Groth Report March 2007

From the Word

This place is called Babel since that is where the LORD confused the language of the whole world. Genesis 11:9

They were all surprised, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Acts 2:6.

Perhaps these verses are of special interest to Chuck and I since we are busy working at learning Khmer (pronounced Ka-my), the language of Cambodia. We bring smiles and laughs to many people as we make our feeble attempts to converse a bit in their language. No matter what, they know that we care enough to try. Chuck asked our tuktuk driver to “give me your house” when he wanted to say, “Please take us to our house.” Sometimes I start a sentence and then just positively blank out as to how to end what I want to say. Frustrating!! I can’t imagine what the tower of Babel was like. What ultimate confusion sin brought when languages became different and communication took on a new twist. How like our God to bring the nations together on Pentecost day through the power of understood language. While sin has brought monumental confusion to our world the Holy Spirit brings order out of chaos, and His power calls people to himself and brings belief to people who are confused and lost in the darkness of sin. Take a moment and think about your words. Do they bring peace and power in a world that ultimately needs THE WORD, our Savior, Jesus Christ?

Current Events

“Tuck” is the Cambodian word for water. March saw a mission group from Church of All Nations come to Cambodia to visit and see the first well that they have sponsored here in Cambodia. Chuck has been heavily involved in studying the best ways of getting the precious quantity of water to villages in several parts of Cambodia. The meeting at this time set the pace for the future of the well project here. The goal is to provide as many wells and pure water to as many villages as possible. With the help of Resource Development in Cambodia (operated by a Kentuckian) well diggers will be trained, wells dug and locally made pumps installed. This water may be the relationship step that will enable teaching about Jesus, the Living Water.

“Pung moen” is the word for chicken egg. What a wonderful symbol of the resurrection. At the preschool workshop I did for Opengate preschool we studied the Bible accounts of Holy Week and Easter. The eight young teachers and the preschool head had a lively time putting together alphabet letters, making English words and learning crafts to go along with the Bible accounts. How important to know that Jesus suffered, died and rose for us. We made lambs and talked about Jesus as the perfect Lamb of God. We cut out crosses and shared that while Good Friday was a dark day it was a good day for us because Jesus died to take our sins away. Then we colored Easter eggs, something these teachers had never seen. When we took the first egg out of the coloring Vanni’s “WOW!” said it all. Yes, Easter is truly the biggest “WOW” ever in the life of every Christian.

Saturday the words will be “Chum riep sou.” These are common words of greeting here. We will be greeting twenty-five students and five teachers who will go with me up to Battambang to work with Greg the DCO intern, the pastor and the members of Trinity Battambang to create a volleyball court. These students and teachers are from the Hong Kong International School, and this is their interim study time. They will truly learn about tropical heat, moving rock and dirt the Cambodian way and just what it takes to put together a great volleyball court. Prayerfully, too, they will learn what happens when we work together as the Body of Christ. They will learn about relationships and the opportunities we all have to share words of life and salvation. The plan is to use this volleyball court as part of a youth outreach program.

Finally the word is “taow” which means to go. We will be going to Sihanoukville. The word there is that Chuck will share God’s Word with four house churches there. We are meeting people and working to build a friendship so that I can go back and do a Sunday School Workshop for leaders in that area. We are excited about this opportunity and ask you to keep this mission in your words of prayer.

Well, you’ve learned a few words of Khmer and heard about some opportunities for sharing the best WORD here. We pray for you and for the partnership we share.

Oh, and by the way, we’d love to hear a word from each of you. (Last month, we actually did hear from (just) one of you – and this newsletter has a distribution beyond 1000!!)

This letter is a bit early this month, as the middle of the month seems to be a better way to get things into everyone else’s newsletter in a more timely fashion. Thanks for understanding the change.

Empowered by His Word,

Chuck and Jeanette Groth

 

Thanks to God for Prayers Answered

 

Continue to Pray for:

 

Contact Us - We’d love to hear from you!
Well with a Rope Pump
Making Easter Symbols
Coloring Easter Eggs