Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings form Kampuchea . The rainy season is still approaching but driving is not bad yet. Friday is the day we take trips to the church-plants so I'm always elated if it rains on Thursday. This past month was filled with planning, study, trials and blessings--an average month. You may remember the three little pigs in our neighborhood when we first arrived. They've long since become bacon, but we have a new little fellow traipsing around the refuse lately.

Takhmau

We just started the second of three comics about Jesus' life, and finished the small booklet with famous paintings illustrating major topics of the Bible. The students were delighted they could keep it. Bunleu, the school owner's son, and I sat down and wrote out all the names of his family and the teachers at the school so we can be on a first name basis. They all enjoy my particular version of the Khmai language. Vibol, the young man that helps me, is off his probation period at the orphanage. He's happy to be back, especially at meal time.

Kampot

We now have a Khmer speaking lady to go with us to minister to the ladies after we share the Word with them. It isn't really appropriate for us, as males, to talk with them about personal matters. Her English name is Pauline. She also helps us with the children's class and the singing. The rains have been absent so far during our Friday trips. On our last trip to Kompot we visited the home of one of the ladies. We sat around and ate bitter fruit and sweet coconuts. It was great. The lady laughs a lot and chews beetle nut. Attendance has been good at our gatherings. We went ahead and bought ten more stools for the Kompot work. On our return trip two weeks ago, we gave the village chief and a friend of his a ride to a town about thirty kilometers away from the village. We broke a shock absorber and were delayed a couple hours, but the leader and friend had a chance to see us sing when things weren't going well. Please pray we miss the clouds, again.

Kampong Cham

This is the home town of Saraa , the mission secretary. One of the young men who visited the meeting last month, came again. Saraa's sister Suremon has been inviting friends. One of them, Sopea, is a regular attender. Her parents are Mormons and do not want her to come to our meetings. She is already familiar with the New Testament and has no interest in that group. Please pray for her. The water is getting high on the river banks. We may have to take a break in August if the rains are heavy. Last week we bought fifteen stools for this church plant and they were gratefully received. I am always having young people from the village or orphanage ask me if they can go on outreach with us. They love to teach the children or lead the singing. The two girls whom we mentioned last month are still having trouble with parents who don't want them coming to our meetings, and Saraa said her family is receiving some persecution in the village because of their commitment to the Lord. Please continue to pray for this congregation and its needs.

Beasts of Burden The trucks and vans are all working. One van was functioning on five cylinders, and the air conditioning was broken. The van was like an oven. The windows in the back can not be opened so we had a free sauna. Everything, with the exception of the horn which is still an enigma, is working now. The windshield wipers on the van I use are not hooked up because of the problem with the electrical system. Please continue to keep our beasts in prayer.

Miscellaneous

Yuko and I will be returning to the USA in September for a short deputation. The Mission Board has accepted me for a position as Career Missionary so we will visit the churches in Genesee Conference in New York . We hope to see many of you then. I believe we will be returning to Cambodia in January. We are very thankful and delighted that Genesee Conference has decided to support us in the future. Our term will be three years. Thank you to all those who played a part in this. You may remember Titus or Reya, the boy whose mother is a Moslem. He came to our house to help us decorate the tree at Christmas time. Last month he just stole our portable phone and Rebecca's, too. I went to visit his mom a couple of times and she came to our house, also. We have a good relationship with her. The phones have been sold. Reya denies any part in it and an orphan who lives at his cousin's house has confessed. I don't believe he was involved. Reya's mother feels the issue is closed, and we have received an invitation to visit her at home. Please keep this family and our relationship with them in your prayers. I gave my first Khmai devotion at a Wednesday prayer meeting last month. The text was Genesis 18, Abraham's intercession for Sodom . I have a long way to go with the language. Yuko is doing very well with her studies. She gave her first Khmai devotion today, at a ladies Bible study.

As I close for Yuko and I, we would request your prayers for the team and Cambodia this month as elections are drawing closer. Prices have gone up as folks are worried about violence among the political parties. Many shops will be closing for one to several weeks. We pray the Lord bless you and yours.

In Him,
Chris and Yuko

Ps. Our personal mailing address is P.O. Box 602 , Phnom Penh , Cambodia .

Gifts for support may be sent to the Department of World Missions, P.O. Box 535002 , Indianapolis , In. 46253-5002.
Please designate your gift for "Wilkins." Thank you.