Dear Friends and Family,

   Greetings from Cambodia!  We've been back more than two months so I thought it time to let you know all is well, more than well, actually.

   We had a retreat of Asian missionaries upon our return.  We had some excellent updates, training, inspiration, and fellowship. It was good to see the old crowd.  Some folks have moved on and there were some new faces.  Many families had added another child since our last gathering.

  After we returned to Phnom Penh, the Cambodian Free Methodist Church had its Annual Mission District meeting.  This also was blessed with good fellowship, this time between our local pastors, laypeople, and missionaries.

   Let me give you a week in review.  As I sit writing this the boys just had their Mom give them a haircut.  They are now watching Ice Age III.  I, of course, am too busy, sophisticated, and spiritual for such mundane pursuits.

   Well, I guess I'll start off with Sunday.  I preached at Prek Thei that has a relatively new church building, built by a ministry that helps rural congregations by providing them places of worship.  I'd preached in the old church with the help of a translator ten years ago.  This time I preached without notes or translator, though I brought the latter with me in case I got stuck.   The church now has two hundred members.  I felt inclined to ask if anyone wanted to make a public declaration of faith in Christ.  A senior citizen, a woman named Youm, came forward and we all prayed for her. Please keep her in your prayers.    

Tuesday:  Thy Ven, my Khmai teacher, and I were sitting at an outside coffee shop where he teaches me the Khmai language.  The place consists of a tarp and some folding tables, and chairs all placed on an incline so the condensation from your glass runs onto your books, documents and anything that should by rights stay dry.  The kitchen is...well, why ruin your appetite.  We chose this place because, though it has a television, it is not too noisy.  I try to have five two-hour lessons a week.  As we sat there Tuesday we heard a scream and the crunch of metal as a car hit a motorcycle.  Thankfully, the motorcyclist was able to walk away.  Intersections here have no stop signs, which means that everyone has the right of way.  It is reminiscent of the Book of Judges in which "...everyone did what was right in their own eyes."

Wednesday: Had a prayer meeting at the Phnom Penh Church.  I had a chance to meet the new students of our scholarship program.  We'll have a Parent/Student Day party next week for all of them.

  Our young people are such a blessing.  Not all of them want to be involved in the spiritual aspect of the program, but many go beyond what we require.  I‘ve had a group of five graduates and present students inquire this last month about helping at our church-plants. 

Thursday: I wrote up a proposed policy for our Vacation Bible School program. It will go to our Christian Education Committee for review.  We'll meet next week to discuss it.  

   I bought some Bibles and tracts today.  I've had some interesting encounters handing out tracts lately.  I've met a couple believers.   I met one woman who is Kampuchea Krom, which means she is of mixed Cambodian/Vietnamese descent. She has moved from near the Vietnamese border to live in the city.  I will see her again as she has a coffee shop here.  One unique encounter happened on my way to the Wednesday Prayer Meeting.  The road was a bit crowded.  As a mini-bus stopped next to me in the jam, I passed a tract and piece of candy through the window of the van.  I'm sure there was some conversation about that for the next couple of miles.  I hope so anyway.

Friday: I got a stomach virus or the ice at the café was tainted with bacilli.  Anyway, I had an impromptu fast most of the day.  I did manage a couple of yogurts in the evening.  That's twice this month I got sick.  I haven't had a problem with the food or drink here for  years.  Several weeks ago I decided to try the sugar cane stall at the end of my street.  In the village, sugar cane juice is usually 500 Riel. I thought it would be double in the city and then another third because I'm a foreigner.  Well, it was only 500 Riel (12 1/2 cents) so I was happy.  You are probably wondering why I cared at those prices.  Anyway, I was happy until that afternoon when I realized the ice or water had not been foreigner friendly.

   I became a Great Uncle today.  My great niece is Savannah.  Welcome to the family, sweetie.

Saturday:  Had a baptism this morning in Tahkmau.  We have a Bible Fund that covered the cost of the Bibles.  Nine young people were baptized.   Afterwards we celebrated with a chicken and rice dinner by the bank of a Mekong River tributary.

  Today, Yuko graduated to a higher level of her missionary training.  She was cooking some vegetables for sushi rice and they were left on the stove for a while.  When she returned the pan had a large visitation from our local ant colony.  Well, instead of throwing it all out, she scared the ants off by rapping the pot on the sink.  Hoila, sushi ala secret sauce!  

  I think Corey said his own name for the first time tonight.

Sunday:  I preached at Phnom Penh in English.  I usually preach in English at the city church.  We had Holy Communion and then an administrative meeting.  We planned some upcoming events, Mother's Day in particular.  I think we'll give the Mom's soap-I hear they don't like flowers.

  We had a Japanese Fellowship at our home in the afternoon and all went out to a Chinese Restaurant for dinner.

Monday: Today I wrote this newsletter and met with the Teen Missions Leader for Cambodia.  They'll use our land for their Boot Camp and possibly will build us a parsonage in Kompot.

   I wrote a policy for the Teacher Training Fund today.  It will be submitted to the CE Committee for discussion.

   Well, I included today because of this last entry.  Every night Caleb and I read a Bible story together.  Tonight he saw his name in the Bible. It was written three times!  Now he knows what his name means, brave, and knows the story of the biblical Caleb.  It was a treat for me, too.

 Some Ideas for Prayer:

   Next week we will go to the doctor here just to see if she can detect any problem with Yuko's eye.  Barring a miracle or a change in her condition, we will travel to Japan next month to see some doctors there.  Yuko is still having some pain and a vision problem in her right eye.

   We need to have a clear set of goals for our Cambodian Mission District.  We need the Lord's wisdom in putting this in written form. 

   I'm trying to put together a matching-funds church building plan for our Tahkmau church.  We are presently renting and it is a drain on the ministry.

   We appreciate you taking these to the Throne Room next time you visit.

   The Wilkins Family thanks you for your prayers and encouragement.  We are rich in Him and soooo blessed by you.  Thanks.

  Love,

      Chris (Christ Bearer), Yuko (God Blesses), Caleb (Brave), and Corey (Chosen One)

He is altogether lovely.   Song of Solomon 5:16