I travelled to Cambodia in June 2018 – this was my 4th visit to the country, and I'd managed to secure 4 weeks off work to stay this time. Having stayed one night in Phnom Penh I went to Sihanoukville on June 20th via a 6 hour bus journey; this seems to be getting better every visit due to the improving condition of the connecting road. I was met by some familiar faces, sister Chanthy, along with Chan and Kao at the BEC were very welcoming as usual. Not much has changed in the year since my last visit, the hall is well equipped to accommodate students and to encourage them to learn from God's word and is a great place for fellowship and study. Two months had passed since the last regular fieldworkers had left the BEC in Sihanoukville, so it took some time to inform students of the arrival of a new teacher. It was decided that a new Facebook page could be set up to invite students and interested people to the regular programme of Bible classes, seminars and lessons taking place. Chanthy had already set up a chat group on Facebook for previous students and as the weeks passed more people arrived to listen to the message of the Bible.
Sihanoukville has rapidly changed over the last couple of years. There is huge Chinese investment being poured into the town in the form of new housing, businesses, casinos and hotels. Everyone everywhere seems to be building! The population has grown considerably with the influx of new Chinese settlers into the area, a development not entirely welcomed by the local people. This new prosperity isn't being shared by all, and there are still many poor people in the area. This desire for wealth presented an opportunity to contrast a lifestyle based on trusting money with one which relies on God for strength and guidance. The theme of the visit therefore became one of separating oneself from the world and getting ready for the coming Kingdom of God, concentrating on the fellowship of the ecclesia as a group of believers set apart from the worries of today and instead looking forward to a world made new. I'm sure as Christadelphians that we've seen and read about various ecclesias around the world who share the same hope, but it's wonderful to see at first hand how much God's word is alive in such a remote place, so much so that this ecclesia feels as 'at home' as any other. Part of that fellowship includes eating and socialising together, playing soccer or going to the beach for a picnic, and treating others as family members rather than just friends. Although the arrival of a new fieldworker means that lessons can take place more regularly, it is the efforts of those such as sis Chanthy, bro Savy and sisters Theung and Sreymom in maintaining the ecclesia at all times which allows the word of God to be more easily spread.
On a personal note, I found it truly amazing how much being given the opportunity to preach the word of God enhanced my faith and also re-established those first principles of what we believe. There is always so much to learn, and even if you have never taught a Bible lesson before I strongly urge you to come to Cambodia and give it a try! Being able to share the wonderful truth of the Bible with others is a great experience for both teacher and student.
Saturday seminars are a great way to promote our beliefs to interested people and these were given a visual boost on our Facebook page to attract visitors. There are also a couple of outreach students who attend lessons and stay at the BEC at the weekend, and also the Sunday school organised by Chanthy and Theung for the children. Lessons at the BEC took place hourly from 4pm until 7pm and were increasingly well attended. There is strong interest from some who have been to the BEC regularly this year and have a real eagerness to learn more. There is an appetite for the word of God which would be better served by more regular fieldworkers, so it is always worth appealing to other ecclesias worldwide for help and support. Sihanoukville understandably doesn't have the team of regular fieldworkers enjoyed by Phnom Penh, therefore it is extremely important to maintain contact and send messages to those there to remind them all that we are all God's family, to strengthen each other's faith and to look forward to being together in the coming Kingdom. Please remember Sihanoukville ecclesia in your prayers and hope for its continued growth as we wait for the return of our Lord.
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