A Great Blog

Official License for Sunflower Orphanage

2009-10-15T17:14:00.000-05:00

Below is a letter from Anthony - Sunflower Orphanage, Vietnam

Dear Danny,

Thank you very much for your email and I am glad to know that you got home safely.

I would like to answer the questions you have asked:

1. Yes, this license is good indefinitely. We don’t have to renew it every year because it is a long term permission (there is no time limit unless we do something that is wrong, illegal, or against government’s rules then they will take the license back and close the orphanage). However, the government requests us to up date or renew our program and purpose according to the information and guidance given by the Social and Children Department of the government.

2. There are some clear advantages of being officially recognized such as we now can start the process of applying for birth certificates for the kids. This means that without the license we have no legal way to register the birth certificates for them. Imagine that if our children have no birth certificates then they cannot go to school and we have to pay for the medical fee when we they need to go to the hospital. With their birth certificates, we don’t have to pay for the hospital fee until they get to the age of six years old.

Moreover, being officially recognized, we now can welcome any guests to visit without fear or worry about the government. Another word, this license seems like a drive license for me. I can drive a car without the drive - license but I have a lot of fear such as something happens to my car especially an accident. I will have a big trouble if I am stopped by a police for any reason and asked for the drive-license. It is the same thing to our orphanage if something wrong happens to one of our kids such death, we will have a big trouble. The first question we will be asked: “Who allow you to keep and raise these children?” Therefore, the license is the most important for us now and thank God and Elijah Foundation we have it.

Once again, thank you and have a good day.

Peace,
Dai - Anthony

New Website

2009-05-27T11:52:00.000-05:00

We have spent many days to completely change our Elijah Foundation website and a working model has been uploaded and is live at our web address: www.elijahfoundation.org.

Although many tweeks and modifications will be necessary in coming days, all of the pages are working and can be managed in house by our staff. We are very happy to be more "modern" with "blogs" and "flickr" photos and other designs that are more up to date with today's standards of internet users. We also changed our donation system by using PayPal which is recognized and accepted all over the world. You don't have to be a member or subscriber of PayPal to use it. All you need is a credit card and it can be processed through PayPal without joining PayPal. Using PayPal, we are able to accept one time donations as well as monthly sponsorship.

EF

New Road in Cambodia

2009-03-20T17:24:00.000-05:00

Announcing New Partnership With the Ratanak Foundation:

Elijah Foundation is pleased to announce a partnership with the Ratanak Foundation- a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to bringing Christian hope to the Khmer people of Cambodia by rebuilding social and medical services. In previous attempts to build partnerships with like-minded organizations in Cambodia have led to disappointments and dead ends. In January of 2009 God provided an opportunity for EF to attend Ratanak Foundation's Third Seek Justice Conference in Toronto, Canada. There, God opened opportunities for EF and Ratanak Foundation to join in the spirit of unity and work together to accomplish His purpose for Cambodia. With this partnership, EF is able to tap into all the ministries that Ratanak Foundation is already supporting in Cambodia. In return, Ratanak Foundation will get a partner in USA who will act as a liason for Ratanak Foundation’s US-based donors and expand the organizations support and awareness in the US. We are looking forward to see what God can do through our partnership!

Information about Ratanak Foundation:

The Ratanak Foundation is named after a little girl named Ratanak who, in the late 1989, passed away in a hospital in northwest Cambodia. While her illness was curable, no medication or medical equipment was available at that time to save her. To prevent similar situations, Ratanak Foundation projects have focused primarily on rebuilding and improving health care services in Cambodia such as shipping medical supplies, building hospitals and clinics, developing immunization programs, and supplying ambulances. In crisis situations, the Ratanak Foundation has funded emergency food distribution efforts and a variety of community-based food-for-work programs. Also, the plight of orphans and abused and exploited children led to the development of schools, orphanages, and rehabilitation centers. Finally, social service programs, such as literacy and sanitation programs, were developed in local communities and prisons. All projects are designed to be self-sustainable. With years of experience, the Ratanak Foundation continues to support rural and urban projects in many provinces and is privileged to assist in changing thousands of lives in Cambodia. For more information, please visit http://www.ratanak.org.

Elijah Foundation is committed to supporting the following projects with Ratanak Foundation:

* Chab Dai
* Daughters
* Hagar International
* New Song Project
* Prison Fellowship International
* AIM 4 Asia - Rahab House
* TASK Ministries
* YEJJ
* IJM Cambodia

A Letter from Sunflower

2008-12-31T17:12:00.000-06:00

Dear Danny/EF,

I am unhappy to inform you that we lost another baby who died two days ago in Ho Chi Minh City (in the hospital) and was buried yesterday in Nha Trang..

Over a week ago, at the hospital in Nha Trang, the doctor told me that one of our two babies (who had been ill and stayed in the hospital from the day they were born) could go home. However, the heath of another was not improving. He suggested me to transfer this weak one to the hospital in Ho Chi Minh City where I could find a better specialist and they would pay for the transportation (they used the hospital’s ambulance). I agreed with the doctor’s suggestion and we left Nha Trang on the next day. I had always been with the baby in the hospital during those days. Two days ago, the baby passed away at 4:15 AM in the hospital. I took the body of the baby back home in Nha Trang at the same day and buried him yesterday.

I am quite tired today and decide to take 3 days off to stay away from work in order to recharge my battery and to refill my energy. The rest of our babies and staff at two places A and B are doing well including the one who left hospital a week ago. We now have 49 babies. Today is the last day of the year. I sit down and look back over the year. I would like to give God thanks for all blessings that our babies and I have received from God, and all support, love and care that we have received from you and EF whom we believe God has sent to us. I could not imagine how the lives of these abandoned babies would be like if I didn’t have the chance to meet you and the Foundation. I strongly believe that it is God’s providence. I am sure that you and all the members and benefactors of EF are remembered in my daily Mass and prayers.

Thank you very much my brother. May God continue to bless you and all those that you love and that work with you.

Truly Yours In the Baby Jesus,
Sunflower Orphanage, Vietnam.

Khaodee Revival Meeting

2008-12-06T10:46:00.000-06:00

Khaodee Orphanage is holding a revival meeting in Chiang Rai, at Chiang Rai stadium for approximately 1,000 people. The revival will take place on December 6 and 7 of 2008. For this revival meeting there will be a time of worship and prayer with words by Pastor Simoon.

