Last Day in The Lord's Gym

Wednesday the 9th was my last day in The Lord's Gym. It was a bitter sweet time for me.

Som Khan, the head coach, let all the fighters know it was my last day, so we a full house. The coach said, "Clay, they are yours to train." In Khmer, coach asked them if they are ready for a hard workout? They replied in unison, "Baat (yes)."

I put them through two interval workouts. These guys are in great shape. I was happy to see that a couple of the new guys have to "tap out" near the end of the workout. The seasoned fighters looked tired but ready for more. I worked them out for about 40 minutes. When I was done, the coach took over and had them spar for another 30 minutes. These guys are tough.

When the training session was over we sat on the floor in a circle, and the coach asked me to share Jesus with them. I told them we are born in sin and God is perfect. Because God is perfectly just, we deserve punishment for our sin, which separates us from him. But, God loves us. He sent his son, Jesus to earth to pay the debt of our sin, something we could never do. Jesus' gift is our bridge to God. I asked them if they wanted to pray to accept Jesus' gift. Many of the fighters nodded their heads yes.

We closed our eyes and I lead them through the sinner's prayer.

I prayed God would give me the words to speak to these young men. He did. God has had his hand in everything we did this trip. We have been so blessed.

The gym's coaches, Som Khan and Sopaek, are there to help these young men live moral lives, and with integrity.

Som Khan told me that no other foreigner that has come to Svay Pak, to work in the gym, has invested themself into the gym as I have. I was blown away and incredibly blessed by this statement. I told him it was an honor for me because we are brothers in Christ, and I love these men.

We took a group photo. These are my boys. I wish I could take them home with me. As they left the gym they came to me, praying hands held just below the level of their nose (a sign of respect given to teachers and parents), and said thank you, "Soom ah kun neh." I retuned the gesture, "ah kun."

"Will you come back to see us again?" They asked.

"God willing, I will be back," I replied.

The Coaches

 

- Clay Cranford

 

Snippet from Suzie's journal

Here's an excerpt from my journal writings in Cambodia

Rahab House
Day 1
Today was a little overwhelming.
Fuz lead a bible study on Genesis1 to the young deciples group, ages 13 +. At first they seemed a little stand off ish. They perked up when Fuz asked the group if there were any students there who enjoyed science. 4 hands went up. A young man asked him during a break how science can prove that we were created and did not evolve from monkeys. Of course Fuz gave an answer that satisfied him.
We went to the first brick factory of 4 today . Fuz and I put on a skit. I think we gave a convincing performance !! We gave out over 30 bags of rice . Clay read john 3:16 and what it means. We came back and had a delicious lunch.

We had a turnout of almost 100 kids at our kids club . We put on a puppet show where I recruited the young disciples to master the puppets . I wish you could see the puppet show that was going on behind the curtain, hitting each other with the puppets etc. oh well Kids will be kids.
For dinner , we ate at Friends restaurant . It is employed by the rescued. It was really pleasant and the food is great.
A word about the food here..... YUM!!!!!
There also is a store next store where items are sold there that are made by the rescued.

We take a tuk tuk everyday to dinner and back. The tuk tuk rides are comfortable but I understand why they call them caskets on wheels

Bed at 8. I fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow. Good thing I slept with earplugs. It's noisy . Imagine sleeping on the freeway.


- Suzie Harris

The AEC Managers Retreat -A time for connection, rejuvenation and ministry part 1

The retreat weekend was a great time of connection, rejuvenation and ministry.
Our teaching theme was Servant Leadership -starting with a Biblical focus of Jesus as a Servant Leader lead by Fuz. On Saturday Clay spoke on the principles of Servant Leadership including many practical action steps. On Sunday morning Fuz completed the weekend  with Servant Leadership as worship- loving others is loving God.

There were 33 people in attendance at the AEC Managers retreat - 27 directors, managers and social workers leading the AIM Employment Centers (AEC 1, AEC 2, AEC 3 and made retail store).

We arrived early to the Good Time Resort a beach hotel in Sihanoukville to set up each room with a welcome basket to set the stage for the retreat.

Each basket contained a Khmer Bible, a journal with a pen, sun glasses, a beach towel, candy and a beach toy just for fun!

