From Cambodia to Texas: Expanding Our Reach, Embracing Change

When the five of us started our journey in Cambodia over 13 years ago, we had no idea what God had in store for us. There were many unknowns in the path ahead, but we were excited and expectant. Over the years we have seen God do amazing things and we have developed relationships with people who have forever changed our lives. We've seen communities become stronger, healthier and safer. And most importantly, we've seen multitudes who have come to know Jesus.

We hope we've been able to share this journey with you in a meaningful way as you have partnered with us, prayed for us and cheered us on. We again want to say THANK YOU! With your continued support we hope to see the people of Cambodia and the Mekong Region come to know Christ.

As 2024 has developed we’ve been shocked to see what has happened. Wayne and the team at CCPC have trained 250 men and ladies across 5 church planting schools. By the end of 2025, they plan to double that number with 10 new schools and 450 church planters, expanding into new opportunities in Thailand and other Southeast Asia regions. Tricia and the team at University of Puthisastra have developed an e-health records learning system that has now been launched nationwide in 6 universities with over 900 students in the first cohort. Their education initiative has been accepted for publication in a leading nursing journal. This will be the first publication of its kind across Southeast Asia. This will be a groundbreaking publication for the profession of nurse educators in Cambodia.

At the same time God is helping us to expand our reach, we have also felt it is time for a transition. We are excited that opportunities have arisen allowing us to continue work in the Asia region while also allowing us to relocate back to Texas. This means we will be looking for a new place to settle close to the DFW airport at the first of the year. 

 

Wayne  will continue his work in the Mekong Region from the US, focusing on an executive role with international travel. Tricia has been asked to serve in leadership roles at the University of Puthisastra to assist in advancing the nursing program. She is also continuing her research at the university.  We’re still working out the details and plan to take a short time off to transition, rest, and restructure for what God has next. 

After 13 incredible years in Cambodia, we are returning home to reconnect with our community and continue our work in new ways. We kindly ask for your continued support as we move into this new phase of our ministry. As we transition, we face some significant relocation expenses. If you feel led, a one-time gift to help cover our relocation costs would be greatly appreciated. Your generosity continues to be a blessing to us, and we thank you for standing with us during this time of change. If you'd like to partner with us Click Here 

We will have more detailed updates in January once we are settled back in Texas and look forward to sharing what lies ahead and how you can be a part. 

Wayne & Tricia

What Can Church Planting Look Like?

 

Srey Pov has suffered from mental illness. Living in a rural village she lacks access to sufficient medical or mental health resources. She also lacked a relational support system and is the caretaker of her mother. Several months ago Srey Pov began suffering from paranoia. She began to believe that her neighbors were going to steal her dog, who she greatly loved. 

 

So, Srey Pov locked her dog into her small one room house and moved her and her mother out of the house to live under a tree in the yard.  She did this thinking it would keep her dog safe.

One of our church planters, Kim Chheng, began visiting the village where Srey Pov lived. He believed God was calling him to share the Gospel and plant a church in this village. He began visiting homes in the village and soon met Srey Pov.

 

When Kim Chheng saw the disrepair of Srey Pov’s home and that her and her mother were living under a tree, he began to spend time with Srey Pov and her mother. Srey Pov and her mother had been living in this situation for quite a long time.  He was greatly concerned about the mother’s health living outside and Srey Pov’s health. He was moved with compassion to help them, but knew it would take a unique approach. 

 

He gathered some of his church members and they went to Srey Pov’s home and built a nice, secure dog kennel. Once Srey Pov was pleased with the safety and security of her dog, Kim Chheng asked Srey Pov if his team could come and help her clean out her house and pray and spend time with her and her mother. 

 

Soon they had the house cleaned out and Srey Pov and her mother were able to move back inside. Kim Chheng’s team also noticed that Srey Pov’s water well was very primitive and needed to be cleaned out and a small structure built to protect the well in the future. This would keep Srey Pov’s water supply clean and healthy. They even enlisted other villagers to help in the effort.

