Overwhelmed by decade
of deaths and civil war,
00:00:37.60\00:00:42.39
plagued with
poverty and disease,
00:00:42.42\00:00:45.35
haunted by the evil spirits
of ancient belief systems
00:00:45.38\00:00:49.44
the people of the small country
of Cambodia in Southeast Asia
00:00:49.47\00:00:54.00
live lives gripped with
fear, sadness, grief and pain.
00:00:54.03\00:01:00.74
Without the
knowledge of love of God
00:01:00.77\00:01:02.66
and His wonderful salvation
00:01:02.69\00:01:05.23
the people of Cambodia
00:01:05.26\00:01:06.92
face lives of
desperation without hope,
00:01:06.95\00:01:11.13
lost in a world of the
broken and heavy-hearted.
00:01:11.16\00:01:16.29
However, just as Jesus
00:01:16.32\00:01:18.24
came to the poor
and suffering of His day
00:01:18.27\00:01:21.12
He has also now coming again
00:01:21.15\00:01:23.73
to His lost
children in Cambodia.
00:01:23.76\00:01:27.24
Beginning about 1995, a small
handful of Cambodian people
00:01:27.27\00:01:32.34
who had come to know God
00:01:32.37\00:01:33.84
well, in the
refugee camps of Thailand
00:01:33.87\00:01:36.20
began to return to Cambodia.
00:01:36.23\00:01:38.81
As they did they could not help
but share the new hope and joy
00:01:38.84\00:01:42.82
that they had found with
the people that they met.
00:01:42.85\00:01:46.17
Now thousands of
people have come to know Jesus
00:01:46.20\00:01:49.69
and have accepted Him
00:01:49.72\00:01:50.92
as their Creator,
Savoir and personal friend.
00:01:50.95\00:01:55.96
From the beginning of
this wonderful new moment
00:01:55.99\00:01:59.13
Adventist
Southeast Asia Projects
00:01:59.16\00:02:01.49
has been working in tandem
00:02:01.52\00:02:03.35
with the
Cambodia Adventist Mission
00:02:03.38\00:02:05.82
to nurture these new believers.
00:02:05.85\00:02:09.25
By sponsoring church planter
00:02:09.28\00:02:11.20
and other national missionaries,
00:02:11.23\00:02:13.11
by providing Bibles and
other evangelistic materials,
00:02:13.14\00:02:18.07
by building temporary churches,
00:02:18.10\00:02:20.37
by bringing security
and opportunity to children
00:02:20.40\00:02:23.45
through literacy schools
00:02:23.48\00:02:25.48
and through
humanitarian assistance,
00:02:25.51\00:02:28.03
ASAP is helping to
heal the brokenhearted
00:02:28.06\00:02:31.94
in a country where
people are in desperate need.
00:02:31.97\00:02:35.71
The Cambodian
Adventist Mission recently sent
00:02:37.83\00:02:40.66
Adventist
Southeast Asia Projects
00:02:40.69\00:02:42.53
an urgent message
asking us to partner with them.
00:02:42.56\00:02:45.87
In faith, our
ministry willing responded
00:02:45.90\00:02:48.81
and today many more dedicated
00:02:48.84\00:02:50.74
ASAP church planters
are sharing God's light.
00:02:50.77\00:02:55.08
Another big challenge
involves the fact that over 80%
00:02:55.11\00:02:58.80
of the newly baptized members
are living in extreme poverty.
00:02:58.83\00:03:02.49
How can we turn
our back on the poor
00:03:02.52\00:03:04.65
and the suffering and
just preach the gospel?
00:03:04.68\00:03:08.04
Holistic approaches are needed.
00:03:08.07\00:03:11.77
You know, shortly after
Jesus Christ began His ministry
00:03:11.80\00:03:15.50
He boldly stood up in the temple
00:03:15.53\00:03:17.21
and shared His
mission statement.
00:03:17.24\00:03:19.93
He said, "The spirit
of the Lord is upon Me,
00:03:19.96\00:03:23.56
because He has anointed Me
00:03:23.59\00:03:25.04
to preach the
gospel to the poor.
00:03:25.07\00:03:27.57
He has sent Me to
heal the brokenhearted,
00:03:27.60\00:03:30.34
to preach
deliverance to the captives
00:03:30.37\00:03:33.09
and recover of
sight to the blind,
00:03:33.12\00:03:35.61
to set at liberty
those who are oppressed,
00:03:35.64\00:03:39.34
to preach the
acceptable year of the Lord."
00:03:39.37\00:03:43.54
Christ fulfilled His
mission not just by preaching
00:03:43.57\00:03:47.29
but also by
lifting up the oppressed.
00:03:47.32\00:03:49.69
A brokenhearted
Samaritan woman at the well,
00:03:49.72\00:03:52.57
the ten lepers,
the demon possessed boy
00:03:52.60\00:03:55.10
and many others whose
lives were transformed
00:03:55.13\00:03:57.21
by the light of His love
00:03:57.24\00:03:58.65
demonstrate His
concern for the whole person.
