Thanks to the support of Saruon who works at the BEC and who started the ball rolling, calling the few she knew, we were able to gather the original bikers together in order to rekindle their interest in Bible study and to show that we are still thinking about them. Saruon and Sokun are members of the ecclesia here but had lost contact with many of the others who had studied with them at the BEC during 2008 and 2009.
It has been healing and encouraging to see them reappear one at a time over the last three weeks. We organized an outreach activity on Tuesday night which saw all but two attend. We are still hopeful of finding EAN Sokorn and SUN Vannak. At least four of this group were close to baptism but had to look for employment or returned to their provinces at the end of 2009 when they graduated from L-CDI. Our Outreach Program, P2P visits and other attempts to contact them have had moderate success but after this get together we pray that we can achieve better outcomes and improve our shepherding in the future. Vichea came all of the way from Prah Vihear, about a seven hour trip, from where the recent fighting with Thailand occurred.
It was a wonderful celebration with lots of squeals and hugs when they saw each other again.
We are hoping that the current group of L-CDI Bible students will join with these past contacts to make the outreach weekends more successful. Our challenge will be to prepare interesting learning activities, provide home study programs and follow them up during subsequent weekends and build on what the outreach students have already learned from previous teams of fieldworkers.
Last night Warren Barton exhorted from Luke 15 and mentioned the celebrations and struggles with the lost coin, lambs and prodigal son. We are indeed rich when we experience these joyful times.
It has been healing and encouraging to see them reappear one at a time over the last three weeks. We organized an outreach activity on Tuesday night which saw all but two attend. We are still hopeful of finding EAN Sokorn and SUN Vannak. At least four of this group were close to baptism but had to look for employment or returned to their provinces at the end of 2009 when they graduated from L-CDI. Our Outreach Program, P2P visits and other attempts to contact them have had moderate success but after this get together we pray that we can achieve better outcomes and improve our shepherding in the future. Vichea came all of the way from Prah Vihear, about a seven hour trip, from where the recent fighting with Thailand occurred.
It was a wonderful celebration with lots of squeals and hugs when they saw each other again.
We are hoping that the current group of L-CDI Bible students will join with these past contacts to make the outreach weekends more successful. Our challenge will be to prepare interesting learning activities, provide home study programs and follow them up during subsequent weekends and build on what the outreach students have already learned from previous teams of fieldworkers.
Last night Warren Barton exhorted from Luke 15 and mentioned the celebrations and struggles with the lost coin, lambs and prodigal son. We are indeed rich when we experience these joyful times.
Steve and Lynne
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love abi c