Davis Lam (Hong Kong Conference Secretary)

Thank the Lord that I could have the great privilege of treading on the land for the future development of our FMC in Cambodia. Our group of 6 people who went to visit the site included Rev. Polly Ho, Pastora Pol Guazon, Dr. Paul Wong, Ms. Lee (intern from Hong Kong), a Filipino engineer who helps in giving advice, and me. The Filipino engineer has been working in Cambodia for a big international gas company for more than 10 years, and is willing to help us as a volunteer to give on-site advice, supervise the construction, and see to the cost of building, etc. 

It took about 25 minutes drive from our Mission House in Phnom Penh. The environment there is spacious with the sunny and blue sky. The engineer told me that this area is like a resort area in his home country of the Philippines. That is, it is a desirable location, especially for lodging and as a venue for gatherings.

The land has been filled properly some months back and we could feel the 'softness' of the ground. The wall is built in concrete with a yellowish brown painted surface. It's really a strong protection against intruders. There is a small house inside near the entrance that will soon accommodate several university students who will help in 'guarding' the land safely. The wall stops at the fish pond, which we are told is 7 meters deep. It's a challenge for us to turn it into a useful feature in the future. On the whole, God has prepared and provided us with a very sound place for our future ministries.

After having talked with the engineer, we understand more about the 'norms' in our construction project. Surely, things keep changing, but it gives us a general perspective. I hope the following information can let you comprehend a picture of our plan and you can pray for this in a more solid way :

• We only need to apply for a building permit to carry out the construction work all the way through to occupation of the buildings; but the bribery issue to get those papers signed is still a concern (time and conflicts). Actually, the Construction Company will apply for the permit on our behalf.
• It only takes 6 to 8 months to complete a 3-storey high building (depending on the area). There are no strict requirements on insurance and maintenance issues; what we do is subject to our own expectations.
• A low and stable inflation rate in the past few years favors our construction in phases.
• It is suggested that we arrange to produce drawings as detailed as possible by a Consulting Company to carry out the budgeting and tendering process, rather than a "one-stop" delegation to a Construction Company that may incur high costs and have less bargaining power.