The article below was written by Kay Burklin and Opal Hardgrove from Mission to the World’s home office after a recent visit to our village:

One at a Time in Cambodia

by Kay Burklin and Opal Hardgrove

Maly (name changed) lives in a small, remote farming village in Cambodia. Because of her critical nature and angry spirit, over the years Maly has alienated everyone in her family and in the village. Now alone, elderly, and infirm she must depend on others for help, but few are willing to help her.

MTW missionaries, Luke and Sokha, moved into the village sometime back. Sokha felt compassion for this woman, and she began taking care of her by bringing food daily and also helping her to bathe.

Recently, we were visiting Luke and Sokha, and when Sokha went to take food to Maly, we went with her. After visiting for a while, we were starting to leave when Sokha translated for us that Maly wanted to know how to find Jesus. Maly told us that she had gone to the temple, but we explained that Jesus was not in that kind of temple. He comes to live in our hearts. And we began to share the gospel with her.

We talked to her further about prayer. When Maly said she did not know how to pray, we explained that it was like talking to a close friend. She said she had never had a friend before. That slowed us down a bit, but we were able to continue sharing the good news with her. Before we left for the day, Maly did pray to Jesus. Now we are hoping that it will be real in her life. Oh how she needs to know a friend like Jesus!

As we were leaving, Sokha told us that we were very good evangelists, but the truth is that Sokha was the main evangelist here. Because she showed love to Maly every day by selflessly reaching out and caring for her, Maly’s heart was opened to the love of Jesus.

The work of God’s kingdom is happening in remote farming villages in Cambodia, but as in all places, it is happening one person at a time.

“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish. – Matthew 17:12-14 NASB

http://www.mtw.org/Pages/NewsStories.aspx (accessed April, 18th, 2013)

Mission to the World recently featured Sokha on their MTW One Child webpage:

Her mother didn’t want her and couldn’t—or wouldn’t—take care of her.

So an aunt took in Sokha and her three siblings and did her best to lovingly provide food and shelter and give them a decent life. But tragedy struck and the aunt herself could no longer care for these children. They were put in an orphanage and found themselves alone, abandoned, and very afraid.

Yet it was in this Christian orphanage that Sokha began to experience the love of a Father, a love she had never known. And at the age of 15, she accepted Jesus into her heart and her life changed forever.

Sokha now lives with her husband and baby girl in a small village outside of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. There they teach children English through Bible lessons and songs, feed those who are hungry, counsel those who are lonely, and help those who hurting. Sokha and her husband tell people about hope and redemption in Jesus but more profoundly, they show it.

Such is the heart of mercy. Such is the heart of a woman who, through such profound pain and hurt in her own life, now ministers out of a place of understanding, empathy, and love. Sokha said “In His arms, my wounds are healed. In His arms, I found the meaning of life, true hope and true joy. I want to tell everyone I meet what He has done in my life through speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity so that my fellow believers can celebrate this indescribable joy with me, and the lost, the hopeless, and the weary can hear and be saved according to His gracious will and plan.”

There is a little boy, Samnang, who rides around the village on his bike. Only 10 years old, he was left behind when his parents divorced and moved away. He, like Sokha, was abandoned. But in this tiny village, he is being introduced to the Lord who created Him, who offers hope, and has wonderful plans for his life. And that message—the same that Sokha once heard—will change his life forever. Who knows? Maybe, through the grace of God, he will be the next Sokha.

http://www.mtw.org/Pages/OneChild_Stories.aspx (accessed April, 18th, 2013)

Below is a video about our ministry that was made for the Mission to the World Ambassador’s Conference, March, 2013:

“My children, remember me! The sins I committed were to provide for you.  My suffering and pain has been unbearable in hell. Now, I have been freed for a short time. Do not forget to bring me food, my beloved.” These are the lyrics of the early morning and late night chant that blares from the loud speakers at the Buddhist Temple that is about 100 yards from our house. The annual Pchum Bun festival which is also known as the ancestors’ day has arrived again. It is a 15-day festival celebrated to offer food to the Buddhist monks in order to feed the spirits of one’s dead ancestors, relatives and friends who are believed to have been detained in hell for committing “big sins.” These ancestors are freed to receive food from the living relatives during this time. If no food is offered to them, then they will curse the living. In fear, the living get up at 4 am to throw lumps of rice around the temple to feed the dead. Later in the morning at 8 am, they return to the temple again with food offerings for the monks.

