Home

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said that home is where we love, and while our feet may leave, our hearts do not.  I’m virtually certain that he wasn’t referring to an orphanage in Battambang when he said that, but it’s amazing how accurately his quote describes this place.  As we begin the transition back to our life at home, and our thoughts turn to the appointments, schedules and daily routines awaiting us back in Atlanta, we feel a great sense of sadness in leaving.  We are all leaving a piece of our hearts with these kids…a big piece.

Last night, we had a team debriefing and discussed what we all felt Sunday afternoon saying goodbye to these incredible kids.  I promise you, there was not a dry eye in the room.  The word “family” was mentioned numerous times.  So were the words “love” and “return.”  We all echoed pretty much the same basic viewpoint: these kids have become a part of our family and we love them…all of them…and none of us can wait to return again.

As we pack up and prepare to depart for Phnom Penh tomorrow to catch our return flight home, I can’t help but wonder if that’s really where we’re going?  It feels like we are already there?  It feels like that’s exactly where we were Sunday afternoon?

Does God forgive Pol Pot?

That was the question posed by one of the men at our Christian Outreach dinner Saturday night.  Scott started the evening by sharing his testimony and how he accepted Christ after becoming a successful architect but still not feeling peace in his heart and instead feeling a longing that something was missing.  Afterwards, Tim Baker (a.k.a. Tim 2) shared the gospel with the audience of businessmen and community leaders.  The rest of us each sat at a separate table and explained why we were here in Cambodia all week and did our best to answer any questions anyone at our table raised about Christ and Christianity.  One of the questions that was asked was, “Does God forgive Pol Pot?”

From 1975-1979, an estimated 2 million people were killed in Cambodia under Pol Pot’s murderous Khmer Rouge régime.  I imagine it must be difficult for a new believer or someone just hearing the Gospel for the first time to grasp the concept that someone so evil could be completely forgiven so quickly…with no punishment?  To be quite honest, I myself started to question this just last week as I was quietly walking through the Tuol Sleng genocide museum and looking at all the human skulls, torture exhibits and photographs of what went on inside that horrible place. 

But was this man asking this question hypothetically, or did he perhaps have someone specific in mind? Was he honesty curious about Christianity’s basic tenants, or could he have had some secret he was concealing?  It is well known that the Khmer Rouge easily recruited young boys into their Communist ideology because teenagers are naturally rebellious and have a universal disdain towards “the establishment.”  Therefore, anyone presently in Cambodia over roughly 50 years of age would have been in their teens to early twenties from 1975-79 and could have easily been a member of the Khmer Rouge.

So, instead of asking “Does God forgive Pol Pot,” maybe this man still feels ashamed and was secretly asking “Will God forgive me for the horrible things I did under Pol Pot?”  I would imagine that if this man was a former Khmer Rouge soldier, it must be extremely hard for him to believe that he is worthy of God's total, unconditional forgiveness.  Of course, this is all purely speculation on my part, but you have to wonder.  It’s not very far outside the realm of possibility.

I would also imagine that if this man was a former Khmer Rouge soldier he must believe that what he may or may not have done from 1975-1979 shouldn’t be judged as harshly as what Pol Pot did.  After all, he was merely a rank & file soldier following orders whereas Pol Pot was the supreme commander – Brother Number One as he was called.  A lot of Nazis used that defense after World War II.  For some reason, to us sins seem like they should have degrees; and I’m sure the Cambodians are no different.  We think, “What I did wasn’t as bad as what he did.”  We assume a murderer is worse than an adulterer who is worse than a liar who is worse than someone who only thinks bad thoughts.  But in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus  says that not only those who kill, but also those who are angry and say evil things about others are guilty of sin…the same degree of sin.

But the way God views it, they are no different.  Pol Pot is just as guilty as the rank & file soldier who only killed one or two or three people.  He is just as guilty as the soldier who didn’t want to kill but was in fear of his life if he didn’t obey orders.  In fact, Pol Pot was just as guilty as me and the worst thing I ever did was… (you didn’t seriously think I’d list something, did you?).  And, if you’re reading this, Pol Pot was just as guilty as you.  And that’s a very hard concept to come to terms with.  How can that be?  We all want God to forgive our sins, but certainly not forgive someone like Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot, right?  Are they just too evil to "deserve" forgiveness?  Nope!  In fact, in God’s eyes, Pol Pot is just as guilty as us; and luckily, another concept just as hard to comprehend is that Pol Pot can be just as forgiven as you or me!

Amazing Grace

As everyone knows, the song Amazing Grace is a Christian hymn. It is by far one of the most, if not the most, popular hymns.  There are over 3,200 different recordings of the song. The lyrics were written by an English poet and clergyman, John Newton. The hymn has a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins that we commit.  The soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God.


Through some research, I discovered that the hymn is based on part of King David's prayer in I Chronicles 17:16,17: “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great, O LORD God!" (NLT) 


It is estimated that the song is performed about 10 million times annually.  Well, yesterday, our team performed it live for the Battambang New Life Church.  I am certain it was the best rendition.  We had Emily and Billy Dale leading on the vocals.  The children LOVED it.  It was such an honor to be able to sing for the children.
It is by God's Amazing Grace that we are humbled to be a part of these children's lives.  They open their arms and their hearts to us.  They invite us to share in the love of Christ.  

Here are the lyrics that we sang:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me....

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...

my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear...

the hour I first believed.

When we've been here ten thousand years...

bright shining as the sun.

We've no less days to sing God's praise...

then when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me....

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see.

How He Loves

There is one song that when I hear it, I immediately think of these kids.  It does not matter where I am, or what I am doing, if I hear this song my mind goes immediately to Cambodia.  This song (in my opinion) was written specifically for these children.

