I have decided to put updates now on Loveglobal....Loveglobal is an internet forum that I can share what God is doing along with other missionaries around the world who have followed God's calling in their lives.
My latest update is here http://www.loveglobal.com/project/project.aspx?asset=884 you can read some of my other posts here also .
I will send my links out to people who are interested and would like your help the next couple of months.
What I would like to do is to still send my links out for the next couple of months and start refining my contact list....If you could I would appreciate you signing up at LoveGlobal.com to receive my updates . If you would like to continue to receive links with my updates by email or would like to be taken off my update list please send me an email in response . I appreciate all the prayers and support I have received from everyone and would love to continue our relationship as God is doing so much here in Cambodia and I am excited to share that news with all of you .
One of the benefits of Loveglobal is that I am able now to offer tax receipts for all donations to our ministry Manna4Life both personal and for ministry projects. For those that would like to support us financially please do so through our loveglobal page and please leave a note stating what project you would like to donate to or if it is personal funding to support us here in Cambodia . At this time we are only able to offer tax receipts to our canadian partners .
As in any ministry we are always in need of funding to facilitate all God is doing here . In saying that ; God provides for us abundantly and in His timing and we patiently wait for His guidance in what ministries He wants us to focus on at any particular time. This is done through prayer both in seeking and answered prayer and we are grateful for all His provision. I struggle every month in whether to share our needs for ministry and personal finances and do not want funding needs to overwhelm my updates but rather Glorify God in sharing what He is doing here already. My updates will be more focused on struggles and triumphs and I will update people once every three months on where we are at financially and the needs of the community. . I feel this will be a better way and allow everyone to pray and focus on the content and the message God wants those to hear through our telling of His stories here in the community and greater Cambodia .
We will be looking for people to help us in an upcoming fundraising drive for the community farm and will probably voice that next month after more prayer and discussion with my mentors and church and board members of our ministry.
I pray that you will continue to encourage us through prayer and emails ... for those that haven't seen our ministry facebook page it is at https://www.facebook.com/Manna4Life and you can spend a little time and see photos etc of the community and hopefully get a feel for what God is doing there.
Som Preah En Pro Te An Poh ( May God Bless You)
kevin and leakhena
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Musings on a new day - May 2012
The believer is not set at the high noon of life, but at the dawn of a new day at the point where night and day, things passing and things to come, grapple with each other. - Jurgen MoltmannI recently came across this quote from Theologian Jurgen Moltmann and it has been prayerfully in my thoughts lately.
This month I turn the pages into the next half century ( I turn 50 May 20th) and as most when a birthday appears thoughts of the year that has passed and the year that is forward are heavy in our thoughts.
I look back on the last year and I am amazed to see God's tapestry being weaved in the village and being allowed to be a small part of it is such a blessing. On the physical end we started on my birthday last year installing some tarps ( 110 ) of them to be exact before the rainy season began on the sticks and palm leaves and tattered plastic that people in the village called home. Since then God has provided through many of the Body of Christ 52 new homes that have been constructed,a computer centre ( in construction ) land and roof structure for a school and community centre (in construction ) and our own home which is almost completed also. These are tangible things that our eyes can see and donaters can rally around as accomplishments in the community and rightly so.
But it is the intangible ,the unseen by the naked eye that are the biggest breakthroughs and will stir this village onward into the waiting arms of Christ.
As you have seen by some of my other postings the homebuilding we call Hopebuilding. The community can see roots being put down where they had none. Their hope for a better future for themselves and their children sparkles in their eyes and thoughts and mannerisms . We are blessed to stand alongside them and share the love of Christ with them and who He is.
They do not thank us for the blessings in their community anymore but daily remind us that Jesus Christ was the provider. Music to our hearts and ears. The fact that they now recognize Him as their provider relays the fact that they are on a journey as we all are in seeking a relationship with our living loving God. This Spirit of Hope in the village is tangible to us that walk with them each and every day .I pray that some of the words I put to postings will allow you to engage deeper with the lost and broken in your own communities back home and instill the Hope of Christ in them all.
When the words of Jurgen Moltmann resound in me:
The believer is not set at the high noon of life, but at the dawn of a new day at the point where night and day, things passing and things to come, grapple with each other. - Jurgen Moltmann
I thank God for Him letting me engage with His precious children at that very point where life can turn either way and encourage those that the darkness can be behind them and the light of Christ and a new day with their Hope instilled in Him forever ahead for eternity.
