Overall, please pray for the STM team:

• Physical and spiritual health
• The weather. It is the rainy season now, pray that there are not too many interruptions due to the weather.
• Team members are able to carry out the VBS program as planned
• Team work within the team, teachers from elementary school & high school.
• May the team experience spiritual growth, strengthen their faith, and relationship with God.



God, Our Lamp and Light

 By Justin Wang

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

For all of us, regardless if this is our first time here in Cambodia, there are so many unknowns and challenges every single moment. But we know that God illuminates our path every step of the way, as our lamp and light. He guides, leads, and works through us - all that we need to do is be obedient to Him and trust that He works together for good for those who love Him.

This morning the team attended a local church called International Christian Assembly (ICA Cambodia). It’s such a blessing and encouragement being able to worship our great God together with hundreds of locals who share the same faith. May God continue to work in the churches of Cambodia and bless His faithful servants here. 

Later, we had a tour of the elementary and high school where the whole team will be serving. God has been at work in this place, providing the leaders  of the school with funding and a faithful group of teachers and social workers to expand the school grounds and accept more and more girls! 

Lastly, we went to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (Security Prison 21) and witnessed the heavy sins of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1975. The torture and eventual mass murder of over a quarter of Cambodians left all of us in a state of realization that the sins of the past continue to carry a burden on the nation even today. Many families were torn apart, and children without parents, leading to generational suffering and without capacity for love nor basic human morals. 

Tomorrow, 4 of us young adults (Erin, Courtney, Wood and I) will begin our program at the high school. We’ll be teaching their 7th to 11th graders both English and Bible classes - we’ve prepared a few worship songs, a lesson and worksheet on John 4 (Samaritan Woman), and some arts and crafts for the girls. 

Some prayer requests for our team:

1. Pray for our missional work starting tomorrow until the end of the week! Us young adults will be in the high school, and the rest of the team leading a VBS program in the primary school. We all have worries about our program and how the girls will receive our message, but God reminds us that we are simply stewards of what He has given us, so I pray that all of us simply follow the Great Commission out of love for our Lord and the girls in Cambodia.
2. Pray for Cambodia as a nation, that the people can turn to God. We pray that God brings healing and restoration to the girls and their families, and that a new generation of believers may bring revival to Cambodia.

VBS and Teaching

 By Edwin Ko

@Elementary School 

• Theme & Topic: Launched the VBS program under the theme of "God's Family", focusing the first day's VBS lessons on "Our Heavenly Father"
• A Heartfelt Welcome: The team was deeply moved by the overwhelming joy, energy, and warmth of the girls and local teachers. Seeing last year’s team members instantly recognized and reunited with the elementary girls created an immediate, beautiful connection.
• Overcoming the Language Barrier: Language proved to be not the biggest obstacle as the girls enthusiastically invited team members into their games and initiated sweet conversations, showing incredible friendliness and comfort with the team.
• Spiritual Encouragement: The team was deeply motivated to discover that some of the girls already know Bible stories well and possess a genuine, vibrant love for Jesus.
• Teamwork & Adaptation: Despite a rough, chaotic start trying to coordinate multiple moving pieces, the team leaned into the guidance of God and worked in seamless cooperation with the local school teachers to get the day running smoothly.
• Strength in the Heat: In the face of super hot, sweat-inducing weather—especially at the worship and game stations—the entire team was sustained by God's strength, surviving the physical toll and wrapping up the day with full, profoundly grateful hearts.

@Secondary School

• Our young adult team met the director of the secondary school today, Auntie Maggie and her husband Tommy who came from HK to Cambodia. The curriculum today was English class to 7th and 9th graders, teaching them a worship song and explaining lyrics to them in preparation for their upcoming gospel camp. 

Prayer Requests:

1. Spiritual Growth & Revelation for the Girls

• Personal Revelation: Pray that the girls at the secondary school move beyond knowing basic "Bible stories" to experiencing God’s love in a personal, transformational way. Pray that the Holy Spirit reveals exactly who God is so they understand the purpose and comfort of prayer.
• Supportive Community: Thank God for the dedicated teachers and staff in the school. Pray that our team and the local teachers will continue to be vessels of God's love and wisdom in the girls' everyday lives. 