00:03:58.68\00:04:01.69
The Cambodian
missionaries we support
00:04:01.72\00:04:03.87
share the same mission statement
00:04:03.90\00:04:05.69
and daily they imitate their
master's compassionate methods
00:04:05.72\00:04:09.09
of reaching the
hearts of the people.
00:04:09.12\00:04:10.97
I'd like you to
meet ASAP sponsor
00:04:11.00\00:04:13.30
church planter Thor Bohpal,
00:04:13.33\00:04:15.57
a missionary to his own people.
00:04:15.60\00:04:17.50
He shares Christ's commitment
00:04:17.53\00:04:19.71
to minister to the whole person.
00:04:19.74\00:04:21.39
Thor Bohpal is one
of the church planters
00:04:28.11\00:04:30.46
sponsored by ASAP.
00:04:30.49\00:04:32.41
Before he came to know
Jesus his primary goal in life
00:04:32.44\00:04:36.09
was to make money
and become a rich man.
00:04:36.12\00:04:40.01
He has now become a
dedicated worker for God
00:04:40.04\00:04:42.92
who has led many
people to Christ.
00:04:42.95\00:04:46.29
Before he became a Christian
00:04:46.32\00:04:47.88
Thor Bohpal used to
despise everything that had
00:04:47.91\00:04:51.24
anything to do with Christianity
00:04:51.27\00:04:53.34
especially the Bible.
00:04:53.37\00:04:56.20
I strongly resented the
fact that my wife had become
00:04:56.23\00:04:59.39
a member of the SDA church.
00:04:59.42\00:05:02.52
From everything that
I had read about them
00:05:02.55\00:05:05.10
I believe that they wear a coat.
00:05:05.13\00:05:07.46
Like most of the
people in Cambodia
00:05:07.49\00:05:10.21
I followed, a belief system
00:05:10.24\00:05:12.36
that was a
combination of Buddhism,
00:05:12.39\00:05:14.48
superstition,
spiritism and ancestor worship.
00:05:14.51\00:05:20.06
Everyday before going to work
00:05:20.09\00:05:22.33
I would pleased the
spirits by offering food
00:05:22.36\00:05:25.41
and incense to my idols
and also stopping by temple
00:05:25.44\00:05:28.92
so the monk could
bless me for good measure.
00:05:28.95\00:05:31.77
However, with all of my
dedication to my beliefs
00:05:31.80\00:05:36.31
I still found my life
was filled with nothing
00:05:36.34\00:05:39.36
but difficulty and misfortunes.
00:05:39.39\00:05:41.88
I began to study
with Pastor Hondura
00:05:41.91\00:05:44.67
who showed me that only
true power comes from God
00:05:44.70\00:05:48.02
and that His perfect
love cast on all of us.
00:05:48.05\00:05:51.66
One morning Thor Bohpal woke up
00:05:51.69\00:05:53.62
and made his decision to
accept Jesus as his Savior.
00:05:53.65\00:05:57.26
The first thing that he did
00:05:57.29\00:05:58.78
was destroy all of
the idols in his house.
00:05:58.81\00:06:01.82
He says that it
was an amazing feeling
00:06:01.85\00:06:03.76
to be free from Satan's grasp.
00:06:03.79\00:06:05.61
Now as Thor Bohpal goes about
his work as a church planter
00:06:09.68\00:06:13.85
he often helps people break free
00:06:13.88\00:06:16.38
from the
oppression of evil spirits.
00:06:16.41\00:06:18.51
Kim High is a lady who
has been coming to church
00:06:20.01\00:06:22.80
and taking Bible
studies for several months.
00:06:22.83\00:06:25.71
Her late husband
worked as a sorcerer
00:06:25.74\00:06:28.30
and since his death she
has been plagued with sickness
00:06:28.33\00:06:32.02
and has been tormented
by spirits every night.
00:06:32.05\00:06:36.30
After she heard Thor Bohpal
00:06:36.33\00:06:38.47
tell how he had been freed
by getting rid of his idols
00:06:38.50\00:06:41.78
she made the bold decision
00:06:41.81\00:06:43.28
to get rid of all of
the idols in her home too.
00:06:43.31\00:06:47.23
Thor Bohpal came to
her home, prayed for her
00:06:47.26\00:06:50.57
and thorough Gods power
00:06:50.60\00:06:51.95
release the
hold of the evil one.
00:06:51.98\00:06:55.03
Together they claimed
the promises of scripture
00:06:55.06\00:06:57.91
such as John 8:12 where
Jesus told His disciples,
00:06:57.94\00:07:01.87
"I am the light of the world.
00:07:01.90\00:07:03.80
He who follows me shall
not walk in the darkness
00:07:03.83\00:07:06.85
but have the light of life."
00:07:06.88\00:07:08.61
Together under the
protecting power of heaven
00:07:12.69\00:07:15.52
they burned the idols.
00:07:15.55\00:07:17.62
They prayed that God
would send His angels
00:07:17.65\00:07:19.92
to protect her and her daughter.