God bless
Kevin
This posting and others can be found at http://loveglobal.com this is a ministry we have joined up with in order to have a platform to share what God is doing in the community and in order to be able to give out canadian tax receipts for our personal supporters and those that support our projects in the village. Please sign up a nd you will be able to receive our updates
This month I turn the pages into the next half century ( I turn 50 May 20th) and as most when a birthday appears thoughts of the year that has passed and the year that is forward are heavy in our thoughts.
I look back on the last year and I am amazed to see God's tapestry being weaved in the village and being allowed to be a small part of it is such a blessing. On the physical end we started on my birthday last year installing some tarps ( 110 ) of them to be exact before the rainy season began on the sticks and palm leaves and tattered plastic that people in the village called home. Since then God has provided through many of the Body of Christ 52 new homes that have been constructed,a computer centre ( in construction ) land and roof structure for a school and community centre (in construction ) and our own home which is almost completed also. These are tangible things that our eyes can see and donaters can rally around as accomplishments in the community and rightly so.
But it is the intangible ,the unseen by the naked eye that are the biggest breakthroughs and will stir this village onward into the waiting arms of Christ.
As you have seen by some of my other postings the homebuilding we call Hopebuilding. The community can see roots being put down where they had none. Their hope for a better future for themselves and their children sparkles in their eyes and thoughts and mannerisms . We are blessed to stand alongside them and share the love of Christ with them and who He is.
They do not thank us for the blessings in their community anymore but daily remind us that Jesus Christ was the provider. Music to our hearts and ears. The fact that they now recognize Him as their provider relays the fact that they are on a journey as we all are in seeking a relationship with our living loving God. This Spirit of Hope in the village is tangible to us that walk with them each and every day .I pray that some of the words I put to postings will allow you to engage deeper with the lost and broken in your own communities back home and instill the Hope of Christ in them all.
When the words of Jurgen Moltmann resound in me:
The believer is not set at the high noon of life, but at the dawn of a new day at the point where night and day, things passing and things to come, grapple with each other. - Jurgen Moltmann
I thank God for Him letting me engage with His precious children at that very point where life can turn either way and encourage those that the darkness can be behind them and the light of Christ and a new day with their Hope instilled in Him forever ahead for eternity.
God bless
Kevin
This posting and others can be found at http://loveglobal.com this is a ministry we have joined up with in order to have a platform to share what God is doing in the community and in order to be able to give out canadian tax receipts for our personal supporters and those that support our projects in the village. Please sign up a nd you will be able to receive our updates
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
From Peace to Reflection to Sorrow - May 2012
It has been quite a month in April..the beginnings were blessed Leakhena and I were blessed to finally have a honeymoon 3 months after being married. As many of you know already we were blessed by being able to build 18 more homes of Hope in the community starting the day after our wedding. One of our friends Wally sent us to one of his favourite places in Vietnam called Vung Tau whuch is a 6 hour bus ride and a one and a half hour ferry ride to get to.
One of the things they have in Vung Tau is a huge statue of Jesus that you can walk up to the top of the mountain and then actually walk inside up to His outstretched hands. I just wanted to share some reflections as I walked up the mountain:
As I was walking up the mountain ....the journey was tough ...I was walking to see Jesus up this mountaintop and as I climbed the many stairs I needed to stop and rest many times. I was asking myself all the time is it really worth it to see Jesus. This journey is so hard just when I turn a corner thinking I am there another set of stairs to take me just a little bit further in my journey. I was out of breath most of the time as the mountain was steep and I am overweight and out of shape. As I stopped for one of my numerous breaks I was thinking about my lack of physical fitness and the words "my yoke is light" rang in my head. I was thinking that maybe your burden is light but my body surely isn't. Then it struck me that my weight was a burden I put upon myself and one that affects my walk with Christ. It took my being out of breath and shape to start to realize the burdens I put upon myself and there are many. I put many burdens upon my shoulders...raising funding for the community and our Ministry, expectations of others,expectations of myself, pride,ego, I will show them attitude.
