tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79497730887351096492024-02-21T11:59:55.275+07:00He Truly Is Everything To Me!Life as seen through the eyes
of one.Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-89483702908402071122010-08-21T16:53:00.001+07:002010-08-22T07:51:35.727+07:00Trip to Angkor Wat<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbhf96vOes1WzPxp7RyrlriMj3uE2rN6b6BShQ-RIc0GEXXvnN5iW9kS7VODKFDwWV6ZTtkY6srp_SeGhOVq9uAtfHvVHl_Ukz_lY9ArMtHnnHfjM2l7I6FOfme3ueoACf4J4aA4FLZU/s1600/p1010218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbhf96vOes1WzPxp7RyrlriMj3uE2rN6b6BShQ-RIc0GEXXvnN5iW9kS7VODKFDwWV6ZTtkY6srp_SeGhOVq9uAtfHvVHl_Ukz_lY9ArMtHnnHfjM2l7I6FOfme3ueoACf4J4aA4FLZU/s320/p1010218.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deaf ladies being trained at the Siem Reap Vocational Center. They did understand some of my sign language!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaxCwW0LItAfYCalQXgBlD3UwZDAmXUTmwnlWUx_4L6BTJQ6tTix2L9ClrM7pWY-dSPMKbEtSBzoNVzBrPScoCRNgM2_uHB__7dHxRp4W1yZEYSKsWc-_ZZljAdrphH9ZyGmrHys4ptI/s1600/img_0237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaxCwW0LItAfYCalQXgBlD3UwZDAmXUTmwnlWUx_4L6BTJQ6tTix2L9ClrM7pWY-dSPMKbEtSBzoNVzBrPScoCRNgM2_uHB__7dHxRp4W1yZEYSKsWc-_ZZljAdrphH9ZyGmrHys4ptI/s320/img_0237.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm. A yummy lime shake</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXakiih94BdnB2yG1ObtIeQTxOMSI2T0AVUlhg5NCvTr6XkpT_mokgCAFLy02IgJodNQ3YaVu4pr13sZ-ddTXrzVOlWF1Q3htamjTcRcRsnwitgD5GVVBxc1o07XrBMgC3ty53W2IpCLA/s1600/img_0170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXakiih94BdnB2yG1ObtIeQTxOMSI2T0AVUlhg5NCvTr6XkpT_mokgCAFLy02IgJodNQ3YaVu4pr13sZ-ddTXrzVOlWF1Q3htamjTcRcRsnwitgD5GVVBxc1o07XrBMgC3ty53W2IpCLA/s320/img_0170.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One thing we discovered about Angkor Wat buildings: Same, Same, but different (inside joke).</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jonathan and Nancilynn's first trip to Angkor Wat</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMHdZhyphenhyphenzEYhyqWXH0zhT3E6ALCrOLChcSJNnxD4ytwrWJ5iq3Iw5ul5Mp63cCIualaW7C9006q9hXkwPMDSHiNz-pI1MSYqFXkI5vjg_7JRLPCbGTZ9EF8qnOR4PFX6ZfCJzDRVsKK_U/s1600/img_0031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMHdZhyphenhyphenzEYhyqWXH0zhT3E6ALCrOLChcSJNnxD4ytwrWJ5iq3Iw5ul5Mp63cCIualaW7C9006q9hXkwPMDSHiNz-pI1MSYqFXkI5vjg_7JRLPCbGTZ9EF8qnOR4PFX6ZfCJzDRVsKK_U/s320/img_0031.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Guide showing us Khmer Apsara Dancing :-o</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQpSkLT-NkBbeUBjFD9_RoZbfNYbuLaHH6WNfXTCLxnk-fAFiYAbY9lAQJNezwlQmwZ8nsN3XgPDhRJFQMpKZIjOpyDffqGLEwi1xJACwaF9JaWaV3vOkWfuh0CkyEZ9ZLoawkoZrLn4/s1600/img_0064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQpSkLT-NkBbeUBjFD9_RoZbfNYbuLaHH6WNfXTCLxnk-fAFiYAbY9lAQJNezwlQmwZ8nsN3XgPDhRJFQMpKZIjOpyDffqGLEwi1xJACwaF9JaWaV3vOkWfuh0CkyEZ9ZLoawkoZrLn4/s320/img_0064.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touching noses(this picture was HARD to get)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lZSOoZX1Q7FOcxSHDXKIOTvM8Aq-YZzrLecAAPQ_Ez5wJlCAff__Jbjum7nMaPt6O1syovFcUtKVwtNAiE5EWNBReR6WrJ-fwSlJbfZ13whJLJn-2oHJcMC9FVxVs87FEeRhuZdlRpQ/s1600/p1010284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lZSOoZX1Q7FOcxSHDXKIOTvM8Aq-YZzrLecAAPQ_Ez5wJlCAff__Jbjum7nMaPt6O1syovFcUtKVwtNAiE5EWNBReR6WrJ-fwSlJbfZ13whJLJn-2oHJcMC9FVxVs87FEeRhuZdlRpQ/s320/p1010284.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the hawkers that followed us.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>We had a memorable trip to Angkor Wat this year. I went with Jonathan and Nancilynn and my friend Jolene Salyers from our home church. We traveled with a group from Mukwanago Baptist Church who were visiting our co-workers, the Ron Fruin family. It was memorable in more ways than one! My kids had never been to Angkor Wat which is one of the more historical places in Cambodia. It was quite insightful as we learned the history. We walked our legs off. I thought Phnom Penh was bad with hawkers. Siem Reap was an experience! One girl told me she wanted to marry my son. I told her he was a little young. Then I found out she was talking about the teen guys in the group! I learned what the tourist slogan "Cambodia, Kingdom of Wonder" really meant. We "wondered" about a lot of things. We still do ;-).<br />
