POIPET and Joel

Well, what can we say? Thanks so much to everyone for thinking and praying for us. All those items are so very much valued. You have no idea!! Thanks a million times over.

I thought I would also like to mention it was great to have Ron Peters and Rodger Brown here for a few days. Josh (Ron’s son) and Brent Friesen (both came to Phnom Penh a day later) and also ate dinner with us a few days during that time. Initially Ron and Rodger were scheduled to be here for a couple of days. They were here to establish some viable contacts about a Canadian

Grant Proposal about Land development for the many underprivileged. After their time here, they really didn’t have much success with that aspect of the trip. When they finally packed up and left our house they decided to take a bus north. While they were on their bus to Siem Reap, they suddenly and unexpectedly received an important call from an individual fairly high up in the government. They quickly asked the bus driver to stop the “no stop express bus” and drop them off immediately at the side of the road. Now stranded at the side of the road, all four guys evenually caught a Tuk Tuk back to Phnom Penh where we were surprised and thankful they could stay with us a few more days while some negotiations and conversations began. As it turned out, they met with a General and a General’s son (these guys apparently run the country). The connection came through Brent Friesen’s “TWU” connection. (I don’t get it either) but it is still amazing.

When Ron, Rodger, Brent, and Josh all delayed their trip north to Siem Reap and eventually to Poipet, I had an opportunity to go. They were all leaving on Thursday, our school was off for Friday, so I had a chance to head north to see the famous and lovely Joel Reimer in Poipet. After a 6.5 hour bus ride to Siem Reap and then a very dicey taxi ride for 3.5 hours on a gravel road, we made it to Joel’s casino border town. Many people refer to Cambodia as the armpit of Asia. Joel refers Poipet as the armpit of Cambodia. If he is not telling the truth, he is not far off. This place is all about the Casinos. The rest of the town does not matter. I give Joel full Kudos for his work there. He is well known in the town and the border patrol just waves his vehicle through without even stopping or asking him a question when he has a bunch of “white strangers” in the back of his truck.

Joel set up a few meetings. The first meeting was with Pastor Ross (Cambodian) who runs an orphanage in the city. We also met a Cambodian man who is really working hard to build, care for, and restore people’s lives in Poipet. Joel took us to an Aid’s clinic and explained what that looks like here in Cambodia. The clinic where we went to housed very poor people who could not afford the necessary drugs. One of Joel’s assistant pastors had come to hand out oranges to the ladies and men who wanted some. I am not sure if anyone was Christian, but many came forward to receive prayer. One of the ladies had a 2 month old baby girl with aids. This baby was incredibly cute, it was very hard for me to see and understand that.

(As an aside, today, as I write this a couple days after the fact, a mother came onto our school grounds to try and give away her young baby. The mother was probably around 20 year of age, she explained that she was too poor to take care of this child. We have a lady on staff who was able to help this woman and direct and guide her. At this point, I am not sure what has happened.)

Anyways, we also had a chance to visit one of Joel’s house churches. We took the truck as far as she would let us and then we walked for a while though a path until we arrived. The house was small, the floor was concrete, and the roof was grass. I was really thankful that the air inside the home was filled with a light smoke from a wood fire- the mosquitos would not be coming into the building anytime quick. There were a few families gathered. This was authentic. These people have nothing to impress, they have no Starbucks in their hands, and they do not want to be entertained. They just want to worship Jesus. That is all. They want to learn about Jesus. They are thankful for the opportunity to gather together and pray. As another aside, the singing could not be more off beat and out of tune, but nobody cared, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that is the kind of music that is perfect to God’s ears.

After some songs with Joel on the guitar, Joel’s assistant pastor and his wife took turns giving a message. Joel also preached in Khmer. Later we prayed for a family that has no money. Afterwards, I asked Joel if he ever gives money, he says he has, but he does not want the family to be constantly dependent on him.

There are other parts to this story… like how I planned to get back across the Cambodian border crossing without Joel or my Passport and how I missed the last bus, but needless to say, I will save that for a different time. By the way, I am back in Phnom Penh safely.

Continue to lift up Joel in Prayer.