Through this revival we hope to achieve a number of goals. First, we hope to minister to the Christians in the area who will be attending to remind them of God’s grace and love in the hopes that they will share their faith with non-Christians in their schools and villages. We also hope to reach the various tribal groups in the area by using this event to pray for and minister to the various hill tribes in the area. We also hope to use this opportunity to teach our children to share their faith and invite fellow students and friends to the event. Finally we hope to use this event to train our children to be spiritual leaders who will be able to lead others to know God.

In preparation for the event we have been working with the college and high school students on how to share their faith. We also have been working with the students who will be leading praise by teaching and practicing for the event. We have also been dividing up the responsibilities of the event amongst the students, hoping they will take ownership and leadership roles.

We are planning to have a raffle for the people who will be attending the revival meeting. As most of the children who will be coming will be from similar children’s homes and poorer families, we want to provide them with some necessities they may be able to use. We are proposing to raffle blankets, sweatshirts, socks, school supplies, Christian books and Bibles; all things that would be useful for the children attending the revival meeting. We are hoping to raffle off fifteen of each of the bigger items per night and about one hundred of the smaller items per night.

During the revival meeting we will also provide snacks for all those who will be attending. We will be providing hot chocolate, cookies and other various snacks.

Khaodee Staff.

Reflections from Sunflower

2008-11-18T17:31:00.000-06:00

Reflections from Sunflower...

His name is Minh Vinh and at just a couple weeks old, I held him in my arms as he was wailing after vomiting all over himself. I nervously swayed my arms back and forth, hoping he would stop crying. As I looked into Minh’s eyes I remember feeling helpless, knowing that his own mother could only comfort him. Except his mother had left him recently and Minh is an orphan now. I put Minh back in his tiny crib and he continued to cry. I left Sunflower Orphanage that afternoon feeling a deep sadness and joy in my heart. My heart ached to see all the babies separated from their mothers. I lifted up a prayer, thanking the Lord for giving these babies a chance at life and for the women who have sacrificed much to care for them. I was comforted knowing that these babies will grow up being surrounded by love and I am grateful for that.

In August, I had the opportunity to travel to Vietnam with two staff members and my brother to visit the orphanages that Elijah Foundation has partnered with this year. We met up with the director of Sunflower who graciously took time off his busy schedule to take us around. After spending a couple days in Ho Chi Minh, we flew to the coastal city of Nha Trang to visit the orphanages. Sunflower cares for infants who have been given up for adoption by their mothers. There are currently two locations, one in the city and another in a rural area. We were able to visit both orphanages and spend some time with the staff and children. The city location houses newborn babies and those who require medical care. Eventually all the children will be transferred to the rural location, which is a bigger facility. We spent a couple days at the rural location playing with the rambunctious babies and watching the staff members hard at work. We didn’t have a translator with us and it was quite a challenge to communicate with the staff, but we were so blessed by their kindness and hospitality. There was a14 year old girl who spoke very little English and she was volunteering at the orphanage while on summer break. Although we weren’t able to communicate with the staff much, I knew that the children were in good hands and they were very fortunate to have these Godly women in their lives. Imagine about twenty 1-2 year olds running around and having to feed, bath, and put them down around the clock. One night we helped the staff put the babies down for bedtime and one by one they would climb out of their cribs, while six of us would have to put them back in about a dozen times. I realized how exhausting their job was, but their energy was incredible, as was their love for the children. I admire their strength and dedication to give these children a brighter future.

I am grateful to have experienced a glimpse of the lives of the women and babies at Sunflower. It gives me great hope and encouragement to live out Jesus’ words in caring for the orphans of the world. We are excited for our work and partnership with Sunflower, as we continue to pray for God’s faithfulness and blessings on the children and women who are so dear to His heart.

Young Mi Kim (EF Staff)

(To see pictures of Sunflower Orphanage, Click Here and Here. To see pictures of the children, Click Here.)

Seven Years of God's Faithfulness

2008-10-22T10:55:00.000-05:00

Seven years ago, God provided a check for $800 from a dear friend and partner to be used to start Elijah Foundation. That money was used to pay for legal/application fee to organize EF as a 501 C 3 Non-Profit Organization. Since then, God has provided us with 5 orphanages in 3 countries! We are supporting over 200 children and teaching them about the love of Jesus Christ!

I recently visited Khaodee (Chiang Rai, Thailand on October, 2008), the first orphanage under our care, and reflected on God's faithfulness. As I walked around the community, I remembered how each building/structure came to be. Dormitories, library, widow homes and staff homes, EF home for visitors, water reservoir, each segment of concrete road, bathrooms, storage, playground, etc. They were all created within the last 7 years through God's faithfulness and through generous giving by God's faithful stewards. I was in amazement of what God has done within the last 7 years.

Then, I started to reflect about the many children of Khaodee...those children who I knew from the beginning and those children who are new and those who passed through Khaodee. The images of those children smiling and growing almost unrecognizablely taller/bigger brought a huge smile to my face. However, a thought ran through my mind. How are they doing spiritually? Have they grown in the knowledge of the Lord as they have grown physically? What can be done to help them grow in this area?

As I was praying through these questions, I realized that God is faithful in this area as well. These children are not my kids, even though they call me "Paaw" (which means "Father" in Thai), they are God's special children and He will look after them. As I was having a meeting with Pastor Simoon, God made this point very clear. During our meeting, 3 things surfaces and none of it related to another building project or any physical need. It centered around spiritual growth! They wanted my help to raise the spiritual level of the staff so they can be refreshed and so that they can teach the children better. They also wanted my help to start a Revival Meeting for the entire city of Chiang Rai using our children to lead worship and to evangelize their friends and neighbors! Those came as music to my ears and I was more than happy to oblige. We made plans for our first Revival Meeting on December 5-7 in a small stadium inside the city of Chiang Rai.

This is our first ever event like this and I do not know how things will turn out. Will 800 to 1000 people show up as we are expecting? Will our children be ready to share the gospel to their friends? Will this be a success or a failure? There are many questions, but for some reason I don't find myself worried. Maybe, it is because our God is faithful.

Pastor Danny

One Afternoon from Sila...

2008-08-20T17:22:00.000-05:00

One Afternoon...

As we made our way through the winding road I thought about the first time I visited Sila. The sister orphanage of Khaodee began merely as a plot of land several years ago. At the original site nothing existed except for some patchy grass and a couple of fallen wooden beams. Staff at Khaodee were excited by God’s guidance for a new chapter in the lives of the children. Since then, after some time of prayer, ten boys and several staff members asked to become part of the inaugural party sent to begin the work at Sila. Being some years since I’ve last visited Thailand, up to this point I had not been able to witness the growth of Sila beyond its initial beginning.