On the first day of the festival, my wife took breakfast to Yeay Chrong. While she was still sitting with her in her hut, a drunken old grandfather holding a Bible in his left hand and a walking stick in the other approached her. She immediately recognized him. He once told us that he used to go to church, but due to his family’s persecution and pressure, he stopped attending church. We had encouraged him to attend Angkjeay Church service with us, but he withdrew out of fear of his wife.  As he came closer to her, he held out the Bible and asked if his Bible was the same as the Bible we used. She said “Yes” and invited him to attend Angjeay church plant service once more. However, before she could finish talking to him, he walked off. As he was moving away, she caught up with him and asked if she could talk to him more about the faith. He whispered that he was too drunk to talk right now and walked off quickly. On the way home, my wife met his wife who was on her way from the Buddhist temple. She asked her if she knew that her husband has been wanting to go to church. The wife smiled and said, “Yes.” Then my wife asked if she could let him have his wish this time and that she herself should come to church with him too. She said she wanted too, but she was afraid of her grandchildren and the spirits of her dead ancestors. Further, she did not think she could stop following the Khmer tradition. We know that this is not a new story. Satan has been driving people away using fear and empty human tradition throughout the ages.

From meeting under mango and coconut trees, Angkjeay church plant has been able to put up a worship shelter from its church offerings. It had been six months since the Angkjeay church plant had moved from Missionary Esther’s village to its current location. We had been meeting in an open space on the property of one of the villagers. However, by the end of May, as the rainy season was approaching, it was necessary to put up at least a simple worship shelter. Before a shelter could be built, seven trucks of dirt were bought to fill in the low part of the land. This part of the land could have been leveled up using a bulldozer, but instead church members both young and old came together to help level up the land to save money. A few weeks later, the land was ready and a worship shelter made of palm leaves, bamboo, and wooden poles was constructed. We’ve been meeting in this worship shelter for about three months now.

Prayer requests and praises:

• Hannah is two months old now and has been able to settle into the swing village life well with us. We are grateful that she has been healthy so far.
• Pray for us to continue to be bold and passionate in sharing the gospel with the villagers.
• Pray for those adults who are the grandparents and parents of our students who want to believe in Jesus but are pulled back by fear of the persecution from their families, friends, and spirits of their dead ancestors and evil spirits.
• Pray for Orm Sorn’s health. He’s been suffering from high blood pressure. He is one of the adults who has been faithfully riding his bicycle to church.
• Pray for all the students who have been attending our English/Bible classes to love and adore the Lord whole heartedly like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it they may grow up into salvation. We have just launched a Bible class on Saturday evening for students. We’ve started reading a new translation of the New Testament in Khmer that is much clearer translation than the older versions. And I have also distributed Proclaimers and Bible Sticks for them to listen at to the Bible in Khmer at home.

We appreciate your prayers offered to God on our behalf and your ongoing faithfulness to financially support us. We couldn’t continue in the work without friends like you.

Your missionaries in the Cambodian countryside,

Luke, Sokha, and Hannah

Our daughter, Hannah Lydia Smith, arrived this past Saturday morning at 5:20 am (Cambodia time). She weighed 3.2 kilograms (7.05 lbs). We praise God for a safe delivery. Sokha and the baby have been released from the hospital, and we will be in Phnom Penh for a few more weeks. Then, we will return to the village at the end of the month. During this time, I will go to the village to teach on Saturdays and Sundays. Please pray for Sokha as she recovers and for us as we learn to be Godly parents.

