Cambodian Action

Written by Daren and Jodi Beck Tuesday, 27 April 2010 00:00

This year has been a year of God working deeply in our hearts to make a radical change in our living situation.  The Lord has provided amazingly for us as a young family on the mission field.  For the past seven years we were blessed with a home large enough to accommodate groups for ministry purposes as well as visitors.  Our home provided our children with a sheltered environment which allowed them to play outside without being exposed to the traffic and unwanted dangers. The Lord mercifully provided a place for us to flourish as a family in a new and strange place...

 

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Update from the Becks in Cambodia

Written by Daren and Jodi Beck Tuesday, 27 April 2010 00:00

“For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not being merely human?  What then is Apollos?  What is Paul?  Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything but only God who gives growth.  He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers.  You are God’s field, God’s building.”  I Corinthians 3:4-9
 
Dear Friends,
 
Forty years ago Mr. Lee Saing heard the gospel message preached over the radio while sitting in his home in a provincial town in northern Cambodia.  The Holy Spirit regenerated his soul, allowing him to receive the message and enabled him to exercise faith in the person of Jesus.  He didn’t know any other Christians at the time but determined that his family would become followers of Christ.  Today, two of his sons are in full time Christian work (with Shalom Mission to Cambodia) and one of his daughters teaches Christian Education at Phnom Penh Bible School.  What a great story of God’s grace, right?
 
Absolutely! Praise God for His faithfulness.   Some of you might be tempted to think that I share this story because it relates to a “success”  within the context of seeing the church grown here among the Khmer people.  I do think that it is encouraging to hear these kinds of stories from time to time but my point is to show how God’s providential work is THE compelling story of missions…not necessarily the results that are generated by a particular missionary or organization.  Mr. Lee heard the gospel through the message on the radio but NO man could take credit for his salvation!  I tend to equate my success in ministry to God’s blessing.  If things go well (ie. people respond to the gospel and become Christians and grow as disciples) then I must be doing the right thing.  But it would seem that Scripture paints a very different picture.  We see both success and failure all throughout the Bible in terms of how people respond to the Gospel.  My job is not to produce spiritual fruit but to be a faithful servant/ambassador/proclaimer/shepherd.  God is the sole author, initiator, sanctifier and sustainer in salvation.  For me to take credit is…..well, just plain ludicrous!  This was Paul’s message to the church at Corinth in I Corinthians 3.  Why get caught up following one person’s ministry over another (whether it be Paul or Apollos in vss 1-4)?  It is God who causes the growth in all of us (vs 6, 7)!  My ‘wage’ will be based on my faithfulness to what God has put before me and we count it a privilege to partner together in God’s work (vss 8-9)!
 
Action Cambodia does NOT exist to produce results, though we’re thrilled when we see God’s sovereign hand at work!  We do PRAY, PLAN, PARTICIPATE AND PRAISE God for the fruit born as a result of the planting and watering done through the Gospel work here in Cambodia.  We don’t program for results, though it is certainly tempting at times!  Here is an example of what I mean.  The last few months I’ve been teaching through baptism and communion with the pastors of SMTC.  It took longer than I expected and we actually had to re-teach several sections to make sure there was clarity and to encourage each of the men to practice what they were learning in their respective churches.  As far as I know each of the SMTC churches are now faithfully practicing the Lord’s Supper and three weeks ago there was a joint baptismal service where many individuals identified with Christ in the waters of baptism.  The temptation is to say, ‘Look at the results! Praise God!’.  I am thankful for what seems to be God’s hand at work but am under no delusion that this came about from anything other through God’s work!  
 
Keep praying that God would cause us to be faithful workmen in his harvest!  As we move forward we do ask for prayer in the following areas:
 

• Follow up on those who were baptized….praying specifically that God would cause them to grow mature and strong in their faith
• Kids would finish strong at school and our family would be prepared for home assignment this summer
• Pray for the short team coming from West Hills Community Church this summer!
• Sustenance for all of the SMTC pastors – praying for their physical needs and their spiritual protection
• Ongoing prayer for the entire Action Cambodia Team – track with updated requests at www.actioncambodia.org
• Financial sustenance….blessed by God’s provision through you, praying for additional ‘teammates’ to support the work here!

 
Have a great week….may God’s hand be clearly seen through everything that you do (Numbers 6:24-26)!
 
In His Bonds,
Daren
I Cor 2:5
 
Action Cambodia
PO Box 1178
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Cell: 855-12-560-982
Skype:  darenbeck
Website: www.actionintl.org
Cambodia: www.actioncambodia.org

Update from the Becks in Cambodia

Written by Daren and Jodi Beck Saturday, 27 February 2010 00:00

I am preparing to leave Cambodia (tomorrow) and spend the next 17 days on the road!  I’ll be making a quick stop in California before heading to our International Council Meetings in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  It is a blessing to serve the Lord with almost 300 colleagues (missionaries) in 23 different countries around the globe through ACTION (www.actioninternational.org) .  This annual meeting allows our leadership team to prayerfully consider what ministry God has entrusted to us and how we might faithfully push forward in His harvest!  Would you pray for us and especially for Jodi and the kids as I’m away from home these next few weeks?  Your prayers are certainly felt and we treasure the partnership with have with you.
 
I thought it might be helpful and encouraging to give you a short update on some of our areas of ministry.
 