As I journeyed closer to Jesus (yes I know its only a statue ) and as I started to lay these burdens down and seek God's forgiveness I started to catch a second wind and didn't feel quite so exhausted. I reached the last plateau before the top and there was Christ lying dead before me but more importantly for me. It was funny that joy not sadness came over me then that he loved me so much to die for me a sinner. The last few steps were made with ease and as I got to the top I was refreshed. You see there was a small stand at the top that had cold water and as I sat and drank of it I was so thankful to the Lord for providing this water of Life to me . I sat at His feet and drank of the water and looked out at His beautiful canvas of sky and ocean mesmerized by its beauty.
As I started my journey down I thought it would be easy but as I started to descend my legs felt like rubber from the climb up and every step I took away from Jesus my legs felt like they would collapse under me. This was all a reminder to me for a couple of things...one that if I walk away from Jesus every step I take the legs can be taken right out from under me at anytime..secondly that I wouldn't be in that position if it wasn't for the chains (burdens) I mentioned before putting on myself . Needless to say I need to go on a diet for the physical healing but as I write this I put all my burdens down at the feet of Christ and pray that I do not lift them up again,
The month ended in sorrow as a civil rights activist was shot and killed exposing the corruption and devestation of the forests of Cambodia by the government and military. Chut Vutty was a tiresome defender of the forests. You can see an article here
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012042755825/National-news/another-chapter-in-bloody-history.html
Please pray for his family and the family of the military officer that also died in this incident supposedly by his own hand but there are many speculations about the true happenings that day.
I pray that we all they our burdens at the foot of the Christ and move forward in His yoke
God bless
kevin and Leakhena
Monday, April 30, 2012
May 2012 - Personal requests
As everyone knows it takes many people to come together in order for me to be here and share God's love. We have many needs for the community and I will attach a document sharing about our ministry vision,missions statement and the projects we have ongoing. I pray that you will spend a little time and pray how God can use you to help those in need here in Cambodia.
This month brings a pressing need of a personal nature in three regards.
1. Leakhena and I are short about $800 dollars to complete our home so we can move in to the community this month. Our personal support is extremely low but does provide us with the basic necessities and we are grateful for God's provision through our supporters.This money would be used to provide a working toilet and electrical to our home.
2.. Leakhena the faithful servant that she is quit her job in december( which provided almost $300 a month which she helped provide for her family ) knowing God wanted her to start up the ministry Manna4life and she has been amazing at getting things together for our new ministry as there is only the two of us at this moment. BY looking at the document attached you will see how busy we are and all that is happening and are amazed at God's provision for this community. An indigenous missionary like Leakhena is makes it very hard to raise support for herself as Cambodia is a poor country and many of her friends make only a small amount as salary. I am asking on her behalf if you can help Leakhena with monthly support through your small groups or as an individual...we will be set up shortly to give tax receipts for personal donations but not at this moment (1-2 months away) . Please consider this in prayer
3. My motorcycle has been a great asset to our ministry as it is our only mode of transportation...I travel approximately 3000km a month doing outreach to the community and others . My motorcycle is 17 years old and demands monthly if not weekly repairs and this has both been frustrating and a drain on our limited finances.It costs approx $2500 for a reliable motorcycle and I am in dire need of one. With all the resources needed in the community I find it very difficult to put out personal requests but feel that this issue is an important one. Most of you know that I live a simple life and would not be asking if it wasn't a necessity in order to function here. Please prayerfully consider my request.
Thank you and Som Preah En Pro Te An Poh(May God bless You)
kevin knight Manna4Life
P.s. For those feeling led to commit financially to help us they can contact me at kknight45@hotmail.com or our giving page on our blog at http://kevinincambodia.blogspot.com/2011/11/donations.html
This month brings a pressing need of a personal nature in three regards.
1. Leakhena and I are short about $800 dollars to complete our home so we can move in to the community this month. Our personal support is extremely low but does provide us with the basic necessities and we are grateful for God's provision through our supporters.This money would be used to provide a working toilet and electrical to our home.