Taking the last turn onto the street Sila is on we saw a young girl that I did not recognize. Our driver, nicknamed Honda (we were in a Mitsubishi), tapped the horn and rolled down the window. In his characteristically rapid Thai he talked to the girl and she hopped into the truck. At second glance I realized that she was the daughter of the director of Sila. Taken aback by how much she grew I was reminded of how many years it had been. In turn, this added to my excitement of seeing how much Sila had progressed.

What I didn’t expect to see was exactly what I saw as we pulled up to the orphanage. Instead of fallen beams and patchy grass stood a brand new facility with a football (soccer) field full of grass. The jubilant staff came out with smiles to greet us with hugs and broken English while the kids were half asleep from a nap. As the children slowly shook off their sleep the place was filled with shouts of laughter from the girls as the boys rambunctiously played football.

With children playing in the background Giyaht, the director, showed me around and explained the vision of Sila. Over the last couple of years Sila has gone through some hard times but God has always remained faithful. Beginning with no infrastructure Sila is now home to forty children and nine staff. Giyaht and company already have plans to purchase a lot behind them to start an elementary school and another lot across them for a church. In addition to these projects they are one month away from initiating their infant ministry by adopting five newborns from the local hospital.

The children of Sila have been rescued from trouble families. In many cases from abuse and neglect the children are now offered stability, love, and Godly instruction. In addition to the children Sila has become the local church. As we watched the boys play football pe Tip, director of the infant ministry, pointed out a narrow dirt path that ran through the field. She said that the path continues to grow from new converts that walk from the village to church on Sundays.

While my time at Sila was limited to merely one afternoon God’s work remained steadfast these last several years and continues to be faithful. I would not have guessed how much blessing I could have received from just a couple of hours in a remote town of Thailand. Beyond the shock of a new building and a football field God’s faithfulness will always surprise.

-Hoon Lee (EF Staff)

Reflections from Khaodee - Susie Lee

2008-08-20T10:57:00.000-05:00

After traveling in Vietnam and Cambodia for over a week, it was like coming home when we reached Khaodee Orphanage in Thailand. It has been 3 years since I had visited last and the first thing that struck me was how big the kids had grown...what on earth are they feeding them! After that initial shock was over I couldn’t help but embrace old faces and met new ones.

With the amazing support of family and friends, my husband and I were able to raise money for our trip. We had a few things in mind that we wanted to do, but thought talking to the staff at the orphanage first would be our best bet. At our first meal together we mentioned that some options that we thought of were 1) buying a pig and feasting on it with the kids, 2) giving all the kids a few dollars ($3) and taking them on a field trip to Big C, the local shopping mall since some of the kids have never been there before, or finally 3) take everyone, all 100 kids plus staff members, out to a buffet dinner. Without hesitation I can remember our translator, Gai, tell us that the kids have been praying every night for a buffet for the last 2 years. At first I thought she was joking, but then Pastor Simoon also mentioned that it was true and that he thought that would be the best idea.

A couple of nights later, after a special worship service, I remember sitting with the kids and watching/listening to the speaker giving the kids instructions. Although I couldn’t understand a word that was said, I knew the moment he mentioned the buffet because the kids went wild. Literally the kids jumped out of their seats and started hugging, yelling, and dancing. If I hadn’t known better I would have thought that they had won the lottery! With so much excitement, some of the kids mentioned that going to school the next day would be hard for them, but of course the staff insisted that they went. With light lunches, or no lunches in some of the kids bellies, we were off to our buffet dinner the next day. Being a teacher myself I know how difficult it can be taking 30 kids on a field trip, so I was bracing myself for the worst. I was so pleasantly surprised though when I saw all of the kids break up into fours and serve and help one another. With the older kids helping the younger ones, it truly felt like we were having a large, very large family dinner.

Answering their prayers in this way is just a small glimpse of the work I saw God doing at Khaodee. It was amazing to think that He would use what little money we had to answer such faithful prayers. More than anything else, I can honestly say that what blessed me the most was seeing all their faces again. Not only were they considerably taller, but more than that I am so encouraged to see how much their faith has grown these past few years. Seeing them grow physically and spiritually reminds me that God has His perfect plan ready for each and every one of these children, and that I’m just here for the ride, getting blessed because of them.

Susie Lee (EF staff)

Our Work in Cambodia - Hoon Lee

2008-08-10T10:58:00.000-05:00

One of the most horrific ramifications of the Khmer Rouge, which was responsible for the death of nearly two million Cambodians between 1975-1979, is the prolific trafficking of children. After the genocide led by Pol Pot (1925-1998), that specifically targeted the educated and skilled, the country was left crippled. As the nation sought to rebuild itself, some were led, by the struggle to survive, to the practice of prostitution.

With merely two thousand evangelicals remaining in the country after Pol Pot’s rule, there was little restraint against the booming sex industry. While prostitution was initially limited to women, perversion of the industry developed into the selling of young children. As unthinkable as it may seem, child prostitution accounts for a third of Cambodia’s sex industry.

Cambodia holds the highest rate of child abandonment in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, many of the girls are sold into prostitution. This practice of modern day slavery is in fact the rape of children for profit. Whereas the average compensation is no more than three hundred dollars, girls as young as five years old are sold by struggling families. Sometimes. they are promised legitimate jobs in cafes but are tricked into prostitution. In the brothels, these girls are treated as any other commodity – after years of abuse, they become expendable and discarded.

Elijah Foundation is working in cooperation with other Christian organizations in the effort to stop child prostitution. Working with Cambodian churches and non-governmental organizations, we seek to rescue these children out of the brothels. Upon removing the children from the brothels, they are placed in a high-security facility and are provided with physical, emotional, spiritual and vocational aid. Through tender love and care, the children begin the healing process.

With Elijah Foundation’s help, the children start to leave their dark pasts behind them while they seek a new future as they begin re-integration into society.

With the message of God’s love and the provision of the Holy Spirit, Elijah Foundation seeks to provide not just a physical escape from slavery but a spiritual deliverance as well.

