The Khmer Khronicle

From Global Lutheran Outreach missionary Sharolyn Frahm (Serving in Cambodia)

In a world filled with so many frequent changes, the very best thing in all of this is that ‘the church’ remains stable and constant. Yes, things around us are definitely different, but the church has not changed. God is constant. God has each moment of this detailed in His plan for each of us.

As I write this, we have rounded out the month of April. For those of us in the northern hemisphere it has been a rough start on spring this year, for some folks there is still snow in the air (to the west.) For me here, my herbs made it thru the winter under plastic covers and are gorgeous, but I have to keep covering them up on those frigid spits so they stay that way and can be used.

It seems that the world is trying to also change once again. Things are coming out of their tumultuous stages, with new anchors and mindsets coming forth during these past two years. And yet…

As Pastor Samuel and I were able to have a very long conversation the other day, I can now give you an update as to the on the ground activity of the church community at this time. From my perspective, I can see so many blessings that have abounded out of all of these past months, how Pastor Samuel has used these times to grow ministry in creative ways that I could not have imagined. In spite of the closures and the leanness of things overall, ministry has blossomed.

Update coming from Cambodia

You know those lovely things we drive on and in our spring feel like they have shortcuts to another world with the holes. It isn’t any different in Cambodia for those roads that aren’t paved. They get holes too. And the cemented ones don’t last long either. It is always a constant battle to be reasonably smooth. Supposedly Siem Reap Province has been allocated a ton of extra funds for road repair. Except the road to Snor isn’t on that list. It never has been actually. So to the rescue are the local muscle building guys who power thru to make that road less hazardous. But it takes a community of hard work to dig away some of that teeth rattling rolling down the road that occurs in areas where it’s not wanted.

I asked Samuel why he continues to do what he does, day after day, and yet some days he could be so sad and could cry out in his complicated dire situation…. as a man of God, a husband, and a father. This is something long overdue in my relationship with him to ask what his heart knows.

Samuel brought out the story of Nehemiah and reminded me that ministry for him is what happened in this book and the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. The powerful messages of Nehemiah is how much you can accomplish when you align yourself with the will and plan of God.

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