Hello my family and friends, I am excited to write this newsletter. Many amazing things have happened in my life recently! And I am excited to bring insights from the Word of God to you.
In August I flew back to America to begin my journey to Cambodia to reunite with my fiancée, but due to heavy travel restrictions it was difficult for me to enter Cambodia. At the end of August, after traveling from one coast to the other and fulfilling all requirements, I was finally able to fly to Cambodia. I underwent a Covid test as well as a mandatory government quarantine for two days; but because someone tested positive on my flight I had to remain in quarantine for a total of 14 days, stuck inside of a hotel room. I did not leave that room for a total of 14 days. I have had a total of five Covid tests, three in the States and two in Cambodia, a fourteen day quarantine and $1700 that had to go towards the quarantine.
The waiting was worth it though, as once I was released in mid-September my fiancée and I finalized our wedding preparations and were able to have our marriage on September 26! It was a beautiful Khmer style wedding. It was a dream come true for me. Ever since I was young, just as a little boy, I have wanted to be married. I had dreamed about being married for many years; wondering how it would be and who would I marry? I was so happy to finally have this day happen in my life. There was a period during the wedding where Samrach and I sat next to each other dressed in our Khmer style clothing with a group in front of us. This was the time when our parents let go of us their children, by a symbolic candle lighting; and we who were getting married would then light a third candle together to signify that we were creating our own new family. We then spoke to each other our wedding vows and spoke promises to each other in Khmer, while putting each other’s respective wedding rings on.
It was through all of this that the weight and importance of what was happening began to settle in my spirit. I felt myself begin to cry. I was just reiterating the promises I had made to God, now to my wife Samrach... giving myself to Him to keep me accountable and that I desire with all of my heart to be faithful to these promises. Then I began to reflect on how difficult it has been to be with this woman. We had to delay our wedding twice. I had to spend thousands of more dollars than what I had anticipated just to be reunited with her again. It had been so difficult and felt so hopeless at times. But this wedding finally came to fruition and was so surreal; and I found myself so completely happy that I was finally able to fulfill my longtime dream of getting married. Upon reflecting on the difficulties of reuniting with my bride and how many times I had told God that I WANTED to be married, I began to think about how long God has waited for His bride. I only waited through nine months of separation, but God has been waiting far longer than my mere nine months. He has gone through infinitely more difficulty than I ever did, but I found myself saying to God in this moment of being joined to my wife, that I cannot wait until God meets up with His Bride... the Church! It was such an ecstatic joy that I felt, so I simply cannot imagine the joy that God will feel to have His Church come to be with Him! His wedding feast will be of unexplainable joy, absolutely indescribable. We, the Church are His Bride. Praise God! I am beyond excited for that day when the Marriage Supper of the Lamb happens. That wedding will
create an unexplainable, inseparable union between Christ and the Church. Through all of the trials and difficulties God has endured, He more than deserves to be with His Bride.
Praise God! I hope you have come to an even further understanding of the heart of God, and that you will let this revelation sink down into your spirit. Love! the One who Loved first, if only we could comprehend just how strong the Love of God is! I know this is a longer than usual newsletter, but it is coming from my heart.
The next step for Samrach and I is to develop more partnerships for our missions in Zambia. So we have about $2000 more of monthly support to raise between salary and ministry expenses. We also still need to raise support for a vehicle which we will use there in Zambia which will be for effective ministry. Through the beautiful miracles of God and eternally extending kindness He provided for Samrach and I enough funds to begin building a house on the base we will work at there in Zambia. So construction has actually already begun, so when Samrach and I arrive, hopefully it will be finished!
God is good and I am thankful for each and every single one of you. I look forward to meeting with all of you again. While I am here in Cambodia and have pretty good Wifi, I am open to having video calls or phone calls with anyone. If you would like to just catch up or hear more stories from the field I will be more than happy to have a call with any one of you. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. Love you all!