Hoon Lee (EF Staff)

My Trip to Asia - Sungjoo Choi

2007-08-22T10:58:00.000-05:00

Although I had just gotten off a plane from Paris the night before, I was looking forward to my very first trip to the Khaodee Orphanage that I had heard so much about over the past 5 years. Maybe not the flying, but definitely the chance to finally see and experience the orphanage up close and to interact with the kids and staff. I first flew to Toyko and then to Bangkok and was amazed upon arriving at the new Suvarnabhumi Airport. I had been to Thailand in late 2003 and immediately I could sense how much the country had developed in the last few years.

Before visiting Chang Rai, however, my first stop was to Phnom Penh, Cambodia to meet with Gary Stites and to get a feel for the country where God has opened doors to possibly open another orphanage. Having been in three totally different time zones for the last few days, I misread my itinerary and realized that I had thought my arrival time was my departure time. So I missed my original flight and had to scramble to buy a ticket on another airline, just barely making it to the gate for that one. I had heard and read about Cambodia and tried my best to prepare myself to see a world that I only knew from afar. But even then, as I drove through the streets to meet Gary, I understood how much I had underestimated how poor the conditions were in this country. Many of the roads were made of dirt, most of the vehicles were old scooters where they would pile on sometimes up to 5 people. I thought to myself, if this was the capital, what was it like in other parts of the country? Once I met Gary, he gave me an overview of the country and explained to me exactly why he was there. After having served in the Vietnam War, it was always his desire to dedicate the latter years of his life at some point to the region. I could tell that God had given him a heart for Southeast Asia and it was his vision to develop what he called "the mission" in an area called Prey Veng. Before heading out there, I visited a children's home in Phnom Penh that he helped start only a few months prior. The home hadn't been completed yet but I got to see and meet the kids and staff there. Just a few days before, a woman had brought her baby who was malnourished and barely alive. Unable to take care of her, the orphanage had taken her in. To Gary, this was proof that if you build and provide for people, those in need will ultimately find a way there. Talking with some of the boys there, I was really encouraged to see them carrying around bibles. In a country where Buddhism is by far the dominant religion, it was comforting to know that God was still present and that I could see it in their faces as they spoke about the service they were going to attend in a few hours.

From there, Gary and I headed out to Prey Veng where he explained to me exactly what "the mission" entailed. Apparently, Prey Veng is an area where many displaced Vietnamese people are immersed with Cambodians along the border. It was his vision to build among other things, a church, a medical center, schools, an orphanage, housing, and other facilities to help support those living in the area. Although he wants to fund the project initially, it his goal that one day it'll be self-sustaining, provide jobs for those in the area, and most importantly an opportunity for people to come to know God and have a chance to educate themselves. As we drove there along the main highway, I noticed that the further away we drove from Phnom Penh, the poorer things became. Once we reached the ferry to take us across the Mekong River, we were immediately surrounded by people (mostly kids) begging for money. As a resident of New York City, I'm pretty used to panhandlers but this was beyond anything I had ever experienced. I could feel a sense of desperation that I had never felt before and I was beginning to realize just how much the people in this area needed something to hold onto. As Christians, I feel that God provides us opportunities to share Himself with those most in need and I felt in my heart of hearts that the people in this province were in desperate need of God. Our first stop was a medical facility that Gary had visited a few days earlier and we walked around with the head doctor. I couldn't believe the conditions of the hospital. People who were sick with Malaria, HIV, and other conditions were being treated on the floor, the surgery room was in an open area, and medical supplies were in short supply. Although the doctors were Buddhist, they encouraged us to pray for the people there and even though they couldn't understand the words we spoke, I could tell they genuinely understood why we were there and showed their gratitude as we left. No matter how many times I had been told what to expect, I'm always reminded over and over again that its just different when you actually experience it yourself - to breathe the air they breathe and to walk on the land they walk, most of them in their bare feet. My trip to Cambodia definitely altered my view on my own life and how much God has provided me. I'm thankful for having met a guy like Gary, who has such an admirable desire to help these people. I'm excited at this opportunity to be able to share and serve those who are in need in a way that serves God's purpose for His people.

After my trip to Cambodia, I headed out to Chang Rai (Khaodee Orphanage). Like most visitors, I was amazed with the scenery and landscape of the mountains - such a contrast to Bangkok. After taking the kids to school the first day I was there, I went to the market where the staff shopped for food for the kids' meals. During the day, Gai and Pastor Simoon took me around to visit the Golden Triangle as I spent time getting more familiar with the area. Both of them along with the rest of the staff were such gracious hosts. I have to say that home-cooked Pad See Ew tastes way better than what they serve in the US. Once I got back, the kids were already busy with their chores. The first thing I noticed about them was how disciplined they were. It was almost as if they needed no supervision from the staff. No one gave them instructions or told them what to do. After their chores, they had free time and as I saw them interact, I noticed how well they got along with one another. During dinner, it hit me that these kids would never experience growing up in a typical family. But, this was their family and it was very encouraging to know how not only content they were, but how they took joy in being a part of the family that God had provided for them. As I'm sure all visitors experience, during service you could tell the kids really had a heart for God in a way that is amazingly pure. The next night I was there, I explained to the kids how I had visited Cambodia and that we hoped to give the kids there what they had at Khaodee. I didn't even have to really explain since they already understood. As they sang and prayed for me before I left, it was the perfect ending to my trip. It is during moments like that when things are most clear, and I understand why I've chosen to serve God through this organization. God willing, more and more kids will come to know and love Him. In the few days I was there, these kids gave much more to me than I could give to them. I pray that God will continue to spread his love through these kids and this organization to other parts of the world.

Sungjoo Choi

Vietnam in Picture

2006-11-22T11:06:00.000-06:00

As my departure date for Vietnam was coming closer, excitement was definitely building up inside me. Whether it was from the war, media, or even Hollywood , Vietnam has always had a mystical lure about it. This initial lure proved not to be a mere trick but telling of what one can expect to find in Vietnam . During my stay I was struck by various images. Though a week will produce more than one can take in, I present three that have been engraved in my mind.

One of the very first things I noticed about Vietnam was the surrounding beauty. From the airport to Hanoi I was amazed at the majesty Vietnam commands. You are pulled into endless fields of bright green that are covered with a slow moving mist that makes everything look alive...almost like a sleeping animal. As the fields extend out into the horizon they abruptly end with massive mountainous figures. The jagged lines of the mountains bring drama to the otherwise peaceful image. Halong Bay was no less beautiful but replaced the green fields with calm waters and retained the mist and mountains.

