Every opportunity comes with great responsibility as we heed God’s will. (Ephesian 5:15-17)

 

Sharing the Gospel to the parents of Nika at the village in our Sunday Cell group fellowship was a good opportunity to build relationships with Nika’s family. It was a forty-minute motorcycle drive from Battambang proper to Nika’s house.  I met her parents and younger brother. Nika’s father is receptive to listening to the Gospel. He was eager to read the Bible verses during the time that I was sharing John 14:1-6. The parents of Nika prepared our lunch and joined the worship. They’re glad to have fellowship with us and even harvested their vegetables for us to take home. Recently, three times already, Nika’s aunty, Pisay, with her kids are attending our Sunday cell group. Pisay is planning to soon study Bible with me on Saturday afternoon.

 

 

Shine Sunday School Teacher’s Training went great despite the challenges we’ve faced. Twelve beautiful Sunday school teachers were happily trained with very good materials. However, amid the training, I received a call from someone I know and told me to put the training on halt because the government issued another protocol prohibiting gatherings above 20 people that evening.  My mind panicked but the Holy Spirit brought me into another room and kneeled in prayer, asking for God’s wisdom, guidance, favor, and peace. By faith in God, it was my call to make a wise decision after I talked to the missionary couple that I worked with this training. When I surrender it to God and took the risk, He blessed me with peace and humility. I appreciate the person who called me and considered it as his care for me despite the threatening words I received from him.  His will prevails as we listened to the Holy Spirit’s leading. We trusted God’s promises and stuck to our guns despite the threat we received. Thus, it was successful and more meaningful because it is better to obey God than men.

 

Virtual Bible study with Mak Ya & Mak Chan is now back to normal class. However, Mak Ya, in her newfound faith, went through difficult situations. Her brother-in-law, sister, and father got COVID and were in critical condition at the hospital. Her frustration was seems unending as two girls from Marlenes’ home were both in the Battambang quarantine facility as they got infected with the virus also. She questioned God for the difficult situation she was having. I prayed with her after listening to her weary heart. Mak Ya and Mak Chan cannot go home to their respective family as the situation both at work and home were in a challenging situation to which their care and service were needed. Nevertheless, nothing can withhold God’s power and grace. Last week, as we resumed our in-person Bible study we cried together in prayer and victory because we saw God’s Mighty Hand over the tough circumstances. Everyone was healed from COVID 19 in Mak Ya’s family and two girls at work, except for Mak Chan’s grandfather who was not able to survive from COVID.  Mak Ya and Chan’s faith in Jesus grow dramatically. Now, Mak Ya and Mak Chan are grateful to God for their firsthand experience of who God is.

 

Essa celebrated her 20th birthday with her mother, sister, and baby brother, Josiah last week. She’s thinner as she needs to help her mother because her father’s sickness attacks again. Essa’s father refused to take medicine, so needs to be tied as he sometimes becomes harmful. But praise the Lord that I was able to spend time with the family on Essa’s birthday and encourage them in His Word and prayer. We are praying for God’s miracle.

 

Intentional discipleship with Nika, Lida, Lyta, and Sreyleak is blessed with God’s grace. Nika, in her newfound faith in Jesus, studied Bible at Shine for 10 months now and invited Lida last June then Lyta joined the class in August. It started late last year when Sreyleak started the class and encouraged Nika to study also. Nika and Lyda will study at YWAM DTS in January next year for 6 months, but before that Nika,  Lyda, and Sreyleak will have their water Baptism on December 26. God is so great and faithful! The transformed lives encourage me to continue in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ faithfully despite the hardships. God is gracious and most worthy of praise and service.

