CAMBODIA FLAG

 PAIN

Smey, our helper's mother in law suffers from back problems and  strongly desired surgery as the treatment to relieve the debilitating pain. However, one of her friends had underwent surgery and had no experienced no relief.  After awhile, our helper brought me the CAT scan for advice and I suggested that before going through an intensive surgery, Smey first try exercising. Our apartment complex has a pool that we frequent, and for the last two months, Smey has been daily coming and swimming with Nancy.   Recently, during one of their swims, Smey asked if Nancy was a Christian. Smey is not a Christian, and while our helper has invited her several times to attend church services, she's always turned her down. This time, though Smey asked if she could attend the New Year's Eve service at our church.  On New Year's Eve, the whole family attended the service and desired to return.  We are not sure of the all the dynamics behind this interaction but we are very much encouraged that a small act of kindness may have given Smey an opportunity to feel the love of Christ. 

LIGHT

Light is a word used when used in different ways may introduce a heavy subject.  The first  heavy dose of light obliterated darkness as God spoke His light into darkness when He created the world.  His light shone brightly until man desired darkness of soul and mind by responding to the call of Satan in disobeying the command of God eating the forbidden fruit.  Now as night turns to day and day into night we experience a cyclical reminder of our status before God.  We wish for daylight, but often long for darkness in which feel the comfort of hiding the deep desires of our heart hoping that light will not reveal the darkness of our soul.  Scripture indicates to us that God is light and as we live in that light we will delight in God and in one another.  However, if we shun the light and go our own way we disrupt the fellowship with God and others.  His desire is that we owe up to our sinful ways and let him know that we need his forgiveness as we confess our sinful ways to Him.  

As we fellowship with God we can be light hearted enjoying the laughter of one another as we express the joy God Christ’s forgiveness as a result of God’s grace and mercy.  We now begin a new year in which we can lay the heaviness of burdens in Christ who will lighten and enlighten our hearts and minds.