There were many firsts this weekend. This was the first ever retreat for the AIM Employment Centers.  For some it was the first time at the beach,  for others it was the first time to have a Bible of their own and for others it was the first time to get to know some of the people that they work with in their own AEC and meet for the other managers from the other AECs. Friday night started the process of such a special time of developing and deepening relationships.
It was such a joy to see everyone's smiles and hear the conversations at dinner during the ice breaker questions. The most touching moment for me was when the directors from each AEC walked each manager from their AEC to the front, removed their shoes and washed their feet as he affirmed and encouraged each person sealing them with a blessing- a strong movement of the Holy Spirit and Servant Leadership in action!

What a blessing!!!!

Amy

Leadership Retreat

Our three-day leadership retreat, in Sihanoukville, for the AIM employment managers and directors was an amazing time of learning and worship. The theme of the retreat was "Servant Leadership."

 

Each room was set with a "goodie bag," which contained a new Cambodian language Bible, notebook, sunglasses, candy, and beach towel.

Friday evening began with a dinner at our hotel and a time of fellowship. Fuz gave a great talk on how Jesus is our example of what a servant based leader should be. This biblical perspective of leadership set the tone for the week. Jesus' example of humility and service was demonstrated when he washed the disciples' feet. Following Fuz's talk, Pete, the employment center's head director washed the feet of his head managers, and then in turn, the head managers washed the feet of their managers. It was a special expression of God's love that these people have for each other.

Pete lead us in the taking of Communion and worship. It was amazing for me to take Communion and praise The Lord with my Cambodian brothers and sisters in Christ.

Saturday began with breakfast and then team building games on the beach. It was fun to watch the three employment center managers mix and mingle, and then come together as a team.

The afternoon was theirs to enjoy the beautiful beach. Many of these managers are from Svay Pak and come from very poor families. They started out as line workers and then promoted to be a manager. Many of them have never stayed in a hotel or been on a vacation. I'd like to thank the members of NewSong Church and all the financial backers of this mission. You have greatly blessed these amazing people. This generation of Cambodian believers are the change agents; the future leaders of Cambodia.

Saturday night, we had dinner at a different hotel, overlooking the water. It was a beautiful location, we watched the sun set as we ate our delicious traditional Cambodian dinner.

When dinner was finished, I spoke about five practical ways a leader can be a servant leader in their workplace. The evening concluded with prayer and worship.

 

Sunday morning, our final day, we walked to the beach and listened to Fuz speak about love, justice, and the image of God in us. After Fuz's message we had a time of reflection. The Cambodian managers had an opportunity to share about what they learned. It was the perfect bookend to the retreat. All of the comments were filled with their love for Jesus and each other.

 

One last treat. On our drive back to Phnom Penh, we stopped to have a picnic lunch at rest stop. We were joined by some friends.

 

- Clay Cranford

 

Leadership Retreat

Our three-day leadership retreat, in Sihanoukville, for the AIM employment managers and directors was an amazing time of learning and worship. The theme of the retreat was "Servant Leadership."

 

Each room was set with a "goodie bag," which contained a new Cambodian language Bible, notebook, sunglasses, candy, and beach towel.

Friday evening began with a dinner at our hotel and a time of fellowship. Fuz gave a great talk on how Jesus is our example of what a servant based leader should be. This biblical perspective of leadership set the tone for the week. Jesus' example of humility and service was demonstrated when he washed the disciples' feet. Following Fuz's talk, Pete, the employment center's head director washed the feet of his head managers, and then in turn, the head managers washed the feet of their managers. It was a special expression of God's love that these people have for each other.

Pete lead us in the taking of Communion and worship. It was amazing for me to take Communion and praise The Lord with my Cambodian brothers and sisters in Christ.

Saturday began with breakfast and then team building games on the beach. It was fun to watch the three employment center managers mix and mingle, and then come together as a team.

The afternoon was theirs to enjoy the beautiful beach. Many of these managers are from Svay Pak and come from very poor families. They started out as line workers and then promoted to be a manager. Many of them have never stayed in a hotel or been on a vacation. I'd like to thank the members of NewSong Church and all the financial backers of this mission. You have greatly blessed these amazing people. This generation of Cambodian believers are the change agents; the future leaders of Cambodia.

Saturday night, we had dinner at a different hotel, overlooking the water. It was a beautiful location, we watched the sun set as we ate our delicious traditional Cambodian dinner.

When dinner was finished, I spoke about five practical ways a leader can be a servant leader in their workplace. The evening concluded with prayer and worship.