About seven weeks ago, my wife and I had our quiet Monday evening interrupted by the sound of shrill wailing coming from our next door neighbor’s house. As we moved out to our balcony for a better view, we could see and hear that the wailing was coming from the children next door who had just received the unexpected news of the death of their father. He had died unexpectedly in a motorcycle accident on dirt road nearby, leaving behind six children and his wife.

So it is, isn’t it? Death is so often an unexpected and unwanted visitor when it pays its visit. It comes at the most inconvenient times, making five and six year old children burying their father. It comes uninvited, and it is no respecter of persons. It visits the rich and poor, the old and young, people of every nationality, and will eventually visit every one of us. There is only one hope in the face of death. There is only one hope that the final enemy will not get the last word. The hope of the resurrection is the only true hope that we have in face of death. A hope that Jesus is the resurrection and the life is a hope that we long for the villagers here to have.

Yeay Chrong groaned, “Since my grandson is dead, is there any possibility for him to go to heaven?” She was referring to the dead man who was actually one of her three grandchildren. Although, he as well as the rest of his siblings never took care of her and stole everything that belonged to her including her pee bucket! We were amazed at how much love she had for him. We shook our heads and assured her, “It is too late. Your grandson can’t believe in Jesus and repent now, can he? But you are different. You still have a chance to be saved and go to heaven if you know who the owner of heaven is, believe in Jesus, the Son of the owner of heaven who can wash away your sin, and repent.” We could see the sadness on her face. This was not the first time that we shared the good news with her, but she has not seemed to grasp it. She seems to be tied to the things of this world. Her life sinfulness is revealed in the responses of her neighbors. Nobody likes her. She has a long history of being a chronic liar in the village, but since she is old, she hardly remembers to cover her lies. As a result, she is usually deserted and left to starve in her small hut. With God’s love we share our food with her daily, and wash her and change her clothes once a week. Please continue to pray for her and us as we minister to her.

We have been living in Angkjeay village in Kampot province for over 8 months now. The majority of our time is spent with the village church plant and related English outreach classes. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, we continue to reach out to children and teenagers through teaching them English. We have divided the children into three classes. The first class between 12 to 1 pm is a class for students who have just started to learn English. There are 20 students in this class. The second class between is 1.15 to 2 pm for young children between the age of 3 to 8 with about 30 students in the class. The third class between 5:30 to 6:30 pm is a class for advanced learners. There are 30 students in this class. Most of them are either in secondary school or in high school.

We usually begin our English classes by reinforcing the Bible lessons that they learn in Sunday school class through singing, reciting memory verses, and reading chronologically through a simple version of the Khmer Children’s Bible published by Lutheran Heritage Foundation called A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories with the students in the first class. On Friday afternoons, we hold an hour Bible study with the advanced learners. We sing and read chronologically through another version of Khmer Children’s Bible printed by The Bible Society in Cambodia called The Bible for Children with them, and then Luke gives a short sermon on the passage and writes down a memory verse for them to translate from English to Khmer. The two older classes have been memorizing the Children’s Catechism in Khmer, and we have been going through it after reinforcing the Bible lessons. Those who can remember and recite the answers are rewarded with candy, toys, or school stationary donated by MTW colleagues, friends, and visiting churches.

Since the end of December, we’ve found a location for Sunday worship that is between missionary Esther’s village and our village. Now, the church plant meets at a villager’s house closer to where we live. We have been setting up chairs under the coconut and mango trees for now. But the area floods during the rainy season, so we will probably have to find a house to meet under, or build a simple shelter on another villager’s ground in a few months. Three Bible school students in their third year of study from Esther’s village have been sharing the preaching duties with Luke. Sokha continues to assist with the music and translation when needed. Orm Sorn, an older man, Ming Saron, an older woman, Oun Navy, a high school student and her friend Srey Em, and eight other girls that live by the village market have been faithfully riding their bicylcles about 20 to 30 minutes to worship with us on Sundays. The two older adults, Om Sorn and Ming Saron, are in need of your prayers. Om Sorn used to work for a Christian NGO, but had a stroke and has numbness in both legs now. His blood pressure is often unstable. He often gets dizzy, weak and sometimes is not able to attend the Sunday worship service or the Baptism class held at our place twice a month on Saturday afternoons. As for Ming Saron, she has been severely persecuted by her husband for believing in Jesus that she’s sometimes unable to attend the worship service and the Baptism class.

