Bridges of Light

Joyful In Service!

Tim — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 08:22:55 +0000

This morning we ministered to 32 Khmer speaking Sunday School children, five of whom were gloriously saved! Our joy is in seeing seven newly trained instructors conducting the children’s teaching entirely in Khmer language. That is, except for singing “GOD MADE ME” in English.…

Our days are extremely long, hot and tiring. Our sleep, like our funding, is short yet quite sufficient for basic needs. As a rule, we’re content.

Some days ago, I conversed with a waitress and a cashier at a small restaurant where we ordered pizza. For 8 hours work, they’re paid just over $3. In a 56-hour work week, they earn $22. It takes 2–1/2 days’ labor for them to purchase the $8 pizza we just ordered!

Although our ministry is costly, the cost to those who are perishing is infinitesimally higher! We can use your help purchasing Bible lesson visuals, paper, markers, etc. for our Cambodian teachers.

With great joy in the Lord’s service,

Tim

His Compassions Fail Not!

Tim — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 23:34:32 +0000

Just a word this morning without a photo (having trouble with downloading).

This morning, again, I am overwhelmed by God’s compassion… Seven Cambodian guests of ours have been up since 5:30, praying and preparing lessons for today’s 5-Day Clubs. At 7:00 they’ll join more than 200 others for Grace Lee’s (CEF of Cambodia) CYIA/5-Day Club training. At 7:30, I’ll begin my English Lit. lessons at Western Univ. before rejoining the Bible students until 3:00 when I’ll return to the office of the Undersecretary of State for another tutoring session.

These seven are an awesome team! (God is awe-full.) When they arrived at our home Sunday evening hungry… we opened up our “stores” giving them the kitchen. Wow! Quickly they put together the best stir fry the world has ever known! It’s a tremendous joy just driving the seven to and from training in my little 1980 Camry, bouncing and breathing songs of praise and glory!

God continues to magnificently supply all of our needs. As we give to others, so He returns… $100 yesterday and another $200 on Sunday, PLUS a pizza delivery!

Please pray for the 5-Day Club teachers and children today. Pray for the Church in Cambodia and for great awakening across this land. We’ll meet you at the throne of God, there placing our requests before the Master.

Grace and the children join me in greeting you with love.

Christ’s Slave,

Tim

Final Prep for 5-Day Club Training

Tim — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:46:03 +0000

Sunday School Superintendent Pastor Vibol and La are among seven Cambodians who will participate in 5-Day Club Training beginning Monday, August 1st. Last night, Pastor Vibol presented the Gospel message to four separate groups of children and one 86-year old great grandmother, who although “tired of living and nearly at the end of her life,” smiled when told of Christ’s great love and wanted to believe unto salvation! Below, Pastor Vibol practices his Wordless Book Gospel presentation. The seven students will stay with Grace, the children and I for five nights while attending sessions at Child Evangelism Fellowship’s Phnom Penh training center. If you feel led to partner with us in such a worthy cause, please know that we have significant financial needs. Between the Johnson Family of six and the Hatch Family of five, we have about $75 on hand for the next three weeks. This morning, Dr. Tom confided (just before handing me $10 to pay for gasoline which I refused) that they’ll be completely out of cash by mid-week. “Us, too!” I remarked. Designated funds can be routed immediately through Real Life Impact at the address listed on the Bridges of Light “Donate” page. Every dollar will help. We’re able to withdraw funds from the account in U.S. currency at local ATM machines. We continue steadfast in prayer with thanksgiving knowing that God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Breakthrough!

Tim — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:50:45 +0000

Really BIG days, yesterday and today! After five years, finally we’re seeing breakthrough… hearts afire for the children’s cause. Yesterday, fees were paid for seven Cambodians, including two pastors, to attend 5-Day Club training next week with the commitment of developing two new Weekly Bible Clubs each before Christmas — that’s 7 new Sunday Schools and 7 mid-week Good News Clubs, mostly in the countryside! One pastor (Vibol), affirming God’s call to children’s ministry, has accepted the responsibility of being Superintendent. Then, in a meeting today with the Director of the Russian Cultural Center, International Baptist Church was granted the continued use of the facility for Sunday morning English-speaking services, a 180-degree turn from last week’s eviction decision.

When nearly everyone else left Cambodia on summer vacations, (not having sufficient funds for leaving) we stayed and because we did, the children’s program has taken off! Wow! We would’ve missed it if we had had more funds. Also, the local indigenous Christian Church (because of the recent eviction notice) has chosen to be what they ought to be, congregations of Spirit led Bible teaching and ministering people in their countryside locations… not bound to a 300 seat auditorium that cannot be sustained in the event that Dr. Tom and Anna, Grace and I, and other ex-patriots have to leave the country… if such a time should come. Interesting isn’t it? Can having ample supplies be a hindrance to getting on with the real work of ministry? Not always, but here, it’s proving true. Dr. Tom, too, (after 10 years here) is completely out of money. He needs our help.