00:07:19.95\00:07:22.24
Their prayers were answered
00:07:22.27\00:07:24.04
and they were set free
from the power of the spirits.
00:07:24.07\00:07:26.75
Kim High is so grateful to God
00:07:30.74\00:07:32.75
for delivering her
from the heavy darkness
00:07:32.78\00:07:35.38
that used to fill
every crack of her home.
00:07:35.41\00:07:37.67
Like many people in Cambodia,
00:07:46.02\00:07:48.09
Kong Sorn has
tried to make a living
00:07:48.12\00:07:50.44
by starting his
own small business.
00:07:50.47\00:07:53.38
He buys kerosene
in the market place
00:07:53.41\00:07:55.95
and then with the small markup
attempts to resell the fuel
00:07:55.98\00:07:59.33
to the people in
his neighborhood.
00:07:59.36\00:08:01.89
His idea had not
been very successful
00:08:01.92\00:08:04.72
and his wife had taken
three of his five children
00:08:04.75\00:08:07.73
and had left him.
00:08:07.76\00:08:10.48
When Thor Bohpal
began to visit him
00:08:10.51\00:08:12.51
he found a man filled
with depression and grief,
00:08:12.54\00:08:15.35
barely able to provide food
for his remaining two children.
00:08:15.38\00:08:19.51
At first, Kong Sorn
00:08:19.54\00:08:20.97
was not interested
in learning about God
00:08:21.00\00:08:23.04
but as Thor Bohpal continue
to visit him and befriend him,
00:08:23.07\00:08:26.76
helping him with
food for his children
00:08:26.79\00:08:28.76
his fear and suspicion
gave way to a sincere desire
00:08:28.79\00:08:32.64
to know more about
this God of heaven.
00:08:32.67\00:08:35.99
He began to join the
small group of believers
00:08:36.02\00:08:38.41
every Sabbath and soon
accepted Jesus as his Savior.
00:08:38.44\00:08:43.86
As he continue to
study with Thor Bohpal
00:08:43.89\00:08:46.79
and worship God
with a small group
00:08:46.82\00:08:49.21
his faith grew and he began
00:08:49.24\00:08:51.59
to experience
relief from his depression,
00:08:51.62\00:08:54.37
answers to prayer
and a miraculous increase
00:08:54.40\00:08:58.23
in his sales of kerosene.
00:08:58.26\00:09:01.90
With help from the
faithful supporters of ASAP
00:09:01.93\00:09:05.24
a small church
has now been build
00:09:05.27\00:09:07.28
in Kong Sorn's neighborhood
00:09:07.31\00:09:09.03
to facilitate the
growing interest there.
00:09:09.06\00:09:12.11
Kong Sorn was asked to be
the caretaker of he property
00:09:12.14\00:09:15.32
and ASAP helped with
funds to build a small house
00:09:15.35\00:09:19.20
next to the church
for him to live in.
00:09:19.23\00:09:22.25
In time his wife and
rest of the children returned
00:09:22.28\00:09:25.64
and they are now
a happy family again
00:09:25.67\00:09:28.31
all rejoicing in
their new faith in God.
00:09:28.34\00:09:32.36
Kong Sorn says,
00:09:32.39\00:09:33.67
I went from having
nothing to having everything,
00:09:33.70\00:09:38.39
Jesus is everything to me.
00:09:38.42\00:09:42.17
My work in
missions has taught me
00:09:42.20\00:09:43.83
how important it is
to understand the culture
00:09:43.86\00:09:46.42
and language of the people
you are reaching for Christ.
00:09:46.45\00:09:49.58
This is why ASAP
finds it so effective
00:09:49.61\00:09:52.52
to use Cambodians
to reach Cambodians,
00:09:52.55\00:09:55.48
Vietnamese to reach Vietnamese
and Laotians to reach Laotians.
00:09:55.51\00:09:59.82
You know it's
really exciting to see
00:09:59.85\00:10:01.24
how the Holy Spirit impresses
the church planters to find
00:10:01.27\00:10:04.30
simple ways to
reach out to people,
00:10:04.33\00:10:06.61
to make the gospel
real, to touch lives.
00:10:06.64\00:10:09.52
So I have a lot of respect
for these church planters.
00:10:09.55\00:10:12.66
They are
planting strong faithful
00:10:12.69\00:10:14.68
Seventh-day
Adventist congregations,
00:10:14.71\00:10:16.82
yet the work is not completed,
00:10:16.85\00:10:18.64
there is so much more to do,
00:10:18.67\00:10:20.23
so many more villages and
towns with no Christian witness.
00:10:20.26\00:10:24.39
We need your help, we
need your partnership.
00:10:24.42\00:10:27.90
So please pray for
ASAP church planters,
00:10:27.93\00:10:31.03
many of whom still
need financial support.
00:10:31.06\00:10:33.99
Ask God if He is calling you
00:10:34.02\00:10:35.90
or your church
group to partner with
00:10:35.93\00:10:37.56
one of these church
planters like Thor Bohpal,
00:10:37.59\00:10:40.40
to place a light
of Christian witness
00:10:40.43\00:10:42.15
in many more towns and
villages in Southeast Asia.