 

Sunday morning, our final day, we walked to the beach and listened to Fuz speak about love, justice, and the image of God in us. After Fuz's message we had a time of reflection. The Cambodian managers had an opportunity to share about what they learned. It was the perfect bookend to the retreat. All of the comments were filled with their love for Jesus and each other.

 

One last treat. On our drive back to Phnom Penh, we stopped to have a picnic lunch at rest stop. We were joined by some friends.

 

- Clay Cranford

 

The Disciples

Thursday March 3, 2016

Amy mentioned the Disciples in one of her recent blog posts. They are a group of about 20 young men and women who are being groomed by Pastor Chan Tha to be among the next generation of leaders in the Cambodian church. They are truly remarkable young people. Each day this week, I led them in a two-hour Bible Study. They are really sharp young men and women, who already have deep theological knowledge and a genuine hunger for God’s Word and a love for the LORD. The service they provide to Rahab’s House and the community of Svay Pak is phenomenal.

It has been a real honor and a blessing to spend time interacting with them. Over the course of the last four days, I took them through the creation accounts found in Scripture, such as Genesis 1, Genesis 2, Proverbs 8:22ff, Psalm 148, Psalm 104, Psalm 8, Psalm 33, Acts 17:15ff, John 1, and Job 38-39. I hoped that they would develop a comprehensive understanding of the creation accounts in Scripture and that they would see how these accounts interrelate to each other and how they provide the foundation for key doctrines of the Christian faith.

At times during the week, I wasn’t sure if the Bible study was having much of an impact on the Disciples. Even though I had a translator, the language barrier was a challenge. And cultural differences made it hard for me to “read my audience.” Each evening as I reviewed the material for the next day’s study, I would struggle with doubts, wondering if I should have chosen a different focus for the study.

On Thursday evening, we had a debrief time with the team from Rahab’s House. We shared with one another how we felt the week went. I was really touched by a number of the Disciples who expressed how meaningful the study was for them.  These were not just niceties, but sincere comments. They told me that I stretched them. They told me that they never realized how often the Genesis 1 creation account recurred throughout Scripture. They told me that they never realized how Adam related to Christ.  And they told me that they have a better idea how they can use these creation passages to share their faith.

One of the Disciples is getting an engineering degree. He was particularly excited to spend time with me. I left him with some materials so he could dig deeper into science-faith issues.

What a privilege it has been to make a small investment in the lives of these remarkable young people. I had the chance to spend 8 hours interacting with the future leaders of the Cambodian church. I am filled full of hope for what is to come. These young men and women have made a huge difference in Svay Pak. And they will be the ones who will plant churches in other communities bringing light into darkness. And the darkness will not over come it.

John 1:5

Day 4 at Rahab house

- Suzie Harris
God is really moving here in Cambodia. It is so delightful to see everyone working together for one purpose. Amy has worked really hard to put together puppet shows , games and crafts. Yesterday we made plastic Ningas with pipe cleaners. The biblical reference is the story in Genesis where Jacob wrestled with God.
The little children running and jumping in my lap or high fiving me will never get old!
Well time for me to clean my puppets . Love you all. thanks for all your prayers.

Gold, Cloth, and God's Image

In Cambodian culture there is a saying: "Boys are like gold, and girls are like cloth." No matter how tarnished gold becomes, it still retains its value. Conversely, cloth when is soiled and damaged it is thrown out.

Once a girl is sold into sexual slavery, she is soiled. Even if she is able to earn enough money to pay off the family's debt, the reason she was sold in the first place, she is not wanted back. In the eyes of her family and people, she has lost all value and honor.

When I traveled here last year, I thought, "How do we change a parent's mind when they think their child has no value?" I don't think this is an intellectual argument. How do we change an entire culture that thinks girls are like cloth? I realized it wasn't minds we needed to change, but hearts.

Ultimately, I feel it can only happen with the love of Jesus and the realization that God has made us in his image. We have his characteristics, and with that we know all people have dignity and value.

The Cambodians are a warm and loving people. Their hearts are open to hear the gospel. We just need to show them Jesus.

- Clay Cranford

Day Two in The Lord's Gym

Today was an exciting day in the gym. Three boys went to fight in a tournament a couple hours north of Svay Pak. After my morning workout, we sat in a circle on the gym floor, held hands, and the head coach asked me to pray for the fighters. I was honored and touched by his offer. I thanked God for the boys' warrior spirit, that they would fight with honor, and that God you keep them safe. I walked them to the street, waited with them for the van, and the coach took our picture.


