We left Ninoy Aquino International Airport on March 12, 2005 at 11PM via Kuwait Airways. We landed at Bangkok International Airport at around 1AM the next day. Going to Bangkok from Manila takes about three hours of flight but Manila time is ahead of Bangkok time for about an hour.
We were fetched by a pastor and members of a southern baptist church in Nonthaburi. We proceeded to their chapel. A short briefing was given by Ms. Geri Abordo with regards to our stay in the chapel. I had a wonderful sleep that morning because I was very tired.
We had a Language Acquisition Training from March 13-19. Our lecturer is Dr. Betty Sue Brewster. She taught us a lot of things not only about Language Acquisition but also about being a missionary. She taught us about culture shock, respecting one’s culture, etc.
I and two of my teammates left Nonthaburi for Cambodia at 5AM on March 19. I was with Fhey Kindipan and Rhona Ricera. We Took the bus from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet. Aranyaprathet is in the border of Thailand and Cambodia. We were able to cross the border easily. We were fetched at the border by two officers of Light and Salt university. Going to Light and Salt from the border takes about two hours by car. The road was bumpy and dusty. We arrived in Light and Salt University safely.
Light and Salt University is an institution which trains future Cambodians for pastoring, for missions, and for church works. I stayed there for two months and immersed myself in Cambodian culture.
Ministering in Cambodia was a blessing for me. I’ve learned a lot about God. I’ve seen that God really works in mysterious ways. We can really trust God in every detail of our ministry. I have learned to be thankful of whatever God gave me especially when I see Cambodians literally live a Spartan life. They are thankful for the food which we can’t eat in the Philippines. Imagine yourself having fish gills and rice for meals. (You read it right: FISH GILLS). But thanks be to God because I’ve learned to love Khmer food. And their way of life too!
It was my first time to take a bath outside in full view of other people! In my stay there, I always visit the family of the students if such opportunity arises. Once I went to one of my students’ house and stayed there for a night. It was a traditional Cambodian house. When it was time for me to take a bath, my student told me that they don’t have bathroom. He pointed to me the area where they take a bath. I told him that it is okay. I did what Cambodians do with a smile! I took a bath outside!
When the same student brought me to the highway for it was now the time for me to go back to the school, he was shocked when I told him that I will take the cheapest form of transportation! Riding at the back of a pick-up truck! I explained to him that as missionary I have to do what the locals do. I prayed to God that this will encourage him in his spiritual life.
A lot of times, I had eaten food handled in an unsanitary way. I’ve seen swarms of flies on top of the food which we were about to eat. And it really amazes me because I haven’t had diarrhea during my stay there. God really works in mysterious ways.
My experiences with the Khmer are really unforgettable. I really enjoyed being with them. To tell you more about it, let me share to you their letters to me. On my last night in Light and Salt, my students surprised me. We were supposed to have our last class and I really prepared for it. But before the class begins, Nhin Samnang, one of my students, stood up. He leads his classmates in singing some songs. And he started reading his letter to me. In total, I received thirteen letters from my students that night. May I share to you some of them. I will quote their letters here as is. No corrections. No editing. J
Nhin Samnang wrote:
“Thank you for your teaching, letting me to be your translator, many things which you have given to me and my friends. I really enjoy studying English with you. I want to learn with you and want to get experience from you more. Teacher, I remember all thing which we have got, such as we go to Srey Sophon Market, go to Phnom Bak Mountain, we play games, and many things. Teacher, really I cannot forget your good and all thing which we have done. You are my best teacher, I love you, I don’t want you go away from me. I hope God will let you comeback my school again. Please pray to God for me, that God will bless me go to study in your country. God bless you to be successful in your life!”
Chann Samnang wrote:
“Hello my best teacher, how are you my best teacher? I hope that you keeping well, I thank you so much, for you come here in my school and teach me and all the student. And I thank you for you teach me about English grammar. Because before I can’t understand about English grammar but now when you teach me I can know a little. I and all the student, like Pastor Jun so much, and love you also because you is very good teacher, in English now I can speak English a little but before I don’t know in English. But now you leave from me I am very sad I can’t meet you, I can’t see you when you go away from me I miss you so much, but I will pray to God for you come back in my school again, and all the students too. You don’t forget me and all the students because we are all miss you and love you so much. I remember every night I always talk with you and joke with you about enemy and you scare enemies also. You don’t forget pray for my wisdom because I study not clever. I will pray for you too.”
