Let me share 2 brief stories with you.

Story 1

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8).

It was a Friday night, and a group of us went out for ice cream with our Khmer teacher. She is 24 years old and has been teaching at LEC (Language Exchange Cambodia) for three years now. It was fun just talking about life and laughing together; just being silly together. She had told us before that she was a Christian, which definitely is not popular here in Cambodia where more than 80% of the population claims devotion to Buddha.

            “ Niek Krew” (the title used to address your teacher in Khmer- I will use this title instead of her name) Can I ask you a question about being a Christian?”

            “Yes,” she replied.

            “How did you know that Jesus was real and true and Buddha was not? What made you choose God over Buddha?”

A big smile came over Niek Krew’s face. I wish I had a picture of that smile or could capture it in words. That smile in itself testifies that the living God’s work is real and brings joy!

            “It was his love” she said simply.

IT WAS HIS LOVE 

Niek Krew went on, “Before I knew Jesus, I felt lonely. I did not feel loved by anyone and I did not feel love for anyone. (In class, Niek Krew had told us that she has never heard her parents tell her that they loved her. This is common in Cambodia, as people don’t say I love you often.) I didn’t really even care. When I learned about God’s love, this all changed.”

Me- “How did your family respond when they found out that you were a Christian?”

Niek Krew- “They were angry at first. Now they are ok and have accepted it.”

Me- “Is it hard to be a Christian here in Cambodia?”

Niek Krew- “Yes. My friends did not understand. People would either make fun of me, or stop really talking to me.”

Me- “How else has being a Christian affected your relationships with people?”

Niek Krew- “Khmer people usually do not talk to each other when they have a problem. They let the problem build up in their heart. Before I was a Christian, I had a roommate and I got upset with her so I just left and didn’t live with her anymore. Now, I am a Christian, and I live with Christian roommates. When we have a problem, we talk about it. It feels good in my heart.”

Niek Krew is smart. She dreams of being a lawyer so that she can go back into her home province and help the poor families there. She also hopes to attend WheatonCollegein Illinoisthrough their international teacher exchange program. I asked her if I could share her story with friends and family back home as an encouragment. She said she was happy for me to tell her testimony  I feel privileged to know her!

Story 2

When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me (Psalm 138:3).

Last week, Kelsey and I were at the park, drawing. We gathered quite a crowd over the course of the afternoon (I suppose 2 white girls, sitting and drawing in the park isn’t exactly a common site in Cambodia lol.) There was a group of young adults who came over and we found out that one of the young men was a Christian. Like Niek Krew, I asked him, “How did you know that Jesus was real and true and Buddha was not? What made you choose God over Buddha?”

He smiled and there was a light in his eyes I would best describe as authenticity.

“When I pray, he answers me.”

Simple as that. When he would pray to Buddha, Buddha would not answer him. When he prays to the

living God, he receives an answer.

Like Niek Krew, he said it was difficult to be a Christian in Cambodia because people where he was from would get mad. Yet, the anger and rejection of people was not enough for this young man or Niek Krew to trade in their relationship with the One True God, they knew to be alive and real by His love and faithful answers.

God is love. Real love is only experienced through knowing God. Buddha is a statue, a mindset. Buddha cannot love or do anything. I do not think Buddhists expect Buddha to love. I have never heard a Khmer person say, “I know Buddha loves me”. I have only heard statements of uncertain hope, “If I give sacrifices, then I hope that Buddha will bring me good luck”. What will bring down the idols in this nation? God’s real love. Ceramic cannot stand under the glorious, rich, fulfilling reality of God’s love.