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How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!! I John 3:1 While we looked for housing here in Phnom Penh we stayed in a hotel. Each morning when we went down for breakfast we saw a sight we will never forget. A mother or father was holding a child. This child however, received the most lavish attention. A whimper brought a comforting pat. A wish for food brought an immediate response. The child was well dressed and often they clutched a new toy. The parents wrapped them in loving arms and smiled over their every action. They were ready to provide for every need this child might have. These children were recently adopted and it was evident that the parents were overjoyed, caring and ready to give their love with reckless abandon. As we watched I was reminded who that child was. That was me!! God had chosen me to be His own. He had surrounded me with lavish love and was providing for my every need. Not only does my Father provide for my earthly needs He also provided for my greatest need, a Savior from sin and through Him eternal life. Look through through His eyes of love and recognize how lavish His love is for you - His child!! God’s lavish love calls people to be His own and to take a stand for Him. One Sunday in March Chuck and I traveled with a group of local Christians to a nearby lake. It was a warm day. People packed lunches. Some came from Phnom Penh while others traveled from the countryside. An outdoor service began with lots of singing. Soon the people lined up and three pastors baptized 164 people. It was a moving event to see these people publicly proclaim their faith in a country where many have no Christians in their family and where being a Christian may cause separation and ridicule. Standing by a hesitant young man who said no one in his family was Christian, it was a privilege to remind him of his part with us in the family of Christ. God’s lavish love moves people to serve Him. Teachers from the United States and Canada came first to Phnom Penh to teach Lutheran beliefs to Christian leaders here. It was a good time of learning and fellowship. The end of this seminar saw some of the men working together to make a loose association to further pursue just what being a Lutheran Christian is really all about. All of us then traveled on to Bangkok, Thailand, for a similar seminar with Lutheran pastors and leaders there. For Chuck and me this is the beginning of our job of working to put together curriculum and teaching for the training of Lutheran leaders here in Southeast Asia. We will be traveling to various sites here to talk with leaders on just what is needed and how we can best form a course of study to give direction for training. So much of leadership here is also God moving people to volunteer to work here in Southeast Asia. That is a big part of my (Jeanette’s) job here. I am thrilled to have a volunteer Director of Christian Outreach intern. He will come in October when Chuck and I return from the states. It will be great to have him in Battambang assisting with English teachers, working to build Gospel sharing relationships with the youth and supporting the pastor there in outreach. I will be going there each month to mentor the intern while Chuck mentors the pastor there. It is wonderful that God lavishes his love for us as we work together in a team here in Asia. We have been privileged to travel to learn from and experience God’s mission here. Chuck participated in the installation of a pastor in Bangkok. We visited the English center and daycare outreach there. We worshipped at the Church of All Nations in Hong Kong and met with their mission outreach committee that is focusing on Cambodia. We got acquainted with our support in the office staff and saw a fine PowerPoint to acquaint us to work throughout Asia. We traveled to Macau and had the opportunity to do an evening English class with people there. What a powerful witness to the Gospel outreach through this agency. We are truly blessed to be able to work together with these parts of the Body of Christ. Finally God lavishes his love for us in countless daily actions. We are thrilled over the arrival of our first grandson, William Andrew, to our Kara and husband Matt. How special that he was baptized in our supporting congregation in Florence, KY. God lavishes his healing love in that while in Hong Kong Chuck recuperated in the hospital for two days with a nasty bout of food poisoning. The support of fellow Christians at that time was truly another gift from God’s lavish love. As you can see we also see His love as we begin to discern His direction here. We are settling into a comfortable 3-bedroom apartment close to many of our activities. I am revising my dissertation and am thankful for God’s great support through my committee chair, Linda Levstik, and my able editor, Frankie Finley. We are also thankful for good DSL communications that enable us to e-mail and Skype (do you Skype?) friends, business workers and family. Look around you. What do you see as examples of God’s lavish love for you? Prayerfully as you go through this Holy Season of Lent and look to the cross and the open tomb you will be moved to thank God for His lavish love. With our love founded in His lavish love - HAPPY EASTER! Chuck and Jeanette Groth Prayers Answered Return to health for Chuck A comfortable apartment Safe delivery and baptism of Baby William Good communication providers Direction for our work here Prayers Requested Continued Care for Chuck’s Mom in the nursing home Safe travel as we head to Battambang, Vietnam, and Thailand Discernment as we continue to develop our jobs here Guidance for the completion of Jeanette’s dissertation
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