Sunday, October 12, 2025
Day Nine: Homeward Bound
Sunday marked our final day in Cambodia and we met as usual at 7am for breakfast/devotional. We knew John Lee (seminarian and missionary serving in the church’s dorm ministry) would meet us at the hotel to accompany us to the airport, but were surprised by Paul Lee (MTW's regional director for Southeast Asia), who stopped by to say a final farewell before heading to church. We were all encouraged by the care, hospitality and friendships of our missionary friends, as they truly exemplify the life of Christ in all they do.
After flying 3.5 hours from Techo (Phnom Penh) to Taoyuan (Taipei)—along with a 2-hour layover—we embarked on our 15-hour flight back to New York, and touched down safely at JFK shortly after 10pm.
Though our weeklong journey has concluded, God’s redemptive work continues in the nation of Cambodia and beyond. While we were all humbled by our service experience, every person we met, every smile we encountered, and every testimony we heard, also gave us the confidence to proceed with our lives back home with a sense of hope and renewal.
Please pray for our missionary friends’ physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. They are truly heroic servants in the missions field. May they continue to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances,” as they reflect God’s will through their work (1 Thess 5:16-18). Remember us also, as we are now back in the grind:
Andrew – May his heart of wonder and gratitude from this trip be long-lasting.
Hyojung – To remain prayerful in remembrance of this experience, and not despair.
Jamie – Thankful to be able to take advantage of every moment of this trip; pray for quality rest.
Ji Soo – To stop stressing about tasks, but focus on glorifying God.
Joanne – To not be anxious about work, family and related tasks.
Steve – Would like to carry on with this spiritual momentum.
Sumin – To remain prayerful, and be inspired to be missional.
Thanks for your partnership and for journeying with us! 🫶
– Andrew
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Day Eight: Back in Phnom Penh
Today we woke up in Angk’jeay village with the rooster crowing and goats bleating. As we had done on previous days, we ate breakfast then few of us helped Luke’s son feed their three young goats Billy, Lily and Willy. It’s funny how things become routine after a few days.
We were so touched that several women came to the Smith compound to send us off. We will miss the easy smiles followed by “hello teacher” from the young children, the delicious homemade Khmer foods made by Sokha, the women who came every day to exercise, and our dear Christian brothers and sisters—Luke, Sokha, Hanna and Asa.
After our drive back to Phnom Penh, we took a quick stop at a large bustling market to buy souvenirs. Our lunch was hosted by Mark and his son Silas.
Andrew taught music to girls from Dahlia Dorm at a local church while the women on the team spent the afternoon at the dorm. Dahlia Dorm is a safe warm home started by Mark Ambrose and his wife Laura for girls who were rescued from the sex trade. Hyojung led a warm, inspiring devotional on Psalm 139. One of the girls in the dorm shared that since she first met the Ambroses, they kept on telling her over and over that they loved her. She did not trust this and thought, how can someone who barely knows her love her? They told her, we love you because Jesus loved us first. She said that had such a profound impact on her life. Once she was able to accept that Jesus loved her, she was able to trust in Mark and Laura’s love too. Even after the unimaginable suffering she went through, God’s love was able to break through and wrap her in His transformative love. What a privilege to spend time with the girls and with Mark. Please pray for Laura who continues to struggle with debilitating physical impairments and could not join us today.
We took Polaroid pictures and decorated picture frames that reinforced Psalm 139 verse 14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made: your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” We wanted them to know that they are beautiful in God’s eyes.
From the dorm, we went to an outdoor field to play “Captain Ball.” It’s something like basketball except you pass the ball and someone on a chair catches it. Do what we did, Google it for more information, it’s a lot of fun. The Captain Ball league was started by Pastor James as a sports outreach. We sweated, laughed at ourselves and had the perfect ending to our time in Cambodia.
Our debrief with Mark was at a Jars of Clay Cafe, a place that employs former sex trade workers. Our hearts and bellies were full as we recounted how may times we were blessed by Him during our stay in Cambodia. Please pray for us as we leave tomorrow morning for our long journey back to New York.
– Ji Soo
Friday, October 10, 2025
Day Seven: Running the Race with Jesus
Today was our last full day in Angk’jeay village. We continued our wellness workouts with the ladies bright and early at 8am. Jamie led us in a balance and stretching session followed by JiSoo’s strength class using resistance bands. The ladies had so much fun laughing and realizing how strong their bodies can be. Then we had a brisk walking workout for 1 mile total. It was so nice to walk with the ladies and enjoy the views of green pastures and endless skies. Steve played basketball with the boys and missionary Luke. Andrew led guitar lessons for a group of teenage girls. What a busy and blessed morning we had!
