February News and Updates

Children Ministry Seminar
The 4-day children ministry workshop held at WBI on the first week of February was a success. Thirty pastors' wives and Sunday school teachers attended the seminar and were greatly blessed. Resie always believed that the pastors' wives are the best partners their husbands can have in the ministry. It is her vision that the pastors' wives will continue to be developed and be equipped to be a better partners in the ministry. After addressing the spiritual well being's need of these pastors' wives last October 2010 Pastors' wives retreat, it is time to develop them further. The children ministry seminar was meant to equip the pastors' wives in their children ministry. Jesus loves the little children of Cambodia and they need to know about the Lord Jesus Christ for a hopeful future. But it doesn't end there. When children believe in Christ, they become bridges between non-believer parents and the church to know Jesus Christ.
We praise God for our lecturers from Iowa; Reatha Aronson, Chad and Arian Parker, and for the lessons and the biblical principles of children ministry that they shared. God used them to accomplish our goals set for this seminar-equipping children ministry workers. They were very creative making all participants attentive during the sessions. They did not only teach relevant teaching techniques but also taught Bible lessons that penetrates the hearts of every children ministry worker. The presence of the Holy Spirit was evident in our sessions.
On the last day of the seminar, we invited over eighty children from the community and the seminar participants did the actual teaching, applying the lesson they've learned. The participants testified how much they've learned from the lectures and from interacting with one another.

Our Special thanks goes to Mitchell Wesleyan Church in South Dakota for sponsoring the workshop.

Valentine's Special for University Students
On Valentine ’s Day we held a party for university students with the intention to continue building relationship to the unchurched and to get the Gospel message across. Because of the overcrowding experience we had during the Christmas party, we had to limit to sixty only this time. Over 60 came and many are new and have never heard about Jesus. Love was the focused of the program-Christian love songs, games, feasting, and teaching. We played the game finding the Lost Sheep. After the game, Resie explained that it was God's love that caused Him to find the lost. After dinner, Ptr. Greg spoke about love both Eros and Agape. He ended his talk by quoting a Bible verse "No one shows greater love than when he lays down his life for his friend." Greg mentioned about someone who wrote his love letter through his love until it ended his life. The students said awwww... then Greg said further, "It was Jesus"...there was a silence. Instead of giving the students opportunity to trust Jesus as their savior, Greg asked them to sign up for English Bible study. Five students signed up. On February 28, all five came for our first English Bible study session. It was a joyful experience for us to welcome them and know them personally. Some of them go to church occasionally, but are not Christians. While they admitted openly they are not Christians, they came because they want to study English lesson about God and the Bible. Pastor Greg, started the lesson by presenting a video on English pronunciation and then proceeded to study the Parable of the Lost Son. They understood the spiritual lesson of the parable and shared their interest to learn more.

Aleeyah Turned 6 Years Old
Our first daughter, Aleeyah Charis, turned 6 years old on February 24. It is a blessing to watch her grow and becoming more sensitive of pleasing God since her personal experience of God's love last year. Please pray for her as she continue to grow loving the Lord and a loving others.

Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Ptr. Greg, Resie, Aleeyah and Esher

2010 Triumphal Ends

College Students Christmas Outreach Stunning Crowd

Our team was not prepared to accommodate the total number of students that came for the Christmas outreach. Since October 2010, we had been hosting college students’ fellowship in our house and the highest attendance we ever had was 34. For the Christmas outreach, we expected and prepared to host only 60 students, but 94 showed up. Most of them are unchurched and are university students from 11 universities around Phnom Penh. While most of them are students, a few are young professionals. As students began arriving with their motorbikes, our parking became too crowded that we had to borrow three of our neighbors’ houses front yard for parking. Greg had to hire two security guards to give out ticket and watch the motorbikes during the programs. The ground floor of the house we are renting was packed and others were standing by the door, as over hundred students including some pastors and missionaries are present. Greg preached the gospel from John 3: 16. The message was short but the full gospel has been proclaimed without compromise. Four people responded at the end to receive Jesus Christ. We served spaghetti, fried chicken, fruits and drinks. The students enjoyed the games and fellowship and are looking forward to another big party on Valentine’s Day.

Church Christmas Celebration Draws Hundreds of People

It’s typical scenario during Christmas celebration in Cambodia to draw hundreds of people from the community. Christmas program serves as a platform to get the message to the unchurched, a great opportunity to witness to a bigger crowd. Greg had attended five Christmas programs in five different churches and five different provinces.

Although, Greg was only a guest in the three churches he attended, he had the privilege of preaching the gospel in two of the other churches. One was in Kampong Cham where a crowd of about 110 gathered in pastor Keith’s yard. About 90 adults came from four house churches where pastor Kieth’s supervise. While most of the people are believers it is good to know that house churches in Kampong Cham area are very much alive.

The second church Greg had the privilege of preaching the Gospel was in a remote rural village in Kampong Chnnang. More than four hundred unchurched gathered to join the Christmas celebration. The program is simple but the on Jesus’ birth draws people towards the front in a standing position. In fact, the crowd was on their feet when Greg preached the meaning of Christmas. The crowed came not primarily to hear the Good News though but because the pastor has the ability to combined Christian activity with the Cambodian culture-loud music, a meal, receiving donation and being prayed for, dancing, and selling varieties of goods. The strategy is effective as the church make a connection to the community for a bigger impact.

FOUR MILITARY OFFICERS JOIN OUR FAMILY CHRISTMAS DINNER

Greg has been teaching English grammar to five military officers in 2010. While Greg was opened in telling them that he is a Christian, he refrains from the confrontational approach to evangelism. The relationship has been built and it is time to get them for dinner and provide an opportunity to share the Christmas story. Three lieutenants and a colonel came along with a wife and a girl friend of some, 6 unchurhed persons in all. Three more lieutenants and a colonel missed the dinner due to an emergency military mission at the Thai border. We sang Christmas carol, read the Christmas story and Greg shared a short Christmas message. The dinner was a good way of building relationship for more opportunity to get the gospel message to them.

Fish Pond in WBI Welcomes a Hopeful new Year!

Towards the end of 2010, a 15X35-meter fishpond has been dug in the WBI compound as income generating project for the school. Due to a water problem, it had taken a several weeks for the water to settle down before fish will be allowed live in the pond. January 12 is the date set to put 15,000 catfish in the pond and it would take 2 months and a half before the fish will be sold in the market. Pastor Vandy who manages this project has high hopes that this will be a successful project this 2011. Some landscaping is done in WBI compound as well. Bernie and Nan built a fence in the property dividing the school and the agricultural area. They also built dirty kitchen and going to paint the front wall of the school this January. More than 30 mango trees and other trees have already been planted in the property. Papaya trees have also been planted and other vegetables are now on its way.

WBI resumes classes on January 11, 2011 with six students

Looking Ahead with a Hopeful Outlook

We have all the reason to be hopeful as we look towards this New Year and beyond. The challenges are huge as the 2011 unfolds more ministry challenges. The message of this new Year brings unwavering hope, because Jesus the author and finisher of our faith remains the focus of our ministry. Your partnership with us has been our strength in the past and will be our source of encouragement in the future.

^“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. “ Hebrews 13:15-16

Thank you!

Rev. and Mrs. Greg Fernandez and Family