Oun Navy, a high school student, has been riding her bicycle about forty-five minutes to attend the Baptism Class and Sunday school teachers’ training class at our place on Saturday afternoons as well as to assist the Sunday school teachers on Sunday mornings. She is a very committed student. She lives with her poor mother. Her father committed suicide several years ago. She is already in 11^th grade and hoping to get a scholarship to study in college once she’s graduated from high school.

Two of Sokha’s sisters from the city have been traveling on the weekends to help her train seven girls who have already received Christ to become Sunday school assistant teachers in future. One of the attendants is Oun Navy. At the moment, this Sunday school teachers’ training class is held on Saturday afternoons between 2:00 to 3:30 pm or 3:30 to 5:00pm. We’ve also been running Sunday school class on Sunday mornings between 7:00 to 8:30 am. Since this class has moved from our place to the new church plant location, there are about 40 children attending that we know mainly from the English classes, and the surrounding neighborhood. More students from the two other English classes ride their bicycles to attend the worship service.

Other than the Baptism class which is held twice a month on Saturday afternoons, we have started a new Bible study in a villager’s house across from where the church plant is located on Tuesday afternoons. There are three elderly women, an old grandfather, and two young women attending this class. Since they’re new and seeking to know more about this new faith, we studying lessons which give a redemptive historical overview of the Bible. Most of the people in the Bible study have also been attending the main worship service on Sundays. Please pray that by the grace of God, they would understand who God is and believe in Him.

One a personal note, Sokha is pregnant with our first child! The due date is mid-August.

Thanks for you prayers,

Luke and Sokha

With our recent marriage and a few supporters needing to reduce support or stop support over the past few months, we are in need of additional monthly support. If you are interested in supporting us or know a church or friend that may be interested in supporting us, please let us know. Here is the giving information: Donation website: www.mtw.org/donations. To donate by check write “Luke Smith- 17118” in the memo line, and send it to: MTW, P.O. Box 116284, Atlanta, GA, 30368-6284.

If you were to drive through a village here, you would find yourself surrounded by beautiful rice fields. Rice fields here! And rice fields there! Rice fields are everywhere. If you were to open your eyes and look at them closer, you would notice that some of them are ripe for harvest while others will be ready in a month or so. Some farmers are joyfully reaping theirs now, while others are looking forward with excitement to their turn. They look forward to it, but harvest is not the most relaxing time of the year for them if we consider their demanding work in the fields. For instance, don’t farmers have to bend down in the heat of the sun to sickle their rice stalks, tie them up into sheaves, and then bring them back to their houses on ox carts to thresh and dry them? Isn’t it one of the most tiring and busiest times too? Aren’t some of them already overwhelmed by its workload, and have started searching for people to lend them a hand? Isn’t it indeed the most joyful time and yet the most strenuous time? Much of this parallels our experience as we labor as missionaries here awaiting a spiritual harvest. The work is exhausting but joyful. And ultimately, we are glad that this harvest depends not on the weather or even our zeal, but on the work of our God who is the LORD of the harvest.

We have been living in Angkjeay village in Kampot province for over 4 months now. The majority of our time is spent with the village church plant and our English outreach classes. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, we reach out to children and teenagers through teaching them English. We have divided the children into three classes. The first class between 12 to 1 pm is a class for students who have just started to learn English. There are 30 students in this class. The second class between is 1.15 to 2 pm for young children between the age of 3 to 8. There are 50 students in this class. The third class between 5:30 to 6:30 pm is a class for advanced learners. There are 20 students in this class. Most of them are either in secondary school or in high school. Therefore, there are about 100 children altogether.

