Dear brothers and sisters,

Peace in the Lord!

Three Household Moves

I've been back in Cambodia for a month already. Coming back to the old place feels familiar, yet strange. Also, since I still have no settled location, I still don't feel settled in. From Rebecca's house I moved to Rev. Paula Guazon's house. (The mission office is downstairs, so it feels a lot like when I was here before.) The day before yesterday I moved again, which is already my third household move. This time I am receiving hospitality from a missionary couple from Hong Kong. Their family includes three lovable children who are always inviting me to join in their games. I'm definitely not lonely!

Thanks to the heavenly Father for His provision, and to the brothers and sisters for your prayers. A few days ago I finally located a new place to rent. As soon as the landlord signs the contract tomorrow, it will be settled, and I can move in the middle of September. Right then the Khmer language class at the university will finish, just in time to give me more time for moving and settling in.

Before I left Hong Kong, Rev. Polly Ho shared some thoughts with me. She reminded me that when I returned here, I would have to get adjusted to the life here all over again. That feeling of familiarity yet strangeness is even less easy to handle than before, so her reminder was very good, giving me a bit more psychological preparation.

A Mid-course New Student

Less than two weeks after my return, I joined Davis Lam for a Khmer language course at Phnom Penh University. At first I didn't know if, as a mid-course added student, I could keep up, but the professor's teaching approach is just right for me. Thanks to the heavenly Father for letting me start class at the right time, and also for my fellow missionary to pick me up and drive back and forth so that I don't have to suffer with riding a moto come rain or hot sun!

Hospitality

This month has flown by, but it seems as if a lot of things have happened. The day after arriving was our mission team meeting. Following that we welcomed the short term missions team from Hong Kong that came to help with the children's camp, and also a short term missions team from the US. This month we also had a group visiting from the Hong Kong Evangelical Church (OMS). We see that these many pastors and brothers and sisters who have set foot themselves in Cambodia can understand the needs here and pray for us. This is really the heavenly Father's abundant preparation!

Spiritual Battles - so far away and yet so near

Not long after coming, I experienced a spiritual battle. Don't misunderstand and think that I was casting out demons. I was just personally experiencing that spiritual battles can come upon us when we least expect them, at any time and any place.

Several days after returning to the field, the children's Bible camp started. I had already been assigned to work with the camp director to be responsible for the class competitions. That included giving out prizes. Since I had heard the teachers talking about unfairness in giving out the prizes during the camp, I determined to be fair as I gave them out. However, the original plan had some differences that troubled me. But, when I discussed it with the person in charge, how could I foresee that after I questioned it and suggested another idea, she, on the other hand, would cut me off with an abrupt response? It immediately made me mad and then I just wanted to pull back and not bother with anything at all. In my heart I thought, "Is this any way to do things?!" It was like I was stuck in a tight spot with someone else making the plans but expecting me to carry them out, even though it went against others', and my own, principles of fairness . . .

Afterwards, even though I went along with my colleague's plan, when it was all over that didn't mean that I and that colleague didn't have a heart conflict. Inside, I was still angry. But right then in a turn of thought, I clearly realized that anger is a choice and forgiveness is a choice. Then, with these two choices swirling about, I realized that in my heart I was still angry and not at peace, and that if the matter was left that way, the heart conflict between me and my colleague would just get harder and harder to solve. At that time I remembered a missionary's warning: "Your fellow workers are not the enemy. Satan is!" Yes. If we are not careful, we will fall into Satan's trap. Choosing to hold anger in the heart would only serve to advance Satan's deception and to make the Holy Spirit grieved over me.

Thanks for the Holy Spirit's timely reminder! It led me to think about how this colleague had been working hard for several days and then how I had pressed the issue too much at that time, making her feel like abruptness was a way to deal with it. Finally, that evening I took the initiative to go and apologize to this colleague, letting her express her acceptance.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)

It is Jesus Christ, who is already victorious over the world, who helps us to gain the victory! His Name alone is worthy to be glorified!

Thanksgiving

• After coming back, I have seen many familiar faces and I can still converse with them with my limited Khmer and feel a sense of closeness. This can help me in getting deeper into the local life.
• The Heavenly Father prepared a suitable place for me to live.
• All the brothers and sisters are fellow laborers with me through their prayers.

Prayer Requests

• That our missionary team may have victory in Christ
• Pray for my ministry focus here. Ask the Heavenly Father to help me to understand and follow His perfect will.
• For interest and concentration in learning the Cambodian language

Thank you for your prayers!

Miu-ling
30 August 2004

P.S. With thanks to brother Chan Po-yee for his assistance, you can see pictures of the July 25th commissioning service. Please go to the following website http://community.webshots.com/user/miuling250704

Correspondence address:
Lee Miu-ling
PO Box 602, Phnom Penh, Cambodia