Dear brothers and sisters,

I am happy to hear that the number of new SARS cases in Hong Kong is gradually going down. Also, at the height of the panic a while back, we saw some beautiful testimonies in people's lives, and heard that a number of people had sought God in their distress. We truly give thanks to God for this.

Cambodia has no recorded cases of SARS, but it has caused some of these already impoverished people to lose their jobs. Because of the decline in tourism, the hotel and restaurant business has been affected, and they have laid off workers. On the other hand, in the Phnom Penh church, there is a young person who, because of the layoffs, can now come to the church services again, and can study English on weekday afternoons. Before, she and her mother were working back to back shifts in turn, and could not come to the services anymore. Now her mother has changed to running a small trading business, so that she can put her efforts to making a living that way.

Security

Besides occasionally hearing about robbery or murder cases, Cambodia' security in general is poor. How much does a life cost? One hundred dollars can buy a killer to murder someone! Recently there have been several murders carried out in broad daylight and on busy streets. The murderers rode up on motorcycles to attack their marked victims, with the victims dying of multiple gunshot wounds. They included a judge, a law court clerk, the head of a Buddhist center, and a Chinese woman. This rampant and cold-blooded killing gives people the cold shakes. Although the motives behind these crimes are still not clear, everyone suspects that these murders are related to the approaching general election in July.

The societal conditions before the election makes people feel unsafe, but a local person told me that it will be more dangerous after the election, because they are afraid that the losing political parties will stir up unrest. May the Heavenly Father have mercy!

Pre-teaching report

For me, what with having just a shallow surface knowledge of Cambodian culture, having to teach a practical subject is extremely difficult. Besides, my teaching resources here are limited. But, thank the Lord! My seminary professors and classmates mailed some useful materials here just in time, so that I could manage to put together all the materials to give to someone to translate into Khmer. However, I have heard that quite a few of the students have only finished early secondary school, so reading my 29 pages of materials may not be easy for them. On top of this, I don't know how good the quality of the translation will be. I have readied my heart to have to adjust things as needed, because if most of the students feel that my course content is too difficult, the already prepared homework assignments or tests may have to be changed. This on the spot adjustment without knowing how much it may need to be changed will really require the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The course content this time is focused on family violence and abuse. (This is a common social problem in Cambodia. Just last week I heard of another woman in the Phnom Penh church who was beaten by her husband after he got drunk.) I will also do some rather detailed teaching about anger and forgiveness. While preparing to teach, I realized that there are a lot of people with broken families or interpersonal relationships, and that many people do not know how to handle anger, and do not understand forgiveness. Pray that this study will enable this group of church leaders to not only gain head knowledge, but also to open their hearts to allow God's word to work wonderful healing and renewal. Recently I came to know that the staff responsible for the child care hostel and the young people there have come to have a broken relationship. Two of these staff members will be my students. I am praying that they will be helped by this course.

So, I, this frightened and shaking teacher, need your prayers. I am already starting to feel nervous. I don't know whether or not when I teach, my hands and feet will be trembling?! Or if I will suddenly not know what to say?! I implore you to remember me. Next week, Monday through Friday, (the 19th through the 23rd), I will teach morning and afternoon sessions each day, and then in the evenings when the students are doing their homework, I may need to answer some questions. Teaching in hot weather when the electricity supply often goes off will make things even more difficult for me. Ask the Lord to grant an abundance of mental and physical energy.

Thank you for your prayers!

Miu Ling
12 May 2003