2. Physical Protection & Adaptation

• Adjusting to the Climate: Pray for our bodies to safely adapt to Phnom Penh’s temperatures, which often climb above 35°C paired with very high, sticky humidity. 
• Sustained Energy: Ask for divine strength and stamina during intense outdoor or indoor activities with the girls. Pray for safe, easy access to hydration and rest so your team avoids exhaustion or heat-related illnesses.
  

God Showed Up Today

 By Courtney Wong

Today, the highschool team taught John 4 the Samaritan to a class of 9th graders and a class of 8th  graders for the first time. Going into this, we didn’t know what to expect. Every class is different, and we had to adjust based on how the students respond. 

The first class with the 9th graders was very experimental and throughout that experience, we discovered that our study was a little too difficult in some areas. We ended up cutting some parts of the study out, to reduce the complexity and make more time for crafts. We also gave the girls candy to incentivize them to answer more questions. I think the most challenging thing for our team is getting them to answer deeper questions. After today, there were moments where I felt I messed up, could’ve done better, didn’t feel like a good leader at all, or missed opportunities to connect even more with the girls. But God has reminded me that it’s not about how much I can do, but it’s about how much He is doing. 

God really showed up today by showing me that these girls also desire to get to know us, and answer eagerly. After the Bible study, they also asked us questions too, about our hobbies, favorite things to eat, etc. 

“It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭16‬ 

God showed up today and has given us a class of so many receptive and curious girls. He has humbled me, and showed me that everything is in His control, and that it is not by my voice that I may get a more favorable encounter, but by God’s mercy alone. May these girls have a soft heart to learn as we head to the highschool again tomorrow. 

Prayer Requests: 

• Pray that these girls will continue their close friendships with each other. 
• Pray that they’ll really learn how to seek God in every moment, not only the times they feel desperate.
• Pray for our team, to have energy for these girls to love on them and to stay encouraged even if the outcome does not feel favorable.
  

Restoring Families, Planting Eternal Seeds

By Erin Lo

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today marked the midpoint of our short-term mission trip, and we are witnessing God move in beautiful ways across both our VBS and high school programs.  We kicked off Wednesday morning at 7 AM, grounding ourselves in the most vital part of our work: prayer. Several team members gathered early to pray for physical health, protection, and specifically for the morning's Bible story time, which included an altar call for the elementary students.  Here is how the Lord answered those prayers today:

Elementary School Highlights: 

Deepening Bonds

The morning began with an exciting joyous assembly. The energy across the entire school was contagious as the elementary students sang and danced through worship songs.  Following worship, Elanor recapped our weekly VBS theme, reminding the children of Day 1 ("Heavenly Father") and Day 2 ("Broken Family"), before introducing Wednesday’s deeply resonant theme: "Restoring the Family."

A Harvest of Seeds Planted

• Altar Call @ Bible Story Time We are incredibly thankful for how God prepared Elanor, Edwin, and Erin to lead the altar calls during Bible story time. After teaching the story of Jesus and the thief on the cross, they invited the children to respond. Across both the lower and higher grades, numerous students raised their hands to ask Jesus into their lives. It was deeply moving to witness. While some of the younger children may not fully grasp the theological depth of an altar call, we firmly believe that God planted eternal seeds in their hearts today.
• Creative Spirit: Our arts and crafts team was highly impressed by the local students, noting their eagerness to learn, improve, and do their very best on every project.
• Deepening Bonds: As the day progressed into the various workstations (Missions Service, Memory Verse, Games, and Worship), the momentum was palpable. Our youth team members are building beautiful bonds with the local students, who are opening up and even sharing their personal family struggles.

High School Ministry: Growing Rapport and Deeper Connections

Our young adults team is grateful for the steady growth they are experiencing with the high schoolers. Over the past few days, classroom management has become smoother with fewer disruptions, helping to strengthen our rapport with the students.

Inspiring Evening Fellowship

We wrapped up the day by sharing dinner with Maggie and Tommy, a couple who have recently stepped onto the mission field in Cambodia two years ago.  Listening to them share about their calling and vision for the ministry was deeply moving, offering us a beautiful reminder of God's global work.

How You Can Pray For Us

Tomorrow (Thursday), our schedule shifts slightly as we spend time serving the school practically by painting elementary school furniture. Please lift up the following requests:

For VBS Ministry:

• Unity & Endurance: Pray for continued team unity, physical strength, and joyful teamwork as we prepare for our final day of VBS on Friday.
• Protection & Presence: Pray for favorable weather, safety during our painting service project tomorrow, and for the Holy Spirit to continue working powerfully in the hearts of the students and local teachers.
• Lasting Impact: Pray that the local students feel deeply encouraged and supported by our team.

