Work Teams in Action!

In November, a team from Mitchell Wesleyan Church, South Dakota, and a team from Brevard Community Church, North Carolina, came to Cambodia and work with us.

Chad who is from Mitchell Wesleyan Church focused his time doing the landscaping at the Wesleyan Bible Institute. Three men from Brevard Community Church also built ten cabinets for WBI students. The teams visited several provinces and did medical clinics, evangelism and children ministry. See more pictures at National Church Ministries

Note: Photo courtesy of Rolitess Galam Hourng Facebook photos

TRANSITIONS

T R A N S I T I O N S

Greg B. Fernandez Jr.

Transition is the only constant experience in life. You transition from one place or state to another. Transition is indispensable and inevitable. From cradle to the grave, from womb to tomb, transition is constant. Perhaps the final transition is the transition from death to eternity. Although transition creates discomfort, it brings new challenges. It leads to new opportunities. It provides growth. Here in the field, several transitions have transpired that underline new challenges, opportunities, and growth. 

TRANSITION FROM CAMPUS TO A NEW HOME

For the last 6 six years, our home has always been at or by the WBI campus. During those years, we stayed in four different houses. This September, for the first time in six years, we are given the opportunity to moved out from the campus. It took us few weeks to adjust. Less pressure, but less fellowship.

This picture shows our new home. It was taken during the time pastors and students came for prayer the night we moved in. 

TRANSITION FROM ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY TO CHURCH MINISTRY

As we transitioned our housing location there is also transitions in ministry opportunities and responsibilities. We will focus our ministry in the national church. Coaching the national leaders (DBA), mentoring the pastors for pastoral ministry, and visiting our churches every Sunday are some of the responsibilities we are expected to do. This means more travels in the coming months.

TRANSITION FROM PASTORAL MINISTRY TO BIBLE SCHOOL PRESIDENCY

Leadership challenges await the new WBI leaders and staff. After four years of pastoral ministry, pastor Vandy become the first Cambodian to be elected as WBI president. His installation took place last September 4. I gave him a chair as a gift to symbolizes a place to think, plan, dream, and study. I also handed him a key as a symbol of responsibility. Few days after his installment, he was engaged to Rolitess Galam, got married in the Philippines, three weeks later. This is not only a ministry transition but also a transition in marital status.

This will be a transition for the Gallant Trio as they wpartner with pastor Vandy in spearheading the leadership of the WBI. 

This is also a ministry transition for pastor Arun and his wife, Chariya. Pastor Arun and Chariya are the new faculty members, along with Zanda. This will be a transition from pastoral ministry to teaching ministry. Arun brings to the school a rich, fours years pastoral expereince.

TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO MINISTRY

WBI was their home for three years. The theoretical side of pastoral preparation has been completed, but the real test of learning is not in the classroom but in the field. The field is where they are truly shaped and molded. If they survived, they will remained for life. Our six students officially began their ministry on October 12. This will be a one year internship, and if all goes well, they will graduate in 2010.

See more pictures and read more stories by clicking on the links shown on the side bar.

In Christ Alone,

Greg, Resie, Aleeyah Charis and Esher Eirene

August Updates

IT'S HER FIRST DAY TO SCHOOL

At 4 years and 7 months, Aleeyah Charis is ready for school. In fact, she has been nagging us when can she go to school. On August 7, after searching and scouting for the cheapest international school in Phnom Penh, we found one, called "Footprints", a Cambodian owned school but internationally competitive. Footprints is a non-Christian international school but have a good curriculum. Teachers are truly internationals--Filipinos, Americans, British, Australians and numerous Cambodian assistants. The summer school actually started on August 7, the day we were there. The receptionist encouraged us to enroll Aleeyah to try out the school during the summer, so we did. The next day, Aleeyah attended the school without much school supplies ready, but with she went with excitement. Other pictures and stories at http://www.aleeyahandesherscorner.blogspot.com/

THE GALLANTS TRIO HAS ARRIVED

After 10 months of home ministries, the Gallants returned to Cambodia on August 10 for another three years of ministry ventures. Their presence and ministry is a great help to the Wesleyan Bible Institute and the National Church. Please pray that they will continue to be fruitful and productive. And please pray that baby Katie will able to adjust and adapt to the Cambodian climate easier.

