Develop Our Village Economy

Beginning Year Retreat to Siem Reap Province 

On April 19 - 20, 2019, Kompong Thom Onyx had our beginning year retreat in Siem Reap Province. There were 25 people including some helpers. The reason we decided to go there was that it is a great place and not very far from Kampong Thom Province, and it is suitable considering our retreat's theme and most students have never been there. 

WE spent the first night together, had devotions, quiet prayer with reflection, sharing, and encouragement through the Word of God. We are so thankful for Pastor Sem Sokheang who spent time with us. He is a former Diamond Project Level 2 PP student, and also the former director of the Eastern Mennonite Dorm. It was a great time connecting with him in Siem Reap Province. Our new students had a wonderful time together getting to know each other for the upcoming work, service, and the learning we will do for this year in Kampong Onyx 2019.

After we spent time visiting the Angkor Wat Temple complex and visiting the Cultural Village, we continued on to Kulen Mountain. It was a great time with all these wonderful students. Good relationships were established. In the picture below, we led some team building games. It was fun and helpful to learn how to work in teams. Many people observed what we are doing and also students can walk around to see God’s beautiful creation, reflect on their lives, and listen and pray for each other after sharing, “My Life - My Story. Chhun Sothy said: Thank you for the retreat. I have made close relationships with new friends. I am more encouraged and I am more humble when I came back home and especially my parents were happy to see me have the opportunity to join the Onyx program and retreat. Amen!

I am so excited and grateful to see this new generation willing to walk with God. I am grateful that I have the opportunity with Onyx community. I was a former of Diamond Program Level 2 program student. I pray that God will bless all these students through Onyx! Pastor Sem Sokheang.

My name is Si Srey Neath and I am a person who likes to be alone. I don’t want to work as a team. I am a very shy girl and I always see people critically and judgmentally, and I don’t want to continue with Onyx any more, but after this retreat, I am changed. I am encouraged to stand up with confidence and I am more comfortable with people now 

Ecclesiastes: 7:8

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 

“I was encouraged to commit myself to God’s calling in my life and to work hard in my studies, the Onyx Program, and to get along well in my family.” PeterKampong Thom Onyx Program 2019.

Onyx Classes 

This is our Onyx program classroom session this year (2019) where we meet every Saturday for Onyx classes. It is located close to the Kampong Thom town. It is at the Dove office but sometimes we meet at other churches or outside in nature. Students come from different churches. Their churches send them and they are emerging leaders. We have just finished the 5 Love Languages Lesson. 

Of the Onyx lessons, the 5 Love Languages lesson is a favourite lesson of the students because it is really helpful for them, as all students have very different experiences and contexts, i.e., family, church, communities, work, the school where they spend time. They have the opportunity to identify, discovery and apply the love languages and practice them others with all sorts of different people in their contexts. It is good to see that they can find a partner in the program for sharing their life experiences. I am encouraged to see the students have a safe place to share and begin their emotional healing through knowing and identifying ways to receive and give love. Thanks 

Testimony: The 5 Love Languages lesson is the first lesson that helped me to identify, discover, and choose the priority love for myself, and I am more open to my family and friends after I finished the Love Languages with the Onyx program. I believe this lesson has shaped me, and others. I am going to share this lesson with my family, friends and my communities about love. 

I am thankful to God ever since Onyx class 2014. It was the first Onyx class in Kampong Thom. I am encouraged and glad to walk with God and am excited about serving and hopeful in my ministry. I know God put me here in order to help young people grow in skills, attitude and faith. Thank you, Dove Organization, for the opportunity to volunteer to help. Kimheng