Despite heat and humidity Cambodia mission work continues

Randy Fleming left the Fallbrook Christian Bookstore to minister in Takeo Province, Cambodia. After years of travel to and from this area, he decided to plant some roots. However, his chosen country is a difficult one in which to settle. The hot season is upon them and some days the temperatures are in the mid-100s. Randy says it doesn’t change much from day to night – it is just hot and “very, very humid.”

Randy recently wrote from Cambodia, “April is the hottest month for Cambodia. Most days were over 100 with high humidity, but no rain. So, what does one do in a land of poverty where victims killed by land mines is still everyday reading, and orphans and widows are daily in the streets? Pray…read…find some restaurants with A/C…take lots of showers…and…Serve the Lord with Gladness…because no matter how tired or hot I get, He wants to lift the children from the ashes, and raise up the poor and outcast.”

Many Cambodian children are orphaned due to their parents contracting AIDS or dying in landmine explosions. The country is still full of landmines and has been called the most densely mined country in the world. This doesn’t deter Randy and his friends who have already made a difference in this poor and perilous country.

A typical village home consists of an eight by ten foot elevated hut covered with palm fronds and carpeted with grass mats. Many of the houses have no running water or electricity. Because of the harsh conditions, the land mines and the AIDS epidemic, the average lifespan of a Cambodian is 55 years. The first Christian missionaries weren’t allowed in Cambodia until 1992.

Many of the children in the orphanages or on the streets aren’t really orphans. The families of these children cannot afford to feed them and thus the children at age 9 or 10 end up wandering the streets.

Over the last few years, several short-term mission groups from Fallbrook traveled to Cambodia to help build the Greater Hope Orphanage, which was built on a former rice field that had to be filled before construction could begin. With the help of these teams the orphanage was completed in the summer of 2006. The structure is 6,000 square feet and will house approximately 50 children.

As another avenue in his multifaceted ministry, Randy and a co-laborer in Cambodia began a pastor training project for 16 pastors and have now completed their first month of training. Every Wednesday they meet with this group to teach them a “verse by verse” Bible study.

Most of these men have no financial support so they must work all week long then squeeze in teaching on Sunday. Each pastor oversees one to three churches, but has not been able to devote much time to their churches, because it is necessary for them to work in order to support their families. Randy noted that congregation members from Calvary Chapel Fallbrook are already pledging $40 per month, which will be enough to support one pastor’s family and free him up for study and ministry.

Randy writes, “As everywhere, the needs are great…but Jesus is our hope and one chance. I cannot, will not, let self-pity, condemnation, politics, world economies…keep me from touching where I can.”

Randy shares a touching story about orphans: “Today at Ruth’s <a friend at Love In Action ministry> she had a 14-day-old little guy. He was dropped off at her place late last night. He is quite healthy, except he has two thumbs on his left hand. I was holding him for a long time today and just thinking, “Oh God, the Father to the fatherless, help us to help the kids.’”

Garage sales to benefit the Calvary Chapel Cambodia Missions will be held on Saturday, June 2, and Saturday, June 9, at the CAST parking lot, 224 North Main, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To learn more about the Cambodia Mission work, please access the Web site http://www.calvarychapel.org/fallbrook.