Cambodia
MINISTRY REPORT FOR 2021
by Pastor Nora Catipon

Jesus said in Matthew 16: 18, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”   Truly the church of Jesus Christ is victorious. The pandemic that makes the world stop and suffer was not able to stop the Church of Jesus Christ in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and make disciples. This is the second year of the pandemic but saving the lost and making disciples continues.

I am very grateful to God for Charis Community Church for your faithful partnership with me in prayer and financial giving that enables me to continue doing ministry here despite of the challenges this pandemic brings.

CAMBODIA SCHOOL OF MISSIONS

Classes are held in two ways, self-study and on-line class with the teacher three days a week for one hour each session. We revised our lessons to make it a self-study that the book itself will be their teacher.  It is additional work for a teacher like me because I have to revise all the lessons and translate them all again.  But the extra work is nothing compared to the joy that it gives knowing the students were able to continue their training to be more effective in their ministries.

While waiting for the permission from the Ministry of education to operate physically, we started holding on-line class to some kids who preparing to enter the first grade this coming school year. We only have a handful on-line students since what the parents really need is someone who will take care and teach their kids while they are working. I am thankful to God for the financial support of Charis Community Church that enables us to pay the rental until the school re-opens again and prevents us from closing the pre-school permanently. 

All the ministries of the church are done through on-line since February when there was 2^nd  covid outbreak in Phnom Penh again. I thank God that about 70 percent of the church members are attending the on-line worship services and weekly Bible studies through Zoom. However, I fear that even we will be allowed to meet to face, some of them won’t still go to church and prefer to join us via Zoom because it is more convenient for them. I hope and pray that the believers of our church would not prefer to worship God at their convenience but they would be willing to make sacrifice to give glory and honor that God deserves to receive from us.

Since we can’t go out to do missions work personally, the church partner with Ps. Chhim Daly, a graduate of CSM whom the Lord laid a burden in her heart to reach out to the covid patients and those who are in isolation facilities in Oudom Menchay.  Ps. Chhim Daly and her whole family were covid survivor and she experienced the difficulty a covid patient goes through.  Our church provided some funds so she can go to Tropeang Prosat High School and proclaim the Gospel to 250 people (who are in isolation due to covid infection) by giving them small pack with fruit, masks, soap and other food stuff and evangelical tracts and magazine.   

Truly the Church of God is victorious because the proclamation of His Gospel resulting to new converts, making disciples and miracles are not hindered by the lock downs and continuous spread of the covid virus.  We are committed to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom until He comes.

Churches here in Cambodia was not allowed to meet physically since February 20 up to the present. But just like what Jesus says in Matthew 16:18, “the gates of hell will not prevail against His church.”   Even though the church can’t meet together in the newly built church facility for worship and Bible study, we managed to continue worshipping and studying the Bible regularly in houses of church members.  If there are two or three families live near each other, they form into a house church every Sunday to worship and study the Bible together. So church activities continue not in the church building but in houses. There are videos and photos taken during this house church meetings.

Meeting together like this in houses are great encouragement for many of our church members who are suffering economically due to this pandemic. Some of them lost their jobs or having salary cut downs. Some who used to do small time business in schools can’t continue due to closure of schools.  They find strength from the inside out when they gather together in worship and study the Word of God together.  They find refuge and strength from God and with one another as they pray together for their needs. 

Aside from meeting in house for worship every Sunday, there are three cell groups going on once a week among the potential church workers and leaders. Ps. Rin Lida lead these cell group meetings among the potential church workers and the present church leaders.  Discipleship continues despite of the restriction in gathering people in the church. 

Other than the Sunday worship services, we are ministering to children and teenagers with food provision and school supplies; drug addiction and social issues.