안녕하세요! 캄보디아에서 문안 인사 드립니다. 어렵고 힘든 시기에 주님의 보호하심이 여러분의 가정과 교회에 함께 하시기를 바랍니다.캄보디아의 소식을 간단히 보내드립니다.캄보디아를위해, 또 저희들을위해 항상 기도와 헌신으로 수고해주시는 여러분께 진심으로 감사드립니다.건강하시기 바랍니다.정혁 & 연희영 드림

Dear family and friends,We pray that you are protected, safe, and healthy. May God extend his hands to protect you and your family.We are sending you a short newsletter, giving you an update on the latest.Thank you for your continued prayer and support.May God bless you!Chuck & Nikki

March/April 2020 지구촌의 많은 사람들이 코로나 바이러스로 인해 두려워하며 고통받고있는 이때에 이곳 캄보디아도 예외는 아닙니다. 처음에 는 정부에서 가볍게 생각하고 외국인 관광객이 줄어들면 경제가 나빠질까봐 마스크도 착용하지 못하게 하였지만 코로나 바이러스에 감염된 확진자들이 속속들이 나오기 시작하자 지난 3월16일 부터는 캄보디아에 있는 모든 학교들이 4월20일까지 휴교하라는 정부의 명령이 떨어졌습니다. 또 이곳에서 참족이라고 불리는 이슬람교도들이 말레이지아로 집회에 갔다가 집단 감염이 되어서 모든 종교모임들도 하지 못 하게 되었습니다.

외국인교회들이나 한인교회들은 온라인 예배가 가능하지만 시골의 많은 작은교회들은 온라인 예배를 드릴수 있는 시스템이 없습니다. 아직 믿음이 적은 이곳교회의 성도들이 주일 예배가 없으므로 신앙을 잃지 않도록 기도 부탁드립니다. 저희가 섬기고있는 코너스톤 국제학교에는 지난 2018년 10월에 열명으로 시작한 학생들이 저희의 기도대로 올해는 하나님께 서 스무명의 새로운 학생들을 더해 주셔서 삼십명의 귀한 아이들이 있습니다. 대부분의 아이들이 부모가 이혼했거나 일자리를 찿아 큰도시로 떠나서 할머니와 함께살며 엄마는 일년에 한두번 만나는 가여운 아이들입니다. 부모가 자녀들을 쉽게 버리고 부모의 사랑과 돌봄이 가장 필요한 유년기를 아이들은 부모의 사랑이 무엇인지 가 족의 의미가 무엇인지도 모르는체 자라고 그상처로 인해 여러가지 행동장애들이 일상생활에서 나타나는것을 봅니다. 이것이 많은 캄보디아 어린이들의 현실입니다.

하지만 이아이들을 통하여 하나님께서 제게 깨달음을 주시는것은 하나님의 말씀과 인내하며 계속해서 사랑으로 이아이들을 대 할때 표정이 없고 그늘졌던 아이들의 얼굴에 점점 미소가 지어지고 하나님을 알고싶어하고 말씀이 들어가면서 아이들에게 꿈과 소망이 생기는 모습을 보면서 감격하지 않을수없고 감사하지 않을수 없습니다. 학교를 휴교한지 일주일 저희들은 수도인 프놈펜에 올라와 있습니다. 매일아침 7시에 선생님들과 영상통화를 통해 말씀을 나누고 아이들을 위하여 기도하고 학교가 다시 시작하면 가르칠 수업준비 를 나눕니다. 근데 무엇보다도 아이들이 보고싶습니다… 3월15일에 아이들에게 내일부터 당분간 학교에 오지말라고 했더니 아이들은 선생님들에게 거짓말하지 말라며 믿지 않았습니다. 학교문을 닫은 다음날 선생님들과 함께 아이들의 집을 일일이 방문하여 한달동안 집에서 하여야할 숙제들을 잔뜩갔다 주었습니다. 그래도 아이들은 선생님들이 집에 찿아 왔다고 너무나 좋아라 했습니다. 모든 아이들이 건강하게 이 어려 운 시기를 잘 보내주었으면 하는 바램입니다. 아이들중에 몇명은 정말 학업에 많은 도움이 필요한데 학교에 안오는동안 배운거 나마 다 잊어버릴까 염려도 됩니다. 하지만 무엇보다도 모두들 건강한 모습으로 만날수 있기를 기도합니다.

수도인 프놈펜은 요새 학생들이 휴교함으로 차와 모또가 현저히 줄어서 도로가 한가합니다. 매주 토요일에 프놈펜에서 대학생 들과 하던 성경공부도 중단 하였습니다. 대학생들이 이미 시골집으로들 내려 갔습니다. 많은 공장들은 중국에서 재료가 오지 못하여서 문을 닫았거나 일이 없어서 4시면 퇴근을 합니다. 이곳의 택시인 뚝뚝이들도 손 님이 없어서 길가에 서있고 식당들은 손님이 없어서 인원을 줄이는등 많은 사람들이 이미 일자리를 잃어가고 있습니다… 그래 도 감사한건 아직까지는 사람들이 우왕좌왕 하지않고 잘 견디고들 있습니다.