As nature ends and city begins one quickly sees the iconic image that represented the people of Vietnam in so many pictures and photographs. Walk down any street and you will eventually see a woman in that typical straight, pointy, straw hat. She carries two baskets filled with fruit, tethered on a bamboo rod, which is balanced on her shoulder. As she walks she calls for any customers wanting fruit that day. She stops to make a sell, stretches her back, picks up her load and continues on her way. She walks until she gets to her corner where she will sell for a couple of hours. While squatting she looks at her two baskets, hoping that they will be empty by the end of the day.

The last image came on a rainy day. Off to the side of a shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City stood a small group of children. These children were not laughing or playing but just waited in the rain. One shirtless little girl cried as an older sister cuddled her in her arms. Another young boy stood attentive while holding his older brother's hand. As people hurriedly walked by a girl with a baby wrapped to her back stretched out her hand and mumbled something incoherently. The other children quickly follow suit, hoping that someone would stop and drop a coin in their hand. This is the daily practice; they come and beg until they are chased away by the police.

As my time in Vietnam came to a close, I realized that it was not Vietnam itself that I will remember and hope to come back to. While I contemplated on the many images I found myself looking at them less with my eyes and more with God's. The beauty is not a testament to the nation but to the majesty of God. The iconic image of the woman with the straw hat and baskets does not represent the people of Vietnam but of God's ministry. The begging children are not a picture of the orphans of Vietnam but of the children of God. As I do more and more international ministry with Elijah Foundation I am constantly forced to look with God's eyes and forgo my own. My time in Vietnam was a testament to the fact that the world is too big to be viewed merely by man and can only be understood through God. My hope and excitement for Vietnam is not by what I have seen but what I have yet to see in God.

Hoon Lee

Reflections from Khaodee - Emmy Hong

2006-10-15T11:04:00.000-05:00

Surrounded by the magnificent view of lush green mountains, Chiang Rai is a beautiful city. My first impression of Chiang Rai was the abundance of Buddhist temples. Buddhism is extremely prevalent in Thailand—comprising about 94% of the country's population. Throughout my stay, I kept thinking that the need for Christ in this country is so clear…but that God was bringing change and hope to Thailand through the small but growing Christian population. Khaodee Orphanage is surrounded by mountains, and there is a view of the sunset from one of Khaodee's main meeting buildings that is absolutely breathtaking.

Each of the individual Khaodee children and staff members were a joy to get to know. Despite the language barrier, they allowed me into their lives, even if only for a few days. My time with the children mostly consisted of helping them with English homework, playing, and chatting with them. The children lead surprisingly busy lives. Their weekdays are spent mostly at school. The children work on their homework, learn English, and spend time in worship in the evening. On Fridays, everyone gathers to watch a movie in the main meeting hall.

On the weekends, each child is responsible for a particular chore—giving them a sense of ownership of the orphanage. Some of the boys were responsible for making new handles for the tools used at the Khaodee. In order to make the new handles, the boys used machetes to shave off the outer layer of bamboo sticks. This is tough work! I attempted to participate at one point…needless to say, I wasn't much of a help to them. But they did get a kick out of my attempt to contribute.

I was especially blessed worshipping with the children on Sunday. Despite the fact that I could not understand much of the service, I experienced the reality of God transcending over cultures and generations. They sang, and I sang with them. They prayed, and I prayed with them. Although I'm not sure if we were singing and praying the exact same things, we were all part of a single body, worshipping the same God.

I got to know the staff, many whom have been with the orphanage for years, through attending morning prayer meetings, helping make snacks for the children, and through conversations that took place throughout the week. The staff pours out their lives for the children—their sacrifices clearly reflecting God's love. Through my interactions with them, God showed me the staff's need for support and prayer. As the children's teachers, spiritual mentors, and in many ways, their parents, each shoulders an enormous responsibility. Through them, God is growing a new generation of Christians in Thailand. And they work tirelessly with that in mind…praying for the children, disciplining them when necessary, and loving them with their whole hearts. I felt convicted to pray for them continuously—that God would give them much wisdom, providing the support needed in their individual lives, and that He would bring them times of refreshing. Above all, I felt led to pray that He would continue transforming them into people more like Christ, so that they could, in turn, live out the gospel by loving and serving these children with joyful hearts.

More than five weeks have passed since I left Thailand, but during the short 10 days I spent in Chiang Rai, God showed me a glimpse of His heart for the people in Thailand and the children and staff at the orphanage. God is training His people at Khaodee and I believe He will grow these children to make an impact and grow His kingdom in this country.

Emmy Hong

Vietnam Vision Trip Reflection - Pastor Danny

2006-10-02T11:07:00.000-05:00

The first half of our trip to Vietnam found us in the northern part of Vietnam. We traveled to the capital city, Hanoi and to the beautiful Ha Long Bay which is about 3 hours (car ride) East of Hanoi. Being in a new country for the first time can be very emotionally and spiritually draining. The first night in Vietnam, I felt very oppressed spiritually as dark images crept into my imagination when I had my eyes closed. It went away when I opened my eyes but the reality of spiritual battle seems to be all around Vietnam. I didn’t see small spiritual houses guarding a store or someone’s house nor did I see images of Buddha or a picture of a King on every wall as is the case in Thailand. Regardless, spiritual battles seem very real in this country with only small percentage of 82 million people being Christians. There are few visible churches which were given official licenses to practice Christianity in this communist country. But later I learned that these are mere illusions of religious freedom because the only reason these churches are allowed to exist is because Vietnam wants to join the WTO. There is no guarantee that these churches will continue to exist once they are formally given entry into the WTO. There are 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam of which Viet (or Kinh) people account for 88 percent of the total population and are mostly concentrated in the lowlands. Most of the other ethnic minority groups live in mountainous areas (Hill Tribes) in the north. Many of the Christians are found among these ethnic minorities and there are still numerous accounts of their persecution by the Vietnamese government.

We then flew into Ho Chi Minh City (better known as Saigon) to be greeted by traffic jam likes of which I had never experienced before. The roads were covered with a sea of motor bikes in all directions and the city was enclosed with dense pollution which made me dizzy and gasping for some fresh oxygen. When we traveled on our taxi going only 200 yards in 30 minutes and driving in reverse on the opposite side of the street only to be where we first started, I understood why there were so many motor bikes in this city.
Saigon is nothing like Hanoi. Hanoi is a quaint easy going city covered with “an old city” charm with values of old communism. Saigon, on the other hand, is a bustling metropolitan city which can be a poster child for modern capitalism. There are neon lights advertising their product, greeters in front of every store enticing the potential customer with flyers or with words, and everything seems to be open 24 hours a day for people willing to pay money for their product or services.

