Vuthy is a young, Jesus loving, Cambodian man, who desperately wants to see the nation of Cambodia transformed by the love of Christ.
Vuthy with the duck we were having for dinner that night, and me, Jacob, and EJ photobombing.
In 2006, while being a tuk-tuk driver in Phnom Penh, Vuthy was consumed with drinking and felt his life spiraling out of control, and fast.
When Vuthy was offered a job driving mission teams around the city, his life would never be the same.
“These teams went to serve in orphanages, churches, and youth centers- and even loved on the dirty street children. I started to ask them questions. Why were they here? What was their purpose? They always answered the same way- "Because of Jesus." I still had so many questions. Who was this Jesus? I learned He was the son of God, but I still wanted to know more. Who was this God they spoke of?
Two months later, I was driving around a team from Sweden who was working at a local church. They invited me to attend a service with them, and I decided to accept. As I sat in the service, I saw how the people there were full of joy as they worshipped their God. Even though I had been making so much money, I realized my own life was empty and devoid of joy. I also didn't have friends or people who loved or cared for me the way these people did for one another. My heart began to break further as I realized that I had never seen one of my own people reach out or love the street children like these foreigners did. These people who loved Jesus had left their countries and homes to come serve and love the people of Cambodia like nobody I had ever known.”
A few months later, Vuthy accepted the Lord and was baptized.
His dream had always been to go to University, so when the Lord opened doors for him to attend University of the Nations in Phnom Penh, he jumped at the chance.
“Once I started at University of the Nations, I realized it was nothing like I had expected- which was to learn English or other vocational skills. Instead of traditional academics, I learned more about God and becoming a disciple. After three months of learning about God, we were set to leave on a two month outreach to Vietnam. In order to attend the outreach part of the program, I still needed to raise more funds. God spoke to me and said I needed to leave everything in order to follow Him. The only thing I had to my name was my tuk-tuk- so I sold it and was able to pay for my outreach.”
After returning from his outreach, Vuthy felt the Lord calling him back to him hometown near Kampot to teach English.
He would teach English on the weekends and commute back to Phnom Penh for work during the week. With barely any salary, and an expensive commute, Vuthy needed the Lord to come through with the vision he gave.
“There were no Christians to support me in the village, and my family and friends couldn't understand why I was doing this. I survived mostly on rice and little else during this time to stay faithful to what The Lord had asked of me by saving all my money for transportation. Although it was a season of testing, God continued to be faithful. During one of my weeks in the city, I encountered a Canadian missionary couple- and after hearing my vision, they blessed the school by purchasing a table for the classroom!”
Time and time again, the Lord was faithful.
Vuthy’s parents offered up their property to fulfill Vuthy’s vision.
A church, three classrooms, and a home for local youth who don’t have money to commute to school, are tangible proof of the Lord’s provision.
The over 200 children that come on property for 12 different classes from Tuesday to Saturday are a testimony to the Lord’s faithfulness to his promises.
In the past couple of years, Vuthy’s parents, siblings, neighbors and community members have come to know the Lord and support Vuthy’s vision of transforming this small village in Southern Cambodia.
Two things really stand out to me about Vuthy’s story.
One being all the lives he’s changing by providing a place to stay, English lessons, and discipleship to the youth of his community.
Two being, what initially attracted him to the Lord was the joy of the foreigners that came to Cambodia to serve. Their willingness to serve and share love astounded him. Their kingdom mindsets were unlike anything Vuthy had ever known.
No one preached at him.
No one slapped him with a bible.
No one condemned him.
He was just curious about their joy.
You picking up what I’m putting down?
Through the willingness of those missionaries to show up for the Lord’s calling, a life was changed.
Through that one life a whole village has been transformed.
Why not share the joy of the Lord today?
Who knows what could come from it?
Some village just like Vuthy’s could be waiting for the push of the domino of joy.
Waiting for a pebble to be thrown to create the ripples of love.
Waiting for the reverberation of a single act of kindness.
Waiting for you.
