Dear Friends and Family,
Khaaabooom! The steel roof started
to sway, and Bob Hollandsworth took
a tight grip, not knowing what to
expect. Khaaabooom! Again! “We were
working on the rice mill building
when there were large explosions,
one after another. The wall we were
standing on shook as I stood up,
Daniel (Foursquare Vice President)
calmly tapped me on the shoulder and
said, ‘Land mines’, and pointed to a
large column of smoke about 150
yards away. Only in Cambodia”, exclaimed Bob! They were
the big, anti-tank, variety, and
they were right across the street
from our new church/home. No big
deal in Balang. We expect that
there, but I forgot to warn Bob, who
came to help erect the clear span
steel roof over our rice mill. No
one was hurt this time, as they were
planned explosions set off by CMAC
(Cambodian mine clearing
organization). They accomplished the
task by building a fire around them.
Recipe reads, “Slow bake until
BANG!” Normally, the results are not
so benign, as cows, and occasional
farmers are the usual triggers.
Peter (national church president)
and I showed up the next day, only
to find that CMAC had now moved to
the other side of the church. The
local pastor walked us back for a
look, carefully pointing out a
suspicious mound, “Don’t go there.
We think there is a mine,” he
explained as he pointed out what was
supposed to be the kids volleyball
court.
“We
will try to get CMAC to take a look.”
Peter’s phone rang. It was the
ministry of health ordering us to
kill all our quail, AGAIN! Talk
about a heart breaker! This came
just as we were near a productive
population, for the second time. Cambodia had its first confirmed
human death to “Bird flu” a few
miles south of our main production
facility, and they were taking no
chances. I guess that is the end of
our quail enterprise. At least until
bird flu is nothing but a faint,
however unpleasant, memory. “Sorry”
to all concerned for all the wasted
investment and labor.
The real surprise came three weeks
later, as we were able to purchase a
lot next to our Church/home in
Khampong Channang, due to the
generosity of the Thousand Oaks Church. They sent a team to install a new
septic treatment facility we call
“Frank’s outhouse”, in honor of the
designer of the ‘constructed
wetland’ treatment system, and donor
of the wind powered aeration pump,
civil engineer and friend, Frank
Manning. The land is literally
located across the street from the
largest CMAC installation in Cambodia, in an area that has been
declared “cleared” for at least six
years. On day one they started
digging a trench and unearthed a,
fortunately, highly corroded, trip
wire mine. Then on day two, what
looked to be a “Claymore” (Nasty
mine that jumps out of the ground
and cuts your legs off). Wisely,
Ryan Taggart called in the team and
had CMAC come and inspect. Yup! It
was a mine. They removed it. I am so
grateful no one was hurt. I would
have guessed that area to be one of
the safest in Cambodia. Shows what I know.
Tap, tap, glue, screw, there! I put
my soapbox back together. The last
time I dragged it out I churned up
such a controversy I decided to
break it up for kindling, but then
it’s been close to 100 degrees F so,
I still have it, and decided to
resurrect it. Up I go, there. Ready?
“Why doesn’t anyone wash a rental
car? That’s it! That’s the reason
why many missionary efforts are
frustratingly unfruitful! I am so
thankful for that bit of insight,
which came courtesy of some unnamed US army general, explaining why the
US military was not capturing
the support of many of Iraq’s population. Most missions’
efforts are rental cars. They are
owned by foreigners, run by
foreigners, funded by foreigners. No
wonder the locals don’t take
responsibility and pride in them.
Now, we may have a clunker, blowing
smoke out the tail pipe, fenders
flapping in the breeze, but the
pastors Simonize the heap, and love
it to the death. Why? It is theirs’.
I’m just the hired gun. We are a
local NGO, not international, the
Cambodian board puts me in my place,
and I do what I do through the power
of relationship. It’s the best form
of power anyway. Well, that’s it.
Short, huh? Sliiiiiiiiide. I put it
back in the closet until I see how
much trouble I stir up this month.
Here is what I am talking about.