Siem Vichet wrote:
“Hello teacher. I thank you for you teaching me about English language. Because before I don’t know it. But when you come here, you teaching me and spoke with me. So I could spoke in English a little, can write little and listen also. You know when you left me I remember for us. Sometime we sleep outside and sometime we went to mountains and play kite also. We have memory every place so everything I don’t forget. I know that you love me and you stay with me, Sokan, Peter and Try when vacation. When you turn to your country so you remember me also. But I thought that you don’t forget me forever more. I will pray for you and your family for mission. So I hope that God look after everywhere want you go. I don’t you leave in here. Because you is good teacher for me. Sometime when I worry you comfort me and you play with me. I will pray for you to God because I think that God prepare, God will used your life come here again for teach me and all students. Because all students need English language study. We want to use English language very well in the future. I want you to pray to God for me. Because I want to God used my life. And future I want to be missionary in other country. So you pray for me also and my family. Because my parent him don’t believe Jesus Christ. So him don’t forgiven from God. You know in my family is I Christian only one. So you help pray for my house. Because my house everyday is small. But I want to have a big house. I hopes that you pray. Because God said everything us asked him God will give. Goodbye. God bless you.”
Chay Vien wrote:
“I thank you God who let you Banteay* come here, to teach English I and all of my friends. You never get tire for lazy students who learn with you. But you always encourage us to try studying. Teacher, I am very happy to learn with you. Even though I’ve got sickness but I always have feeling want to learn with you. But I am very sorry that you must go back to your country. I hope you will come back here again. God bless you and take care you all the time.”
(Banteay is the province where the school is located)
Peter Komk wrote:
“Very thank you for teaching me! You know my brother I am don’t forget you my older brother I very like you very very love you. You only one good teacher for me. The your name in my heart forever life. My God my God my God please bless my teacher. Oh my God Please bless my teacher eternal life my older brother don’t forget me. You very nice. I am very happy. Very exciting.”
(I consider Peter as my Timothy in school. I pray to God that I will disciple him more. He really has a teachable heart. J )
Phally wrote:
“Hello! Teacher how are you when teacher come back to Philippines is teacher how? Guess what? I hope teacher comeback to home enjoyed is true. Light and Salt when have teacher came teach English all the students have growing studying English. Teacher, I thank you very much for teaching English to me and all the students in during shortly. But my studying is growing much when I studied with you. I want to study English with you because teacher teach soon understand. I want not give you comeback to Philippines. I want give teach English here. Teacher is good for me, I like teacher. When are you happy don’t forget to pray for me. I want knowledge English same you, too. I want to become to is Pastor same you. I really in my heart, because I hope to God. I have errors in my grammar please excuse me. It is because I just studied English this year. Have to say goodbye now. Take care.”
Kut Sopeak wrote:
“Thank you Lord. I am very happy to learn with you. I believe that is because of God’s plan that you came from your country to my country. You are my best teacher. You never mind about living in my school, even hot, no good food no comfortable sleeping. So, this is because of God’s love that give to you and you give it to me. As for me, a student in Light and Salt, I want to say thank you for your teaching and all thing. God bless you and your country the Philippines to be progress and progress.”
Guys, these students are really wonderful. Until now, I am missing them so much. I wish to see them once again. But I can’t. I need to comeback here in Iloilo. I just pray to God (and please help me in praying) that He will take care of these wonderful students. Please also pray for me as I continue the ministry which God entrusted to me here in Iloilo City. I am now at the church and working again for the Great Commission.
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| The market in Sisophon, Banteay Meanchey. This is where I , Rona and Fhey used to go to buy supplies and relax, |
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| My third year students at Light and Salt. |
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| My second yeat students at Light and Salt, |
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