·        Andong Feeding Ministry – we’re so blessed by the ongoing work at the Andong Re-settlement Area.  Pastor Abraham and his capable staff are now feeding 150 children every day (one meal a day, six days a week). Pray that they will see eternal fruit for their ministry.  Many of you have faithfully given to this ministry, thank you!!  Keep praying for the necessary resources to press ahead.

·        SMTC – we will be partnering with HeartCry Missionary Society on March 1 & 2 to do two full days of equipping for the SMTC (Shalom Mission to Cambodia) leadership team (40 people).  The topic will be Justification and Sanctification in the Life of the Believer.  Would you pray that the teaching will be clear and that it will provide some great foundation for our church leaders?

·        Wells Family – Nathan, Christiana and Ava are doing great.  They are settling in well, having found a home and vehicle.   Pray with them as they learn together about everything that God would have for them in the coming years here in Cambodia.  Stay current with the Wells through their blog and/or our web site at http://www.actioncambodia.org/news/wells.html

·        Mordecai’s Courage – BJ and Andrea continue to press ahead as they shepherd the young people God has placed in their home.  When they arrived seven years ago (yes, it has been that long for all of us!) they came with the budget for a couple with no children.  Their family has certainly grown and they need to raise some additional finances.  If you’d like to participate with them by supporting their Discipleship Home you can check out http://www.actioncambodia.org/get-involved/give/give-lopez.html

·        Translation & Publication  – Fundamentals of the Faith has turned out to be a great tool for the local church.  BJ is prayerfully considering printing an additional 3,000 copies (at $3 per copy).  Perhaps you might consider making a special gift towards this great project?

·        Summer of 2010 – our family anticipates being on home assignment this coming summer!  Pray with us that we would prepare our kids for “re-entry” into their “home culture”.  We’ll be looking to share our ministry with you and perhaps some new folks who might want to join our support team.  As we firm up our itinerary we’ll be passing it on to you!  While we’re away this summer we’re excited that West Hills Community Church will be sending a short term team here.  Pray with them as they prepare and for the ministry they will participate in while on the ground in Cambodia.

·        Logos – the Weiss family (sent by Action Canada) has committed to stay a third year at Logos.  Both Dean and Leslie have been such a blessing to the entire Logos community.  We’re excited to have them back and I know they would covet your prayers as Dean (he serves as the Elementary Principal) is ‘neck deep’ in the recruiting process for the 2010-11 school year.  There will be several key openings on the school staff which we are prayerfully putting before the Lord (please pray with us).  If you know of anyone who might be interested in teaching please let me know and I’ll be happy to send them in the right direction!  You can always catch up with the school at www.logoscambodia.org

·        House of Faith – Beth Andaya continues to shepherd the seven young ladies God has entrusted to her and we continue to be blessed by the partnership we have with Asian Hope.  I’m blessed to have the opportunity to visit two of Asian Hope students next week who are now studying at The Master’s College.  Pray specifically for Pov and Rachel.  They are both seniors in high school this year and are waiting to see what opportunities they will have to further their education.  Finances are a very real consideration for the organization right now, but we trust in God’s perfect provision!  You can check out the latest news for Asian Hope at www.asianhope.org

·        Shalom Phnom Penh Tmei – this is the English speaking church that is under the umbrella of SMTC.  We continue to be blessed by the opportunity to shepherd those souls that God has entrusted to us.  Pray that we would faithfully preach the Word, be true worshipers of Jesus and be a vibrant witness in a very dark place.  We’ll finish up the Book of Mark in the next few months and look forward to beginning another exegetical series immediately thereafter.

·        Beck Family – life has been anything but dull….we recently moved houses and are getting settled into a new place.  It has been a great move for us, putting us closer to the new school but also giving us an opportunity to live in a unique neighborhood that is just full of ministry opportunities.  If you’re interested in seeing our new place, I posted some pictures on my Facebook page.  As always, Jodi and covet your prayers as we shepherd the four precious kids God has entrusted to us.  Mikaela will be a teenager this month….Kamryn is soon to be 10…..CJ is an aspiring bug collector in 1st grade and Drew is ready to tackle Kindergarten in a few months J

 
Keep praying with us and remember to drop us a line from time to time!  Thank you for allowing us to share a bit concerning what God is doing here in Cambodia!
 
In His Bonds,
 
 
Daren
Heb 12:1-2
 
"Trials, above all other things, have a tendency to distinguish between true religion and false, and to cause the difference between them evidently to appear." - Jonathan Edwards
 
Action Cambodia
PO Box 1178
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Cell: 855-12-560-982
Skype:  darenbeck
Website: www.actionintl.org
Cambodia: www.actioncambodia.org

December Cambodian Action

Written by Daren and Jodi Beck Wednesday, 09 December 2009 20:06

Fear is NOT usually associated with Christmas, but if you live outside the good news of Jesus birth you live in darkness and should be afraid!  The people of Cambodia have lived in utter darkness for thousands of years and their everyday life reflects that reality!  When was the last time you threw food  at unseen spirits so that they would not cause you harm?  How about the last time you tied special strings to ward off back luck?  Or when was the last time you were in awe of a stillborn calf with withered skin; so much in awe that you brought money to lie at its feet to gain favor because you believed it was full of...

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