2.. Leakhena the faithful servant that she is quit her job in december( which provided almost $300 a month which she helped provide for her family ) knowing God wanted her to start up the ministry Manna4life and she has been amazing at getting things together for our new ministry as there is only the two of us at this moment. BY looking at the document attached you will see how busy we are and all that is happening and are amazed at God's provision for this community. An indigenous missionary like Leakhena is makes it very hard to raise support for herself as Cambodia is a poor country and many of her friends make only a small amount as salary. I am asking on her behalf if you can help Leakhena with monthly support through your small groups or as an individual...we will be set up shortly to give tax receipts for personal donations but not at this moment (1-2 months away) . Please consider this in prayer
3. My motorcycle has been a great asset to our ministry as it is our only mode of transportation...I travel approximately 3000km a month doing outreach to the community and others . My motorcycle is 17 years old and demands monthly if not weekly repairs and this has both been frustrating and a drain on our limited finances.It costs approx $2500 for a reliable motorcycle and I am in dire need of one. With all the resources needed in the community I find it very difficult to put out personal requests but feel that this issue is an important one. Most of you know that I live a simple life and would not be asking if it wasn't a necessity in order to function here. Please prayerfully consider my request.
Thank you and Som Preah En Pro Te An Poh(May God bless You)
kevin knight Manna4Life
P.s. For those feeling led to commit financially to help us they can contact me at kknight45@hotmail.com or our giving page on our blog at http://kevinincambodia.blogspot.com/2011/11/donations.html
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Manna4Life - Mission, Vision & Needs
God has blessed Manna4Life and the community with many ongoing projects in various stages of completion. It is our goal to continue to walk with Christ in making these projects come to fruition and to Glorify Him. We cannot do this without the Body of Christ working together to bring " His Kingdom o n earth as it is in Heaven." HERE IS THE LINK TO A NOTE on Manna4Life its Mission and Vision and the needs of the Ministry. Please spend some time reading this and asking our Lord how he would like you to join us in sharing His love to this community.
Thank-you
Kevin and Leakhena
Friday, April 6, 2012
Easter 2012
Just some thoughts and prayers and wishing all a deeper understanding of our Lord's sacrifice for us
Agape Love
I have been thinking a lot about agape love lately and how essential it is in our lives if we are to follow Christ.
It is now the Easter season and one which I know reinforces the love we know that Christ has for us. It is a time that we reflect and think prayerfully of the ultimate sacrifice Christ paid for us . We are blessed to also rejoice in His resurrection and with grateful hearts we give thanks.
Christ I believe wants us to met Him on a deeper level than that of gratitude but one of entering into love for others that transcends “normal” understanding. A sacrificial love that affects not just the people around us but ourselves and our relationship with Christ. He wants us to meet Him in a place many will not go….we love and love greatly at times…and at others as soon as the pain gets to much retreat. Jesus in the garden even asks the Father if there is any other way please take this from me. Jesus knew just as many of us know that there is no other way but that doesn’t stop us from trying. We look for less painful ways to interact with each other and to assure us we are ok the way we are walking . We congregrate in small groups at church (that in itself not a bad thing) but we tend to enter into groups that have the same socio-economic class. We can justify what we are doing with our lives and finances because all the people around us are doing the same. Our churches can be that way too…how many people have gone church shopping until they find one where they “belong” again probably a same age group or class.
Many choose to take a step the other way…some of my supporters are in that category where they step out and engage with people outside their “norm” and I believe are finding that God has blessed them by allowing them to love deeper. We do a lot of great things in the name of Christ as Christians we support numerous charities and mission groups and volunteer at drop-ins and community centers ,teach ,disciple,visit hospitals and the elderly. Most people that do those things will attest that they get so much out of it and feel blessed to serve. Where is the anguish of loving completely when we receive more than we give.
Christ knew the real cost of love.
This Easter as the Lord is heavy on your heart maybe it is a time to ask Him….Father I know there is not another way…Father do not let me count the costs of loving ….Father I want to love like you love us….Father guide me with your tears to where you want me to serve…Father do not take away the pain of loving but let me understand the pain of my friends through it….Father for all the times it gets too hard let me instantly run to you and not away from my calling...…Father please!!... will you use me?
Agape Love
I have been thinking a lot about agape love lately and how essential it is in our lives if we are to follow Christ.
It is now the Easter season and one which I know reinforces the love we know that Christ has for us. It is a time that we reflect and think prayerfully of the ultimate sacrifice Christ paid for us . We are blessed to also rejoice in His resurrection and with grateful hearts we give thanks.
