In 2013, on our first trip to Cambodia, we came across this little tin shack on our way to another site. We saw some little kids coming out of the field behind it, carrying tables and chairs. Our van stopped and our hosts explained this was the village school. I remember this moment so vividly because at that moment I was experiencing some pretty terrible dehydration and motion sickness. As I started to get out of the van, our hostess said to us, “Just sit, God cares about them, but He cares about you too”. At that moment, I broke down and cried. God broke my heart, changed my worldview, and changed my life in a way I never forgot. 5 years later, because God broke our hearts on that hot June day, there stands a real school, with real teachers, a learning environment that is giving these sweet kids a leg up in life.
When 2 years ago, there was no teacher here at all, we now have 2 dedicated and authentic teachers. The 90 students attending were behind when Kea & Pheak started, but now they are ahead, with the students reading in grade 1 (this is higher than the national average). The school is K-6, but the older kids come here for tutoring and discipleship courses. Because of partnership with Pastor Sophun this community has received vaccines and a visit from Operation Christmas Child. There is church here every Sunday. The entire community is involved and we got to celebrate with them. The walls are filled with art these students made. We could gift the school 3 boxes of school supplies all our supporters donated. They are learning at a whole new level at this school. Every month, Mission 25 pays the salary of these 2 teachers, but they do all the hard work and had made this school a place of learning, community, and hope. We are beyond thankful God broke our hearts. To all of you who have donated, THANK YOU, for sowing into these lives.
Imagine that this is your primary water source when there is no rain. You drink this water. Your children drink this water. This community was so far, it took us over an hour to reach it, and this water was very much their reality. So many children in this community had been sick at some point from this water. Recently, the home that the well is closest to, their child died from being sick from this water. All of that changed last month, when a very generous donor sponsored a well here. We are so thankful we were able to share with this community about a God that loves and provides. These sweet babies, drinking up this fresh water was something I will never ever forget. Thank you for partnering with Mission 25 to make this well (and the shoes) happen!
Back on our first team trip in 2016 (before the vision of Mission 25 was even born!) We visited a school situated inside a Buddhist Pagoda. We shared the gospel with over 1,000 people and many people accepted Christ, including the principal of the school! Our dear friend Ps. Sophun was invited to hold discipleship classes at the school, and when we returned in 2017, many of the people who attended those classes were baptized, including our new friend, the principal! We were able to visit the school on this past trip and we will be partnering with this school to get them some much needed computers! God is so faithful and we are thankful for this partnership!
Outreaches are an important part of Mission 25. They are wonderful because 1. we get to share the gospel of Jesus & 2. We get to encourage and promote local pastors. Our outreaches work like this: First we share the gospel, second we educate about human trafficking, reiterating that we have a God that loves us and does not wish for us to be harmed, third we give a practical item away (this time it was shoes, sometimes it is school supplies). We try to always share in a place where a pastor is or can go. We love these outreaches so much! Over the last 5 years we have shared the gospel with about 9,000 people!