On one occasion, I turned to Hoon Lee (my travel companion) and asked, “Can you remind me why we are in this country?” He replied, “c’mon you know…” Yes, I did know but sometimes I have to be reminded because I am easily distracted. It was in Saigon that we met our Vietnamese contact and shared our visions together. I don’t think Vietnam will be as easy to get started like Thailand was. When we began in Thailand, we were young and naïve. God knew that we had no clue what we were doing so he led us by the hand. But, now that we have grown a little, God reminded me of a story in Mark 9 where the naïve and young disciples of Jesus, who showed some early successes in their ministry, could not heal a little boy with an evil spirit. When this boy was healed by Jesus, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” Jesus replied, “This kind can come out ONLY by prayer.” (Mark 9:29)
God reminded me that this time it will take much more prayer.

Pastor Danny 10-02-2006

The Church in Vietnam

2006-08-20T11:08:00.000-05:00

Religion - History of Christianity

It is uncertain when Roman Catholicism appeared in Vietnam. There are no records of Catholicism before the 16th century. The turning point for Catholicism was marked by the arrival in the 17th century of a French missionary, Father Dac Lo also known as Alexander de Rhodes. He mastered the language, history and geography of Vietnam, and more importantly, perfected a Latin script of the Vietnamese language. With his influence, the number of French missionaries increased until they became the largest and most influential group of foreign Roman Catholic missionaries in the country. The Catholic Church claimed 800,000 adherents in Vietnam by 1680.

The Protestant movement did not begin until the 20th century. In 1911, the missionaries of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) came to Danang in central Vietnam and began to sow evangelical seeds. It first spread north to Haiphong and Hanoi and then by 1918, to Saigon and to other cities in the South.

In 1921 the first Vietnamese Church in Danang became fully self-supporting when it had membership of 115. The Bible School in Danang opened. All of the pastors of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam were trained in this school, which moved to Nha Trang in 1960.

By the end of 1940, one hundred congregations had sprouted up with about 200,000 members. In 1927, when membership reached 4,236 the native Protestant adherents became officially organised and formed the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (ECVN). At the 1928 conference, the ECVN constitution was ratified with the following mission statement:

"The missionary effort of the C&MA allowed the translation of the New Testament to be published in 1924 and the complete Bible to be published in 1926. Among the Tribal people in Vietnam, the missionary work was started in 1929. The Tribal churches were established and in 1959 joined the ECVN as a district of the National Body."

When the War of Independence ended in 1954, the ECVN had 17,007 baptised members. Under the Geneva Accords, Vietnam was divided into North and South. More than 1 million people, including 1,014 Protestants, fled to the south in 1954-55, leaving 2,000 members and fourteen pastors in the North.

Under the Communist rule, the Protestant church in the North decreased in membership to about 1,200 in 1975. Meanwhile in the south, between 1954 and 1965, the ECVN saw a great decade of evangelism in its history. By the end of 1972, the ECVN had 127,505 adherents with 45,287 baptised members, 490 congregations and 424 official pastors, making the Church one of the most successful enterprises among the 24 areas of overseas work of the C&MA.

Other missionary societies entered the south, including the Seventh Day Adventist in 1929, the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade and the Mennonite Church in 1957, the Southern Baptist Church in 1959, the Church of Christ in 1962, the Church of God in 1968 and the Assembly of God in 1972 as well as some other smaller groups.
Religion - the Church today

After 1975 the Protestant Church, as well as other religious groups, operated under a variety of restrictions. Many churches, church offices, institutions and training schools were shut down. Laws, such as the 1977 Resolution No. 297, allowed meddling and control over religious and church affairs. Witnessing bands and evangelistic meetings were prohibited, as well as youth rallies and conferences in the churches. Work schedules were arranged to interfere with church gatherings and many suffered job discrimination for attending church services. Many pastors were arrested and put in prisons and re-education camps. Although most of these pastors have been released, the authorities continue to detain Christian workers without trial.

Many churches in Vietnam still function but can only do so within limited degree of freedom allowed by the constitution and the local authorities. In spite of this, the evangelical community has grown since 1975, Tribal adherents have increased in number from about 100,000 in 1975 to 150,000 in 1989, then to over 350,000 by the end of 1994. This is despite the fact that they face the most severe restrictions and persecutions. Of the 53 tribal groups, over 30 have been reached and have received the gospel.

During the same time, the number of Kinh adherents (or Vietnamese) has increased to 61,761 in 1989 to over 100,000 by the end of 1994.

House churches have also continued to multiply despite the difficulties, in part because they give attention to the training of lay leaders. Characterised by aggressive Christian witness, concern for needy people and a charismatic worship style, the house church movement originated in Saigon and has extended into networks and missions throughout Vietnam, and into Laos and Cambodia. Various Asian and western foreign individuals and organisations have provided different types of informal support to these movements. It is believed that the house church adherents could number between 50,000-70,000.

With the limitations placed upon the pastors, leading sometimes to their arrests, young Christians and church members have risen to accept the challenge of leadership. Lay leaders have become a crucial part of the evangelical movement, especially for the house churches.
Persecution

In principle, there is religious freedom in Vietnam. In practice, religious life at the congregational level is generally normal, but at district and national levels, the church is faced with restrictions and difficulties. A 1999 religion decree enshrined religious rights and allowed people to choose to follow, not follow, or change their religion, but warned of punishments for those who used religion to harm the state. Tribal Christians have faced the severest persecution in Vietnam. Said one worker, "The local Party boss has total power over whether a church is burned or stands, and can arbitrarily sentence pastors to short terms of hard labour in the fields." Pastors have been detained: under house arrest, and their equipment has been confiscated.

Hmong and the Hre tribal believers have been witnesses (if not the very victims) of countless suffering and persecution. A tribal village in Lam Dong province is home to nearly five hundred people who have become Christians, a church source reports. Their activities are not unknown to the local police. Because of this, Christians in the area have suffered hardship at the hands of the authorities. Quite a number of church leaders and believers have been arrested and many have been fined.

