“Sing to the LORD, for He has done glorious things. Let this be known in all the earth" -Isaiah 12:5 . As we approach the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, we wanted to pause to say thank you. The past year has been incredibly fruitful as we have reached the lost, the poor, and the vulnerable of Southeast Asia. We couldn’t have done it without you and your faithful support!

What an amazing and fruitful trip! Our team has been very busy in Cambodia with many activities and a lot of traveling each day. Starting in the capital city of Phnom Penh, we visited Dump Hill, conducted a medical clinic outreach, attended a Vacation Bible School (VBS) outreach to local children, and spent time together as a team processing all we had experienced as we traveled to many rural villages and regions around Cambodia.

As an organization, Cambodia Impact is dedicated to making a significant impact in the lives of underprivileged children. With this in mind, we have been working on a critical issue in Cambodia. While education in that country is technically “free”, many families struggle to provide the basic school supplies and uniforms required for their children to attend school.

In spite of adversity, our children at Antioch Orphanage show great resilience as they make the most of their new lives. Laughter, sports, school, and the many activities at Antioch occupy their time in the same way as other children who live in thriving circumstances. Our children are among the most fortunate in Cambodia. Only a very small percentage of young people in this country have access to the opportunities the Antioch children do.

Linda and I arrived in Phnom Penh a few weeks ago, and our travels have taken us to various parts of the country. We have been visiting our ministry partners, Cambodia Impact staff members, and many house churches, and there have been many highlights during this trip that we want to share with you both in pictures below and in newsletters to come. We hope you enjoy the pictures of some of our adventures!

“Incredible” is the word used by ministry partner Pastor Phillip Chea to describe what is taking place in Cambodia. 2022 was a year of lives changed by the love and care of those we work with all over Cambodia. This newsletter highlights the work Pastor Phillip and his team are doing in Phnom Penh and the surrounding region. Cambodia Impact has staff in some locations and also partners with gifted pastors and leaders in other parts of Cambodia. Phillip is one of those effective partnerships producing outstanding results!

Happy New Year! As we close the chapter on 2022 and launch into a new year I’m reminded of the early days of the Cambodia Impact mission: to find and care for the most vulnerable children in rural Battambang. The task was enormous but the rewards have been incredible! In the beginning there were 10 children at Antioch Orphanage and now most of them are grown up and launching into life as young adults.

Clean water is a luxury we in the west take for granted. Access to clean water is life changing and life giving. Like many Cambodian villages, Sala Kraw in northern Cambodia has never had clean water in its long history, so the new water system we installed is certainly a milestone to be celebrated.

This past July we were excited to be part of a baptism service for Cambodians in the northern town of Sisophon. Held at a local water park, 75 new believers joined together to participate in Christian baptism.

Education: a solution and the way out of a difficult and challenging way of life in Cambodia.

One of the many struggles children in Cambodia face is a lack of access to a good education. The state-run schools have few resources or supplies and have exceptionally large class sizes. There is no enforced attendance and families must provide their own school uniform and supplies.

We need your help! We’ve just returned from our recent trip to Cambodia and have so much to tell you. But first we must share a pressing need.A Bible in Cambodia costs $10. Many small house churches have no Bibles or songbooks, and no means to teach the Word of God beyond the verbal ministry of our Cambodian leaders on Sundays. Part of our work in these villages is to provide the basic materials needed to help the local church flourish. We look for needs and work to fill them.

Meet Lena and Veasna, brother and sister, who live in Phnom Penh. Lena is 14 and her brother, Veasna, is 7. This dear boy has some physical challenges that require extensive care. Veasna is not able to walk or talk so Lena cares for him each day, which takes all of her time and energy. At 14 years of age, Lena has never been to school. Hungry and malnourished, they survive while their mother works at a factory for long hours to provide basic necessities.

As you read this, Linda and I are preparing to go to Cambodia in a few days. Please consider praying through the list below to support and encourage us as we travel. We often encounter challenges and obstacles when we’re in Cambodia and we need the covering of your prayers through the Holy Spirit as we go on this journey. Your prayers will help lift our hands and our heads to our Lord as we serve the beautiful people of Cambodia.

Cambodia Impact is blessed to have a seasoned and gifted leadership team serving on its Board of Directors. Their wisdom and experience provide much needed guidance as the organization continues to grow and expand the reach of its ministry across Cambodia. This team of board members has been with us for many years and is crucial to our success.

It is my privilege to introduce you to Ouk Kiang, an amazing woman of God whom I had the honor to meet in Cambodia. The following is the story of her life and the profound effect this connection has had on my life. I hope you are as moved as I was. - Linda

After much prayer and preparation, Britton and Kristy Filbrun along with their four children (Gracie, Brysen, Carter and Savanah) packed their bags, said their goodbyes to family and friends in Ohio and made the long trek to Cambodia. They arrived in Phnom Penh in July 2018 excited to begin a new chapter in their life story.

Christmas is an important and exciting time of the year in Cambodia. Food, fellowship, and excitement are the hallmarks of this season as our ministry partners provide a great meal and a message of hope to their communities. It is a time when many villagers are particularly open to the Gospel and willing to listen as we share the Good News with them.

2021 was an amazing year! Ups and downs, twists and turns. In spite of the challenges we’ve faced, our work in Cambodia and Myanmar continued at a record pace. I’m thrilled that our ministry partners stepped into the challenges before them and found ways to advance our initiatives and increase the reach that defines our ministry.