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But the best part was the fact that Jonathan actually witnessed to the tour guide. Jonathan has really been fascinated by dinosaurs (as a lot of boys his age are) and that has given Tom and I opportunities to teach more about creation questions that he has. We went to the Smithsonian last year and saw all the fossils in their collection and their take on evolution. But, when the tour guide was talking to him about the Tonle Sap lake and its evolutionary origins, Jonathan boldly but politely told him that wasn't true and began to explain to him who the true God is. Jonathan planted a seed and then the next day, we all took turns watering. He didn't get saved, but we trust that the Lord will continue to work in his heart.<br />
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On the way back, we were stuck on the road for 10 hours on a broken down bus, no water, no food, no shade, 8 young people, 1 senior citizen, 1 friend who struggles in the heat, 4 children, a Cambodian couple from the Fruin's church, me and Tina Fruin and NO HUSBANDS. I was single until I was 34 and it never ceases to amaze me how hard it is for me to be decisive now. Tina and I prayed a lot! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvigjUOzmCsk6Ty3VsECvdv7ZJhyphenhyphen9sjaMdcf_BKyrkPfowQcI5zwEOqn6mLHJzhvBnw7pvU1CkPpLWrN-gzHEbYzJg4LCUWTuMQrOAET-g0scGlMghTerFzncfqHxE7DHE92JxfJjNSts/s1600/img_0270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvigjUOzmCsk6Ty3VsECvdv7ZJhyphenhyphen9sjaMdcf_BKyrkPfowQcI5zwEOqn6mLHJzhvBnw7pvU1CkPpLWrN-gzHEbYzJg4LCUWTuMQrOAET-g0scGlMghTerFzncfqHxE7DHE92JxfJjNSts/s320/img_0270.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how we spent our time while we waited for the driver to fix the bus.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah! We finally got some food! - 10:00 at night!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbgqsJ0T2UoJrvWyvE98N3PAylJ-ET9Ny59__Dby8xFcmZTJYt4Qa9seZpC6pcu2hcgfaXnqJKdewYYR4T5SVoON3T5HSFNDjR57Vnf7hhjW3cgSeSyAP5AaWJMIOFa_L8XoX3TEhZ50/s1600/img_0263.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbgqsJ0T2UoJrvWyvE98N3PAylJ-ET9Ny59__Dby8xFcmZTJYt4Qa9seZpC6pcu2hcgfaXnqJKdewYYR4T5SVoON3T5HSFNDjR57Vnf7hhjW3cgSeSyAP5AaWJMIOFa_L8XoX3TEhZ50/s320/img_0263.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Water Buffalo weren't willing to share. Besides, we never really got THAT desperate.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Bld39qKpjEVYFocCNOQEep5kzn51BIgATrzWCMIPshZPATLVbd8Bs_BntikRLvDvhJabbLRSjijlDaP8741crF_HituXiTprwYbdmo9qMBXOsF3htf6EIuO5daGxD5VNhLNzR-WVyH0/s1600/img_0272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Bld39qKpjEVYFocCNOQEep5kzn51BIgATrzWCMIPshZPATLVbd8Bs_BntikRLvDvhJabbLRSjijlDaP8741crF_HituXiTprwYbdmo9qMBXOsF3htf6EIuO5daGxD5VNhLNzR-WVyH0/s320/img_0272.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a LONG day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSww0lGmvEL0vKpCa0YUzPUShWPBz97K6c8BlOobMTYfZLSaUN91I6e4IbBUS9SprdWmZgWaQKiK0MKHqu8hM8qYIVPlRgzSOCwsw-8nnme8FDhUZWpvosikYazwlzVhKKF_rzMAZY-p4/s1600/img_0271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSww0lGmvEL0vKpCa0YUzPUShWPBz97K6c8BlOobMTYfZLSaUN91I6e4IbBUS9SprdWmZgWaQKiK0MKHqu8hM8qYIVPlRgzSOCwsw-8nnme8FDhUZWpvosikYazwlzVhKKF_rzMAZY-p4/s320/img_0271.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jonathon and Jonathan talking to some local kids. The kid in the middle is wearing Jonathon's watch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We give thanks to the Lord for His wisdom, His grace, and some divine appointments. He sent the brother of the driver our way (who happened to be a mechanic) and Tera borrowed his moto to find water (no food, though). None of the kids fussed at all. The Lord sent the clouds and a little rain to cool us off. The Lord sent a newly married couple our way and they towed us - little did we know that they view that a good deed done after a wedding by the newly married couple as good luck. We found that out afterward. The Lord allowed us to witness to the family and friends who were there. They had a generator which they normally do not have so we had light to see by (it was dark by then and still no food). And, we had an invitation to go back and present the gospel more thoroughly. Finally, the tour company sent a bus to rescue us and we got some bread for the continuing trip home. We could see God's hand in it all. He is so good!Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-15125225405731602552010-06-22T14:19:00.003+07:002010-06-22T15:07:21.633+07:00BurdensLast year, Tom and I made a commitment to read the Bible together and pray daily. We realized that this commitment would be challenged by spiritual powers and by our own flesh! It has taken great grace to rise at 5:30 and often it ends up being later and rushed. Sometimes it's interrupted by children or phone calls - yes, can you imagine phone calls at 6:00 am??? Cambodians are up early! We have tried to keep it sacred. It is becoming more and more sacred as we see the fruit from this time in our lives and in our children's lives and in the lives of our church folks.