(Quoted from 'Please Pray for Us' - published by Bethany House 2000)

Reflections from Khaodee - Sae-Rom

2006-05-22T11:09:00.000-05:00

Hi, Pastor Danny

I returned from Khaodee 2 weeks ago and God again refreshed my heart, even though I was only there for 3 days. I was so very glad that I went! It was really great to see the staff again and especially to hear of how many of the young ones have decided to serve or continue serving. They humble me so much! Their dedication and faithfulness is limitless. And they're so gifted! And they offer all of it to God. Pastor Si Moon's consistent commitment to prayer was a delight and rebuke to see, too.

Pee Chalan and Pee La brought me along with them to visit some Hmong villages one day (in response to letters/phone calls they received about potential children). Pastor Danny, it was so heartbreaking! I mean, I knew it would be sad but...gosh! I was amazed by some of the tragedies that these people live through and in everyday, over and over again....To hear first-hand from them was very moving. And then I was so amazed and grateful for God's grace that works in those places and people through groups like Khaodee. When I think of where these children were headed before being taken in by Khaodee...it just confirms so much for me the importance of good Christian people stepping up and taking real action to address the real needs of our fallen, broken world.

As far as updates go.... Everyone is doing well. The boys' dorm is absolutely beautiful, esp. with the new furniture! It's almost entirely finished except for a little bit more work needed on the bathrooms, I think. Everyone's new beds and wardrobes look wonderful, too. The kids are really loving the improvements, I hear. I wasn't able to see Somboon (I think that's his name, right?) but Gai told me his surgery went well and that he's healing well. And this month, to prepare them for service, Yui and Toy are heading off to Bible school and Kem is off to Bangkok for college.

Thanks so much, Pastor Danny, for all of your shepherding, all of your prayers, and all of your encouragement. I really, really appreciate it and praise God for you.

in Christ,
Sae-Rom

'Til Next Time - Nancy Park

2005-04-11T11:11:00.000-05:00

It has been now about a year since I first started thinking about going to Thailand and visiting the Khaodee Orphanage/Church. It is amazing to see and hear of all the great things that God has been doing over the past year alone in that land. I can remember my first days in the country and the excitement that I felt seeing the people and their way of life. This excitement still overwhelms my heart as I think about the kids and staff members who are working faithfully for the Lord.

It is true when they say that there is something very special about Khaodee. Even after visiting various orphanages during my two trips to Thailand, God has definitely kept this church under His wing. Though language may be somewhat of a barrier, God’s love is not misunderstood. It is seen in their smiles, their diligence in their studies, the daily responsibilities they carry out, their commitment to prayer, and their uncontained joy in worship and praise to our Father.
Now that a year has gone by since my first visit, I wait in anticipation for the next opportunity that opens for me to return and see my Thai brothers and sisters in Christ. I am thankful for the partnership that God has established between people who are on complete opposite ends of the world. It is evidence of God’s presence and power over all His creation and His longing for more to turn to Him. It is through this commission that God commanded that challenges me to keep praying and supporting this ministry.

I am reminded of Paul and his longing to return to the Corinthian church. So I wait in hopes for God given occasions to rejoin my partners in this ministry, and pray for people to come and see how God is moving in the hearts of these people.
To my family in Khaodee: “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.“ ‘Til next time.

Summer Fun

2005-03-15T11:13:00.000-06:00

March 15, 2005: “Summer Fun”

What would you do during your summer break? As we get older, we don’t get summer breaks and this question is meaningless. But, to some of us who are fortunate to be young or are teachers….well…you must be looking forward to the summer fun. For our orphans in Thailand, it is already summer break! In Thailand, they only have 3 seasons: Hot season (October thru March), Hotter season (March thru June) and Rainy season (July thru September). It’s always hot and muggy in Thailand but March thru May is the worst! If you ever want to visit Thailand, try to avoid these months. Because of their season, they have their “summer break” from March thru May. So, what would orphans do during their break?
We heard from our Khaodee Orphanage that they are sending “Outreach Teams” all over Thailand! They are doing what many of us would do during our summer breaks…God’s work! Some of them are going to Akha, Yao amd Hmong Hill tribes to spread the gospel (these are three of the hill tribes in Northern Thailand). And some of them are going to Phuket Island to help with the clean-up and minister to Tsunami victims. And some of them are busy trying to host a summer camp for young children around our Khaodee Orphanage. Sounds like lots of fun! They have asked us to pray for them as they try to spread the good news all over Thailand.

As for us, we are trying to set up summer missions as well. At this moment, we are gathering applications to send teams to our 2 Khaodee Orphanages. Our newest orphanage needs many building projects. E.F. has sent the final payment for the land where our new orphanage is being built and currently we are trying to raise funds for buildings (i.e. church, dormitory, widow’s homes etc.). Please keep praying for our ministry as well.

Christmas Abroad...Thailand

2004-12-30T11:14:00.000-06:00

“Christmas abroad… Thailand” – by Pastor Hoon Lee
(Hoon is E.F. Staff Member and he recently visited Thailand (Khaodee) for the first time. He was accompanied by 2 other E.F. Staff Members Richard Lee and Nancy Park on his trip.)

In the hustle and bustle of the hectic Christmas season we rarely get a chance to reflect upon the heart of the holiday. Behind the busy malls and meal preparations the true message of the times becomes nothing but a faded image lost in obscurity. Spending Christmas at Khaodee was an eye-opener, serving as a much-needed reminder. During my time there two reoccurring lessons began to surface proving themselves time and time again.
In preparation for Christmas at Khaodee one could imagine all that is involved in organizing a weekend of festivity for over 100 kids. We did our share of shopping… soccer uniforms for the boys, notebook and pen sets for the girls, and dolls for the young ones. We were ushered from shop to shop in search of poppy seeds, fish, oranges, apples, some sort of beat, some more oranges, a couple of pigs, and a whole array of items I had no idea what they were. That’s just the shopping aspect. All of this needed to be wrapped, cleaned, sliced, cooked, slaughtered, and a whole slew of other preparations. After hours and hours of frantic preparation one is reminded of the story of Mary and Martha. If you took a step back you could see the whole story happen right before your eyes. Though Jesus was not physically present it was the season of His birth. Just like Jesus’ point, this is not to say we should neglect such responsibilities or that there is no need for them. Rather, one sees how the balance between doing the task yet keeping your eyes on the true message is kept. The kids and staff at Khaodee offered a visual object lesson on what being like Mary looked like.
The second lesson would not seem very likely at an orphanage. Christmas often serves as a time for family and friends. Friends are given the opportunity to see each other as they come home for the holidays. Families are given a chance to spend time as a whole with their breaks from work and school. Despite being at an orphanage one cannot deny the bonds of family, but of a different kind. There were no signs of mothers cooking with their daughters or fathers playing outside with their sons but for sure the love and care that can only exist in the family of God. An example of this was the way the kids prepared their secret Santa gifts. For sure money is not something that they have much of but they were very diligent and loving in preparing their gifts to one another. You could see the joy and love in the faces as they privately wrapped their gifts. In our present day a sad reality is that the bonds of family have become splintered. With these kids, family often seems like a luxury that they did not grow up with. It was not the occasion of Christmas that brought this family together but rather the love for each other.
Christmas at Khaodee was a wonderful time of celebrating our Savior’s birth. The children were ecstatic with constant smiles. They displayed a tremendous witness beyond their years. It was truly a privilege to be able to spend my time there. How ironic that though we live in our so called liberated country we bind ourselves down with this and that, taking a trip miles away with a group of orphans to remind us what the celebration of our Savior’s birth is all about.