00:10:42.18\00:10:45.18
According to the
World Bank, Southeast Asia
00:10:48.24\00:10:51.02
is home for approximately
one half of the world's poor.
00:10:51.05\00:10:55.33
Millions of
people are struggling
00:10:55.36\00:10:57.13
to survive on
less than $1 a day.
00:10:57.16\00:11:01.16
In Cambodia
thousands suffer and die
00:11:01.19\00:11:04.28
each year from serious diseases.
00:11:04.31\00:11:06.78
Over the last 10
years HIV and AIDS
00:11:06.81\00:11:10.44
has become an
increasingly serious problem
00:11:10.47\00:11:13.67
especially among
the poor of Cambodia
00:11:13.70\00:11:17.27
and yet even year God
is working miraculously,
00:11:17.30\00:11:22.05
calling His
children on to Himself,
00:11:22.08\00:11:25.11
bringing healing
to the brokenhearted.
00:11:25.14\00:11:29.51
Meet, Seth Sinath,
that she is alive today
00:11:29.54\00:11:33.45
is a direct answer to prayer.
00:11:33.48\00:11:37.01
I already knew
that I was HIV positive
00:11:37.04\00:11:39.91
and now it looked as
though I was reaching the end.
00:11:39.94\00:11:44.12
For weeks I had been so ill
00:11:44.15\00:11:46.16
that I could
barely get up off my mat.
00:11:46.19\00:11:49.15
I heard that some Christians
were coming to our village
00:11:49.18\00:11:52.07
to do a health screening
but I was too sick to go.
00:11:52.10\00:11:56.16
My mother went and
brought home a small broacher.
00:11:56.19\00:11:59.85
When I opened it
I read the words,
00:11:59.88\00:12:03.21
"Jesus healed a lady
who is bleeding for 18 years
00:12:03.24\00:12:07.33
and He can heal you too."
00:12:07.36\00:12:11.03
Even though I
didn't know who Jesus was,
00:12:11.06\00:12:13.61
these words gave me
a little bit of hope.
00:12:13.64\00:12:16.63
I urged my mother
to call the number
00:12:16.66\00:12:19.03
on the back of the broacher.
00:12:19.06\00:12:21.22
A Seventh-day
Adventist church planter
00:12:21.25\00:12:23.11
by the name of Oung Sophal
00:12:23.14\00:12:25.17
received the desperate
call from Sinath's mother
00:12:25.20\00:12:28.27
and quickly responded.
00:12:28.30\00:12:31.66
Early the next morning I
went by boat to Kodiak Island
00:12:31.69\00:12:35.09
and found Sinath lying
00:12:35.12\00:12:36.45
very still on a
mat covered with sores.
00:12:36.48\00:12:39.82
Her family had put an
idol of Buddha on her forehead
00:12:39.85\00:12:43.33
and friends and family
were chanting a mantra.
00:12:43.36\00:12:46.68
When she saw me she
weekly pleaded, please help me.
00:12:46.71\00:12:50.71
I bent down closer and said,
only Jesus Christ can help you.
00:12:50.74\00:12:55.22
Sinath said,
who is Jesus Christ?
00:12:55.25\00:12:58.51
I told her,
Jesus is the true God
00:12:58.54\00:13:00.86
who can heal you
and take your sins away.
00:13:00.89\00:13:03.30
I got close to her and
asked, do you want me to pray
00:13:03.33\00:13:06.66
and ask Jesus
Christ to help you?
00:13:06.69\00:13:09.31
Sinath slowly nodded.
00:13:09.34\00:13:11.49
After we prayed, it was amazing,
00:13:11.52\00:13:13.82
Sinath sat up
and was able to eat
00:13:13.85\00:13:15.81
for the first time in two weeks.
00:13:15.84\00:13:18.17
The next day
Oung Sophal brought me
00:13:18.20\00:13:21.14
to a Christian
hospital in Phnom Penh
00:13:21.17\00:13:24.08
where they admitted me.
00:13:24.11\00:13:25.90
We seem hopeless for her
00:13:25.93\00:13:28.94
but on that day by treatment
and some of the church member
00:13:28.97\00:13:34.08
and I, we pray for her.
00:13:34.11\00:13:37.94
After prayers she felt better.
00:13:37.97\00:13:40.27
It mean like God give His
power to her and strength her.
00:13:40.30\00:13:46.14
Over the next few days
00:13:46.17\00:13:47.74
my new friends came
and visited me regularly.
00:13:47.77\00:13:50.91
We sang songs about
God and prayed together.
00:13:50.94\00:13:54.76
Each day I got
better and better.
00:13:54.79\00:13:57.64
I was so excited about Jesus
00:13:57.67\00:13:59.74
I shared the
stories from the Bible
00:13:59.77\00:14:02.47
and what God was doing for me
00:14:02.50\00:14:04.76
with 13 other AIDS
patients in the clinic.
