This Wednesday I traveled to a countryside school in Kampongcham (about 3 hours from where we live in the capital city) to pass out flyers and give out some candy to invite children in that village to join our Christmas outreach. This is the village we have been working with all year; building relationships with the students and the community in order to help start an afterschool program and church on our Cambodian friends fruit farm. The year has been really good and we feel like God is preparing the doors for the gospel in this village in big ways. TODAY was a HUGE confirmation of that!
I had expected to give out around 300 flyers to the children. But when my friend and I showed up, not one but both of the principals (elementary and secondary) met us when we came through the gate of the school. They were really happy to see us and were excited to hear about the program we would be hosting.
At first I was handing out the flyers as I had expected until the elementary school principal offered to walk me to all the classes and present to the students about the program and invite them to come. So, in a matter of minutes I was brought to each of the class rooms and handed out all 300 flyers and candy sharing about the event. The kids were EXCTATIC to hear about it. That was pretty incredible to have God use the principal of the elementary school to open the door for the outreach event. But God wasn't done.
We then sat down to talk with both principals and a former principal who wanted to invite all the secondary students as well (a total of 700 students between the 2 schools)! We hadn't planned on inviting the older kids to the outreach simply because we don't have enough finances to cover it all BUT when God opens the door, you walk through it.
So here we are, with an opportunity that God has given us to clearly proclaim the King who lived and died for them! We get to tell His story to as many as 700 kids this Christmas season. We have an amazing opportunity on our hands and we need help to meet the needs of the extra expenses these added children will bring.
On top of the program, we are also providing:
school supplies for each child
a wholesome snack for each child AND family member that will come. (almost all the older people we saw at the school asked if it was ok if they came also - and we said of course!)
meals for our students and the farm staff who is helping us with the program
With all of these amazing new additions to the outreach we need financial help.
It only costs $1.50 for each child to receive school supplies and a good snack for the outreach
We had expected 300 children (and that's what we prepared for) but now we have 700 possibly coming. Would you help us meet the needs this amazing opportunity has provided us?
Please click on the link below or the pictures above to help us meet this increase.