On Friday afternoons, we have a 30-minute Bible study with the advanced learners. We are chronologically reading through the Khmer Children’s Bible with them, and then I give a short sermon on the passage and write down a memory verse for them to translate from English to Khmer. Since these children are back to school now, most of them can’t come early to read the Khmer Children’s Bible by themselves. But the two older classes have been memorizing the Children’s catechism in Khmer, and we have been going through it before class. In any case, we always begin our classes on Monday and Wednesday by reinforcing the Bible lessons that they learn in Sunday school class through reciting the memory verses and singing songs.

We’ve also been running Sunday school class on Sunday morning between 6:30 to 8 am. There are about 60 children attending that we know mainly from the English classes, and the neighborhood. We can see God’s faithfulness in drawing them to Himself. About ten of these students are interested in attending the church worship service with us at the church plant. As we only have a motor bike and the church plant is far from their houses, they are willing to take turns coming with us for the time being. We are praying that older students will be willing to ride their bicycles to the church plant after it has moved closer to their houses.

On Sundays, I have continued preaching at the Prey K’Chiey church plant, and Sokha continues to assist with the music. I recently finished a series of 10 sermons on the Ten Commandments. Four Bible school students in their third year of study from Esther’s village have begun to share the preaching duties with me, so I preach twice a month now. We are looking for a location for Sunday worship that is about halfway between missionary Esther’s location and our house. We have been encouraged by Orm Sorn, an older man, Ming Saron, an older woman, Oun Navy, a high school student, and eight other girls who have been faithfully coming to worship with us on Sundays. Orm Sorn and Ming Saron are neighbors. They have been riding their bicycles about 30 minutes from their village to worship on Sundays with us. Sorn used to work for a Christian NGO, but had a stroke and has numbness in both legs now. Ming Saron heard the gospel from her daughter who is married to a pastor in the city. We had lunch with them for the first time at our place last Saturday. We also took that opportunity to encourage them with God’s word and pray with them.

Oun Navy, a high school student has also been riding her bicycle about 30 minutes from her village to worship on Sundays with us. We went to visit her this Tuesday. She lives with her mother. Her father died many years ago. Her mother, neighbors, and relatives came to visit us while we were at her place. We introduced ourselves and shared the gospel with them, and we were touched by three women who asked Jesus to heal parts of their bodies: one of them had pain in her left shoulder and hand, the second woman had a constant headache and the third woman had a few growths in her eyes and a sore throat. We prayed for them and invited them to ride their bikes to church with Navy. Due to their age, I do not think all of them can.Though I believe that they will come if we conduct a Bible study at their place.

Also, we have continued building good relationship with Yeay Chrong. In spite of her poverty, she always drops by to give us whatever she has. She has been bringing us watermelons, pork, cakes, both raw and boiled sweet potatoes. She gets upset if we do not take them. She said if we do not take her gifts, we do not respect her. My wife often gives her food and fruit to eat whenever she visits us. Recently, she came while we were having lunch with our Orm Sorn and Navy, his wife, Ming Saron, Sophal and Sarath (two Bible college students) at our place, we invited her to stay with us to listen to them share Bible passages and their testimonies. We also praised God together with a few songs. My wife played the guitar and Yeay Chrong liked it. When she came by again the next time, she asked if my wife could play the guitar and sing for her again. She said that she could listen to the music all day long. Since we are going to start a baptism class, we’ve decided to invite her to listen. Pray that the Lord will bring her closer to Him.

Matthew 9:37-38 says this “Then he said to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Our situation echoes the truth of this verse. We have many opportunities before us, but we do not have the time to take advantage of them all. So please join us in praying that God will send more workers into the harvest fields.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Luke and Sokha

With our recent marriage and a few supporters needing to reduce support or stop support over the past few months, we are in need of some monthly support. If you are interested in supporting us or know a church or friend that may be interested in supporting us, please let us know. Here is the giving information: Donation website: www.mtw.org/donations

To donate by check write “Luke Smith- 17118” in the memo line, and send it to: MTW, P.O. Box 116284, Atlanta, GA, 30368-6284.