00:14:04.79\00:14:08.96
Four of them
accepted Jesus as their Savior
00:14:08.99\00:14:12.58
and they are still alive today.
00:14:12.61\00:14:15.87
God healed them as He did me.
00:14:15.90\00:14:20.90
About six months later
I returned to my doctor,
00:14:20.93\00:14:24.24
he was surprised
to see me so healthy.
00:14:24.27\00:14:27.29
He was even more shocked
00:14:27.32\00:14:28.66
when he got my test
results beck from the lab.
00:14:28.69\00:14:31.87
The report said,
I was HIV negative.
00:14:31.90\00:14:36.13
Even though the
doctor did not believe in God
00:14:36.16\00:14:39.01
he said, it must be a miracle.
00:14:39.04\00:14:42.37
Hearing this news made me
very happy and I praised God
00:14:42.40\00:14:47.23
but the best day of my
life came six months later
00:14:47.26\00:14:51.07
when I received a new
spiritual life in Christ
00:14:51.10\00:14:55.28
by being baptized.
00:14:55.31\00:14:58.10
I met Seth Sinath shortly
00:14:58.13\00:15:00.18
after she was
released from the hospital,
00:15:00.21\00:15:03.36
laying hands upon her we
prayed for her complete healing.
00:15:03.39\00:15:08.90
God heard the many prayers
and miraculously answered.
00:15:08.93\00:15:13.66
When we visited
Cambodia again this last March
00:15:13.69\00:15:16.76
we found out that Sinath
00:15:16.79\00:15:18.36
is still sharing
her miracle story
00:15:18.39\00:15:21.21
and introducing the
great physician to many people
00:15:21.24\00:15:25.96
just as the Demoniac
00:15:25.99\00:15:27.92
who was healed by
Jesus, became a witness.
00:15:27.95\00:15:30.82
Sinath too is
telling her friends
00:15:30.85\00:15:33.55
what great things the
Lord has done for her.
00:15:33.58\00:15:37.57
Because of her powerful
witness 25 people now worship
00:15:37.60\00:15:42.05
in a new group
in her home village
00:15:42.08\00:15:44.44
and 15 people are worshipping
00:15:44.47\00:15:46.48
in a small
apartment in Phnom Penh.
00:15:46.51\00:15:49.04
In recent years AIDS
has became a serious threat
00:15:53.97\00:15:57.83
in many lives in Southeast Asia
including many new Christians.
00:15:57.86\00:16:02.70
As in the days of Jesus
00:16:02.73\00:16:04.78
its seems that it is
the poor and the sick
00:16:04.81\00:16:07.92
that are most attracted
to the wonderful new life
00:16:07.95\00:16:11.03
that can be found in Him.
00:16:11.06\00:16:13.44
A couple of years ago
00:16:13.47\00:16:15.18
we visited a new group
of believers in Phnom Penh.
00:16:15.21\00:16:18.85
I was overwhelmed
with sadness as I realize
00:16:18.88\00:16:21.75
that this group
of women and children
00:16:21.78\00:16:23.63
were suffering in
a very profound way.
00:16:23.66\00:16:27.07
After sharing with
them about our compassionate
00:16:27.10\00:16:30.07
Lord and Savior I asked them,
00:16:30.10\00:16:32.86
do you have any prayer requests?
00:16:32.89\00:16:35.61
Without hesitation, every
woman there raised her hand
00:16:35.64\00:16:39.72
as well as many of the children.
00:16:39.75\00:16:41.97
Without exception
they all asked for healing
00:16:42.00\00:16:45.22
as they shyly
presented their prayer request
00:16:45.25\00:16:48.05
I realized that most of them
00:16:48.08\00:16:49.75
were suffering from symptoms
of AIDS and other diseases.
00:16:49.78\00:16:53.71
I remember one
mother in particular,
00:16:53.74\00:16:56.60
she asked us to pray for healing
00:16:56.63\00:16:59.30
from AIDS for herself
and five year old son.
00:16:59.33\00:17:03.61
She also asked if I could
pray for her other four children
00:17:03.64\00:17:07.57
as they were all
living on the street.
00:17:07.60\00:17:10.49
My heart broke as I
saw her bright smile.
00:17:10.52\00:17:15.60
Can you imagine living on
the street with five children
00:17:15.63\00:17:20.13
so sick that you
find it difficult to work?
00:17:20.16\00:17:24.09
Living in a country
00:17:24.12\00:17:25.23
where there is no
assistance of any kind,
00:17:25.26\00:17:27.94
where you are
rejected by society,
00:17:27.97\00:17:30.30
struggling alone for
survival of your children.
00:17:30.33\00:17:33.76
I fought back tears
00:17:33.79\00:17:35.39
as I listened
to these poor women
00:17:35.42\00:17:37.54
offering their
prayers of thanksgiving
00:17:37.57\00:17:39.80
to the Lord for
His faithfulness.
00:17:39.83\00:17:42.75
I knew we could not ignore
00:17:42.78\00:17:44.85
the suffering of God's children.
00:17:44.88\00:17:46.95
We had to do something.