<br /><br />I often find myself burdened under cares - as all of us can be at one time or another. I know I'm supposed to cast my burdens on the Lord. But, in the busy-ness of the day, I often forget. I find myself taking on all those cares and my spirit is affected. I get concerned about my children - that I'm missing things, or I'm not being a good mother, or I'm not doing enough as a missionary wife or I'm falling short in this area or that. I won't expose ALL my concerns!<br /><br />Oh, I know I'm not supposed to worry about those things. I could quote several verses about worry being sin. The temptation to worry is so great. Our human nature is consumed with figuring out the unknown or predicting and protecting ourselves from problems BEFORE they happen.<br /><br />But today - as happens every day now, I got a nugget. I love nuggets from the Word. It really is like a treasure - like when you get a beautiful piece of jewelry and you hold it up to the light and watch it glimmer and shine and you admire it's beauty - but the nuggets from the Word are even better than that. I'm still turning my nugget around and around. In fact, the psalm that I read was chocked full today, but this one was like the Hope Diamond for me.<br /><br />Psalm 68:19 was the nugget. I've read it in the KJV and it's always a comfort (blessed be the Lord God who daily loadeth us with benefits), but when my husband read it in the Khmer Bible, it was phrased a little different. It read"blessed be the Lord God who daily bears our burden..." and I was just struck. Why am I bearing burdens, when He bears them already? It was like He said - "I've got that one covered, you go on and do something else." Or, "why are we both carrying this burden?" I've been redundant and I hadn't seen it. I always seem to be ok with the bigger picture, but the little things I figured belonged to me. "Now," He told me, "can you see I've got the little ones covered, too? Yes, Lord, I do. I'm free to do Your will.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The trusting heart to Jesus clings nor any ill forbodes</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">but at the cross of Calvary clings, praise God for lifted loads<br /><br />Singing I go along life's road<br />Praising the Lord, Praising the Lord,<br />Singing I go along life's road<br />For Jesus has lifted my load<br /><br /></span></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-35611706768082256512010-06-22T14:04:00.003+07:002010-06-22T14:18:11.010+07:00The pictures show only some of what we've been doing this past few months. The pictures from Kampot are of a piece of property we were given by a church member in Phnom Penh to start a church and also to use the property to raise cattle to help the ministry be independent from the support of missionaries. The men working on putting up the fence around the property began the work of evangelism about 3 months ago. There has never been a gospel witness in that area and there are no Buddhist temples. Vibol, Tia, and Pheip have been teaching the folks in the village who are interested in learning about Christ. There has been a great interest there.<br /><br />The Svay Roloum Church finished the walls and doors and windows in the church and are now working on getting the inside painted. We just baptized 4 people and welcomed them into membership last Sunday. <br /><br />Please continue to pray for the many different ministries in which we are involved. Phnom Penh is growing as we have begun an intensive evangelism and discipleship program in two areas of Phnom Penh. Many people are showing a genuine interest in the gospel and are meeting during the week on their own for prayer time and fellowship and encouraging each other in the Lord. We are thrilled for this obvious work of the Lord. Two weeks ago, these folks brought a total of 67 vistors all of whom were presented the gospel.<br /><br />We are excited about what the Lord is doing!Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-46373425508455058562009-03-10T07:39:00.001+07:002009-03-10T07:39:40.068+07:00Ministry 2008<div style="width:480px; text-align: center;"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://w286.