This month, ministry has been sporadic and diverse. We taught English at several local schools, played with kids, taught hygiene classes, proof-read a 29 page business proposal, and shared the Gospel with people in the village. Sometimes ministry is not what we expect and sometimes it’s not the most exciting, but it’s always exactly what God wants us to be doing.
I want to share one particular story with you about an older couple we met while doing door-to-door evangelism. Many people hate doing door-to-door evangelism as a ministry, but it’s one of my favorite ministries. I love meeting new people, hearing their story, and getting the opportunity to share the greatest message of all time with them.
We started the day around 9:00 am by walking into a little village. As our translator guided us, we stopped at people’s homes to talk to them. We went to several homes and took turns sharing at each home. At the last house we stopped at, we met an older couple. The husband’s name was Siem and the wife’s name was Rim. They told us their story and I really enjoyed hearing about their lives.
They lived in a refugee camp in Thailand for many years because of the war that was happening in Cambodia at the time. From 1975-1979, an estimated 3 million people were killed during the Cambodian genocide. During that time, many Cambodian people fled to Thailand to escape the mass genocide that was happening.
They told us that life was not so bad in the refugee camp because they always had food provided for them and they had everything they needed. They said that at times it was scary because there would be fighting around them between the Thai and Vietnamese people. They said that many people died from flying bullets, and they would often have to hide in the trenches. They lived in the refugee camp from 1979 to 1993.
They now live a very peaceful life in Cambodia. They have many kids and grandkids now, and live in a beautiful house surrounded by flowers.
After they shared their story with us, I told them that we came to talk to them and share an important message with them. I shared the Gospel with them as the Spirit led me. I told them how much they are loved by the Father how much he desires to have a relationship with them.
As I looked at them, I just felt the Father’s love for them so strongly and powerfully. I felt like I was seeing them through the Father’s eyes – something I pray for often.
After I finished sharing with them, I told them that they are always welcome to the Christian church. The husband, Siem, said that he used to study the Bible a lot when he was younger and he believes that it’s true, but he still practices Buddhism because he does not want to give up his Buddhist and cultural traditions. He said that he knows Buddhism is not true, but he chooses to follow it because that is the tradition in Cambodia.
I told him that one of the biggest differences between Christianity and Buddhism is that God looks past all the traditions and sees into our hearts. He doesn’t care about the external things we do, he cares about our hearts. I told Siem that if he ever changes his mind and wants to come back to the Christian church, he is always welcome. God will welcome him with open arms and so will the people.
After I said that, he turned to his wife and asked her, “Do you want to go to the Christian church or the Buddhist temple?”
They didn’t decide anything for certain at that exact moment, but I know God is working in their hearts. Experiencing the Father’s love for people who were in desperate need of a Savior is an experience I will never forget.
As we walked back to our ministry site, I was overwhelmed with the Lord’s presence and I heard Him whisper into my heart:
“This is why you’re here. This is why you’ve been sleeping on your sleeping pad for two months. This is why I sent you here. This is why you endure through all the hard things – to share the Gospel with those who desperately need it. This is what it feels like to see through my eyes. This is exactly where I want you to be.”