WBI STUDENTS & SOME YOUTH

This picture is taken during a youth fellowship the students planned and organized as part of their requirements in Resie's class Worship and Programming. As part of the requirements, they made fliers to invite young people from the school's neighbouring community. More than 50 young people from the community showed up during the fellowship. The students did an excellent job performing their responsibilities for a successful youth fellowship program.
See more pictures and stories at http://www.wbi-cambodia.blogspot.com/

WORDS OF THANKS & PRAISES
To our families, friends, prayer partners and supporters, thank you very much for partnering and praying with us. These past 9 months was extremely busy doing all the teaching, school administration, mentoring, supervising the national DBA and doing other ministries with the national church, besides being a husband and a wife and parents of two active girls. God has preserved our physical bodies, He has grown us spiritually, He matured us emotionally, He provided our needs and taught us many things that we cannot exchange for anything else. We lift up all our praises and glory to God from whom all blessings flow. We continue to serve God and obey His calling, we continue to be ambassadors of peace, love and unity here in Cambodia. We ask for your continued prayers and support. We cannot do it alone.

Gratefully yours,

Greg, Resie, Aleeyah Charis and Esher Eirene

"Together, We Can Accomplish the Impossible"

May, June, and July Updates

This is pastor Vandy, the new elected WBI president, speaking to our students few weeks after his election as WBI president. Although he is not yet installed officially, he begun to connect with the WBI students in May. His election is an important part of the history of WBI, being the first Cambodian WBI president to be elected. To date, he is still pastoring a church in Kratie but he'll move to WBI in September. He is getting married on September 30 in the Philippines.

Seven ladies from Indiana Wesleyan University, ministered in Cambodia from May 22 -June 12. Jewel, the leader of the team however, stayed and did her internship from May 22 to June 12. The IWU team ministered both in WBI and in the local church in 5 different provinces. They taught english classes in the local churches and had children's ministry as well. The IWU team managed to eat less expensive food and fasted to save money to build a pastor's house in Kampong Chennang and a project in WBI. What a sacrifice they made!

Here is Rev. Joel Pascua, preaching during our dawn prayer meeting at WBI. Dawn prayer time is an essential part of the training of students at WBI. Students must learn the necessity of disciplined prayer life if they are to be effective minister of the gospel. In his message, pastor Pascua challenged the students to live a life of integrity as people often read our life not the Bible. Pastor Pascua visited us in June 3-6, together with pastor Jun Rafael and a friend. The students are delighted to have them visit because of the relationship that was built during their 3 weeks visit to the Philippines last April.

Mike Sangers, his wife Cindy and Michelle their daughter, together with Susie, Mallery, and Katrina all from SD ministered in Cambodia for ten days, June 12-June 22. They conducted children's VBS and volleyball clinic reaching the kids and young people from the neighbouring community of WBI. They also did manual labor moving a pile of bricks and cleaning the compound. They also brought some fund from Redfield Wesleyan Church for the operational budget of WBI.

Pastor Kimsua, one of our staff at WBI resigned last June in order to plant a church somewhere in Phnom Penh. Sometime in July, we invited him and his family for a recognition service acknowledging his contribution to WBI from 2003-2009. Here is Greg presenting a plaque of recognition for him and his wife.

Bob lemon from SD taught Church History class for two weeks. Although the course is extensive, the students had a great time learning the history of the church from Jesus to present. Although the time frame is not enough to cover the major events in Church history, they had enough time to learn what they need to know. Greg presented a banner to Bob as a token of our gratitude for his willingness to spend two weeks away from home and be a part of the WBI family imparting gems f wisdom from church history. Beside teaching course, he travelled with us on our weekend ministry visit. He also preached during chapel and Sunday services, during prayer meetings, and during the student's fellowship.

Esher Eirene, our second daughter, turned two years old on July 21. We celebrated her birthday thanking God for two healthy and happy years. Esher has been really super active these days, just as what they call "the terrible twos." Esher speaks a lot of Khmer words more than her big sister does.

We just lost one of our most dedicated and faithful laymen in Cambodia. Lookru Moich had a motorcycle accident in April which lead to a major surgery in his head. After three months of battle with his injury, he went to be with the Lord whom he faithfully serves on July 23, 5 o'clock in the morning. His legacy in the ministry is seen in two churches that he has pioneered and also to his active involvement in the ministry of the local church. Here you can see his wife, and pastor Phen, son-in-law getting ready for the procession.

