Teaching day one

At least 80 local church leaders were gathered expectantly this morning for the first of two days of teaching. Most of the 18 churches represented had sent a small team of their main leaders. The day began with worship led by boys from the church children's home whose site we are meeting on, it was all in Khmer but there was one song which I knew from growing up some of you british readers might know it too, "Because he lives." Here it is on you tube for any of you who are curious; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPW9xYEyijQ  

We then moved on to the morning teaching session which was "Our assignment is to make disciples." It is based on the verses from Matthew 28:18-20 The teaching is very visual with lots of descrictive diagrams. The church leaders here vary from trained pastors who have possibly been to theological college to others who are unable to read and write.

Steve teaching with Chekraya translating

We stopped mid-morning for a snack and a half hour break. The snacks were unfamiliar and exciting as usual. I chose deep fried battered banana and a rice doughnut they tasted very gooood!

Snacks Khmer-style

Tom Kenneth agrees, the banana was tasty

The churches worked in their church teames with the different sections that were covered today and gave feedback to the rest of the churches.

Group work



Discussion in church groups
 

It is fantastic to see the topic we are teaching moving fro people's heads to their heats as they understand and see the biblical basis for it. The main thrust of the afternoon teaching was how we serve, what is out motivation for serving God. Too often it is out of a sense of obligation or duty or wanting to make God happy. This is all well and good but that should not be what drives us, it should be the knowledge that we are God's children, adopted into his family and unconditionally loved by him that leads us to want to serve him in all sorts of ways. Otherwise we end up disillusioned, worn out and feel we never are quite good enough. The church in Cambodia is in good company with many churches in europ and else where in needing to have a fresh insight into who we are as children of our Heavenly Father and members of his family "the Church."

Lunch was rice and a variety of tasty meat and vegetable dishes which following the noodle soup we had for breakfast and the morning snacks meant that nobody started the afternoon hungry. After lunch there was an hour to rest in the heat of the day. I used this time to speak to some of the female church leaders. In Cambodia there are as many women leading churches as there are men. Culturally it is easier for me to relate to these women than it is for the men on our team. I took a translator with me and went to meet some ladies. I was privileged to hear fantastic testimonies about all sorts of things including the supernatural and miraculous healings.

A lady sharing her testimony with the rest of the participants.

The afternoon session started with testimony and worship before we jumped back innto the teaching and group work.

This evening we have been to a street cafe again and has another meal of rice and a variety of meat dishes including chicken marinated in coka cola! So now it is time for me to catch some ZZZZZZZZZZZZ