The afternoon workout was slightly smaller since we were shy a few fighters. After the noon training session I lead the fighters in another short devotional: The parable of the man who built his home on a rock. We had a great discussion. God does not promise an easy life without storms, but he does promise that with him as our foundation, we can weather them.

God is doing great things in the lives of these boys, and in the village of Svay Pak.

- Clay Cranford

God shines on the faces of hardship

The Killing Fields....the Brick Factories...the intense poverty...in just the few days I have seen a steady stream of heart breaking hardship in the lives of the Cambodian people, but through it all God shines through the faces, hearts and hands of the people at AIM's Rahab House.

Our first full day started at church with the joyful praises and high energy worship lead by the disciples (teenage leaders within the community.  These 25 (or more) - 13 to 20 year olds are my new favorite unsung heros! My little energizer bunnies for God!!!!

Fuz has been leading a study on the creation accounts in the Bible.  How wonderful it is to see their eagerness to dig deep into God's word!  As soon as the 2 hour Bible Study ended, we were in the van and off to a Brick Factory handing out rice to families who have next to nothing living in a tin shack.  There I saw the disciples praying, talking and loving on everyone that they see.

After a quick lunch, the disciples are bringing structure to the organized chaos of Kid's Club with love and levity - the kind that you see in a big family. After we left the Rahab House, the disciples had more ministry to finish before they could sleep - at the Rahab House - of course!

There is always seems to be a flurry of activity at the Rahab house. As Clay said today it's like the Walmart of ministry.  There's activity there 24/7!  I know for sure that God's love shines through the faces, hearts and hands of the disciples (and many others) at the Rahab House bringing joy, comfort and hope to people in the midst of their hardship.

Love is a verb,
Amy

Foreigners Now Welcome

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

It was a busy day today. We left for Rahab’s House around 7:30 am. After a 45-minute drive through some intense traffic, we arrived at our destination. Clay made his way to the Lord’s Gym. Suzie, Amy, and I started our preparations for Kid’s Club. At 9:00 am, we began the Bible Study with the disciples. At 11:00 am Suzie, Clay, and I made a trip to another brick factory to hand out rice and present a Gospel skit. Meanwhile Amy went with an AIM staffer to buy bibles and some other items for the AEC Retreat this weekend. (Poor Amy ended up going without lunch.) We had a quick lunch and then back to work, prepping for Kid’s Club at 2:00 pm, as Clay headed back to Lord’s Gym. Kid’s Club was intense today. We had about 50 more kids than yesterday. When the kids were gone and the room was cleaned around 4:00 pm. All the activities and the heat and humidity had finally gotten to me. I was spent. Even though we are only a few days into the trip, I began to wonder if we are really making a difference at all by being here in Cambodia.

And then God “gave me a rose.”

On my way out, I got into a great conversation with a staff member at Rahab’s House. Today was his first day working at the church. We talked about all kinds of things, including what to expect as he transitioned from work in the private sector to ministry. I made the same transition 17 years ago and was able to offer him some counsel and encouragement.

And then he told me something that sent chills up and down my spine and reminded me why it is so important for our team to be in Svay Pak working with AIM. He said a few years ago the people of Svay Pak were afraid of foreigners. Because foreigners came to their small community for one reason: to rape little girls. But he said that has all changed thanks to the many churches over the years (including NewSong Church) who have sent teams to work with AIM and Rahab’s House. Now the people of Svay Pak are happy to see foreigners. Why? Because Christians have come to this small community to serve and bless the people. They bring rice and the Gospel to the people at the brick factories. They bring medicine and serve at the medical clinic at Rahab’s House. They help with Kid’s Club and at the Lord’s Gym. They bring supplies for the school at Rahab’s House. And the list goes on and on. We are making a difference. What we do, does count. Each day that a foreign Christian comes to Svay Pak and offers Christ love in a tangible way to the people is one less foreigner who shows up to harm an innocent child and exploit the people of Cambodia. And it is one more day that this community is blessed.

This change in attitude was not the result of some grandiose act nor did it happen over night. But it came about because God’s people kept arriving in Svay Pak, doing the little things. And the little things have added up.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,

who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation. (Isaiah 52:7)