00:17:46.98\00:17:50.52
Honestly I
approach the throne of grace
00:17:50.55\00:17:53.58
where the Lord promises
mercy and grace in time of need.
00:17:53.61\00:17:59.13
After Judy met these
poor members in my district
00:17:59.16\00:18:01.90
who was so sick and homeless,
00:18:01.93\00:18:03.91
she shared my
dream of helping them,
00:18:03.94\00:18:06.53
she shared my belief
that we can not preach to them
00:18:06.56\00:18:09.31
about God's love and
now show them His love.
00:18:09.34\00:18:12.74
We dreamed together
and pictured a safe place
00:18:12.77\00:18:16.43
for these people to
lay their heads at night.
00:18:16.46\00:18:19.21
A place where they could
healthy meals, worship God,
00:18:19.24\00:18:23.46
heal and spend time
with their children.
00:18:23.49\00:18:27.06
We began to
honestly pray for this dream
00:18:27.09\00:18:29.90
to become a reality.
00:18:29.93\00:18:32.83
As God always does
in His infinite mercy
00:18:32.86\00:18:36.95
He answered, the Sda
center, a refuge for those
00:18:36.98\00:18:41.13
who are HIV
positive or have AIDS
00:18:41.16\00:18:44.66
opened through the
generosity of ASAP donors.
00:18:44.69\00:18:49.17
Fifty one Seventh-day Adventist
00:18:49.20\00:18:50.93
adults and children
now call this center home.
00:18:50.96\00:18:54.30
Greetings from the Sda center.
00:18:56.25\00:18:59.38
In my language
Sda means to restore.
00:18:59.41\00:19:03.74
I think it is a good name
00:19:03.77\00:19:04.96
because through God's
power and a safe place
00:19:04.99\00:19:08.25
these family's lives
have been made like new
00:19:08.28\00:19:12.32
when they had no hope before.
00:19:12.35\00:19:15.65
I lead out in morning
and evening worship everyday.
00:19:15.68\00:19:19.22
We're like a close
family with Jesus at the head.
00:19:19.25\00:19:23.34
I teach school to the children,
00:19:23.37\00:19:25.45
I give Bible studies
00:19:25.48\00:19:26.96
and care for the sick residents.
00:19:26.99\00:19:30.82
I think it is
beautiful how the church members
00:19:30.85\00:19:33.13
come and worship
with the residents.
00:19:33.16\00:19:35.82
They love and
encourage each other.
00:19:35.85\00:19:38.94
God is so good for
providing this place.
00:19:38.97\00:19:42.66
We used to live on the
street beside the market
00:19:47.73\00:19:50.03
because we had no place to go.
00:19:50.06\00:19:52.45
Our neighbors hated us,
00:19:52.48\00:19:54.07
our family did
not want to see us
00:19:54.10\00:19:55.72
because they were
ashamed we have AIDS.
00:19:55.75\00:19:58.36
They saw us as a burden.
00:19:58.39\00:20:00.21
We were so sick
that we could not work
00:20:00.24\00:20:02.58
or get up from our
mats, we could only pray.
00:20:02.61\00:20:06.79
When Pastor Horng Sophal
brought us to the Sda center
00:20:06.82\00:20:09.70
our lives changed so
much, God heard our prayers.
00:20:09.73\00:20:14.38
He gave us this new home.
00:20:14.41\00:20:16.87
We got well
enough that we can now
00:20:16.90\00:20:18.29
go pick plants from the lake
and sell them at the market.
00:20:18.32\00:20:21.98
We thank God.
00:20:22.01\00:20:23.45
We thank Seng
Sopheak for her help.
00:20:23.48\00:20:26.43
We used to have a bad life
but now we have a good life.
00:20:26.46\00:20:29.42
While HIV and AIDS
00:20:34.26\00:20:36.47
is an extremely
serious problem in Cambodia,
00:20:36.50\00:20:39.86
the biggest killer is poverty.
00:20:39.89\00:20:43.15
In recent years
many people have moved
00:20:43.18\00:20:45.21
to the capital
city of Phnom Penh
00:20:45.24\00:20:47.43
with hop of
finding an employment.
00:20:47.46\00:20:50.71
With no education and
very few income opportunities
00:20:50.74\00:20:54.82
people end up
living in squatter villages
00:20:54.85\00:20:58.03
or on the street.
00:20:58.06\00:21:00.67
Some move into a
slum near the city dump
00:21:00.70\00:21:03.40
and try to make a
living from salvage.
00:21:03.43\00:21:05.93
Instead of going to school
00:21:05.96\00:21:07.35
even young children spend
their days in the hot sun,
00:21:07.38\00:21:11.35
picking through garbage
to find small scraps of metal
00:21:11.38\00:21:15.38
or other recyclable material.
00:21:15.41\00:21:18.21
For other families
it becomes even worse.
00:21:18.24\00:21:22.07
Desperation for survival
often leads to desperate acts.
