Issue-25-September-2017

Share and Serve

Last Saturday, I took my son to play at the park with some other kids. There were many children there so my son was very excited. The Park is located along of Stoeung Sen River in Kampong Thom province. People often bring their kids to play there because it is a safe place.

I was playing with my son, and a woman was standing behind me. She called out to me, “brother, brother!!” So I turned to her and said,

“Oh, Srey Kea, what are you doing here?”

She replied, “I just came from visiting a church member.”

Srey Kea was a former Onyx student in 2015. We have not seen each other for almost three years. She said to me, “Time is flying by so fast, but my memories of being an ONYX student are still alive in my heart and also the programs that wonderfully shaped me in maturity and healing. I am so excited to have received great life experiences from Kampong Thom Onyx program. I have been encouraged to refine my leadership abilities. I really loved that one lesson of Leadership that talked about how leaders shouldn’t expect leadership to be all glory and notoriety, and that the difficulties are enormous. It was also helpful meeting with my mentor, learning about the humility aspect of leadership, being good listener, and respecting those you mentor by not heaping unwanted advice upon them.”

I would like to thank you for everything you have done in DOVE’s Leadership Development Program. I am encouraged to continue our ministries for God's Kingdom in Cambodia. What God has blessed me with, I promise to bless others with the same and help my family, church and the following generations in my community to hear and respond to His calling.

Please pray for me. I want to become a good Servant Leader of our Lord. I have to keep striving to live as a good example and to share the Gospel to other people in Kampong Thom Province. I’m thankful that God called me to be involved in the Onyx program”.

Here comes my son, so I said, “Can we pray before we part ways?” She agreed, so we prayed and went our separate ways.

Reading Lovers Club

School vacations are times where students really enjoy there down time, when they can do anything not related with public school. This is one reason that we started a ‘reading’ club. Actually, reading books is one of the best habits that can develop humanity. Book adds knowledge and also takes you to see how beautiful the whole world is! And it helps us to use our imaginations.

Such a club is necessary for kids and teenagers because we are an oral culture and not used to reading. The students were curious and so a number of them signed up to attend this club. We having been running this club one month already the results so far been:

- We learned many things from each other in an hour’s time

- Students respected each other’s ideas

- Learned how to present our ideas

- Built strong friendships

- Began to think critically a bit.

- Learned day to day things about life.

- Enjoyed good solidarity

Extra Study Club

After July, the students were let out of school for summer break. They will be free for two months. Some students have plans to study languages, computer and something else. Other students will study extra classes for the next grade. The students and staff talked about helping them by creating an “Extra Studies” Club.

Extra Study Club happened is held in the YESIC center. This club is helpful for the students who don’t have enough money to study and also gives chances to students to show their abilities, to share and help their friends about the things they learn, and to get good points in class together. Moreover they will learn in a safe place. They just come to YESIC center and every thing is prepared for them. No need to search for places so far away. It also kees them from getting into trouble, or wasting time. They really enjoy this club with their friends. They’re close nit, and will always have good friendship through this club. They’re so thankful for this help.

Hello! My name’s Meak Bopharatanak. I’m 15 years old. I’m a student in 10 grade at Phsar Derm Thkov high school. I study English at YESIC center and I’m also a student in DOVE’s Leadership club. I cannot believe that I won the UNO game in Leadership Club which got me the chance to climb at Phnom Climb near Toul Tom Pong market. It was the best time ever. I learned new for and I tried so hard on my first climb. At first, I felt so nervous because I don’t know how to climb a wall with all that gear. It’s so high. But then I climbed the wall successfully. I was so happy and continued on to the next wall which was more difficult. I was also successful but afterwards, I was so tired and sore all over my body.

Honestly, this sport is so interesting. Cambodian people have little clue about this sport. Phnom Climb gave me a new experience for life, taught me that If I want something, I have to work hard for it. If I wanted to climb the highest wall, I have to try extremely hard. It helped me healthy cause of playing sport. So playing sport is a good part for people rather than wasting time doing something not good. Love health, love sports. I just want to say thank so much for this chance.