 

Through Kim Chheng’s display of love and genuine compassion he was able to share Christ not only to Srey Pov and her mother, but also to the other villagers. Soon Srey Pov was doing much better and had a relational group of people around her to provide some stability. She and her mother were happy to open their home to a weekly gathering of people for worship, fellowship and learning God’s word together.  

Over time people came to know Christ, were baptized and a house church was planted. We’ve seen in villages in Cambodia that planting a church can look many different ways. Church planters must look for the most appropriate ways of sharing the Gospel in that specific village and then over time develop disciples and leaders into healthy fellowship.

Your gift makes the work of the Hester family in Cambodia possible, and we work hard to maximize each dollar entrusted to us. We are grateful for the generous support of many individuals and organizations that share our commitment to informed, responsible and effective service in Cambodia. To partner with us Click Here. 

 

 

United That Others Might Know Him

" I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." John 17:20-21

This month Christian leaders gathered from all the different provinces across Cambodia for a National Congress. It was a time for us as national leaders to reflect, discuss, pray and to look forward to the next decade. We thanked God for what He has done, and committed ourselves to completing the Great Commission. 

We celebrated that Cambodia now has at least one church in every province and every district in the country. With only 2% of Cambodians professing to know Christ, we have a long way to go. Our commitment in this next decade is to see at least one group of believers meeting in every commune (county) in the country and ultimately every village. Continue to pray with us as we equip believers to share the Gospel and make disciples. 

Cambodia Meets Texas

 

It was a great privilege to host 3 families from Cambodia who we've worked with over the last 11 years.  They had the opportunity to learn about life in Texas. We went to a rodeo, rode horses, ate barbeque, attended church, learned line dancing and saw oil wells.  Most important we spent time with some amazing people. 

Over and over again our Cambodian friends were surprised at how friendly people are in Texas. For me, it was an opportunity for my Cambodian friends and colleagues to meet my Texas family and experience my home and culture. We have shared life and culture over the last 11 years and this was a great opportunity to deepen our understanding of one another. 

We were also able to participate in a retreat in the mountains of New Mexico with Prepare International. This was a time of refreshing for us all. A time to slow down and spend time with God. Please pray for our Cambodia friends as they return home to resume ministry. Please also pray for the Hester family as we process the time we had to rest and reflect in the US this summer.

A Committed Church Planter

Neakru Phally's home being disassembled in 
Oddar Meanchey Province

Recently I received this picture through Messenger. I wondered why anyone would send me a picture of a house being taken apart.

Then I saw that the house belonged to Neakru Phally. Neakru (Teacher) Phally has been part of our two year School of Church Planting.  

During lockdowns and all of the challenges of the COVID pandemic Phally continued to safely do COVID health outreach and provide COVID food relief in a new village where the Gospel had not been shared.  Her heart was to assist those in need and share about the amazing God she serves. She simply wanted the people of the new village to know Jesus.  She found innovative ways to continue to do that in the midst of great challenges.

Neakru Phally and her family

Over the course of two years people came to know Jesus and commit their lives to him.  A small group of believers formed and a new house church was planted. As the small church developed Phally felt the call to move to the new village to lead the church and reach out further to the other people in the village.

As I think of Phally I am reminded of Jesus' words in Mark 1:38   - Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”

Following the call of God, Neakru Phally decided to move to the new village.  She did not have the resources to buy a new home, so she has disassembled her current home and is rebuilding it in the new village.  

This reminds me of Jesus' words  "Take up the cross and follow me".  

I am challenged and inspired by the commitment and obedience of Phally and her family.  

As I look forward to the next year I am asking God to develop in me this kind of heart to serve Him.

Your gift makes the work of the Hester family in Cambodia possible, and we work hard to maximize each dollar entrusted to us. We are grateful for the generous support of many individuals and organizations that share our commitment to informed, responsible and effective service in Cambodia. To partner with us Click Here. 

