Newsletter, September 2017
Our New Factory and Staff Housing is Open and Operational! PRAISE GOD!
What a wonderful and exciting day it was on Friday 4th August. We had an opening celebration with more than 70 people present, including the local Commune Leader and his deputy, five local Policemen, the school Headmaster and a group of neighbors from Prek Dong Commune where we are located. International visitors included Mr. Rod Richards, Administrator of Australian Mercy, (our covering Australian charity), Mrs. Marion Winn and Mrs. Ruth Magarey, from Adelaide, Mr. & Mrs. Philip and Jacquie Gifford, from Dunsborough, W.A. and Mr. & Mrs. John & Valerie Carlsson and Mr. Ben Carlsson, from Shellharbour NSW. Local friends, Velta , Dawn and Nay joined with all our staff to declare the factory open and dedicate two houses in memory of Mrs. Alice McCann and Mrs. Rosalie Annells, who were our great friends and supporters through the years. After visiting the houses and seeing through the factory, a delicious catered lunch followed. Please check our videos for a short video of the event. Another attachment shows some pictures of our celebration. Sincere thanks to all of you who contributed to the cost of those buildings and the necessary infrastructure .
The new canopy and cement floor
gave us a great space for the
Opening and also a lovely space
for Bible studies and Church. Our
first service there was overflowing
with worship and thanksgiving and
angels were seen joining us and
blowing their trumpets in praise.
Forward Planning
We have not moved the Phnom Penh office to the factory because we have no buildings to accommodate the new Church or any office space. We have plans to build a new block which will include 4 new houses, Church, offices and reception. In addition we have to replace the front fence and put down some more access road to the factory and staff homes. At the moment we are stuck, not yet able to run the child care and children's ministry we are planning. Already, five of the staff children are attending the local school, two are at kindergarten and Chinn and his wife's 18 month old daughter is being cared for at home by a lady from the village. We realize that this new building is an urgent necessity.
Staff News
In July Marion's housekeeper, Chanthouen, announced her engagement to an Englishman, Ross Rennie and she hopes to move to England and be married there next year. Ny has no news yet of her visa to go to USA for her wedding.
Marketing
After several months of slow sales, marketing in July and August suddenly increased. Seven years of trying to get our products into the airport shops has finally paid off and now they are beautifully displayed there and sales are soaring. Most of the sales were for mango. Last season we did not produce enough stock for the months leading to the next mango season in November. It costs US$4,000 per week to buy mango and sugar and we did not have the cash to buy fruit every week, resulting is a serious shortage now. Lack of cash on hand is a major problem especially so now that half of our own mango trees have been removed to make way for buildings. All our buildings were paid for by specific donations for that purpose, and this money could not be used to buy fruit. Now we are praying for a miracle of multiplication of our bulk mango stock! And an increase in donations for running expenses.
Investment
The time is right for us to buy the mango farm opposite our property, so that we can grow our own mangos to supply the future needs of the factory before the next mango season begins in November. We are looking for an investor to purchase this property for us and we can assure such a person of the profitability of such an investment over future years. The cost of this 9 hectare farm is US$450,000.00 and it is covered with large mango trees producing quality fruit.
The market for Cambodian Harvest dried fruit is still limited largely to expatriates and tourists, mainly from Korea and China. The current uncertainty concerning the crisis in North Korea makes our market to those countries doubtful if the threat of war escalates. Middle class Cambodian are shopping more and more in super- markets now and they are slowly becoming accustomed to our products, but at this time that market share is not large.
Church
All of our Church activities are funded from church offerings. Our mission's team has been very busy holding fortnightly outreaches in three provinces. The extreme poverty in the village in Kampot has caused many of the new believers to find work in neighboring cities and even in Thailand. Our program of crop planting in the off season from rice has resulted in some of the farms planting pawpaw and corn. While this will assist with added income eventually, the urgent need is to pay their loans for rice seed in past low harvest years. We pray that they share the Gospel wherever they are and continue in their faith. In Kompong Chinnang, twenty one new believers were baptized in this village and in the fortnights when we are not there, they have joined with a Korean church in a nearby village. We will contact that Pastor and see if he will continue to disciple these new Christians for us.
Roonlong Village in Kompong Thom is Bunthoeun Thong's home village. Outreaches there following the showing of the Jesus Movie have been wonderfully successful and instruction for baptism is taking place for the new believers, including some of Bunthoeun's relatives.
PrekDong village, where our property is located, is our next focus for sharing the Gospel and showing the Jesus Movie, which we will do on September 14th. Already a neighbor, Jor, has become out first local believer. This is very encouraging and daily our staff are sharing their faith as they shop in the village and meet local families. Our staff farmers are well respected in the village now and Ol and his wife Proun and their daughter Gau, and Chanthu, Rithy's wife, also accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour at our first service in our new worship place next to the factory. Rithy has been a believer for about 10 years and his prayers for her have born fruit soon after she and their two sons came to join him at the new factory. You can see that our focus on Business as Mission is producing the fruit of salvation and a harvest of souls in many parts of Cambodia. Please continue to support our factory so that we can increase production, give more people with disability a future and hope and bless the nation's economy with dedicated people of faith.
Prayer Points
- Pray for justice and righteousness in politics. The leader of the opposition was just arrested for "treason".
- Pray for Missions Team outreaches to Kampot, Kompong Chinnang and Roonlong Village church plants.
- Pray for our new church in Prek Dong Village. Pray for a good response to the Jesus Movie on 14th Sept.
- Pray for financial provision and urgent spiritual breakthrough in Cambodia.
- Pray for an investor to buy the mango farm opposite and finances for the new church, office and housing.
- Pray for a small delivery vehicle for Seim Reap. The 10 year old tuktuk is now too small and old for the job.
What a joy it is to see our staff families settling in, planting vegetable gardens and raising chickens and ducks. They had never imagined being able to have such nice homes with space for their children to play and grow up in a healthy environment. Dreams and visions do come true when we obey the leading of Holy Spirit. The presence of God and His peace is powerfully present.
Thank you all so much for giving so generously and praying this new factory into existence. You are partners in this exciting outcome that demonstrates the love of God for His precious sheep.
May God bless you richly and give you joy in the outcome so far.
With love and thanksgiving for each one of you.