In late February 2025 the MCC Cambodia & Myanmar team went on a one-day national staff retreat to a restaurant and garden in Kampong Speu province. This retreat is a special time of fellowship for the team as it’s the only regular time when the full MCC team spends time with our national staff’s family members.
Sadly, I wasn’t able to join this year because Caleb came down with a sudden illness. We had been asked to do a sharing and since I couldn’t join I wrote it up for Crystal. Since it was already written I thought I’d post here too.
On February 24th, 1980 MCC distributed over one hundred and thirty thousand kilos of rice seeds to farmers in Kampong Speu province in the famine following the Khmer Rouge. Today, 45 years and 4 days later, here we are in Kampong Speu province on retreat.
In the years since then Kampong Speu has changed quite a bit, so has Cambodia, and so has MCC. The constant is that MCC remains committed to demonstrating God’s love by working on relief, development, and peace in the name of Christ. More changes will come but as long as Jesus remains our throughline our work will be constant and transformative.
I want to read a passage from Isaiah 61.
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:1-3
Our prayer for this wonderful team is that every day we live more fully into this prophetic vision.
Charles and I are so grateful for this team; from those who have been here a long time like Ming Ramy to those who just joined like Srey Lay. As well Doungchann and Maly who celebrated a decade with MCC this year, and our wonderful Seekers, SALTer, and YAMENers who have been with us for a few months.
Sina guarding the office on the weekend and driving us around on his remork during the week. Garrett graduating from Seek last year and deciding to return in SALT. Mok coming back to MCC after years away.
Minear who served with MCC in Colombia with YAMEN and who returned to us after working with Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia. Sabrina who came back after a year of SALT to lead the program. Pheap who came to MCC after decades away. Mainza and Tasiana who just welcomed the second MCC expat baby born in Cambodia. Oscar who came to us from MWC and who is guiding the Seekers.
And what a blessing to be together with your families. This is such a special time when we can come together in a fellowship of so many nations, tribes, and tongues… Come together in the name of Christ.
Let’s say a prayer to bless our time and then Minear will tell us what’s next.
In closing I’ll leave you with a photo of Catherine having a wonderful time being thrown around the pool by the Seekers.
Wonderful!