저희들도 당분간 학교를 닫게되어 지금은 육체적인 쉼을 취하고 있습니다. 무엇보다도 내자신을 돌아보는 시간, 하나님과의 개 인적인 관계를 회복하는 시간, 오직 하나님만이 이 우주를 다스리시는 분이시라는것을 다시한번 인정하고 무릎 꿇는 귀한 시간 입니다. 모두들 건강하시고 함께기도하며 이 어려운 시간들을 이겨냈으면 좋겠습니다. 늘 저희들의 귀한 동역자가 되어주셔서 감사합니다!!! Nikki 선교사 올림

CAMBODIA NEWS a newsletter | from the Chung’s March/April 2020 Dear family and friends, Greetings from Cambodia! I write this greeting with a heavy and concerned heart, knowing that some of us or our neighbors may be affected by the latest disease. I pray that our Lord God will have mercy on us all and protect and cure us from this lethal virus. CoVID-19 Nikki and I are doing relatively well in Cambodia, thanks to your prayers and support. The Cambodian government had announced to close all schools last week. Thus, we had to close our international school in the village. We sent our school children home for a long break until April 20th. That’s the day after Khmer New Year celebration week, the second largest holiday in Cambodia. All religious gatherings are ordered to stop. We are now joining online worship from the U.S. and Korea. Even in the villages, all churches have stopped meeting. The coronavirus situation in Cambodia has gripped the citizens with much fear. The usually jammed roads are quite empty. Malls are empty. (even though there was no formal announcement of lock down). Tuk tuk drivers sit around in groups waiting for riders all day. Some garment factories that still remain open release their workers earlier in the afternoon, much earlier than they normally do. Many of the college students had gone back home to their villages. In a couple of weeks many more people that live in Phnom Penh will be traveling back to their home town to celebrate Khmer New Year. (with no real anticipated formal celebration per se). We pray that no viruses will be transmitted to the defenseless villagers. Rothana, a seven-year old 1st grade girl The lord had blessed our Cornerstone International Academy with 30 precious children (in their K4, K5, 1st and 2nd grades) so far. Strangely, most of the children came from broken families this year. Some are so broken that they hardly see their mom nor dad. Even when the parents are still married, the children may not see them for a long time because both parents work in the capital city Phnom Penh or at a construction site to earn their living. A seven-year old girl, Rothana, has her grandpa and grandma as her parents on her birth certificate because her dad had left her before she was even born, and her mom left her soon as she was born. Rothana is raised by her grandparents. She came to our school having attended a public school for a year. She did not want to even greet other students at first. She was showing her fist to other students in their faces even when they were coming over to just say hello. She even did that to the teachers. At times she cried and cried by herself. She didn’t even know any Khmer or English alphabet. She still does not know how to recognize numbers or colors. We could see that she was confused, scared and wanted to be left alone in her little world. Our hearts were very heavy to see such a child. We first didn’t know what to do. This girl comes from a broken family, not knowing anything, not wanting to know anything, not even wanting to come out to have lunch with other kids. So, we decided to just love her and pray for her. We would have a teacher with her at all times and provide care and just be there for her. After about three weeks she started coming out of her shell. She understood that there is no spanking or scolding at our school, only much love at our school. Our teachers cared for her so much and she had sensed that. She started joining other children. She started smiling a bit. Now she comes running at me and other teachers and gives us a hug. My heart is so moved when I see her try to follow other children in class and during singing praise songs. I realize that it takes lots of love and God’s word to change a child’s heart. Rothana seems to be more confident each day. Please join us as we continue to pray for her that she will overcome the dark valleys of her young life. Nora, an eight-year old 2nd grade boy Nora is a second grade student. He joined our school only a few months ago. He also attended a public school for a year. He also lives with his grandparents. He was born at seventh month and is still very small for his age. He is known to lie just to get away with things. He hated doing school work. He would lie to his grandma that he didn’t have any homework. One day he got in a big trouble at school for lying about homework. But, no matter how we tried to discipline him, Nora was adamant and did not want to apologize. Teachers were at a loss. I was asking God for wisdom. I told him that he must do his homework at school before he could go home. He wasn’t even listening to my admonishment. He was just crying. He knew he March/April 2020 was in trouble, but didn’t want to do his work. I came back into the office while I let him sit at a table outside for a while and think, with his homework open next to him. After crying for a while he tried to slip away and walk home. It was clear that he was still scared. He stopped on the street when one of the school workers called him back. She went out to bring him back to the school. At the end, he ended up doing his homework at school and walked home. He did not look happy. Now, I was scared. I didn’t know if Nora would be back to school the next day. We had prayed to God to give us 30 students. He gave us exactly 30. Now, will we lose a student? The next day, Nora showed up! I was so glad. All the teachers were so glad. Nora did not say much. But, somehow he came around quietly behind my back…and gave me a back hug! My heart stopped. I cried inside. I thanked God for leading Nora’s heart. Nora needed lots of love. And that’s all we can give him. A big packet of homework During this long break, we are meeting with our teachers online each morning. Even though the children are on a break, the teachers are busy preparing lesson plans. We had sent children home with a big packet of homework, enough for a month. Teachers call them once a week just to check their progress. The parents and grandparents appreciate our call. It’s a small thing to follow up, but it means the world to them. Even though they are mostly farmers or sellers, they want their children to do well in school and be able to “make it” to the city. Nora’s grandma tells us that Nora sat down and spent a long time at his desk yesterday and finished all his packet of homework! The whole month’s work! Way to go Nora! And thank you Lord! Time for a reflection We are taking this long break to see within ourselves. We are spending our time in God’s word and listening to some sermons online. It’s a good time to see where I am with God. And I see that I am a sinner, much in need of God’s grace and mercy. I am challenged by His word, “blessed are the pure, for they shall see God.” (Matt 5:8). May God continue to work in me, especially in these quiet troughs of moments. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. We wouldn’t be able to carry on the mission work without you. Please pray for Cambodia. We do not really know how many are infected by the virus, nor is there any good facility for treatments. We pray that these defenseless Cambodians will escape through this pandemic. We are also aware of the serious situation in the U.S. We pray that God will protect you and your family, and continue to bless you! Shalom! Chuck (& Nikki)