On the Road to the Killing Fields

2004-02-26T23:27:00.000-06:00

"On the Road to the Killing Fields" - By Pastor Daniel Jung - February 26, 2004

As soon as I stepped off the airplane in Phnom Penh, my worldview has changed yet once again. My initial feelings about Cambodia can be summarized by this simple statement: "This has to be the poorest country that I have ever seen in my life." This war torn country has not recovered from the atrocities done by the Khmer Rouge (from 1975-1979 when they killed more than 2 million of their own people which at that point in their history was about 1/3 of their total population). Today, Cambodia has about 11 million people of which about 1 million people populate their biggest city Phnom Penh. There was hardly any evidence of western influence in this city and the comforting signs of McDonalds and Starbucks were no where to be found. Cows, people, bicycles, motor-scooters, cars, and trucks were using the same narrow streets and paved roads were exception to the general rule. Most of the roads in the capital city, Phnom Penh, were not paved and were filled with rocks and dips that speed signs were not necessary. Distances that would normally take us 10 minutes to get to in USA took an hour to get to in Cambodia. On our first night, our host missionary checked us in to a very friendly Sakura Hotel with many ladies smiling and welcoming us. Later, I found out that the ladies that lined up in the entrance dressed in white shirts and yellow shorts were all prostitutes that worked for this very expense for Cambodian, $15 per night, run-down, yet thank-goodness it had air-conditioning, hotel. During dinner, at the worst Korean restaurant that I have ever been in (please do not ask why we went to a Korean restaurant for our first meal in Cambodia...), we heard countless stories about the physical and spiritual conditions that enveloped this country. Little toddlers were being sold into prostitution by their own parents for mere $300 (and sometimes for even less) and other more unfortunate children were sold to be butchered for their organs. Our hearts were broken to pieces and were filled with so heavy of burden because the work needed seemed way over our heads. So, when we came back to our hotel, we didn't know what else to do but kneel before God and pray. We were all filled with tears and asked God to use us for the cause of Christ in Cambodia, even though we do not know what that means.

The next day, we were taken to the Genocide Museum "Tuol Sleng" (Former Khmer Rouge S-21 Prison where 10,499 men and women and over 2,000 children were killed.) and more darkness filled my heart. Then, we were taken to a slum village then to another slum village where we saw dirt filled naked little babies to school age kids running around doing nothing because they have nothing else to do and school was not even an option. Their parents could not afford to send them to school because they simply could not afford to pay for it and because their children were the source of their income. (Children can make more money begging in the streets than their parents working.) There is no wonder why the illiteracy rate in Cambodia is above 50%. Then my heart was broken even more. What can I do? What can I hope to accomplish? My heart was filled with grief and even more my heart was frustrated because I didn't have the slightest clue where to even begin answering my own questions.
Then, we were taken through this straight unpaved yet very beautiful road shadowed by big and colorful trees to the infamous Killing Fields. We saw mass graves where innocent Cambodian people regardless of their ages were buried...some even alive and some killed with a machete because "a single bullet cost more than a life of a Cambodian." (- as stated by a Cambodian tour guide whom I over heard explaining to his American guests) We even saw human skulls still bearing the scars caused by the blow received with a machete. At this point, my spirit could not handle anymore and I felt like vomiting spiritually. So, when we got back into the truck that was taking us around, I gently demanded to our host, "Take me to a Happy Place. Take us to an ice-cream parlor. I will treat. Take us to a Happy Place."

I didn't know if my gentle demand was heard by our Cambodian host and I wondered even more as we veered off from the road from the Killing Fields away from the city where we came from. We stopped at a village store and she asked us if we wanted anything to drink. "Of course," I stated and jumped off the truck. She got a drink for me and she picked up few bags of supplies that I did not know what it was. I offered to pay and all of it only came out to be $3. We were then taken to another slum village and everyone got off the truck. With the bag of supplies in her hand, she walked into the village and we simply followed. Then this fragile 75 pound Cambodian lady called the children over to her and immediately about 50 kids lined up in front of her. She arranged them in rows and she taught them the gospel message and we sang songs together. We all exchanged hugs and smiles as we played games and sang songs together. Then she took out the supplies that we bought and inside these bags were Candy! She distributed 2 or 3 wrapped candy to each of them in an orderly fashion and all of the kids were happy and as they smiled, they showed off their ugly teeth that badly needed to be treated. Yet, it did not matter because they were the most beautiful of children that I saw in Cambodia.
Then suddenly it dawned on me, "I am indeed at a happy place!" For the first time in Cambodia, my frown was replaced with a smile and we actually took pictures with us in the pictures. Happily we entered our truck and I promptly thanked our Cambodian lady, whose name is Sarah, for taking us to a Happy Place. Inside our truck, the normal somber mood had changed and we all looked at each other with much hope. Then I said, "That’s the best $3 I had ever spent!"

When we arrived at the dead-end junction where our road met the road to the Killing Fields, we looked right where the road leads to the Killing Fields and we slowly took a left turn to the city and left the memories of the Killing Fields behind us forever. Softly, our Lord Jesus was speaking to us on the road to the Killing Fields and reminded us of the road that led to the cross and all the history of God's people who had been delivered by the power of our Almighty God because they had trusted in the cross. Then gently He reminded us that without hardship and suffering for the sake of the cross, our lives have no meaning and no hope. Then my heart burned within me and I knew I had to turned around toward the cross and come back home to tell all of you that our Savior lives and He will meet us in Cambodia.