Kampong Chhnang Satellite

DOVE Leadership Development

One Sunday I was in my Church and then one of my friends called out: “Hey! Chhouroth! Do you want to study in Onyx program?” “What is Onyx?” I asked. “It is the leadership development program of DOVE,” my friend said.

I am Chhoukroth Kin, 21 years old and I have two brothers and one sister. I am the oldest in my family. I am from an unbelieving family. I am the only one who has believed in Jesus. I have been a follower of Jesus Christ attending the ‘Light For Living Church’ Kampong Chhnang Province for about four years now.

At first I was not interested to learn with ONYX but after I observed my friend who has been through the program, I longed to join as well. So I approached my pastor for permission to study in the program in 2016. I am very am grateful to my pastor for allowing me to enroll in the program and am glad she supports me and encourages me to learn.

In the past, I have lived my life as a nominal Christian but I didn’t know much about the purpose of my life, why I live, and what I live for.

I have seen and heard non-Christians judge and hate people who believe in Jesus. I was so afraid to reveal my identity as a Christian to anyone in my community, because I didn’t want people who live around me to hate my family and I.

But now after I went through Onyx class, my life changed. Now I know the reason why I live! And now I live for Jesus who is the Lord of everything. I am not afraid and shy to tell people who I am and who is Jesus! So people that knew me, see me not as before, as a simple human just like other people. They see Jesus in me! I am proud to tell them who blessed my life, as people notice the changes.

I am so excited and grateful to God for my new life. I am grateful to God for Onyx class and for the coordinators who have a heart for God to help young leaders like me through Onyx. I appreciate all the coordinators and all the students in this class to help us get what we need.

I am committed to use what I received from God through my Onyx experience to serve His Kingdom. I do love to study with Onyx because it has brought me many friends and many lasting experiences. My faith was grown up and I pray that if I could have opportunity again to join with Onyx in a second level, I would be blessed. You know, I really had a great time in our Alumni gathering last July 2017. I met with students of 4 other generations of Onyx. I am really grateful to Jesus who is the reason for Onyx and the reason why we live!

I am grateful to God for people who love to support in Onyx. I love Onyx! If it can change me, it can also change others who come to study in this class.

Onyx Phnom Penh

“1 Timothy 4:12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

This year (2017), from July 4 to 7, Peace Bridges, a partner of DOVE, invited us to join a reforestation event in Prey Long Jungle. There were about 140 people attending this Interfaith, environmental focused event. Miss. Vysess Khantey, one of the youngest in our Onyx class this year, decided to join in this event with ONYX students representing all four cohorts and friends from the Center of Peace. This would be her first time to visit the Prey Long Jungle.

Through this Prey Long retreat she felt closer to God and to the various kinds of people from different faiths participating in the retreat by having a great time doing so much in cooperation with others; sleeping in tents, cooking meals, riding the mechanical cow machine, planting the trees and talking with new friends. She was really happy, and was able to build relationships with all the people in attendance. She learned a lot from the many teachers and the forest patrol, and felt God was with guiding her in all these impactful experiences. Through this great experience she was inspired to share her experience on Radio Free Asia (was shut down recently) in an interview about her participation in the Prey Long Reforestation Event. She also shared her experience with 50 young people in DOVE’s Youth Coffeehouse in Phnom Penh.

Here is some of her testimony after Prey Long:

“My Name is Ms. Vyses Khantey, I am an Onyx student in the 2017 Cohort and this is my first time in participating in such an amazing adventure trip to Prey Long Jungle to do reforestation there. What impacted my life the most during the retreat was that Prey Long was new place for me, a sacred place where God met me in a special ways, and now I am beginning to understand about usefulness of trees, the forest, and fragile environments which serve many purposes including a sanctuary for wild animals, and a natural water shed, providing clean water and keeping the region from natural disasters through flooding. Prey Long is situated in 4 provinces.