After lunch, we led the English class and Bible study for about 60 students. Jamie led a Bible study on Jesus calming the storm with praise led by Andrew and Joanne. Our resident craft guru Jisoo led origami paper folding with the other half of the students. The students really enjoyed learning how to fold paper to make Jesus and a boat. Even the older boys were engaged!
Then it was time for the 2nd annual Angk’jeay village race! It was a culminating event to celebrate all that was learned during our wellness workshops. Hyojung organized, planned and executed the most amazing 1K race. There were winners for younger boys, girls, older boys and women. You could feel the excitement in the air as the kids lined up to race. Though the race was not too long all the participants had smiling faces as they crossed the finish line. The grandmother that won the ladies’ race last year won again! She also came to every one of our exercise classes and cheered us all up with her bright and energetic spirit. There was music, flags, medals and prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. May God remind them to persevere and continue to run the race with Jesus.
The evening ended with worship songs led by Andrew with Joanne giving a talk on Jeremiah 17:7-8. She led a talk on how to thrive both physically and spiritually. All the kids were reminded of how much God loves them and desires them to have healthy bodies and to surround themselves with healthy friendships and communities. Joanne truly has the gift of teaching and making things easy to understand. As we said goodbye to the students, it was bittersweet. Some kids came to give us warm hugs and smiles and even homemade gifts! Though our time in the village was only a few days I was so encouraged that we are part of a greater family in Christ. Praise the Lord for revealing His work and His love for Angk’jeay village. We were so blessed by the love of everyone we met here! May God continue to bless this village with His abundant grace!
– Sumin
Thursday, October 9, 2025
Day Six: Serving the Locals
Day 6 began with a walk over to the new church being built by Pastor Luke. It was a good time to walk, as the temperature was bearable. Pastor Luke showed us each of the buildings, which included what will be the sanctuary, 2 classrooms, and personal quarters for future mission team members. We spent a few moments to capture the peace of the morning and the future to come.
After returning to the mission site, things were starting to get busy as there were patients already filling up the basketball court, which was converted to a medical clinic site, for the day. We would be working with Dr. Mark and his team from the Phnom Penh family clinic. We were split up and given responsibilities to support the clinic. Joanne, JiSoo, and Sumin would see patients while Andrew, Jaime, Hyojung, and Steve assisted with non-medical tasks. As the day went on, it got busier in the clinic with all stations being occupied. Jaime, Hyojung, and Andrew took in patients that were in need of reading glasses. With teamwork, patience, and kindness, they were able to control the traffic coming in while still delivering a great experience to the patients. Jaime also aided Pastor Samuth with praying for the patients as they came out of the pharmacy section. Meanwhile, Dr. Joanne, JiSoo, and Sumin worked vigorously non-stop to see patients and provide medical attention that was desperately needed. Some of the patients wait for opportunities like these for medical evaluation due to the difficulty with the healthcare system in Cambodia. Steve acted as a floater, guiding some patients to the next area or resuming a moment of his doorman duties from Sunday service for the glasses department. Steve and Andrew also ended up finding their calling for the medical clinic, as pharm techs filling up mini bags of pills for the pharmacy team.
For lunch, all teams enjoyed some delicious chicken and rice, with fresh coconut water to go along with it. The teams regrouped for the second session of the day shortly after. The amount of patients that arrived for the second session were not nearly as much as the morning, but it was enough to keep the clinic occupied. As the session came to a close, the teams gathered for some socializing and finished with a team photo. We said our goodbyes to those we would not be seeing the rest of the trip and discussed the highly anticipated Captain's Ball for Saturday with the others. The incoming heavy rain officially signified the end of the day as our team rushed back into the house. After some rest and with the rain coming to a halt, the team decided to go back out to survey the conditions for the annual race that would take place the next day. We got to see more of the neighborhood as well as Asa's school. With the day coming to a close, we enjoyed another one of Sokha's delicious meals for dinner and debriefed to prepare for the next day of serving our Gracious Lord and Savior.
– Steve
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Day Five: God’s Faithfulness on Display
It was our first day in the village and what a fulfilling day it was! We have enjoyed the incredible hospitality of our church’s missionary partners, Luke and Sokha Smith, who have welcomed us into their home and to participate in their village ministry.
We started the day with a time of exercise with men and women from the village. Jisoo taught about the importance of building healthy bones and then we put words into action as Sumin led us in stretching, HyoJung got everyone laughing and dancing with her Zumba moves and Steve led us in several strengthening and aerobic exercises. Boy did we all work up a sweat! It was a joy to exercise together, encouraging each other toward better health.
In the afternoon, Andrew, Hyojung, Jamie, Steve and Sumin led the kids in songs, a Bible story and crafts. Typically, on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, Luke and Sokha hold English classes for kids. This time, the parents of the children were also invited to come. Jisoo helped the parents create frames for photos that were printed before our trip and brought over. The parents really enjoyed crafting and seeing beautiful photos of themselves and their families, a nice treasure to keep. Joanne then gave a talk on “Raising Healthy Children” and shared the message of God’s love.