Sokha and I have been in the village for about five weeks now. We’ve been adjusting to married life, living in the village, and new ministry responsibilities. We are living in the same village where I lived from January to March of this past year, but in a different house. It has been challenging to get used to life without running water, electricity, restaurants and supermarkets again. In addition, I had typhoid fever a few weeks ago, and am still not back to feeling normal. We can’t say that it has been an easy transition, but we pray that in the midst of our weakness that the power of God will be showed forth. As His ambassadors to these people, it’s our desire to see Christ’s great commission in Mathew 28:18-20 being accomplished through our lives. Therefore, we are much in need of your prayers.

We’ve been teaching children English three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Children are classified into three classes. The first class between 12 to 1 pm is a class for students who have just started to learn English. There are about 45 students in this class. The second class between is 1.15 to 2 pm for young children between the age of 3 to 8. There are also about 45 students in this class. The third class between 5 to 6 pm is a class for advanced learners. There are about 10 students in this class. Most of them are either in secondary school or in high school. Therefore, there are about 100 children altogether. On Friday afternoon, we read the Khmer Children’s Bible with the advanced learners and have them translate a few sentences. We have also encouraged the rest of the children to come half an hour before their English classes to read the Khmer Children’s Bible. We begin class by reviewing the story that they read and asking a few questions. We’ve also been running Sunday School class on Sunday morning between 7 to 8 am. There are about 60 children attending that we know mainly from the English classes, but a few children also come that don’t come to the English classes. We strongly hope to see God draw these children to Himself.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we spend time getting to know the the village, the village life, and the children’s families through house visits. This is the time of the year when rice seedlings are transplanted into the fields, and public school students are on their two and a half month vacation until the beginning of October. Since most people are farmers, all of them are quite busy working in the fields. Everyone has to help out in the fields. Even young children between the age 4-6, whose families are short-handed, have to help in the fields. Other than working in the fields, the villagers are skillful at catching and trapping fish, frogs, shrimp, growing vegetables, and raising chickens, ducks and pigs. Most families have their own small vegetable gardens, pig sties as well as chicken houses by their house. We can say that these people will not starve as long as they are diligent with their hands.

So far, we’ve taken several walks through the village. Every time, we are on a walk, we marvel at the views in the village. The sky, the shades of green in the fields and the mountains are indeed beautiful. We praise God for putting these marvelous paintings up for the villagers and us to enjoy. Gratefully, we are escorted by a number of our students from the English classes, and are welcomed into their houses for being their children’s teachers. Teachers are well respected in the village. This gives us a chance to build good relationships with their parents and family members as well as to share with them the reason we are here in their village. We normally try to pray for each other as we take turns to speak about God, the creator, how they were separated from Him by their sin, and His love to save them from their sin and His eternal punishment. Most people are open to the gospel though the old folks seem to hold tighter to their Buddhist and animist beliefs. Before leaving their houses, they often give us whatever they have as gifts such as fish, corn, fruit, and glutenous rice cakes.

Through these house visits, we met an old grandmother who has been disowned by both her son and grandchildren. Two of grandchildren’s houses are our neighbors. As a result, she has been living by herself in a shack surrounded by a small rice field. She cannot see well and yet she has to cook, buy food, and earn money by polishing the leaf-stems of coconut branches. She gets paid 400 riels (10cents) per kilogram of the leaf-stems. These are used to make an assortment of things like brooms and roofing thatch. She has a sister living in the US who has been sending her some money, but her other grandchild is the keeper of the money. He sends her some pork and a small amount of money every few days. We try to visit her more frequently to find out her situation as well as her needs. We’ve also been sharing with her the gospel and God’s great love, and even encouraged her to stop by our house to spend time and have meals at our place. One early morning about a week ago, she stopped by our house and handed some of her rice plates and bowls to Sokha as her last inheritance. Sokha was stunned and touched by her actions. Every time we talk to her, she often says she does not know when she will die and who will care if she dies. Our hearts break every time we think about her. If God pleases, may He give her a new heart to believe in Him before she dies.