Christ I believe wants us to met Him on a deeper level than that of gratitude but one of entering into love for others that transcends “normal” understanding. A sacrificial love that affects not just the people around us but ourselves and our relationship with Christ. He wants us to meet Him in a place many will not go….we love and love greatly at times…and at others as soon as the pain gets to much retreat. Jesus in the garden even asks the Father if there is any other way please take this from me. Jesus knew just as many of us know that there is no other way but that doesn’t stop us from trying. We look for less painful ways to interact with each other and to assure us we are ok the way we are walking . We congregrate in small groups at church (that in itself not a bad thing) but we tend to enter into groups that have the same socio-economic class. We can justify what we are doing with our lives and finances because all the people around us are doing the same. Our churches can be that way too…how many people have gone church shopping until they find one where they “belong” again probably a same age group or class.
Many choose to take a step the other way…some of my supporters are in that category where they step out and engage with people outside their “norm” and I believe are finding that God has blessed them by allowing them to love deeper. We do a lot of great things in the name of Christ as Christians we support numerous charities and mission groups and volunteer at drop-ins and community centers ,teach ,disciple,visit hospitals and the elderly. Most people that do those things will attest that they get so much out of it and feel blessed to serve. Where is the anguish of loving completely when we receive more than we give.
Christ knew the real cost of love.
This Easter as the Lord is heavy on your heart maybe it is a time to ask Him….Father I know there is not another way…Father do not let me count the costs of loving ….Father I want to love like you love us….Father guide me with your tears to where you want me to serve…Father do not take away the pain of loving but let me understand the pain of my friends through it….Father for all the times it gets too hard let me instantly run to you and not away from my calling...…Father please!!... will you use me?
Thursday, March 1, 2012
God is Great!!!!!
It has been awhile since I have updated everyone through the forum of blogging or email...although many of you know through some emails and posting on our Manna4Life site some of the things that have been transpiring.
Since my last blog here are some things that have kept me busy.
1. Praise the Lord!! Praise the Lord!!!! I got married
2. Was able to have a whirlwind trip to Canada for 18 days of meeting up with many of you and having Leakhena meet family and friends.
3. Preaching again as the Lord opened the door and used me this way again at the U.G.M. drop=in centre
4.Share about our ministry at the justice meeting that Servants facililitates in the Downtown Eastside
5. Sharing about our ministry with many of you at Mosaic church
6. Praise the Lord!! Praise the Lord!!! I got married again in Cambodia with the big Khmer wedding
7. Spent time with family and friends who were here for the wedding and/or share in serving God here in the community
7. Built 18 more structures of hope for the community
8. Have almost completed our home also for moving into next month.
It has been an exhausting few months and at times found myself drained but the Lord refreshes as we spend time with Him. The fact that Jesus has thousands waiting on Him and needing care and healing and the Word of God but knew that the most important thing was His relationship with our Father. Even great things like the ministry God has blessed us with can take time away from that relationship which is a detriment for ourselves and the very people he wants us to Love. It has certainly been a time of reflection on how best to serve in our limited time here on earth and have definitely prioritized my devotional life and thoughts of the ministry God has laid before us.
Spending time with my friend Wally was refreshing and us being able to share about the amazing God that loves us despite ourselves and as we give our life over fully and completely to Him that is when we are fully in His will and the life we live in that relationship is worth all the sacrifices here in this broken world we live in.
One of the priorities we have set forward for ourselves and our ministry is that we will spend time in the Word and prayer for the first hour of our ministry day for ourselves and all future staff. I can't think of a better way to start our day of loving people than to spend time with the one who as Romans 5:8 tells us"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. "
I think of the past life I led and am so grateful to be able to serve the very One who loves me this deeply.
Although this is a very short update considering my lack of words recently I just wanted everyone to know that as we move into the community in the next couple of weeks is that our relationship with our living ,loving God is ever increasing and everyday that I can say there is "less of me and more of Him " in my heart and mind is a great day.
I will enclose many photos in this update from the weddings to friends helping in serving our Lord . I will include the last 18 structures of hope and will also show you a pic of our future home. Click here for my online photo album, which includes wedding pictures.
Some prayer points... that our devotional life will bring us forever closer to God.
we continue to make this a priority
that we can be the fragrance of Christ to many in the community
God's provision as we still need some funding to complete our home for plumbing and electrical
God bless you all as we cannot do it without the help of the Body of Christ.. we love and cherish all your support
kevin and leakhena
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)