 

 

Dara’s family: Praise God that Dara is now a full-time government teacher. She is assigned in a far distant district in the northwest. Dara’s 11-month- old baby boy is taking care of her mother in Anlongvil. Dara is still finishing her first course in the university, which is Tourism, on weekends here in Battambang. Our communication is virtual also, but recently I visited her family because her aunty Savy, got COVID with a five-month-old baby. She got it worst as she was the only one who was not vaccinated in the family.  When I got there at their house, almost the whole family was sick with fever and colds. Praise God for allowing me to bring a box of Vitamin C and a bag of oranges to give them. God used the time to encourage Dara’s family with His Word and prayer.  God’s ways still amaze me.

 

 

Evangelical Fellowship Cambodia (EFC) in Battambang met on November 18 and I listened to the four leaders sharing on the current policies in the country with regards to government and religion.  A leader from EFC Phnom Penh came and I was tasked to initiate this meeting possible as Lukro Sano of Khmer Evangelical Churches (KEC) was busy as country director of Maddox Jolie- Pitt Foundation. So, I prayed to God on what should I do, what is His plan and will for me in this ministry. At night on November 17, I messaged again Lukro Sano if it was possible for him to grace the meeting and he said yes because he feels better now. He got sick. The meeting was tough as I need to share my thoughts also on some concerns. But praise the Lord that the meeting went well. I was then asked to join the EFC Pastors breakfast fellowship on the next day. It was a privilege to meet old and new Pastors in Battambang. They love the chocolate cake that I baked for them but most importantly, the privilege to share with them a quick encouragement from 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12. Glory and honor to the Father alone.

 

Shine Seekers cell group fellowship went great last Saturday, November 27. Almost all the people that I prayed came. Only, three did not come, Ah Vin, Lida, and Sina. Praise the Lord for these young people who came. Fifty percent of them are unbelievers. Another huge opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus. As usual, Satan is not happy with the progress of God’s work at Shine. The day before the event, I got sick, my sore throat was getting worse and I felt tired physically. I almost decide to cancel it but God is gracious and powerful. I didn’t share about my condition as I am aware of the Spiritual battle I was facing at that moment. Suddenly, Sopheak came at 3 pm and Singim at 5 pm on Friday. God sent these two young people to help me with the preparations. Before the two left at 8 pm, the three of us prayed to God and offered everything to God. Note, Sopheak is not a believer yet but he is now more open to the Gospel of Jesus. Mari Ya, a Muslim came with a visitor, Sokha. Glory, praise, and honor to Him alone.

 

Thanksgiving:

1. BSOP field council 2021 went well despite we did it through Zoom.

2. God’s awesome grace, favor, and protection. These are all God’s doing. I am in awe of God and tears every time I evaluate what He has done these seasons of change, challenges, and opportunities. He is who He is—Great and Faithful Abba Father.  

 

Please pray for:

1. Shine Sunday Cell Group worship and fellowship (7 people 9 are joining) at 9:00 am-1:00 pm

2. Shine Intentional Discipleship & Mentoring (IDM):

                * Mentoring Tuesday, Leakhena at 3:30-7:00 pm

                * Intentional Discipleship (ID) Wednesday-Thursday, Mak Ya & Mak Chan at 10:00-12:00 noon

                * ID Thursday-Friday, Nika, Lida, Lyta, & Leak at 4:45-7:00 pm

                * ID house visitations

                * IDM Sunday, Singim at 5:00-7:00 pm

3. Shine family Christmas Celebrations (two Cambodian families) December 24, Friday.

4. Shine seekers cell group Christmas celebration on December 25, Saturday.

5. Shine Sunday cell group at Nika’s village and Baptism on December 26, Sunday.

6. Possible Bible study with Pisay in December and Christmas big opportunity to share the GOSPEL.

7. Intimacy with God in His Word and prayer: Good health, strength, wisdom, and protection. My hands are in pain esp. when I woke up in the morning.

 

How can I pray for you? Please let me know also. Thank you so much for your faithful partnership in sharing the Gospel of Jesus here in Cambodia. Glory and honor are all His.

 

^“But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy 4:17-18)

 

In Christ,

Mary Jane G. Aragon

BSOP, Cambodia missionary

#: +855 77305008