The 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
-
Safe Travels
-
Good health
-
Great mission supporters
-
Good family contacts via SKYPE
-
Good beginning of language training
Continue to Pray for:
-
Safe Travels
-
Good new relationships in the Sihanoukville area
-
Safe travel and work for the kids from Hong Kong International School
-
Good progress on the well project
-
Continued good health
Pictures:
Well with a Rope Pump
Making Easter Symbols
Coloring Easter Eggs
Contact Us - We’d love to hear from you!
Mail Rev. Charles A. & Dr. Jeanette L. Groth, P.O. Box 2530, Phnom
Penh 3, Cambodia
Email charles.groth@lcms.org or jeanette.groth@lcms.org
Skype Cambodiagroth
Phone 012-1745200; 012-1745201
 Garth
Family to
Friends |
updated March, 2007
|
|