Harmony between Focus and Distractions
Recently, some teams from other church denominations came and bought our Reaksmei products in order to support our development ministry. My colleague, Brother Philemon, is very excited because we had such good business, selling more than $700 in 3 three weeks. He told me that since our business is growing, we could help more of our pastors financially (30% of the profits go to the pastoral support fund). On the other hand, I can foresee that more teams may come because they are interested to visit our school project and are happy to buy handicrafts from us. Even my clerical staff, Brother Meas, is thrilled that our office is becoming a popular visiting spot in Phnom Penh. Nevertheless, there is a question in my heart: ‘Is this the direction that we want to head?’
The rationale of development projects
Most of our churches are located in remote villages, thus poverty and limited resources hinder the growth of their standard of living. At the same time, scarce working opportunities add more burdens for church members in supporting their pastors. Hence we started to explore the opportunities for development projects to better their standard of living. Of course what we do actually can not solve their poverty problem, but does raise their morale to work hard and strike for the chance of survival. Usually we set up the time frame either for agricultural or micro-finance projects on a one year basis in order that they can get a lump sum of money at the end as capital for future development. Concerning our handicraft projects, we are only able to help the women and young people of our churches to have some irregular income for their needs. We also expect an indirect impact on the church’s financial state through the economic growth of the members. Last but not least, there is also the chance to carry out holistic ministry via Bible studies and leadership training of the local development committee members.
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| Micro Finance-saving Plan |
Raising Pigs Project |
The independence of our churches
The Bible reminds us that the church is like a family, so it is the obligation of the members to respect and support their pastors instead of depending on funds from outside sources. Even in Cambodia, I can see some local Cambodian churches that grow without the help of outside organizations or mission denominations. On the contrary, their faith is strong to sustain the ministries through their limited resources. Personally, I agree with this mentality that our development projects MUST NOT replace the responsibility of the church members to support their pastors. At the same time, we try to limit the time frame of the financial support to the church on a yearly basis. Actually, there is still a long road to travel, not only because of the outside environment affecting the growth of the economy in a macro sense, but also we need to change the mindset of the people who are used to getting support from outside sources.
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| Sunday school |
Children Sunday School |
Adult Fellowship |
The respective roles of development projects and church independence
I still remember the declaration document of the Hong Kong FMC Conference about the issue of social services and church growth. It is like the two wings of a bird -- without either one, it may lose its balance. It is not competition, but cooperation between the two. Like the gifts of God, its aim is to build up the kingdom of God, instead of comparing which is more important in its role and privileges.
Thank God that I am able to see God blessing our churches and our ministries. I have a dream that our Cambodian churches can also be sending churches to serve their neighbors in various ways that God has prepared.
Prayer points
- Pray for the rainy season (May to November) that helps the farming industry, because some provinces like Kampot are short on rain.
- Pray for the growth of our churches, especially in leadership and Bible training.
- Pray for strength to receive mission teams.
- Pray for the childcare centres as some students will have their public examinations in late July.
- Pray for the TMI’s (Teen Mission International) boot camp that is being held on our land.
- Pray for my sisters both in the US and Hong Kong that God will watch over their lives .
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. （James 1:27）
In Christ,
Davis
Cambodia Mail Address: P.O Box 602, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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Davis Lam