The transformation in me through this retreat happened as I learned learned patience and endurance (as sleeping 3 nights in the jungle is not easy). I also learned to share what I had with others, like the rich giving to poor by love. My heart was connected with God through this adventure and it made me much closer to Him and helped me to understand what He prepared for me.”

“We can’t be a perfect leader if we don’t have a great model from Jesus.” Like he says in John 14:6:“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

On July 15th, 2017, after this cohort of Onyx students ended their Leadership classroom sessions, they finished the block with fieldwork at Phnom Penh Climb. We all climbed the walls (like rock climbing) at ‘Phnom Climb’ to reflect on the nature of leadership and obstacles that leaders face. When the students saw the announcement about the fieldwork, there were many women students who felt scared, fearing that they were too weak to make the climb, so they didn’t want to participate. The day after the fieldwork announcement, there was a woman student named Mrs. ‘Mom’ who told me that next week she might not be able to join the fieldwork because it looked too difficult for her. I told her, “You have no choice. You must join.” On Friday, before the fieldwork, there was another woman student named Mrs. Dany who chatted with me through Facebook, and told me that she didn’t want to climb the wall for tomorrow’s fieldwork. She asked, “Is that okay or not?” Then I told her she must join. The day had come for fieldwork and all the students were to meet together for breakfast, then change into their sport clothes wearing their new Onyx’s T-shirts, and then we’d travel to the Phnom Climb Community Gym that was not too far away. When all the students, advisors, and facilitators arrived, the gym trainers oriented us on how to use the climbing gear equipment and how to climb the wall in pairs -one climbing, one belaying.

When the students saw the height of the wall, about 10 meters in height and the barriers, they all gasped, especially the women who instantly felt hesitant, got headaches, and felt scared. They were asking themselves, should we climb or not? Can we do it? It looks so high and difficult to climb! Even myself (Lay), thought there were only a few people from the class who would be able climb to the top, so I started to encourage them by telling them; “It’s okay, you just do what you can do, and if you cannot reach the top, just stop and come down because it’s just the first time. When you get more practiced, you will then be able to reach the top.”

After that, surprising things began to happen. The instructor randomly chose Mrs. Dany to test for climb as an example to the class. First, Ms Danny thought, “It’s just a trial climb,” so she agreed to climb. After climbing a quarter of the way up, she felt scared. She believed that it was impossible for her to continue, but when all the students encouraged her by cheering for her, she found enough resolve to nearly reach to the top. By then, she was out of energy, but because of the trainer helped to pull her up a bit, and the cheering of the Onyx students, she was able to reach the top and ring the bell. When she arrived at her goal, it really surprised the other female student who thought Ms. Dany couldn’t do it. But she could do it, and that became a great model to encourage all Onyx students to attempt the climb. Because Ms. Dany was a great example that inspired other people, we saw the second person attempting the climb was also able to reach to the top – and that was Mrs. Mom, the woman who told me that she couldn’t do it. But through Ms. Dany, risking and conquering her fears, she set a great model. Mrs. Mom, not only made it to the top, but she made it to the top twice!

In leadership, emerging leaders always need someone to go ahead and show the way. That is what leadership is about.

Through the great examples of these two women, Ms. Dany and Mrs. Mom, the oldest female in ONYX class, Mrs. Houng, 46, was really inspired. She was so inspired, that she also made it to the top.

After finishing this 2-hour challenging exercise successfully, all the students returned to class really tired, but excited and happy. The students were further amazed by listening to each share and reflect on what they had learned from the fieldwork, having applied it to their own life situations (dynamic reflection). The time was short and we wanted to hear from all the students, so Pastor Seila gave them 10 minutes to make a shape with Play Doh in order to represent what they learned to share with the class.

