Great Conversation ...

* This story may sound a little choppy and long, but I'm trying to recall (and translate) a great conversation I had this evening with Chan-Da and Choon-E.

We haven't had class since a week before Christmas, therefore we haven't really seen students too much. I opened the student center once, but only a handful of students came.

Today, I met Izzy at the student center so we could plan for the new term. While we were there, I got a call from Choon-E. She said that her and Chan-Da missed me and wanted to come over to my house. Since I was at the student center, we met there.

I was happy to hang out with them because I missed them too, but at the same time, I'd planned on getting things done. You know how it is. I decided to stop thinking about all I had planned to do and focus on the time I had with them.

We played bad-mitten, then went inside and talked for an hour and a half. While we were talking, I got a call from another friend and they started talking about church. :-)

*Side Note:
   - Choon-E told me in November that she "wants to try to follow Jesus." For a while she did not tell anyone else, so part of me was unsure if this was for real and so I didn't tell anyone other than my team. (I first wrote about Choon-E in this blog post from May 2013. It's worth a read!)
   - Chan-Da has studied at the student center for the past 3 years (and rarely misses). Over the past year, God has really been drawing her heart to Him. She even studied the Bible with Crystal a year ago. There have been several instances that I have seen God working on her heart, but she doesn't fully believe and she's not ready to follow Him.

So back to the story! Chan-Da was talking to Choon-E how she doesn't understand why there are so many churches and why people "belong" to one church. I go to a church every Sunday, and Choon-E goes to a different church. (I think she has this question because Cambodians go to temples, and it's generally the one that's the closest to their house. I don't think they're committed to one certain temple.)

Choon-E explained how the church is a family. I was able to explain about the Body of Christ. I think her question was answered.

Then Chan-Da started talking about something and said how sometimes she believes that Jesus is God and that He died on the cross for her sins, but sometimes she doubts. I then asked her, why she doesn't believe. She then brought up how her younger brother and her dad both scold her if she reads the Bible or goes to church. Her mom doesn't say much, and her grandmother knows nothing about it. (This is VERY TYPICAL for Cambodians who are seeking God). I was a little surprised because before, they had no clue she even had a Bible. Chan-Da's main hindrance is her family (like most Cambodians).

I shared some about family that didn't like me going to church, or spending so much time at church or things related.

At some point, Choon-E brings up how before, she would get mad a someone and stay mad at them. Recently she got mad, cried for several hours, prayed and it's okay now. Chan-Da asked if Choon-E had been baptized yet, which she hasn't, but this let me know that Chan-Da knew Choon-E is now a Christian! Also, Choon-E had told a small group (3-5) of her classmates that she believes Jesus! Yay!

Choon-E then shares more about how the church is a family and how we help each other. From the conversation, I wanted to bring up Tut-se-ah's moto accident (at the end of September), but Choon-E beat me to it! She shared how so many people went to visit Tut-se-ah in the hospital multiple times, and the church prayed for her a lot. (Chan-Da and one other not yet believer went the first time we visited Tut-se-ah in the hospital, so Chan-Da was able to witness it!) -Wow! God keeps opening up different doors to reveal His glory through this "bad" thing. (Tut-se-ah has been able to stay at my house twice now, because her mom has met me and a couple of the other believing girls several times and she has seen Christ in us.)

After that the conversation transitioned into other things, but it was GREAT seeing how God is pursuing Chan-Da, Chan-Da is wondering a lot about following Jesus, and how Choon-E is now sharing from her experiences!  One of the absolutely greatest things to witness and be a part of, is people surrendering their lives to follow Christ. The next best thing, is seeing them grow in Christ and begin to share with others! I am truly BLESSED!

Please pray for Chan-Da to continue to seek God (if she seeks, she will find Him)! Pray for God to open Chan-Da's eyes to see, ears to hear, and heart to believe! Also, this may be Chan-Da's last term to study at the student center because she will be moving houses in May.

Pray for Choon-E to be a bold witness for Christ! Pray that God will give her strength, courage, and wisdom in sharing. Also pray for her family, for when she tells them. May God's will be done. I don't ask that they will be accepting, but that God will choose to use this to strengthen Choon-E in her faith, whether they're accepting, tolerating, or opposing her decision to follow Him! Lastly, pray that she will again think "what about my people?" (those who have never heard of Jesus), like she thought last September.