“I won’t pay for it”, I protested,
as Yohan and Rain, two of our
contractors, told me about an
elaborate sign they wanted to build
at the Training Center. “Oh no”, they explained, “We will
pay”. They did too, and finished it
just in time for our 5th
annual convention. No rental car
here. The rules were strict. “If
you’ve been to several before,
please stay home and let new pastors
come (as a result 1/3 of the pastors
who came last year stayed home).
Only one staff member per church
allowed. Only district supervisors
are allowed to bring their spouse.
No youth pastors.” Why were we so
strict? To try to keep the numbers
down! In a facility designed to
accommodate 400 we had about 1500
gathered for most meetings. We had
to move the meeting outside under a
series of tents. 1254 pastors were
registered, plus we had local staff,
120 orphans, local church members
and guests. We had international
guests from the Foursquare Church from Singapore, the US, and Hong Kong.
I would say, it was the toughest
meeting we have ever orchestrated. I
am convinced there were forces that
didn’t want it to happen. See:
http://www.missionreports.com/conference2005/index0003.htm
The theme was, “Care for My Sheep”
from John 21:16, but the working
reality was the “Anointing of God”.
He didn’t disappoint us. Guest
speakers, Bill Norton of
Yuba City,
California, David and
Mihaela from
Romania,
Intercessors,
Sonny
and
Darleen Weimer, of
Fort Morgan, Colorado, along with a host of local talent,
helped bring heaven to earth. Around
500 new pastors were baptized in the
Holy Spirit, 200 in water, close to
50 were delivered of witchcraft,
sins of pride and jealousy were
confessed, and then the really neat
stuff started to happen. Cancerous
tumors disappeared, deaf ears were
opened, paralyzed arms were healed,
two couples planning on divorce
reconciled, then on the next to the
last
night, about 9:00pm an older woman,
new
home
group leader, collapsed, complaining
of pain and paralysis in her left
side. Our two staff doctors
administered aid. She had a stroke.
Then, her entire body went limp, she
quit breathing, her bladder
released, and her heart quit
beating. The doctors worked on her,
to no avail. Hundreds of people
gathered around. They wanted to call
an ambulance. “There is no point”,
said Dr. Chhaya, “She’s been dead
for nine minutes”. He remembered the
girl raised from the dead in
Mondolkirri last year. “All you can
do is pray!” Hundreds began to cry
out to God. After several minutes,
she gasped, blinked, and sat up
shaking her fist. This is her story.
“Before I became a Christian I
sacrificed two cows to a spirit, but
today I received the Holy Spirit.
The spirit tried to drag me to hell
but your prayers brought me back”
February was a busy month! We
started with a visit from our major
construction partner, International
Cooperating Ministries, they have
helped us construct 72 Church/Orphan
homes and are committed to more. We
need home sponsors! See:
http://www.missionreports.com/icm_jan2005/
.. We also need your prayers. In Cambodia, if you want a government
job, you buy it. Last November the
directorship of the Ministry of
Cults and Religions sold for
$25,000, to a Buddhist (it is not
considered a high level, prestige
job), but then the Muslims decided
it was worth having, street rumors
have the price paid as high as
$1,100,000. I guess $25,000 doesn’t
last long, since no refund was given
the former director. Anyway, since
the new director has taken over no
new Christian church permits have
been issued.
Bert Reed of ICM paid a visit to
many of our new Church/homes, we
dedicated two more facilities last
month, and Northwest Medical
Missions sent a dental team, (make
sure you see the story at the end of
the website)
http://www.missionreports.com/dental_jan05/
The Thousand Oaks Church has a team
in country as does Children of
Promise International.
Our micro-enterprise operations keep
growing with a new weaving site
being constructed, the tractor
factory producing many obsolete
parts, for American made Case
tractors, as well as rebuilding some
for use in Cambodia. One church home opened a
bicycle and motorcycle repair shop,
several others are selling
handicrafts made of wood, and some
sell vegetables produced in their
fields. It all helps keep us
chugging along!
http://www.missionreports.com/tractor_factory/
That’s enough Ted! Shut up! Ok! Ok!
Blessings!
Ted, Sou & Hannah Olbrich & Anna
Blake and Ryan Taggart
Cambodia