For Grace’s birthday on Monday we emptied the piggy bank to buy three ice cream bars and a sparkling grape juice! Refrigerator was nearly emptied, too, of its last chicken breast served over a bed of rice by candle light. The following day we received $50 to buy bread, milk, fruit, veggies and much needed petrol. More was added to our account on Thursday, sufficient for paying the fees for 5-Day Club Training! Today we received word of a gift sufficient for purchasing the boys’ A Beka home schooling materials! Thank you, Lord, for finding someone who is able to give! Thanks to all who have responded!

We love the work we’re doing. Spent the day today grading English Literature papers and preparing our classrooms and materials for next week’s return to HOPE International School. Below are photos of Tim’s evening class.

5-Day Club Training

Tim — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 07:25:43 +0000

(l-r) Sarine, La, Pich, Son, Piep & Vibol have been selected to attend 5-Day Club Training at CEF’s Phnom Penh office August 1–5. Please uphold them in your prayers, asking the Lord to provide needed funds — $25/each for the five-day sessions. Personal contributions may be sent to Real Life Impact Ministries at the address provided on our “Donate” page (see above).

Church Receives Eviction Notice

Tim — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:36:36 +0000

A Thursday afternoon meeting with Russian Cultural Center Director, Mr Sediket (below left), did little to alter the notice received by Dr. Tom Johnson of impending eviction. By Russian mandate, directors such as Mr. Sediket must utilize Russian properties for weekend presentations of news and propaganda. International Baptist Church has leased the spacious facility for weekly Sunday services since 2004. Barring a drastic change of position from high level Russian officials, the church will have to find a suitable alternative meeting place for English speaking ex-patriots and international travelers as well as more than 300 Khmer speaking Cambodians by September 1st. Please pray for the Lord’s Will to be accomplished, for changes in Russian officials’ hearts and for a new location close to the Independence Monument.

CEF of Cambodia

Tim — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:32:13 +0000

Child Evangelism Fellowship of Cambodia is to conduct 5-Day Club Training 1–5 August using “The Wordless Book Visualized” for its Bible Lesson scripts. Dr. Tom Johnson has agreed to send five team leaders to the five-day event.

Teacher training this morning consisted of a Bible lesson from 2 Kings 5 entitled, “The Little Maid Who Witnessed.” “You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me, and understand that I Am He: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and beside me there is no savior” Isaiah 43:10–11.

“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man” Psalm 118:8.

Sunday School

Tim — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 15:33:20 +0000

God’s Word: A Light Unto Our Path

Tim — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:38:10 +0000

Today is Scripture Memory Verse Day! In small groups, students will be evaluated as they teach Romans 3:23 in English and John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 in Khmer Script. Wordless Book training will follow practicums. Much time will be given to prayer. Please pray for these teachers and for the Cambodians the Lord will bring to hear His Word (fields are white unto harvest), that indeed they might believe in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Pray, too, for additional resources as Dr. Tom is forced to consider lay-offs due to decreased funding and we are unable to provide for some pastors’ basic expenses. If you are able to assist with this need, please designate “funds for pastors” and send checks for deposit into my account (address listed on the Donate page). Thanks.

Rainy Season

Tim — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:06:20 +0000

On a 2 1/2 mile drive from home to Western University today where I agreed to terms for an English teaching position that will supplement our family’s income, I took some interesting photos. From the little boy collecting rain water in a coffee mug (out of focused), to the ox drawn cart and various road scenes, the trip was anything but boring…

As many of you may recall from our first year in Cambodia, Lay Sothea (pictured below) has been a long time Christian friend. Through his position as Deputy Executive Director at Western University, “James” as I know him — he calls me “Dad” — hired me to teach English Literature and Preparation for TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language) for the first semester, beginning two weeks from next Monday. The additional income will bolster our dwindling ministry support. Please pray for my energy and preparedness as I will be teaching fourteen primary and junior PE classes and coaching high school boy’s basketball at HOPE International School, teaching fifteen hours at Western University, as well as weekend Children’s Ministry Training classes with Dr. Tom Johnson and tutoring the Prime Minister’s Under Secretary of State twice weekly.

Besides serving administratively at Western University, James Sothea coaches the school’s championship soccer team. Here he displays their First Place trophy. James’ father died tragically several years ago, falling from the top of a taxi when one of the vehicle’s tires blew out. He was leading a Christian tour at the time of the incident. James is married and has one child, a beautiful daughter. Pray for the influence that James and I will have for the Kingdom of Light during our next few months with Cambodian university students and faculty. Pray for our growth as Christians. Pray for our wives and children. Thanks.