Mrs. Houng Chheav (oldest ONYX student) shared her experience of climbing the wall. She didn’t believe she could do it, but she was, indeed, able do it, and do it successfully. That was because she saw the way and model of Ms. Dany and Mrs. Mom who inspired and encouraged her to make it all the way until she reached her goal. She compared this learning situation to her life, in that if one day she becomes a leader, she too will inspire and encourage others under her leadership by her own example of going out front, risking, facing fear, and showing the way.

Kampong Thom Satellite

Last year, I went to a church where I used to go for a while when I was in the Cambodia University Scholarship Program. After the service, I saw a man running toward me smiling, and so I paid respect to by greeting him (It was Mr. Chomno) with the traditionally Cambodian greeting. “How are you doing?” he asked. “I am fine,” I said, raising my hands together in paying respect. “I have not seen you for a while. Where have you been?” he asked. “I moved to Phnom Penh for University and I graduated and now I found a job in Kampong Thom Province. I came back to my hometown to serve my people,” I said. “That is wonderful! You are Nehemiah for this town.” Anyway, do you want to join the Onyx program with us this year?” he asked. “That’s great! But what is Onyx?” I asked.

My name is Ms. San Taing Or, and I am 25 years old. My parents are farmers. I have two sisters and I am the oldest in the family. My family members are not Christian people. I am the only one who has believed in Jesus in my family. I believe the Onyx Leadership Program helped me to be mature in my faith.

So, when I signed up, I hoped it would help me grow with God, heal, and help me reach my community.

In the beginning of Onyx Leadership Program, I was not much interested to learn because it was a new way of learning, and I did not want share my Life Story with others. I was shy. On top of that, I live far away from the DOVE Training Center, and I had to stay overnight, and get up early the next morning to ride back home. The first day, I was so tired and it was not comfortable, and it seemed I was not adjusting well.

But as time passed in the program, in about three months, I began to see the light at the other end of the tunnel. I was encouraged by my Pastor. He advised me to take advantage of these new opportunities: making new friends, participatory class activities, and fieldwork in community.

I am also taught by the word of God that God called me to serve people who are lost. Through this program I am shaped and equipped for my work with the community and young people in the villages. My life and my negative thinking have been changed by God’s power through this program during the whole year. We are becoming the salt and the light of the world, and a good example for people. We do not want to see violence and conflicts in villages

I am so excited and grateful to God for my new life. I am grateful to God for Onyx classes, community, family, and for the coordinators who have a heart for God to help young leaders like me through the program. I appreciate all the coordinators and all the students in this class who have helped me find what I need and to share it with others in the program, my church and work.

I am committed to use what I received from my Onyx experiences to serve His Kingdom. I will seek to implement my vision; ‘the transformation of the people in Kampong Thom province and the Cambodian Nation in becoming mature Christians.’ I believe that having participated in this program, it will help me to become the person that God has called me to be. I have seen that the church members who attended the Onyx Program last year are an example to the churches. My desire is to see my vision fulfilled: the changing of Cambodia through God’s peace and healing. God will make a way for this to happen and it won’t be an accident.

Alongsiders Cambodia

Srey Neth Helps Srey Neang

“Srey Neth, today we have a meeting with Alongsiders in our church,” My dad told me. “What is Alongsiders, dad?” I asked. “You will know about it in the meeting, ” My dad said.

My name is Lun Srey Neth, I am 24 years old, and I was born in a Christian family. My father is a pastor of Word of God Church, in Krang Yov Village, Kandal Province. I am a Children’s Sunday school teacher.

After hearing the Alongsiders staff share about how to become an Alongsider, my heart was filled with joy, as I am interested of making disciples of my children. It fits into my vision for my community, so I decide to become an Alongsider. “I want to know about how to become an Alongsider, can you explain me about the process?” I asked.

“Good to hear that. Do you know you can choose your own a little sister in your community? I can’t choose her for you. You just have to get the approval from an aunt and uncle or grandparent, and then sign the child protection policy. That’s it!” said Im Phka, the curly headed Alongsider staff.