00:21:22.10\00:21:27.47
Parents sell their
children into slavery,
00:21:27.50\00:21:31.24
girls as young as age
five are sold into prostitution
00:21:31.27\00:21:35.88
and many are never
seen or heard of again.
00:21:35.91\00:21:40.65
As the Adventist
pastors and church planters
00:21:40.68\00:21:43.91
began to give Bible
studies in these communities
00:21:43.94\00:21:47.24
it became obvious very
quickly that the people
00:21:47.27\00:21:50.37
they were meeting
had immediate needs
00:21:50.40\00:21:52.93
that went beyond
spiritual hunger.
00:21:52.96\00:21:55.94
They began to think of ways
00:21:55.97\00:21:57.40
that they could
assist the people,
00:21:57.43\00:21:59.57
protect the children
and uplift the community.
00:21:59.60\00:22:03.47
I know how hard
people work at the dump
00:22:03.50\00:22:05.74
because this is where
I grew up and worked too.
00:22:05.77\00:22:09.53
Because of God's
blessing in my life
00:22:09.56\00:22:11.81
I can now reach to my people
and share Jesus with them.
00:22:11.84\00:22:16.27
Thanks be to God,
00:22:16.30\00:22:17.39
10 widows and their children
are now worshiping with us.
00:22:17.42\00:22:21.07
As a way to improve the health
and income of his widow friends
00:22:21.10\00:22:25.41
Ung Ham has made it possible
00:22:25.44\00:22:27.35
for them to get out of the dump.
00:22:27.38\00:22:29.28
Attaching their
carts to his motorbike
00:22:29.31\00:22:32.20
he takes them to
other areas of the city
00:22:32.23\00:22:34.64
where they are able to collect
or purchase recyclable material
00:22:34.67\00:22:38.61
from wealthier neighborhoods
00:22:38.64\00:22:40.08
and resell it for a good profit.
00:22:40.11\00:22:44.05
As Ung Ham and others
worked in this community
00:22:44.08\00:22:47.24
their hearts went
out to the children
00:22:47.27\00:22:49.37
who worked so hard at the dump.
00:22:49.40\00:22:52.02
If only they could go to school,
00:22:52.05\00:22:53.98
perhaps they could break
out of the cycle of poverty
00:22:54.01\00:22:56.37
that they found
themselves trapped in.
00:22:56.40\00:22:59.05
However getting them enrolled
00:22:59.08\00:23:00.60
in a government school
was just too difficult.
00:23:00.63\00:23:04.22
With registration fees,
the cost of books and uniforms
00:23:04.25\00:23:07.83
and the daily
tuition for the teacher,
00:23:07.86\00:23:10.19
regular school was
just too far out of reach
00:23:10.22\00:23:12.74
for these poor families.
00:23:12.77\00:23:15.40
Ung Ham and
other church planters
00:23:15.43\00:23:18.07
along with a district pastor
from the Adventist Mission
00:23:18.10\00:23:21.51
began to pray to
God for a way to free
00:23:21.54\00:23:24.23
these precious children
from a life at the dump.
00:23:24.26\00:23:27.45
If only they could
start their own school
00:23:27.48\00:23:29.85
right in their own community.
00:23:29.88\00:23:32.08
God heard their
prayers and with help from ASAP
00:23:32.11\00:23:35.97
they were able to open
several literacy schools.
00:23:36.00\00:23:38.87
I had the opportunity of
visiting the literacy schools
00:23:43.34\00:23:46.30
in Phnom Penh last March.
00:23:46.33\00:23:49.79
It was a heart breaking
00:23:49.82\00:23:51.17
yet moving
experience to say the least.
00:23:51.20\00:23:54.38
Every aspect of my
being was assaulted
00:23:54.41\00:23:57.23
by extremer poverty I saw.
00:23:57.26\00:24:00.63
Even though I
grew up in Thailand
00:24:00.66\00:24:02.12
and worked alongside my
parents in refugee camps
00:24:02.15\00:24:05.12
I never encountered
destitution in such a degree.
00:24:05.15\00:24:08.52
As I walk though
this depressed slum area
00:24:08.55\00:24:11.41
my eyes taken the squalor
00:24:11.44\00:24:13.49
and the hungry
looks of little children
00:24:13.52\00:24:15.71
and tattered
threadbare clothing.
00:24:15.74\00:24:18.91
These precious children of
God are living in conditions
00:24:18.94\00:24:22.30
not even
suitable for farm animals.
00:24:22.33\00:24:25.75
I smell the raw sewerage
running alongside the patch
00:24:25.78\00:24:29.32
which blended with the
stench of rotting garbage
00:24:29.35\00:24:31.82
that permeated the area
00:24:31.85\00:24:34.35
but when I looked into the eyes
00:24:34.38\00:24:36.03
of the students in
the literacy schools
00:24:36.06\00:24:38.32
all the sights, sounds
00:24:38.35\00:24:40.15
and smells of
that area vanished.
00:24:40.18\00:24:42.73
I watched them eagerly
respond to their teachers.
00:24:42.76\00:24:46.14
I saw their radiance smiles
00:24:46.17\00:24:48.00
and heard them sing
whole heartedly to Jesus.
