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Bible School Event

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                                         Illustration 1: Cambodia Bible School attenders 2013
Dear All

Would you like to know how to successfully run a Bible School where there are people from India, the Philippines, Myanmar(Burma), Thailand, Korea, Cambodia, England, New Zealand, Australia and America – with varying levels of English language expertise?  Like to know how to make a Bible school that is a preaching and international fellowship building effort work?

Come to Cambodia!

The 2013 Cambodia Bible School finished on Monday 18th.  It was quite different to the Bible Schools I usually go to – part of the preaching, not just a 'maintain what you have got and build brothers and sisters up' event.


The speakers were brother John Elton from Sydney and brother Phil Gilmore from Perth (your nephew, brother Barry).  The topic was Energising Vision, with two sub-topics: The Energised Servant, and The Energised Ecclesia.  

                                       Illustration 2: bro Phil Gilmore
                                                          Illustration 3: bro John Elton
       Illustration 4: brother Veasna, translator
           Illustration 5: sister Chantry, translator
Everything was held on the 6th floor of a hotel not far from the BEC – and it was a very hot walk back and forth twice a day for those of us living at the BEC!  Most visitors stayed at the hotel.

But the first two days were occupied with seven one and a half hour seminars.  All those attending were allocated to one of six groups which included two study leaders and a translator.  The subject of each seminar was one of the seven elements of the Truth that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4.4-6, covering all elements of gospel truth in two days!  We were all provided with a set of at least five Bible verses on each of the topics to work through in each seminar. 
 Illustration 6: Seminar study groups
At any time during those two days you would see at least 60 people in groups going through the verses, answering questions and comments (with translation all the way), and in the evening the numbers swelled to over 100.  I estimate that at all times the numbers of 'students' would be 75% of those present.

Many of the Europeans thought it was too much and too difficult – the people from Myanmar(Burma) thought it wasn't enough!
Illustration 7: Myanmar Thailand brothers sisters and students with sister Juhee from South Korea
At the end of the second day we were all welcomed to our student dormitories for dinner, cooked and served by  the students and brother Him and sisters Kim Srean and Theavy.  The students sang to us, and brother Michael Hewitt of the Bethezer Trust (a Christadelphian organisation) from Australia gave a short talk about management and funding of the dormitories.
                                      Illustration 8: Dormers sing for the visitors; Zac Forbes on guitar
                                               Illustration 9: Girls welcoming party
                                                 Illustration 10: Boys welcoming party
                                                     Illustration 11: Dormers serving dinner
Following that were two soccer matches – one for the men and one for women.  Teams were called 'dormers' or 'BEC' (a catchall phrase for working locals, Mission fieldworkers and foreign visitors).  The football matches were serious stuff, particularly for the men.
                                            Illustration 12: Handshakes before boys' football
                                                    Illustration 13: Girls' four nations football
A day at leisure followed, for us all to catch our breath.  For the 'foreigners' (as we are called) there was a bus tour of the city, lunch at a hammock restaurant by the river, and a trip down the Mekong River back to the city.

In the evening the Bible School studies started.  There were three sessions each day, with three hours break in the afternoons.  Later on two of the afternoons there were concurrent sisters and brothers classes, with time for questions and feedback.

On Saturday three of the young dormitory students ('dormers') were baptised.  What a buzz that was!  They were so happy, all smiles - 'smiling in their hearts' as two of them said.  There was an audience of about 120 people to watch and share the occasion, and great rejoicing.
                                                        Illustration 14: Baptisms at the BEC
Illustration 14: Baptisms at the BEC

There was a song and praise time, a Sunday School dinner and prizegiving (for the 45 students who start arriving at the BEC at 6.35 on Sunday mornings) and a fun time for cultural performances and personal contributions.
                                         Illustration 16: Khmer dancing by Sunday School students
                                            Illustration 17: Dormers in regional costume

           Illustration 18: Bro Terry Nutter welcomes brother Sokea, brother Puthsa and sister Sreymom

Love to you all
Sis Jackie

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