October 2004

A New King for Cambodia

Chances are excitement over the upcoming presidential elections dominates the news scene in your part of the world—It even seems to in Cambodia, despite the recent coronation of a new king!
           King Norodom Sihanouk was placed in power as king in 1941 by the French. His reign saw the gaining of independence from France, the troubles of the Vietnam war, the horrors of the Khmer Rouge, and the rebuilding of the country in the 1990s.
Now Sihanouk is 82, and has abdicated the throne to his son, Norodom Sihamoni. I was a little surprised to hear the news, but I was shocked at the degree of apathy with which the average Cambodian citizen responded.
           Maybe it’s because the previous king was not even living in Cambodia, but it China. Or maybe it’s because the king has no real power—He’s just a figurehead that is bound by the national constitution and controlled by the prime minister. Most of the Khmer people seem hopeful, but don’t really expect there lives to be affected by the new king.
           I wonder if we are sometimes guilty of doing the same with our King, the Lord Jesus Christ. We know He reigns, but we sometimes remain apathetic because we fail to rely on His power and presence.
Matthew emphasizes the kingship of Christ more than any other Gospel writer, and it is he who tells us how Christ acknowledged to his followers the nature of his power—Jesus said all authority had been given to Him in heaven and on earth. But, He also lovingly acknowledges his presence—“I’m always with you ...”
           It is in the context of his power and presence that the King told us to enlarge the borders of His kingdom (“Go into all the world...”).
We hope the new king will help improve the lives of the Khmer people, but more importantly that the people of Cambodia will come to know the King of Kings, our Lord Jesus!

A Prayer Plea for Our Plans

Cheryl and I are so grateful for your prayers thus far. We believe in the impact they are having and will continue to have on our work here. Therefore, we would like to ask you to pray for us all the more these next few months as we struggle to find a way to work out God’s plan for our work in Cambodia.
After being here for 2 months we feel it is vital to the health of the Church in Cambodia for there to be at least one other church in the capital city, Phnom Penh. One reason is simply a matter of location. The existing congregation is on the far south side of town, which makes it inaccessible to many people on the north of the city. There are so many other circumstances that seem to indicate that this is God’s will for our work here.
We are a little apprehensive about announcing our goal of planting a new church before it is accomplished—it is a daunting task and there is a chance our plans might fall through. But the excitement of the possibilities, and the assurance that we have your prayers and support make me confident in knowing that you can help make it happen as you constantly mention our plans to the Father.
We miss you all, and think about you often. May God bless you and keep you,
Nathan and Cheryl Wheeler

Caution: Student Driver

We’re finally all settled in to our new surroundings. Part of that was finding a vehicle to drive, especially since we live on the other side of town from where we currently teach and worship. We bought a 94 Jeep Cherokee from a reputable dealer here, but one of the most important parts of the car broke—not the transmission, or a piston, but the air conditioner! But, we’re confident that it will be fixed by the dealer soon.
Most pedestrians and motorcycle drivers here leave the responsibility of their own personal safety to others. In fact, I’ve have used the horn more times this week than I have my entire life (It’s a common courtesy to use the horn here).
Nobody seems to follow any form of traffic laws and people drive on the wrong side of the road all the time. Nevertheless, we were pulled over for turning left on a green light. I didn't know what I had done wrong, but the police officer said (in Khmer) that he wouldn't give me a ticket if I gave him $5 for a crate of beer. When I showed him my empty wallet, but offered to accompany him to the police station, he immediately decided that I had been wrongly accused and I was free to go.

Language Class: We are now enrolled in a Khmer class for foreigners at the University of Phnom Penh. We go to class in the morning, Mon-Fri, before going to teach English using the Bible to our students. Then we become students again in the evenings when our private Khmer tutor comes to teach us. Please be praying that God will enable us to master this language quickly so we can tell others about Him.

Pictures: I know many of you have been asking to see some pictures of things over here. We are updating our website, and should have a photo gallery up by the time you read this. Of course I shouldn't make any promises when it comes to working with computers, but the address is under the “Contact Us” heading below. Please drop us an email after visiting the site to give us any suggestions you might have.