Some of you may be wondering what in the world a TUK TUK is??? Well, it’s a very common mode of transportation in many parts of the world – like here in Cambodia. Typically, as you walk down the street, you’ll hear, and maybe even be approached by, a driver asking if you’d like a ‘Tuk Tuk?”.
A Cambodian tuk tuk (me & Don, our driver)
Above is a picture of a Cambodian tuk tuk. While they look a bit different throughout the world, they are a means of income and livelihood for many people. These men and women provide transportation throughout the city and typically speak some amount of English (as a rule of thumb I always have the address or map on my phone of where it is I need to go, just in case!).
Why am I writing a blog about tuk tuks? Aside from shedding some light on their profession, I had the privilege of meeting a tuk tuk driver who loves Jesus and sees his tuk tuk as his ministry.
Highlighted Ministry: Don & his tuk tuk!
Don driving his tuk tuk
HOW: How did I meet Don?
I got connected with Don through a friend here in Phnom Penh, Brandi. Brandi is a former World Racer who heard God calling her to come back to Cambodia to learn the language and reach out to the lost here for Christ. She passed his number on to us as a reliable, Christian, & English speaking tuk tuk driver – Amen!
Me, Kayla & Brandi
Don drove my team and me several times around the city: to the Indian Embassy, to the killing fields, to the royal palace, etc. As we interacted, I began to learn more about him. He told me about a Bible study that he leads with his fellow tuk tuk drivers. When I asked him to tell me more about it, he ended up inviting me to join them! What an opportunity!!!! So my teammate, Taylor, and I attended – WOW what a neat time we had! And afterwards I was able to ask him some questions….
WHO: Let’s meet Don
Don’s wife & daughter (his son is not pictured in the blog)
Don is 36 years old and lives in Phnom Penh with his wife and two children, who are 11 and 8 years old. He grew up in a village outside of the city with his family who did not believe in Jesus. His grandfather wanted him to learn English, so he attended a church that provided English classes. Don mentioned that the teachers would pray before class, but he never really was interested in learning anything more than just English. He actually came from a background in which many told him that they hated Jesus and were very closed to Christianity. He attended this class for only a year. But even in this short time, God was working in his heart, softening it towards the truth. When he was old enough, Don’s mother bought him a moto (moped) to which he used to start his career as a tuk tuk driver in the city. And little did he know that God would use one of his regular customers to help him commit his life to Jesus.
Don met an Australian woman who hired him to drive her around various places in the city, one of those being her church. She would ask Don to join her at church. At first he hesitated, because it was precious time he could be out making money from customers, but remembering this woman’s kindness, he decided to accept her invitation. He met her pastor and ended up joining a Bible study group. It was at one of studies that Don gave his life to the Lord. Everything in Don’s life changed, his speaking, drinking, and a sudden desire to share about this change with others, especially his mother. She was experiencing some leg pain to the point of not being able to walk. She was prayed over by people from Don’s church and in a matter of 10 minutes could walk! From that point on she too became a follower of Jesus!
WHAT: What does the ministry look like?
Don’s been a tuk tuk driver for 7 years. When Youth With a Mission (YWAM) had a base here in PP, Don was one of their drivers. He would wait outside the base for opportunities to drive the teams around to various places in the city. This group of drivers, in which Don led at YWAM, began to gather together for Bible study and prayer. This group of drivers has stayed together even after the YWAM base closed. Despite the closing, these men still work together, trusting God for providing customers to drive each day in order to make money for their families.
So one aspect of Don’s ministry are these men, his fellow drivers. They make time within their days to meet and fellowship together. Another aspect of his ministry is reaching out to new tuk tuk drivers while they wait for customers. Don and his brother-in-law have been fortunate enough to see other tuk tuk drivers give their lives to Christ through their friendship. Sokkam is one of those men who joined us for the Bible gathering for the first time!
The tuk tuk drivers @ the Bible study gathering – singing & reading the Bible
Sokkam introducing himself at the Bible study
At the Bible study gathering today, the men sang from a hymnal and then we opened God’s word together. And unexpectedly Don asked Taylor and I to go ahead and share with the group. So we asked the Holy Spirit what He would have us share and turned to Proverbs 3:5-6. It was a great time of sharing and question asking…these men really do want to know God more. Taylor and I had the chance to pray over these men as well…talk about an amazing time of seeing God at work in a country and place we don’t even speak the language! What a privilege to get to serve God here with these men!
***And having just talked with Don today, one day after the Bible study, Don said that Sokkam had an opportunity to share with 2 new tuk tuk drivers last night one of the verses we talked about, Romans 8:28, and these 2 guys are now going to join the Bible study group too!!!!
PRAYER REQUESTS: Would you take a moment and lift Don and his fellow tuk tuk drivers up to the Lord in these ways?
- Each man would desire to know God more and deepen their faith in the Lord; that their trust in Him would increase too.
- Continued opportunities for Don and his group to share their faith with other drivers
- Daily provision through their customers for their needs (food, moto maintenance, house rent, etc.)
- Family health and education for their children – many are trusting God to send their children to Christian schools instead of the public school but that costs money
It has been such a privilege to get to know Don and see how God is using him here in Phnom Penh.
What a great reminder Don and his friends are that God wants to use us right where we are to serve Him and love other people. May we all recognize this in our own lives and be intentional with those in our lives!
Saved to serve, Lauren
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2 Corinthians 5:15