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

He is jealous for these kids.  They are His and His alone.  His love is like a hurricane and they bend beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.  They give praise and glory to their Redeemer daily.
I realize how beautiful Jesus is through these beautiful children.  How great is His affection for them!

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don't have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about the way...

He is their prize.  They are redeemed with grace by Him.  God provided the path to Him.  He created us for His glory, and He gives us grace.  There is no time to waste on regrets.  Especially when you think about the way...

He Loves Us!Oh how He loves us!

"His capacity to forgive is greater than our capacity to sin." David Platt

The Rise

Imagine if Mitt Romney or Barack Obama admitted to having been raised in an orphanage.  Would it blemish them?  Would it affect your decision to vote for either of them?  Would you still think they’d make a good leader?  Do you think it would it wreck their campaign or help it?  What about this: would you feel lucky to be in an orphanage?  As Americans, we’d probably all answer “No way” to that question.  Yet, here in Cambodia, the day a child finds out that they have been accepted into an orphanage is the happiest day of their lives.  Why?  Because it means there’s finally hope.

Cambodia is very different from the U.S. in a lot of ways.  For example, here orphans are the lucky ones.  The children in orphanages, not only in New Life orphanages, but Asia Hope or World Vision or Compassion International or any of the others, are very fortunate.  The poverty is so pervasive in Cambodia that children in families are forced to work to help out financially; they work in the rice patties, they stitch clothes in the factories, they sell items in the family store, they pan-handle on the streets, they beg near the tourist attractions, or all too often they sell themselves…or even worst they’re sold by someone else.  Yes, the life of a child is very hard here.  But imagine if you were an orphan?  These children receive a roof over their head, food on their plates, clothes on their backs and maybe the most important vital necessity of all…hope.

As far as I know, there isn’t a mission statement for New Life orphanages; but if there were it would probably read something like, “To teach children about the redeeming love of Jesus Christ while also equipping them to become the future leaders of Cambodia.”  When older Cambodians speak about the Khmer Rouge’s overthrow of the government in 1975 and the genocide that followed, they refer to it as The Fall.  These orphans, yes orphans, when they grow up and finish school and spread the Gospel, they will become the next generation of Cambodia.  They will be part of The Rise!

No money, No......projects

You always hear people say, "We couldn't have done this without you."  Well, never has that phrase been more appropriate than Monday. (I know, sorry for the late posting!)

 

When we left Atlanta, we were under the impression that our tasks were: #1) to raise the roof of the boys dorm so that the hot air had more room to escape, thereby making it cooler down below where they slept;  #2) to repair the foundation around the girls dorm that was cracking and crumbling; and #3) budget permitting, re-wire the spiderweb of electrical wires that had evolved over the years in the boys dorm.  However, as is common on mission trips, things change suddenly and you have to be ready to adapt.

Early Monday morning, John sat us all down and explained to us that because of language barrier mix-up, after we arrived Sunday he had discovered that Pastor Vek and Ratha (orphanage director) had already committed almost 100% of our funds to hiring other workers to construct a new roof, and also to extend the security fence around the boys dorm and along the back of the property - another desperately needed project.  These expenditures took up almost our entire budgeted construction costs. So, before we even started, our whole construction budget for the trip had almost been completely exhausted.  After taking into account our meals for the week, the hotel, our exit visas, and various other miscellaneous expenses, we were down to $157 for construction materials that had to last us the entire week. 

We had also been asked, prior to the trip, to conduct a business outreach dinner.  A business outreach dinner is where Pastor Vek invites dozens of Battambang businessmen/community leaders to dinner with the team and have us introduce Christ and explain why we traveled halfway around the world to volunteer to work in Cambodia. They men are educated, bi-lingual, respected members of the Battambang community.   When we were asked if we would participate in the dinner, we were not aware we were expected to pay for the dinner - that was another unexpected expense!  At the end of the day, after paying the expenses that were already committed, we were close to $7,000 over of what we were budgeted. 

Then John said, "This is where God stepped in..."  He told us that when he called GlobalX to inform them that, unbeknownst to us, we had already been financially obligated to a lot more than we had budgeted for.  That's when he was told the good news.  No, not that Good News, he already knew that Good News.  He realized that, because of all of you, we raised virtually that exact same figure in surplus donations within the last week or so of the trip - virtually to the dollar!!  Now, instead of $157 we have enough money to repair the foundation on the girls’ dorm, complete the re-wiring and still spread the Gospel to 150 influential members of the Battambang community.  

So, instead of a higher roof on the boys dorm and a repaired foundation on the girls dorm, when we leave the orphanage will instead have a brand new roof for the boys AND a repaired foundation on the girls' dorm AND a new security fence AND a fresh coat of paint on all three buildings AND a higher stretch of sidewalk in a low area that floods frequently AND a vent on the kitchen exhaust to improve the smoke draft AND fresh concrete around the water well AND new faucets on the kitchen lavatory. John said, "We had no idea how much money we would need before we began this assignment, but God did and He provided!"  ...through all of you.

Teamwork

Today was a great day with the kids and for our construction projects! The exterior of the girls and boys dorms were painted, and the classroom building paint will be completed tomorrow. Concrete was mixed and several slabs poured, and several of the men had fun demoing the security fence so that a new one can be installed. Good thing everyone is current on their tetanus shot!

As always the kids were right by our sides to help with the projects (painting drew an especially large crowd). The older boys are fantastic at the construction work and they will quickly let you know if you are not meeting their standards. Chhaiya, Veasna, Sros, Borey, Vibol, Hen, Banha, and Pisey are always in the thick of it and work so hard. 

Our teamwork becomes fellowship when we are working side by side with the kids, and these are bonds and memories that we will cherish always.