New Staff

Today was another special day as we welcomed some of our new staff who will be working at the Ratanak Achievement Program(RAP). Our Operations Manager Nary, our social worker Sereyrom and our counselor Soklin.

Soklin, Nary, Sereyrom

Soklin and Sereyrom don't officially start till next month but they came in today to sign their employment contracts so we took the opportunity to have all our Khmer staff just share a little bit about themselves.

Sathya, Soklin Sereyrom, Nary and Samnang

It was a wonderful time hearing them share in Khmer...although I confess I didn't understand every word but enough to know that they are all very special and gifted people who we are very blessed to have working with us.  I honestly believe the Lord has blessed us with some of His best people. They all have such beautiful hearts and beautiful spirits and while that may sound a bit cheesy , for me, I count it a privilege to be here and be part of God's unfolding plans for Ratanak in Cambodia and to be able to serve these Khmer brothers and sisters and to work along side them.

As mentioned, we each took turns sharing and when it came to my turn, I decided to speak in Khmer (with some partial translation from Nary) sharing about how the Lord had called me to Cambodia and to be part of His work in investing in the lives of former trafficking victims. When I started talking about the suffering of the Khmer people during the Khmer Rouge era, I found myself in tears and had to try to compose myself as I shared how the Lord had broken my heart for the things that break His heart for this nation. Its interesting here we are 12 years later when I first laid eyes on this land and yet thinking about its people and their suffering still brings tears to my eyes. I hope that never changes.

Now you have to understand, in Khmer culture it is unusual for people to show emotion, much less the 'leader'' of an organization to shed tears in front of her staff, but I am learning that being vulnerable even among my staff is a good thing for as we learn to be vulnerable with each other, we begin to touch the heart of God and the compassion of God within each of us. It is as if deep is speaking to deep as we open ourselves to each other, we trust the Lord will knit our hearts together.  Just yesterday at church a Canadian pastor and his wife were visiting the Khmer church that we are partnering with and I felt God had used him to give me a prophetic word. He said ''God will use your vulnerability to speak into other peoples lives, so be open to being vulnerable, don't hold back." So today I guess was one of those days in which that prophetic word became a reality. At the rate I am going, I may have to walk around permanently with a box of Kleenex. I am looking forward to seeing how the Lord releases His vulnerability in and through each of our staff as we spend time together learning and growing in the One who has called us to work together for His purposes.

At the end of our time together this morning, I had the privilege of praying a blessing over our staff. It is our desire that when the rest of our other staff joins us in a month's time, we will have a time of praying and anointing each of them individually. We feel this is an important step in setting them apart for the work that God has called them to do in and through Ratanak. For us, we are not just hiring staff to do a job. We want to ''commission'' them as we believe the Lord has called them to be a part of building His kingdom by serving the least of these and lifting up those who are broken and downcast.

So will you join us in praying for our staff. Pray that the Lord will release more of His love, compassion, joy, strength and power in them. Pray for His protection over each one of them that each day He will fill them with His spiritual wisdom and discernment so that they will know His will and live a life worthy, pleasing and honoring to Him and bear much fruit for Him and grow in the knowledge of Christ and being strengthened by  His glorious power! (Colossians 1:9-10) For apart from Him, we can do nothing, but with Him, we know that anything is possible!