I started to pray and ask God to show me a little sister, one that I can walk alongside. By God’s grace, about a week later I found one. My new little sister is Ben Srey Neang. She is 12 years old, and nowadays she has been studying in grade 5 and living in the same community as I am. She is also my student in English class. I feel that this girl is the one that God wants me to mentor. Her family is living in a difficult situation and they are very poor, but I saw that they want her to be my a little sister. I visit her once a week and spend time with her. I check her studies at school and encourage her to try hard to become a good student at school.

I also spend time with her reading the comic book series developed by Alongsiders, and pray with her concerning studies and family dysfunctions.

I invite her to go to church every Sunday, so she can know how to worship God. We learn a lot from each other. Thank God for His love and blessing that I can share love with my little sister. I also saw my sister’s life change now. She looks happier and has hope for the future. She has new friends her age in the church, and she also invited her existing friends to come to the church, too. Her family also knows about Jesus through her life. One day she leaned close to me and said, “Sister, thank you for becoming my Alongsider, teaching me love, caring and praying for me.” I replied to her “You are my blessing and I love you, too.” In the future, I want to see my sister become successful in life, and get a good job. I wish her to become a person who other people will love. I especially want to see her have a strong faith in God so she share God’s love to other people and I want her to become an Alongsider like me in the future, and that she will choose a litter sister, too.

God bless you all. Amen

Kampong Cham Satellite

Hong Chan Horn, 19 years old from Life of Mission church in Kompong Cham, was a student from Onyx 2016 class. He is a very shy guy. He rarely talked or shared in the class and every time he did, we could barely understand him because he was so shy. He spoke only to himself and just keep smiling and laughing and looking at the floor all the time.

“I am a shy person. I can remember how quiet I was during my first several months in Onyx last year. I didn’t know how hard it would be to face people around me. I could hardly talk or look people in the eye. I was nervous and scared of communicating with people. I do quite well with my cows. I talk and sing to them all the time. In my youth group, they were always teasing me about being shy and quiet.

One day I started to noticed my friend Bros (Onyx student of 2015), who used to be the same me. I heard that he joined in Onyx program. He started to lead youth group, do missions to villages, teach, and he talked a lot more. He looked quite confident. I thought; I want to be like him.”

“A year later my pastor asked me, ‘Do want to enroll in the Onyx Program? You should take this training so that you can gain more self-confidence by participating with others and being train with them. Most of the students I sent to DOVE have always been very handy, and they are now leading in the church and our mission.’ I told him, ‘Yes, pastor, I’d like to go.’ So, I decided to register for the program. After the first few weeks, I felt so uneasy that I wanted to quit but my friends at church who had joined in the program encouraged me to keep going. After a couple months I wanted to quit again. I felt that I did not fit in. The class required me to talk, share and participate in many activities, nothing like I ever did before. I also didn’t get the lessons. The facilitation style was too new for me. I didn’t like to participate even though I wanted to be communicative and become confident. So I decided to quit then, but sister Sarady (coordinator) just kept ringing me. I lied and told her I was sick. Another week I told her I was busy. But she wouldn’t leave me alone. She called me and asked to come to the outdoor class, to fieldwork, to group meetings, and for special lessons…on and on until I loved my class and became addicted to coming to the class. I started to talk, make jokes, present my group discussion/my homework, and participate in every class activity. I loved my classmates. I loved some lessons in Onyx.

I am now a musician, and lead worship time at my church. I feel a lot more confident to talk with people and meet new people now. My friends told me that I’ve changed a lot. I can see myself changed, too. I have not arrived yet, but at least I am much better in connecting with people, I know God more closely, and also know myself better.

Thanks to Onyx for polishing me up. Without Onyx I don’t know who I would be right now. Maybe I wouldn’t even be confident to join an event like this alumni dinner tonight,” said Chan Horn said at Alumni Dinner a few weeks ago on September 24th.”