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w286.photobucket.com/albums/ll93/mrscambodiamd/068ba962.pbw" height="360" width="480"><a href="http://photobucket.com/slideshows" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif" style="float:left;border-width: 0;" ></a><a href="http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll93/mrscambodiamd/?action=view¤t=068ba962.pbw" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn_viewallimages.gif" style="float:left;border-width: 0;" ></a></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-79083334390181303432009-03-02T12:53:00.003+07:002009-03-24T08:52:32.250+07:00Three Generations<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTSR79dhl-E5uzfxbcggeWUmXB6KVvD65rqkQWXZKnwA80qMhGUxr1-z7JrT44U97BB44des1yGO0wiK9eMpAbSLJExzSBW0DRPou75jBKrlHCYsERemw5lSHI2nH-RqK8jsDe3AAyqk/s1600-h/Great+Grama+Whitehouse,+Mom,+Grama+Miller.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308464844752243330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTSR79dhl-E5uzfxbcggeWUmXB6KVvD65rqkQWXZKnwA80qMhGUxr1-z7JrT44U97BB44des1yGO0wiK9eMpAbSLJExzSBW0DRPou75jBKrlHCYsERemw5lSHI2nH-RqK8jsDe3AAyqk/s320/Great+Grama+Whitehouse,+Mom,+Grama+Miller.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-36397596648074367742009-02-05T02:07:00.008+07:002009-03-02T13:03:28.773+07:00Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother 101: Lessons of Love Respect and Obedience to a 47 year old daughterI grew up in the 60's and 70's during the cultural revolution. I say that with a specific reason. My family was not a part of that revolution. My home was a four generation home. I lived with my great Grandmother, my maternal Grandparents, and of course there was my mother and I. My parents divorced when I was 4 and Mom brought me to Michigan.<br /><br />When I first arrived at my new home in Michigan, I remember quite vividly not liking my great Grandmother. She was old and kind of strange looking - all wrinkly. Her voice wobbled and she walked with a cane. She tried to get me to come over to her and I stuck my tongue out at her. Then I kicked her shin! Now, my mother and grandparents all knew how to administer old fashioned spankings. Dr. Spock was not part of anyone in my family's repertoire of reading. So you can imagine that type of behavior was not tolerated. So at 4 years old I began my training in honor and respect for the elders in my family - which was everyone!<br /><br />My great Grandmother had a forgiving heart, fortunately, and became my best friend. I spent hours with her listening to stories of her parents and her childhood. I learned lots of history! When she felt good, she would dance a little jig for me down the hall (she was part Irish) and she played games with me. I thought she was so cool because she could stick both her upper and lower dentures out of her mouth! I'd bring my friends in to see it.<br /><br />My grandparents sacrificed a great deal to have her living with them. It often meant that they couldn't go places as freely because we couldn't leave great Grandma alone in her later years. I learned a lot about responsibility during that time. Once, she fell in the bath tub toward the end of her life of 93 years and she began to decline. Mom and I (I was about 13) would spell my grandmother so she could get out of the house. It would take two of us to lift her out of the bed onto a bed pan. Nursing homes were just not considered. Her comfort and her well being and feelings were more important than our inconvenience. In our home, she was protected and loved. However, when she had a stroke, we had no choice and she passed on to glory outside her familiar surroundings. Her dignity, however, was protected. She had not regained consciousness after her stroke.<br /><br />All this took place before I knew the Lord, but the example was there. Before I came to Christ, I had begun to imbibe the way the world looks at authority. So when I got saved, I had to begin a new phase of that school of obedience and honoring my mother. We had long since moved out of my grandparent's home. My grandfather had died and my grandmother could no longer stay alone. After spending a year and a half in Mexico, I returned to the States and saw that my grandmother was failing in her memory - more so than normal. She was in the early stages of Alzheimer's. We didn't know that at the time - Alzheimer's was a pretty new diagnosis. We were beginning the "long goodbye" as Ronald Regan said. I was working and Mom was working and it was so hard to take care of her - but we were committed as she had been to take care of my great grandmother and my great grandmother had taken care of her mother. The obedience part had now become the honoring part - maintaining her dignity and protecting her when she could no longer do it herself. We tried not to have a condescending attitude toward her. She was Grandma. And though we finally had to give up and place her in a nursing home, we visited her daily. We had the privilege of being there when she went to be with the Lord.