Our team then headed over to the home of a church member for Bible study. The woman whose house we met at was the same woman who was hospitalized last year due to life-threatening complications of liver cancer. When our team was here last year, we prayed for her healing and asked our church to pray as well. Amazingly, she has been in remission from her cancer! What a privilege it is to witness God’s faithfulness and to praise, pray and study God’s Word together. As we left, a rainbow appeared beyond the rice fields.
The evening ended with our team sharing our testimonies with the youth. We started with a time of praise, we were surprised that they still knew the songs Andrew had taught last year! Hearing the testimonies of my fellow team-members was a great reminder of God’s faithfulness and the incredible ways he has molded our lives, bringing us here to the country of Cambodia for these special moments.
– Joanne
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Day Four: What does Cambodia teach us about the Gospel that is unique?
One of our hosts, Paul Lee posed this question while introducing his work supporting churches in Cambodia. As our team split up today to engage in different activities, we began to explore this question further.
We started our day at the Family clinic, where we heard from Dr. Mark Ambrose and his work providing medical care and training in Phnom Penh. The clinic includes both Christians and non-Christians on staff, most of whom are Cambodian nationals. Dr. Mark and his wife Laura also run the Dahlia Dorm, a ministry that works to rehabilitate girls who have overcome human trafficking and reintegrate them into loving community.
Despite some misgivings on how to present their content in a Cambodia context, Joanne, Sumin, and Ji Soo provided medical lectures for students and residents, and helped with seeing patients during the day. Joanne remarked that one particular doctor has been on staff since before she starting coming to Cambodia in 2019, even though he is a non-believer. His continued presence is a testament not only the professional excellence at the clinic, but also the care and sense of belonging that he experiences there.
Andrew enjoyed his time reconnecting with Orchea, who runs the Worship Institute for MTW Cambodia. They shared many things from music, recording, guitar playing to parenting, marriage, ministry, and even a bit of Photoshop tips.
Carol Gim, whose husband John we met on Monday, took Hyojung, Steve, and Jamie went on a somber visit to Tuol Sleng. The prison was one of the most notorious interrogation centers of the Cambodian genocide, where the Khmer Rogue killed nearly a quarter of the country’s population through execution and famine from 1975-1979. Carol shared that this brutal history still has far reaching impacts on Cambodian society today, where there are few elderly, social and physical infrastructure continues to rebuild, and unprocessed trauma can manifest in domestic violence or substance abuse.
It was undoubtedly a difficult day, where we witnessed the depths of human depravity through stories from Dahlia Dorm and Tuol Sleng. Still, I felt it was important to sit in this discomfort. After touring the museum, we stopped to pray, looking towards to the hope of Christ’s redemption and restoration in the dark places we see around the world and in our lives.
We also stopped at Brown Coffee, a Khmer-owned chain, to hear more about Carol and John’s ministry. It was inspiring to hear about their plans for a management training center geared towards Cambodia’s young professionals–as the first step towards starting a church to reach that demographic. We also prayed for some of the challenges they have been experiencing during their time here.
We saw a further glimpse of Christ’s restoration during our evening Bible study, where I was movd by one young woman from the Dahlia Dorm who carefully traced the words of the passage in her Khmer Bible.
So what does Cambodia teach us about the Gospel? That story still continues, but I’ve learned in my short time here that through God’s grace, deep love and resilience persists despite profound challenges.
And what is your unique perspective on the Gospel? Wherever you may be in life or in the world, our collective picture of who God is would truly be incomplete without your voice. May our time here in Cambodia encourage you to reflect on and share your story as well.
– Jamie
Monday, October 6, 2025
Day Three: God’s Enduring Love for Cambodia
Day 3 of our trip began with our orientation with Paul Lee, who has been serving as a missionary in Cambodia since 2010. He shared about he and his family’s work in Cambodia, emphasizing that this has always been and is God’s mission. We were very encouraged by his conviction for training and raising up church leaders in Cambodia.
We continued our day with a visit to the Institute for Cambodia Church History, where we learned that the C&MA (Christian & MIssionary Alliance) entered Cambodia in 1923, thus starting the Christian movement and growth. We learned of God’s enduring love for Cambodia and the faithfulness of His followers, even in the midst of the horrific atrocities of the Khmer Rouge between 1975-1979. What a powerful reminder that God’s love for His people knows no bounds and barriers; He has, is, and will use people from all over the world to bring glory to himself.
