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Yes, we actually made it to ministry site! We arrived in the city of Battambang, Cambodia on October 8, 2016 after 3 days of planes, layovers, hostels, and bus rides. Travel days are no joke!
But all the travel was worth the smiling faces of Lukas Bernhardt and all the “family” of Lighthouse Battambang when we arrived. Lukas introduced us and we received a warm chorus of “Hello!” Somaly, Lukas’ wife, gave the team a tour of the house and showed us all where we’d be staying during our time here. We put our belongings in our room and headed back down stairs to attend dinner with Lukas and Somaly.
Lukas is such a fun lovingly, laid back, opinionated, big hearted man who says he came to Cambodia and just never left.
He started in Cambodia as a missionary on multiple trips working with various ministries here. On one particular occasion he was working long term with a ministry and had a “little sister” in the ministry that needed housing in the city so that she could attend school. As an older male it was not appropriate to bring this girl into his home alone with him. And as he pondered on the problem, he realized there were probably other children with the same issue.
And the ministry of Lighthouse Battambang was born!
Lukas’ little sister and few other young people began living with Lukas in the city. They attended school and participated in the ministry that Lukas’ was working with at the time.
Over time Lighthouse Battambang grew as more and more young people needed housing in the city in order to attend school. Lukas began to build a team, one of which was the cook named Somaly. Lukas and Somaly grew together as team and also began a relationship and were later married.
This Man and Woman of Peace here in Battambang have spread the love of Jesus by giving the students an option.
Here in Cambodia, children are expected to take on the religion of the household. But as Lukas and Somaly have given students a home in the city, they have not made it mandatory for the students to become “Christian” and for good reason.
They want Christianity to be a choice.
Here at Lighthouse, the team talks about Jesus, they study the Bible, and students have the option to become Christian, but is important that it is a choice.
If the student does not make this a conscience decision that they personally initiate, when they go home they will switch back to whatever religion they originally followed. The goal is to bring the realization that being a Christian is a commitment. If you go back home to where you family is a Buddhist, will you “change back” or do you truly want a relationship with Jesus?
Either way, it is their choice…
Lukas told a story of a young lady who moved home after her schooling. She was so committed to Christianity that when she went home she had to explain to her family that she could not just “change back”. She became a witness to them.
That is mission of this ministry… to make disciples of all nations by loving them and supporting them through housing and schooling and having the opportunity to tell them about Jesus throughout that time.
It has been amazing to do life with these loving, fun, open hearted youth. I’m looking forward to sharing how God is working here in Lighthouse Battambang.