<br /><br />But the schooling isn't finished. Here I am at 47, relearning my place. This time, though, I can't depend on my Mom. She is depending on me. I've been humbled many times at how I've forgotten to help my Mom keep her dignity - for instance by contradicting her when she doesn't remember things right or when she does and I don't! This time, though, the Lord is teaching me that I must depend on Him to fulfill that commandment. My love and patience are not enough. It is His love and His patience that I'm learning to depend on.<br /><br />Some have wondered at the length of separation from my husband and my kids. But I see it as such an answer to prayer. I couldn't be doing it without God's grace, but I always prayed that God would allow me to requite my mother even though I was so far away. And I believe that He will not fail me in this point because it is His commandment. I have a wonderful husband whose family has the same commitment. I also believe that it is an important testimony to the Cambodian people to whom we minister.<br /><br />My children are now in this school. Soon, it will be their turn. They are looking at my example. My prayer is that they will learn the blessing of honoring and requiting of parents and that they will do it in the fullness of the Spirit. I pray that their memories of spending time with their grandma will be as precious as the memories I have of mine.Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-84750528437352665132009-02-05T01:45:00.002+07:002009-02-05T01:58:53.767+07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6IBFY4GftxATCuYP9ysgXFJmthc4tO8kiB03xSL-bR2kOWAzZcDsdSIar3FkahP1zCfdOQLslPyvjZC3RSm6WnEOnT5Xd8ZpTfTX9p4jKuijf45yKCY-YLcunof7bm36yCHIgzFJHZQ/s1600-h/Johnson+family+picture+2008+Black+and+white.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6IBFY4GftxATCuYP9ysgXFJmthc4tO8kiB03xSL-bR2kOWAzZcDsdSIar3FkahP1zCfdOQLslPyvjZC3RSm6WnEOnT5Xd8ZpTfTX9p4jKuijf45yKCY-YLcunof7bm36yCHIgzFJHZQ/s320/Johnson+family+picture+2008+Black+and+white.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299018515717285090" /></a><br />Dear Pastors and Praying Friends, January 2009<br />We want to express our sincere appreciation for your faithful prayers and support for our family and ministry during 2008. It has been an exciting and fruitful year, which could not have been possible without your partnership. Thank you for standing with us and upholding us in prayer. We look forward to new ministry opportunities and growth in this new year<br /><br />Ministry Update<br />In December we hosted a large evangelistic outreach through medical/dental/eye clinics in association with Pastor Jan Milton, Evangelist Tom Farrell and Operation Renewed Hope(ORH). God really answered prayer in a wonderful way. Through the ORH team of eight doctors andmany nurses and ancillary help, we were able to see<br />1000 patients at the various clinic sites. The Gospel was preached effectively and interpretedvery clearly through the power of the Holy Spirit, with many responding for salvation. Please see the following web site for further details and a slide show. Click on the section referring to Cambodia at: www.TeamORH.com.<br /><br />As a result of this outreach in cooperation with ORH, we have planted two new churches on the Mekong River. Two mature men have been called to begin teaching in these new areas. Chang will be traveling to the southern Mekong River site and Dara at the midway Mekong River site. They have already started meeting for Sunday services. God has provided wonderful locations for both churches, and we give Him the glory for the great work that He has done. These works have not begun without opposition. Please pray especially for the work on the southern Mekong River site. The new believers in that area are being pressured by relatives (especially since the last Chinese New Year) to renounce their new faith. The village leader accepted Christ, but his wife is angry because she is the owner of the local brothel and is<br />also putting pressure on him to renounce his faith.<br /><br />We have adopted Acts 4:31 as our theme verse for the churches this year. We have begun evening prayer meetings in Phnom Penh and on Friday afternoon in Svay Roloum. Please pray that believers will be faithful to these meetings.