We enjoyed lunch and fellowship with Susan, Paul and Nate (their younger son), encouraged by their love for the youth and the pastors in their various ministries. In preparation for our English children’s outreach, the ladies of the team joined forces with the college-aged members of KCC to conduct a prayer walk/door-to-door invitation to the neighbors near KCC (Khmer Christian Church). What a unique opportunity to meet God’s people of Phnom Penh and to pray for them! God blew our expectation; whilst we had expected perhaps a dozen children, we learned quickly that God’s plan called for 33! What an energetic group! Joanne led the group through 2 worship songs and motions, Hyojung shared the beautiful story of the Book of Ruth, Ji Soo led the group through crafts, and Jamie wrapped up the session with some games that the kids enjoyed.
The ladies’ evening ended with a time of testimony and a workout session with the college/young adult group. Our team shared beautiful testimonies, encouraging the young believers to enjoy this life of walking with God, to guard and grow this beautiful community of believers, and to lean on prayer for all hardship and blessings of life that will surely come. Our intention was to share that our God who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow created them and that He intends for them to have an enriching spiritual life of walking closely in His midst. Sumin led the group through a relaxing stretching routine and Hyojung took the group through a thoroughly entertaining session of Zumba.
In another side of town, Andrew and Steve partnered with missionary John Lee, did conversational English lessons with 16 students aged 9-40. Everyone was eager to learn and got to know each other through their dialogues. Steve then ran a basketball clinic, did some drills with the participants, had some half- and full court action as well.
– Hyojung
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Day Two: Safe Arrival
We arrived right before noon at the brand new Techo International Airport and were greeted warmly by our missionary friends Susan Lee and John Gim. We got to rest briefly at our hotel, then headed out at 3pm to Khmer Christian Church (KCC) for our activities.
John first shared with us about his work in the area of BAM (Business As Missions). It was encouraging to hear that there has been growth both through the people they serve (bi-vocational pastors and believers who are business owners), as well as a potential ministry space right in the city center of Phnom Penh in the near future. We then “divided and conquered”—Jamie, Hyojung and Steve gave talks during the BAM weekly meeting (I provided tech support), while Ji Soo, Sumin and Joanne led the KCC Women's Fellowship.
Since I presented a year ago at BAM, I was mostly observing this time around. It was eye-opening to learn how my teammates have honored God and integrated faith in their respective professions, as they encouraged the Khmer locals to do the same. Meanwhile, I was told that heartfelt sharing, “stop and pray,” and much fun were experienced by the women right downstairs, PTL!
Before we parted ways in the evening, Susan thanked me (for the second time today) for being back again this year. I was shocked by her gratitude and replied, “What?! Thank YOU for inspiring us in the missions field!” Indeed, God is doing amazing things through them and I’m just glad to tag along for the ride.
We are expecting great things this week, please stay tuned.
– Andrew
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Day One: The Adventure Begins!
JFK 🇺🇸 🛫
TPE 🛬 🇹🇼
The Cambodia team, consisting of Andrew, Hyojung, Jamie, Ji Soo, Joanne, Steve and Sumin, started our journey at NYC JFK airport Friday night. Hyun Hee gifted us thoughtful travel survival gift bags for our flights.
After a 16 hour flight, we are currently resting at a 3 hour layover in Taiwan. Thankfully our second flight to the brand new airport in Phnom Penh is only 2 hours long.
Thank you for going on this journey with us and covering us with prayers. Please lift up Sumin as she’s still feeling under the weather. May we point to our Lord and Savior as the source of all things good.
– Ji Soo
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Commissioning & Final Team Meeting
Our church commissioned us during service today. Special thanks to Elder Ken Kurpiewski for his encouragement and prayer—wish he could actually join us on the trip!
In the afternoon, we had our final team meeting to go through itinerary, tasks, logistics, pack up supplies, etc. Pastor Philip Chung also blessed us with the last training session on “Spiritual Awareness” and prayed for us…thank you for equipping us with your insights the past few months.
Jamie had this to say in our Whatsapp chat tonight, “Really starting to get excited for our trip! Very grateful for all the ways that everyone is contributing.”
Five more days to go!
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Food Prep & Team Meeting
Thank you for your generous support, WE ARE FULLY FUNDED!
As a "thank you" to our church community, we prepared some Cambodian-inspired eats—Chicken Amok and Tapioca-Banana Pudding—for lunch after worship service tomorrow. Pastor Philip Chung then joined us remotely at our meeting, and continued with his part 3 of 4 training sessions. We are grateful for his heart for missions and insightful encouragement.
Hyojung, who opened up her home today, commented, “Thank you so much everyone! Great team work, indeed!” Big thanks to the Hasan family for hosting us!
Our trip is less than three weeks away and some of us are feeling overwhelmed. However, God’s faithfulness is evident as we continue to prepare physically, mentally and spiritually.