We have also seen that a number of children are not taken care of very well by their families. Ravi, a second grader, has dropped out of school and is known in the village as a thief. A 7 year-old, Sam Art, and her younger brother Ream were left by their mother to live with their father and grandfather. We were told their mother is working in one of garment factories in Phnom Penh and would not return to them. Both children are lost in their own world, and hardly speak at all. A 14 year-old, Sophorn, and her younger brother, Ponleu, who are going to be in grade 7 and 5 next year are being raised by their mother, as their father has gone to work in Phnom Penh. Although Sokha was brought up in a Christian orphanage for ten years, she prefers to help educate and train the parents as well as to supply their basic needs so that they can take care of their children. We especially feel burdened to love these children help their families.

On Sundays, I have been preaching at the Prey K’Chiey church plant, and Sokha assists with the music. The group is made up mostly of students from the outreach work of missionary Esther and teacher Saran over the past three years. We are discussing how this young church plant can be slowly brought to maturity. There is much to be thought through, so we need your prayers as plans are being made.

With our recent marriage and a few supporters needing to reduce support or stop support over the past few months, we are in need of some monthly support. If you are interested in supporting us or know a church or friend that may be interested in supporting us, please let us know. Here is the giving information: Donation website: www.mtw.org/donations To donate by check write “Luke Smith- 17118” in the memo line, and send it to: MTW, P.O. Box 116284, Atlanta, GA, 30368-6284.

The article below was written for people coming back from a short-term mission trip, but much of it applies for people on the field long-term too. Several of the points were a good reminder for me as I work here in Cambodia. It was written by Jeff Brewer and posted at http://www.sharefaithblog.com.

So you went on a short term mission trip this summer and you are getting ready to come home (or you just returned home).  Here are ten things to remember about the gospel, missions and humility as you process through your trip.

1. Your identity is in Christ, not in what you do or have done for Christ. (1 John 3:1)
2. The greatest need for all people, in all nations, is the gospel; not to become more or less like another culture. There are beautiful expressions of culture in other contexts.  There are beautiful expressions of culture in America.   There are sinful expressions of culture in both.  Be careful not to pit one against another and neglect the gospel which is our greatest need regardless of the culture in which we live.
3. Be patient with those who know nothing about the country from which you just returned. Patiently endure questions about food and dress and other stereotypical questions.  Think through carefully how you will answer typical questions graciously and in a way that points people back to the gospel and the reason for why you went in the first place.
4. Even though you have experienced a lot, your knowledge about your host country is not exhaustive. Remember you have only begun to understand their culture.  Keep being a learner about the culture that you just began to experience;  not an expert.
5. This world is not your home––in either place. Fight against the temptation to make your identity in any one culture. We are all away from the Lord, from our true home (2 Cor 5:8,9) and our citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20).
6. Fight romanticism. Your trip (especially if longer than a month) was not all a bed of roses.  Take time to journal and remember the hardships of living in a foreign culture.  The temptation will be to be to romanticize missions and minimize the difficulties you encountered.  Romanticism does not help promote and mobilize people to missions because the hardships are real.  Be realistic with others who would consider such a project in the future.
7. Fight pride. You did not gain standing with God because you lived in a foreign context for a year or a lifetime.  We can only stand before God because of the death and resurrection of Christ not because of what we do for Christ.  (Romans 8:3; 1 Peter 3:18)
8. Fight Laziness. As you re-acclimate to life in the States, fight against the temptation to be lazy by neglecting the Word of God and cultivating your relationship with Christ.  Relax and be encouraged but be intentional in how you do so in order that you do not fall into sinful patterns of behavior and thought.
9. Remember to pray for those to whom you ministered. In most cases, you will never see the men and women with whom you spent so much time.  For the brothers and sisters in Christ that you met and worshiped with, pray for them as Paul prayed as he remembered them.   (Philippians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:3)
10. Proclaim the need for the glory of God in the gospel to to be brought to all peoples. Keep the least reached peoples of the world before people who may not know of the need.  (Matt 9:38)