This is a picture of Adam and his fiancee together with the guests on their engagement party. While Adam proposed to Rachel in the American way on the evening of July 25th, we had an engagement celebration for them the following night in a multicultural setting at the WBI dinning area. Adam and Rachel dressed up in Cambodian outfits, in order to fit the occassion. Different kinds of fruits, the drinks, and the cake is set on the mat in the floor. This is a Cambodian way of an engagement ceremony.

See more pictures at http://www.wbi-cambodia.blogspot.com/

http://www.aleeyahandesherscorner.blogspot.com/

http://www.nationalchurchministries.blogspot.com/

Thank you very much for all your prayers,

Greg, Resie, Aleeyah, and Esher

WHEN EAST AND WEST MEET AND MORE APRIL UPDATES

THE BEAUTY OF NATURE

Seeing the beauty of nature in Cambodia during a recent trip to the mountains allowed us to reflect deeper that there must be an intelligent designer of the universe--the unseen Creator, God Himself. During the Khmer New Year, our Filipino friends, Amy Maling and her family invited us to spend the Holiday in their home in Mondulkiri province over 500 KM away from Phnom Penh. Amy is an environmentalist who works for World Wildlife Fund (WWF) preserving the forest and wildlife in the National Park of Cambodia. We took the invitation as an opportunity to get out of the busy life in the City and from work to see the beauty of nature in a remote province. The trip was not friendly as our van broke down but had wonderful experiences being able to visit several water falls and nature sights. The precious time together as a family and with friends is worth the trip though it costs our van's engine an overhaul.

See more photos at http://www.aleeyahandesherscorner.blogspot.com/

A TRIP WORTH CHERISHING

From March 28-April 18, 7 WBI students, 2 WBI staff, and Ptr. Kimsan from the national church were in the Philippines for the General Conference and the National Youth Congress of the Wesleyan Church of the Philippines. When the students returned, they feed us with experience upon experience that made them not wanting to come back to Cambodia. The experiences of our students are priceless. They were amazed and blessed how our Filipino bretheren had accepted, loved and accommodated them is such a hospitable manner. They learned, they grew, and they were different.

WORDS OF THANKS TO DONORS AND FRIENDS

To Brookings Wesleyan Church, Mitchell Wesleyan Church and other individual donors from the Dakota Churches who made the trip of our students and one WBI staff possible, thank you. Thanks to KCC for sponsoring pastor Kimsan's trip, and the unnamed donor for Rotha as well. Special thanks to the Lumahans family for their hospitality. You did not only give up your rooms for the Cambodian team but also poured out your resources for the team's food and in country expenses. Many thanks to the Rafaels and the Pascuas for your your time and money for the Cambodian team. You surely gave them great experiences that changed their lives. Thanks to all the churches who accommodated them and to all the people who befriended them. Read more testimonies at http://www.wbi-cambodia.blogspot.com/

A HISTORIC CONFERENCE
The 12th pioneer district conference of the Wesleyan church of Cambodia on April 23-25, held at the new WBI campus is considered historic event. The conference decided on to allow a bi-vocational minister in the Wesleyan church of Cambodia. The conference went fine except for some tough discussion on the "no election for DS' and the resolution on bi-vocational minister. We are forever grateful to all the prayer warriors around the world, who were praying for the conference. The enemy tried to disrupt the meeting but we had come out victorious. In this picture you are seeing Pastor Kimsan listening to the questions posed by the pastors after giving his report. Behind him is Dr. Romy, ptrs. Titus, Arun, and Meng Hong. Thanks to the presence of our Asia mission director who wisely and calmly chaired the conference. See the photo of the new elected District Board of Administration (DBA), more pictures and news at http://www.nationalchurchministries.blogspot.com/

WHEN EAST AND WEST MEET

We were privileged to represent Jeff Rasmussen's parents during an initial ceremony in preparation for his engagement with our very own Nekru Channy. In the Cambodian culture, there are 3 stages/steps toward marriage. At the first stage, the boy's parents meet the girls parents and set a date for the engagement ceremony. The second stage is the engagement itself where both parents also talk about the wedding date and the bride's price. Then the third, is the wedding itself. In this picture you are seeing Greg and Resie, and Jeff expressing his desire to marry Channy. I guess, people do it differently but here is what happened when we (Greg and Resie) represented Jeff. After we expressed the marital intention, the girl's father asked Jeff if he really and genuinely loves the girl. Then the girl is asked if she accepts it. When the discussion was over, we enjoyed a meal prepared by the girl's parents and the fruits we brought. Others do it differently, but we went ahead and discussed bride's price or dowry privately. Engagement or wedding follows. More pictures at http://www.wbi-cambodia.blogspot.com/

GUESTS FROM KCC

On April 27-May 3, Steve, Chet and Virginia Quin from Kentwood Community Church visited Cambodia for an exploratory mission. The team brought along with them one brand new computer and one used laptop for our staff and students. Here you are seeing Chet Quin setting up the old computers in the computer lab for the students to use.

