Missions in Cambodia
October 4 – 20, 2012
Pastor Daniel Kim
Unknown but Well known. I am not an Obama or a Romney; I am not a
Bill Gates or a Warren Buffett. I am a teaching missionary; I am unknown,
having very little. Yet, I am well known to my Lord, and truly rich in him. I have
passed my 70th birthday, but I am not retired. I am still spry by
the grace of God. I know I am doing the most glorious task; teaching and
preaching about the King of kings, the Creator of all, the great sovereign God.
Cambodia is a poor country.
Living conditions are below average. People are exposed to hot weather and
biting insects. As an old man I go there twice a year, and find a joy in
working for the Lord. I am so thankful to God, because he is wondrously
merciful and faithful to me.
Honoring God. It happened my second week after I arrived in
Cambodia: the former king Sihanouk passed away, and the government declared a
national week of mourning, ordering all schools in Cambodia to be closed for a
week. Westminster Theological College & Seminary (WTCS) was no exception. What
should the school do? Complying with the order meant that the school should discontinue
my teaching, cancel Young’s class, and send us back home. It was a big test for
WTCS since it could jeopardize the school.
Praise the Lord for the wisdom
and courage He provided. WTCS declared to students, “Our school will close
officially for a week; you are free to leave campus, but for those who choose
to stay, we will offer classes unofficially.” What happened? Amazingly, nobody chose to
leave. All students made up their minds to honor God rather than men!
What I Taught. I taught two subjects for two weeks: “The History of
the Early Church” and “World History and Geography” as WTCS requested. The students
were well disciplined to be punctual, attentive, courteous, and respectful.
I taught how God worked to keep
his church growing since its beginning,
how he used various people, events, incidents, and movements for his Kingdom. I
also taught that God is in charge not only of church history, but of world
history and geography. Nothing is outside of his care and his rule. Daily
weather conditions, regional climates, change of seasons, natural disasters,
bumper crops, international politics, trades, world civilizations, cultures,
ethnic diversities, and even the life and death of each individual—all are
under God’s close watch and his absolute rule. All are within his eternal plan,
and used for his glorious purposes.
When I taught all this, the students
began to see everything from a fresh perspective—from the standpoint of God.
Their eyes opened, and they learned to think differently in Christ.
What Young Taught. My wife
Young joined me at WTCS a week later and taught “Educational Ministry: Its
Principles and Application” for a week. Her lectures, which focused on
Christian education at church as part of its ministry, covered the goal of
Christian education, its biblical foundation, teachers’ role, standards for
good curriculum, and teaching strategies. The objective was to enlighten future
pastors and church leaders to see the importance of Christian education and
equip them to implement it knowledgeably and skillfully. The students (especially
those ministering at village churches) expressed that the class helped them in practical
ways and gave them a new perspective on Christian education.
Unexpected Ministry. On Sundays, most students leave campus and
head for local churches for their weekend ministries. The rest stay at school
and hold Sunday worship services, which has come to include school neighbors
and others. The congregation has grown steadily and beyond anyone’s
expectation, filling the worship room; it is now called Westminster Presbyterian
Church. Praise the Lord for this one month-old church full of young people who
want to know Jesus! Rev. Yuhan, the Academic Dean of WTCS, is now even busier
evangelizing those new-comers, preaching the gospel and teaching basic
Christian doctrines every week. Keep them all in your prayers.
Thank you all for your faithful
supporting of our missions by finances and prayers. God bless you and your
ministry.
Pastor Daniel Kim is a missionary to Cambodia. Jubilee Presbyterian Church of Irvine supports him on his missions trips.
Contact:
New Life World Vision
c/o Daniel Kim
2219-B Via Mariposa E.
Laguna Woods, CA 92637
(949) 616-2147 (Daniel) / 633-2898 (Young)
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