<br />Recently, we obtained an open door to preach the Gospel in a military station near the Basaac River. Operation Renewed Hope owns a boat in Cambodia to be used for their medical outreach on the Mekong. We obtained permission to dock the boat where the Prime Minister docks his boat. While there, I had an opportunity to witness to the pilot of the Prime Minister's boat and his assistant. They were both very open, and I was able to lead them to the Lord. Being the man in charge, he gave me permission to witness at the nearby military station.<br /><br />In closing, many of you already know that my wife made a trip to the States because her mother had a growing abdominal aortic aneurysm and needed surgery. Her surgery was the week before Thanksgiving. Following that surgery, a week later her mother was hospitalized for ten days with an obstruction. Two weeks ago, she had a herniated umbilical repaired. These events, along with other circumstances, have resulted in the need for Anna's mother to move to a retirement facility. Anna has been in the States for a total of two months. As Anna is the only child, it will be difficult for her to return to Cambodia until her mother's house sells and she is<br />moved to a new facility. In addition to these responsibilities, Anna is still home schooling Jonathan and Nancilynn, who travelled with her. Please pray that her mother's house will sell quickly, and pray for us as a family during this difficult separation.<br /><br />Sincerely for the harvest,<br /><br />Tom, Anna, Jonathan, Nancilynn, Victoria, and Joseph Johnson<br />Tom and Anna JohnsonAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-26949398651659083072008-06-24T17:11:00.002+07:002008-06-24T17:31:28.999+07:00I finally found it!Well, as you can see, the last post was done by my friend Lisa Redick :-) (Thank you, Lisa). The reason is that Mother's Day brought a special present. A virus infected our computer, destroying all the wonderful pictures that we had taken since our new babies came and several trips down the Mekong. This caused some obvious problems which couldn't get resolved right away! But praise the Lord! We don't need computers to be joyful in Him! However, I had to laugh, because when I finally did get my computer back, I couldn't find my own blog! It's amazing how much I have relied on my computer to be my brain. Yes, I know, someone is bound to say "why didn't you back this stuff up???". I learned.<br /><br />Anyway, I've lots of stories of God's great love and grace to tell and will write them in with pictures soon.<br /><br />Thank you for stopping by.Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-40916579112531221652008-05-16T23:00:00.002+07:002008-05-16T23:03:36.419+07:0010 Seconds Before It Broke! :)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRy0nLdN4okZ72I-AmKI6jsgrMQkPuKxAXcQFeI2oTcq0bJJUNKTW5SOECZKLtzi73H_LoWs4eO8BtCC5TwWPLVi_4QPDj4jG0F8XN7EZc98V41E9YD3DODNepqyMEI0i2ZnoKzXmF4I2n/s1600-h/163.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201006499066348434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRy0nLdN4okZ72I-AmKI6jsgrMQkPuKxAXcQFeI2oTcq0bJJUNKTW5SOECZKLtzi73H_LoWs4eO8BtCC5TwWPLVi_4QPDj4jG0F8XN7EZc98V41E9YD3DODNepqyMEI0i2ZnoKzXmF4I2n/s400/163.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Scribehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439674256282389136noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-22864860886636023552008-05-05T17:28:00.000+07:002008-05-06T17:09:42.356+07:00Full of Faith<span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It was a cool breezy evening, the fresh kind of breeze that comes after a good soaking rain in the tropics. Sok and I were standing on the front porch of the building that we rent for our weekly Sunday services. She was beaming. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">When I had first met Sok eight years earlier, she had just become a Christian. Her husband, the second one, was a drunkard and beat her and her two children regularly. Her relatives had given up on her and she lived on the money she made selling jackfruit. She was faithful to the church we had planted in her village and was ready listener to the preaching and active in fellowship. Though she (and us also) regularly prayed for her husband, it seemed like things were getting worse. Finally, her relatives threw her off the land that she was renting and she had no where to go. My husband, our then co-worker, and the deacon of our Phnom Penh church got her and the kids into a shelter. They were allowed to stay for only three months. What would she do? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I can't say that I know exactly what was going through her mind, but I did notice a change in her countenance during those months. It seemed that she was resting. Most people in that position would be constantly thinking ahead about the next step, worrying about the future. Sok wasn't like that. Her confidence was clearly in the Lord and that He answers prayer. Her faith in the Lord was obviouse. In fact, rather miraculously she was offered a job in the kitchen. After a year, she had saved enough money to buy a little plot of land. Each year her contract was re-evaluated, but the Lord has kept her there. Finally, she told me that she had prayed the Lord would allow her to work with the women at the shelter. She was given that position.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">As we stood there on that porch, she was telling me with tears in her eyes that she could never forget how good the Lord has been to her and has taken care of her. It was quite apparent that the object of her focus was not on the job itself, or the things the job had allowed her to get, but the simple fact that He had taken one messed up life and turned it around to be something beautiful and full of purpose. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">God has counted her a faithful steward of the "true riches". She is now nurturing several young ladies who had broken lives and have turned to Jesus for cleansing and healing. They had all taken the step of obedience in Believer's Baptism that rainy night. What a blessing to be a part of her journey (and now theirs, too)! Please pray for her to continue to be a beaming testimony of the Lord Jesus.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-30135036377179662872008-04-23T13:36:00.004+07:002008-04-23T14:37:43.898+07:00Stoves, Rats, and the Grace of GodWe had just gotten home from a trip to the States (Hawaii to be exact). We had waited 3 years and finally were able to finalize Nancilynn’s citizenship. The Lord had provided an opportunity to house-sit for a pastor in Hawaii while we finished up the necessary paperwork. So, we were able to combine a business trip with a little R & R. However, when we arrived home, we found our house had been occupied by some very large 4-legged creatures.<br /><br />The house we rent is situated on a large plot of land in Takhmau Cambodia. The landlord is very proud of his abundant fruit trees. Unfortunately with the trees come all sorts of wonderful creatures that live on the fruit that doesn’t get picked. The largest of those creatures are fruit rats. Somehow the rats got into the house and found they couldn’t get out. When we got home, all the screens had been chewed and my beautiful brand new stove, a gift from a supporting church in the States, had been infested. One of the deacons in our Phnom Penh church, Siphan, had been watching the house for us. He trapped the rats but the damage had already been done.<br /><br />The Lord gave me grace to give the stove up to Him. “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” You see, the stove was a brand new one with all the computerized bells and whistles that stoves come with today. The rats had chewed up the computer board and the wiring. It was virtually impossible to by parts for this stove here. Not only that, but in less than a week I was expecting company (4 guests for a Revival Conference). We had no extra funds to purchase a new stove (we just spent our wad in Hawaii). Ok, I thought, this is your problem, Lord! And I gave it to Him.<br /><br />Siphan had a friend who was an electrician. Anyone living in a developing nation knows that you don’t throw anything away (that was my grandparent’s philosophy, too). Out of necessity, Cambodians have become very good at fixing things. We called Siphan’s friend, Nob, to come over and look at the stove. Then he began gutting it (I felt like I was watching a surgeon). After about three or four hours, the stove was put back together, reattached to the propane tank, and lit! I was thanking and praising the Lord!<br /><br />Now, you may think that was the end of the story, but it’s not! After finding out Nob was a Mr. Fixit, Tom had him fixing all sorts of things around the house. He was back and forth to our house for a couple days. When the work was done and Nob was waiting for Tom to pay him, we had a chance to chat. He asked why we were in Cambodia, and I shared my testimony with him and how God called us to Cambodia. Then, Tom got home and shared the gospel with him. He accepted the Lord that day.