overwhelming to me of the abundance of God's love and Grace for us all. Leakhena and I prayed with the family in the hospital room and I was able to pray of God's love for this beautiful girl before the surgeon's hands had made her beautiful in the eyes of the world.The family was beeming and couldn't take their eyes of their beautiful daughter and she was also a big hit at the village upon her return.

That's the first half of the month....the second half saw my good brother Dennis from Australia return with two friends Greg and Grant to build more homes in the community. It was Grant's first trip to southeast asia and he grew to love the village also and I believe is looking forward to his next trip back. Through the generosity of these men and some folks back in Australia we were able to build first 15 then more funding came in and we were able to build a total of 18 more homes bringing the total this month to 19 homes for the community. I have enclosed a couple of before and after pics of the housing.

I can't tell you how much this affects this community which has been abused for the last two years without any sign of hope. There is excitement today for the future of the community and they are well aware and thank Preah En ...God...for the blessings being bestowed upon the community. We take every opportunity to deflect any thanks to us and direct it to the ONE who is providing it all. Leakhena is engaging with the women of the village and is loved deeply already and is able to share her testimony and that the love we share for the community is God's love and heart for them.

I will be sending out another blog this week and will be providing people an opportunity to help this community. With the Christmas season approaching I can't think of a better gift this year than giving to Christ by helping those He puts first in His upside down Kingdom.

God bless and thank you again for joining me in sharing God's love in Cambodia.

Kevin