00:24:48.03\00:24:51.14
These students were
a breath of fresh air.
00:24:51.17\00:24:54.69
In one location I asked
church planter Choen Choun
00:24:54.72\00:24:57.71
and literacy teacher So Narin,
00:24:57.74\00:24:59.17
and why the students
were meeting on a porch
00:24:59.20\00:25:01.62
under a simple tarp?
00:25:01.65\00:25:03.39
With my background in education
I knew this was not ideal.
00:25:03.42\00:25:07.11
They shared the
following story with me.
00:25:07.14\00:25:09.07
We really wanted to
start a school in this area
00:25:10.67\00:25:13.36
but did not have the
money to rent a building.
00:25:13.39\00:25:15.75
I felt impressed
to visit the families
00:25:15.78\00:25:17.75
one afternoon, I
came across a lady
00:25:17.78\00:25:20.69
who was
respected in the village.
00:25:20.72\00:25:22.92
I asked her if she would let us
00:25:22.95\00:25:24.39
conduct a school
on her bamboo porch.
00:25:24.42\00:25:27.17
Although she was not a Christian
00:25:27.20\00:25:29.04
she kindly agreed
and we bought a blue tarp
00:25:29.07\00:25:31.87
to shed the children
from the sun while they study.
00:25:31.90\00:25:35.26
However she was quite clear
00:25:35.29\00:25:37.92
that she did not
want her daughter
00:25:37.95\00:25:40.04
to attend our Christian school.
00:25:40.07\00:25:43.15
Everyday her daughter
went peek around the corner
00:25:43.18\00:25:45.68
and listen to me teach.
00:25:45.71\00:25:47.83
I would smile at her
and beg them for to join us.
00:25:47.86\00:25:51.22
It wasn't long before
00:25:51.25\00:25:52.63
she became an
important part of our class.
00:25:52.66\00:25:55.35
She loved the songs
and storied about Jesus.
00:25:55.38\00:25:59.15
Her mother started
to see a change in her
00:25:59.18\00:26:01.44
and she was happy and obedient.
00:26:01.47\00:26:04.08
When her mother asked her
why she is a different girl now
00:26:04.11\00:26:07.40
she told her about Jesus.
00:26:07.43\00:26:09.91
Now the mother is
interested in studying the Bible
00:26:09.94\00:26:12.90
with church planter Choen Choun.
00:26:12.93\00:26:16.89
We often observe
the children sharing
00:26:16.92\00:26:19.77
Jesus with their
mothers and fathers.
00:26:19.80\00:26:22.86
Many are now
beginning to understand that
00:26:22.89\00:26:25.25
they can have a much
better life with Jesus.
00:26:25.28\00:26:28.01
With the kind
support of ASAP donors
00:26:30.85\00:26:34.02
a number of literacy
schools are now being started
00:26:34.05\00:26:36.89
throughout Cambodia.
00:26:36.92\00:26:38.85
The meal provided by
the program is the only food
00:26:38.88\00:26:41.90
that some of the
children will get all day.
00:26:41.93\00:26:44.36
If you'd like to help
the children of Cambodia
00:26:46.43\00:26:48.89
break free from
poverty and help them
00:26:48.92\00:26:51.96
and their families
come to know Jesus.
00:26:51.99\00:26:54.67
We invite you to be
in contact with ASAP.
00:26:54.70\00:26:59.22
Your commitment
of just $30 a month
00:26:59.25\00:27:01.68
could support a
literacy school teacher.
00:27:01.71\00:27:05.05
A gift of $130
will sponsor a student
00:27:05.08\00:27:08.81
at Read and Feed
program for a whole year,
00:27:08.84\00:27:13.49
$550 will build
a literacy school
00:27:13.52\00:27:17.34
that can also double
as a place of worship.
00:27:17.37\00:27:20.83
Your partnership
with these programs
00:27:20.86\00:27:23.27
will not only bring new hope
00:27:23.30\00:27:24.89
and opportunity for
these precious children today
00:27:24.92\00:27:28.67
but will also give
them and their families'
00:27:28.70\00:27:31.47
new life and hope for heaven.
00:27:31.50\00:27:34.34
Many of you watching this
program have joined in the work
00:27:34.37\00:27:37.92
that we are doing
in Southeast Asia.
00:27:37.95\00:27:41.28
I wish to thank you so very much
00:27:41.31\00:27:44.00
for the support you have given
00:27:44.03\00:27:45.85
through your gifts
and through your prayers.
00:27:45.88\00:27:49.25
Many precious souls
have come to know the love
00:27:49.28\00:27:52.48
and salvation of God as
a result of your kindness.
00:27:52.51\00:27:56.19
I ask you to continue
to keep us in your prayers
00:27:56.22\00:28:00.14
and as the Lord impresses
continue to partner with us
00:28:00.17\00:28:04.26
as we work to
bring the love of God
00:28:04.29\00:28:06.41
to His children in Cambodia.
00:28:06.44\00:28:08.47