<br /><br />He shared with me later that in 1997 he had been thinking about becoming a Christian and had been attending a church in Phnom Penh. There was a Coup d’etat that summer and the pastor of that church fled the country stating that Cambodia was too dangerous and that he was never coming back. That devastated Nob. He never made the decision to become a Christian. He subsequently spent the intervening years in Siem Riep before returning to Phnom Penh to help his ailing father. Whenhe came to our house and he knew that we were Christian missionaries. Siphan had apparently shared that with him. He watched us for three days to see if our Christianity was real. Then he made his decision to accept Christ.<br /><br />Now when I look at the stove in my kitchen, it serves as a reminder that everything that I have belongs to God – He can use it for His glory. I can completely trust Him. He makes no mistakes. It reminds me that often, I’m the only testimony of Jesus many will ever see – is it He whom they're seeing?Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-7348377110720565512008-04-16T11:01:00.005+07:002008-04-17T12:02:19.149+07:00Expectation Management<em>My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. Psm62:5</em><br /><br />My husband and I just celebrated 12 years of marriage this year. The year 1996 was not a banner year in history - a few significant events like the capture of the suspected Unabomber, the re-election of Bill Clinton, the bombing of the Olympic Park in Atlanta. Still, for us, it was the best year because it was when we began our great adventure of faith together. Of course, we had our expectations of what the coming years would bring. One of those things was a large family. We started late (34 and 38) but that never stopped us from expecting that God would do miracles.<br /><br />The months passed and we hoped and prayed and the news we were looking for never came. Like many other couples, we were faced with the fact that we might not be able to conceive. So we began the typical journey for couples like us down the long road of tests to find out what we could do in order facilitate that miracle of conception. The end of that year found me recovering from what began as a simple 2 hour outpatient procedure and ended up being 8 hours and a 23 hour stay in the hospital. I had advanced endometriosis and all the scarring they removed from the surgery, I was told, would grow back within a month.<br /><br />Miracles come in all shapes and sizes. But they all boil down to one thing - God doing the impossible to bring glory to Himself and further His Kingdom. Like, Paul, I prayed for healing. But the Lord chose not to answer that prayer. Instead, He gave me the grace to surrender my expectations of having children to Him and to pray that somehow my infertility might lead to furthering His Kingdom. Amy Carmichael once said "in acceptance lieth peace" and I can honestly say that from that point forward, I was at peace.<br /><br />When we came to Cambodia as missionaries, it never crossed my mind to adopt. Child traffiking was such a big problem here that my husband and I were very wary. Twice Tom was offered a baby for $100. Cambodians thought it strange that we had no children and would ask us often if we didn't want any. My language teacher pitied me and would tell me so in her very direct Cambodian way. She had two other students who were older like us that had come to work with a non-government organization that had started taking care of people with HIV/AIDS. She introduced us. That began our journey down the road of adoption.<br /><br />The Lord has given us the stewardship of four beautiful Cambodian children. Each one orphaned by HIV/AIDS (except one whose mom has not yet passed away). Thankfully all four children were spared from the disease. We are just in awe of what God has done in all our lives to put us together as a family. And because of this opportunity, God is opening up opportunities for others to come and help children who have contracted HIV/AIDS who otherwise would be "throw away" children. What a wonderful thing to be able to look back and see how God chose to answer prayer and to use my physical weakness to further His plan here in Cambodia.Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00599488783341629945noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949773088735109649.post-62456869617961292312008-04-12T16:35:00.001+07:002008-04-12T16:35:38.512+07:00A Work In Progress :)We are under construction!Scribehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439674256282389136noreply@blogger.com0