Era of 1st Mission House, 1998

Now I rented a house in downtown and started bible class with 7 students. I felt it is urgent to train young people in the word of God and to establish churches in Cambodia. Almost all the Cambodians never heard Gospel. Most pastors also did not get proper bible trainings. I start to teach english bible from Genesis. We studied three chapters everyday. I gave test to them next day. They should read Khmer bible as well as English bible for the test. There was test, True or False, everyday. It was difficult for them to take bible test in english. After one year they start to understand, after two years they improved much. We could test whole bible except Psalm in two and a half years.

After 4 years study, they could graduate even it was three year program of full time, Diploma of Theology. With bible students we went out for evangelism every Saturday, to ThomrokProlok, Smackdeng, Oknhaheng, Botsemoan, Baikkrong, Vealthom, Chengko, Oil Palm village, even to Kompot, Vietnamese border with a hired wagon taxi. Many wanted to join so almost 20 persons were squeezed in small car. People were so curious of the Gospel. Infrastructure of Cambodia was almost broken due to repeted wars. People had no willingness to repair it but were ready to run away if the situation become worse. Some rich men prepared boats to escape to Thailand. Sihanoukville also was a broken city while beaches were beautiful. Through this long period of fightings the mentality of Cambodians was tired of existing religion.

They had doubt why they have been suffering so long. This is why they opened their hearts to the Christianity. It was God's appointed time for evangelism. Bible students also eagerly shared Gospel to every remote village. Heavy rain poured in rainy season. On the way back from evangelism our car could not find the way because whole area was flooded. There was a river just over Kompot but the water was covered the land, we could not figure out where it is land or river. It was rainy night, car contained full of students including my two children. I prayed for finding right way. We could not sleep in the car. It can cover even to the top of our car if we stay there. We had to go forward but cannot distinguish which way is living or death. If the car take the way to river, no one can come out from it. I rememberd Paul's mission journey what it means, the danger of river.

One day armed gangs intruded our mission house. They pushed the back door of mission house. They tried to open it until iron bar was bended. With the sound of intruding, brother Phannith and cook awoke and trembled. My wife heard the footstep sound upon the roof. They failed to enter into our mission house finally, and went to next house, killed a teacher and stole a motorbike, ran away. In that moment I was at a guesthouse in PhnomPenh with my eldest son, and had strong headache, tried to take out painkiller from my bag, but could not because dial lock would not be opened strangely. There was no way but to pray, "O Lord, release my headache and grant me good sleep." As continued the prayer, it turned for my wife, "O Lord, forgive me that I have done wrong to my wife until now after marriage." I remembered all my wrongdoings and repented, and asked to God the protection of my family in Kompongsom.

When I came down next day, I saw many students in school uniform came to the house next to our mission house. They delivered their farewells to their deceased teacher. Through this incident, I came to know why we must pray. After this incident, I asked my wife to go to Singapore or Korea with children. But she refused and said she is also called by God. After this, still many burglars came with guns at night. So after one year we had to move to safer house. I taught bible and Chinese while Grace taught english and children ministry. Our two children attended KangHwa Chinese school which is taught by Cambodian teachers. Eldest son stayed in Singapore. After coming back from school, they could not go out of mission house because of danger of kidnapping. They studied and played within compound .There was no shop, selling hamburger or icecream in those days. They always played with bible students and heard news of daily terrible happenings from them.