The guests also brought KCC's donation to pastor Sideth for his house that was burned down few weeks ago.

To Steve, Chet and Virginia, thank you so much for coming. We were strengthened, refreshed and encouraged to keep on going with our ministries here.

February and March Updates

After seven months of vacation and class interruption, WBI classes finally resumed on February 5, 2009 at the old facility in Boeng Tumpun.

In this picture, you see Maekara Nov, one of the students during batch 2003-2006. Due to serious illness, he quit in the middle of his second year schooling sometime in 2004. But four years latter, few days after class resumed this February, he came to see Pastor Greg expressing his desire to come back and finish his schooling. Being touched with his willingness to serve God, we warmly welcome him back him to finish his studies. Please pray that his passion to serve God will not die but rather burning for Christ.

On Ferbruary 24, Aleeyah Charis celebrated her fourth birthday. She had a simple birthday party with all her friends, students and pastors living in the Campus. To our family and friends who would like to see Aleeyah and Esher growing, visit http://www.aleeyahandesherscorner.blogspot.com/

Although the new WBI facility was not finished, we started moving our stuff to the new campus on February 28. Classes are cancelled for a week to complete the hauling of stuffs and prepare for the new facility. Moving to the new property was not heavenly as many expected. We had some challenges to face since the building was not totally ready for occupancy, and we are far from the city. Also, the electrical power is out 4 to 6 hours daily. Most of the time, power is out twice a day. When the electricity power is out, no sufficient water to use.

In March 27, Pastor Greg and Adam Nash brought the students to Vietnam airport to ensure their safety and destination. Instead of flying from Phnom Penh, they flew from Ho Chi Minh to Manila for a lower cost. Our 7 students, along with pastor Kimsan, nekru Channy and Lookru Rotha are now in the Philippines for almost three weeks. They will all fly back to Ho Chi Minh on April 18 and arrive in Phnom Penh on April 19. We'll give you an update of this visit when they return.

Visit more WBI pictures at http://www.wbi-cambodia.blogspot.com/

Thank you for all your prayers, love, and support. We accomplish nothing without God's power claimed by your prayers.

In His service,

Greg, Resie, Aleeyah and Esher

Celebrating God's Faithfulness and Provision

The 10th of January marked the celebration of God's faithfulness and provision to the Cambodia ministry when the new building of the Wesleyan Bible Institute (WBI) was dedicated to the glory of God. After several years of praying, planning, and giving, a facility is standing tall as a symbol of partnership between different supporters towards the fulfillment of a vision to train young people to become pastors and leaders of the Cambodian church. Twelve representatives from the two major donors for the WBI facility, three from Kentwood Community Church (KCC), and nine from Dakota District, were present during the event. KCC was the major financial force in the history of the new campus and facility. Along with KCC and other unnamed donors, the Dakota District also plays a major financial role for the new facility. To see pictures of the dedication ceremony, visit http://www.wbi-cambodia.blogspot.com/

In conjunction with the dedication ceremony, Dick Crawford, Bob Knoll, and Phil Smart all from KCC, visited at least five churches which KCC built. In the photo (left), the three talk to Vandy, the pastor in Kratie. During their visit to Kampong Cham province, they prayed for pastor Menghong and his wife to be a good leader (photo right).

A medical team came also this January from Brookings Wesleyan Church in South Dakota, headed by Phil Rogness. The team came along with Rev. Keith Nash, the Mission Director of the Dakota district and also the pastor of Mitchell Wesleyan Church. The team shared the love of God to the Cambodians through teaching people about hygiene and health, distributing six hundred health bags containing medicines, a towel, a toothbrush, a comb etc, preaching the gospel with the use of illusions, and having fun ministering to hundreds of kids. The team did a medical clinic in five different locations.

The month of January is also a month of celebration for pastor Rotha and his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth gave birth to a baby girl on January 28. They named her Koun Malika; they also gave her an English name Karen. Karen was 3.6 kilograms when she was born.

Thank you for praying and partnering with us. Together, we can Accomplish the Impossible!

Servants for the Kingdom,

Greg, Resie, Aleeyah Charis and Esher Eirene