Christmas visit, 2011

Hi Folks:

Leakhena and I have been blessed with the opportunity to come home this Christmas and for her to meet my family and friends. We will be in vancouver for the service on the 1st of january and for a couple of days after. There is a possibilty we might have an opportunity to share about our new ministry on January 6th at Tenth avenue and I will inform you if this is a definite. I pray that you enjoy our November update and look forward to seeing many of you in person soon

God bless and Merry Christmas


Kevin and Leakhena

November update - Someone's waiting (or taking the 8:30 bus)

I have recently been in Bangkok this month for Pre-marital counselling at a Christian Counselling centre. It was definitely worth the investment for Leakhena and I to prepare for our upcoming marriage on January 28th.
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Leakhena and I will be in Canada for Christmas and New Years and hope to meet up with as many people as possible while we are there.We will be at Tenth for the service on the 1st of jan and for a couple of days after.

I would like to talk about a moment we had on the way back from Bangkok this month.

We just got over the border from Thailand and had entered Cambodia at Poipet . The bus station was a km down the road and when we got to the bus station Leakhena booked us seats on the 830 p.m. bus. This bus was a few hours away and we had to spend time waiting ..it got closer to the time and then Leakhena realized that there was actually an earlier bus that we could have had at 730. We didn’t realize at the time that it was God’s plan for us to be on the 830 bus.

The bus was just 15 minutes from leaving and as we took our seat a commotion happened outside and as I looked out a man was beating another with a chair. I had just spoke with the guy being beaten just moments earlier as he was collecting bottles and was living on the street and had addiction issues. I bolted off the bus and got in between the man beating him as others just gathered around and watched what was happening. I knew what had happened and the man who was beaten had tried to steal luggage from the other man. They then called the police and it seemed like tensions had settled down so I proceeded to get back on the bus. I no sooner got to my set when the man again attacked the other and was kicking him as others watched and laughed.

Obviously I bolted again from the bus and Leakhena was quickly behind me more I think to try to save me than anything else because I was “interfering."

I stood in between the two of them again and calmed the abuser down and told him he had done the right thing and called the police but that no one deserved to be beaten. This is where the story gets interesting…I felt a great urge and prompting from the Holy Spirit to share about God’s Grace….I leaned down and as I started to talk to the “thief” I knew my limited language skills couldn’t properly share with him so I called Leakhena over. She was explaining to everyone why I had jumped in between and she told the whole crowd that I was Christian and I couldn’t let the violence happen. That statement alone I will try to share more on in a future note.

Leakhena was translating for me as I shared that many people around here would not forgive him for what he had done in trying to steal the luggage but that there was someone who had already forgiven him and that was Jesus Christ….I went on to share with him about unmerited favour how we don’t deserve that forgiveness but that He loves us so much that He died for our sins. I wish I could tell you a great story of him becoming overwhelmed and coming to Christ at that moment but in some moments when I was sharing he was actually looking around and wondering if someone else would hit him..I could see in Leakhena’s face that she wanted to stop translating but I urged her to continue to translate for me because I told her God’s Word does not come back empty. You see there were thirty people gathered around at the bus station all listening to the Word of God and of His Grace not just the “thief."

The police then came and as we got back on the bus all the people on the bus had crammed themselves to the windows watching all that was transpiring. Two of the ladies on the bus said that I would have many blessings coming my way because of what I did….in the Buddhist culture doing good things in this life will give you blessings in the next…..I was then able to share with them that I have been blessed already and paid in advance by the Agape love of our Lord Jesus….from a simple missing the bus for 730 to doing the right thing and actively pursue non-violence and opportunity opened itself to share about our Lord Jesus with many who have not heard.

I titled this “Someone waiting” and the meaning of this came from a Pastor in Thailand when he said “someone is waiting on the other side of our obedience” as we go forth in obedience which is what I have done in coming to Cambodia there are fragile people waiting for us to engage with them and share the love of Christ.

What is God asking you to do? ….it just might have eternal implications in anothers life.

God bless you all as we celebrate the Lord’s birth this month . As you know Leakhena and I are trying to raise funds for the community and to build more homes for those that were unlawfully evicted . Please consider helping those in need as a gift to our Lord and those He holds dear.

Please follow this link if you feel led to give...