This Is A Church

Samnang, one of my teammates, was sharing some photos with me recently. He showed me a photo (right). I asked what the photo was about.  Why was he showing me this photo? 

"This is a church" he responded.

When I heard those words something inside me clicked.  

Because the photo was something that is so drastically different from the concept of "church" that I am used to, I had to stop for a moment and process.  At first I was wondering whether this could actually be considered a church, but then I began to consider my own concept of "church".

I asked Samnang to share more about the photo with me.  He said that because of COVID, the church was not allowed to meet in their building.  At that time there was no known community spread of COVID in the nation, but the church leaders were still being careful.  The church family had decided to go to the river, fish, have lunch and worship together.  After fishing and having lunch someone led songs of worship and someone shared from the Word of God. To them this was a natural way for them to continue to live out community. 

Samnang then went on to share that the church planter who planted this church had also planted five other churches in the midst of COVID, using homes, meeting families in rice fields during the rice harvest and just reaching out to people in their normal daily environment.  

As I asked Samnang more questions he shared that the church planter's greatest desire is that people can know Jesus and be discipled.  What that looks like, or how it happens isn't as important as people coming to know Christ.  

I've lived in Cambodia for 10 years, so I am very familiar with how house churches begin and have seen similar things happen over the years.  However, this photo and the conversation really challenged me as I've watched churches around the world struggle during COVID.  And let's be honest, many were struggling before COVID.  What does that mean afterwards?

Are we focusing on reaching people with the message of Christ's redemption and finding ways to disciple them as they grow in their faith in God? Or, do we get sidetracked with trying to make that happen in our current facilities or programs. What can we learn from these church families about adjusting to continue God's mission in the changing circumstances of our world.  How can we enjoy real, genuine relationship?

I'm not writing this to present a definition of "church", to have a theological discussion, or to criticize anyone's current model of a church.  I believe God uses many different styles and models to accomplish His heart's desire of restoring people's relationship to Him through the cross of Christ.

What the photo has done is to challenge me to focus on helping people create communities that fulfill God's mission, where fellowship, communion, new birth and growth in Christ happens.  How or where it happens isn't as important as God's desire that "it" happens!  I've decided I want to be like this church planter when I grow up! 

Your gift makes the work of the Hester family in Cambodia possible, and we work hard to maximize each dollar entrusted to us.  We are grateful for the generous support of many individuals and organizations that share our commitment to informed, responsible and effective service in Cambodia. To partner with us Click Here

 

I am upset and prayerful.  This post is not about the people or building in the photo, but about the person behind the camera. 

Not too long ago my family had a unique opportunity to be on the Capitol steps in the early night when noone else was there. We were standing on the same spot where the first rioters broke through this week. As we were standing there talking, admiring the Capitol and all it's meaning, a Capitol policeman from the First Responder Unit came over and engaged our family in great conversation. He thanked us for coming. Talked about the Capitol and his long career guarding the Capitol prayerfully. He shared about his faith. Since there obviously weren't any tours at the time, he pointed out significant aspects of the Capitol. He took us to the spot where inaugurations take place ad described what it tis like to be there.  He didn't need to do any of these things, but he did. He took time and showed care. He envisioned our kids for something greater than ourselves.

I'm imagining this incredible man of kindness, integrity and service on the day of the riot and what he must have gone through.  Today, he's mourning the loss of one of his very own unit, who died as a result of the riot.  His boss has been forced to resign. The symbolic building where he so reverently serves has been desecrated.

I wish I could say "Shut up" loud enough that people on BOTH sides of the ideological spectrums would listen, but that's not possible. They are already bickering again and desecrating anew the very house they swore to serve. Good people like this policeman got hurt, and will continue to if the nonsense continues.

What I can do is say to the Capitol policeman who offered to take our photo, is that I'm sorry this happened to you. I can treat others the way he treated my family on that special night. I can pray. Would you join me in prayer for him and those who serve with him?

"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" 2 Chronicles 7:14