For High School Ministry:

• The 12th Grade Girls: Pray for the 12th grade girls. They are graduating soon, and have a lot of dreams, like studying abroad or going to a local college. Pray that in this final season of preparation, they can still be faithful to God and put all their trust on Him, and be able to find rest despite the hoard of exams.
  
• Friendship Reconciliation: Pray that the 12th grade students will keep their friendships. They are currently divided because they had a big fight. Keep them connected even and pray for them to reconcile, especially since it’s the last year for them.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."   

- Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

Thank you for walking alongside us in prayer!

Painting Day

By Justin Wang

Every day here on this mission trip brings new challenges, worries, and trials. Yet even more than these are moments of thanksgiving to the Lord, God sightings, and powerful testimonies from fellow brothers and sisters on both the mission team and missionaries stationed here in the PCC and schools. We’d love to share with the church the testimonies we got to hear over dinner from a few missionaries and leaders in the schools - how God called them to Cambodia and how God continues to love this nation and work in it.

Today was a Cambodia national holiday so there were no programs for both primary and high school. Everyone got to sleep in! 

All of us left at 9am to the primary school and helped paint old and rusty desks. The team split up into groups and assigned to classrooms to paint desks. It was hard work in the heat and the paint smell but somewhat relaxing and very rewarding. I enjoyed getting to know some team members a bit more while painting. Praise God we were able to collectively finish almost every desk in about half a day. The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping at Makro (Cambodia’s Costco) and a great hot pot for dinner. 

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (‭‭John‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬) 

Our high school team finished all of our Bible classes yesterday. I’m so grateful we were able to meet and teach grades 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 during our week. All of our students we met are in my prayers that they may meditate on our John 4 teaching and know that our God is a relatable God - somebody we can go to for anything, anywhere, and anytime (worship in Spirit) as well as continuing to seek and learn more about Him in the Word (worship in truth). Our team will end the week tomorrow by teaching 3 more English classes. Add gas to all of us!

Prayer Requests:

• May all of us in both schools have a strong finish tomorrow. 
• A few youth felt unwell today, perhaps from the food, heat stroke, or paint fumes. Pray that they recover quickly and feel better for the program tomorrow!
• May the girls in both primary and secondary school continue to experience God’s love for them and want to have a relationship with God even after we leave, and for God to continue his work in Cambodia
• Continued prayer for God’s provisions for the next project of the PCC - to get approval and funding to increase the girls home capacity from 20 girls to 50 girls!
  

A Wonderful and Fruitful Week

By Courtney Wong

Elementary School

Praise God for a wonderful and fruitful week with the elementary school kids! We successfully wrapped up our theme, "A Growing Family," and recapped the week’s lessons. Despite some team members falling sick, we were blessed to see the final day's program end on such a high note, especially with a fun and engaging skit by the youths in the morning and Aeson’s testimony for the end of day rally.

Give Thanks:

• Altar Calls & Salvations: Thank God for the girls who responded to the altar call, and for those who opened their hearts to receive Jesus following Pastor Edwin’s message today
• Spiritual Growth: Pray that God will continue to deepen and strengthen the faith of these young girls.

Prayer Requests

• Teachers & Helpers: Pray that God will grant the school staff renewed strength, passion, and grace to continue their ministry.
• Team Safety & Health: Please pray for continued protection and good health for our team members as they prepare to wrap up and travel home.

Highschool

Today, our high school team finished up the rest of the English classes today. We taught 7th graders, 8th grades and 9th graders. Since this is our last day, we were all a lot more comfortable teaching. We went over the worship song “Who am I” with the girls, teaching them the meaning of the song while also explaining some of the harder English terms. This worship song not only spoke to the girls but also spoke to our team. Going through this song was a good reminder that it’s not because of what we do but it’s because of what He’s done, that we’re able to have this opportunity to spend time with these girls.

Also, because we have seen some of these girls already, they were also more confident with us, and even started some conversations with us near the end of the class. They asked if we would see them again to play badminton the next day! Seeing them so eager to spend more time with us really brings out joy in our hearts to serve. Praise God! 

During dinner, all of us spoke about our experiences on this trip. It was so encouraging to hear everyone’s testimonies and personal struggles on this trip. 

Originally, the high school team was disappointed that we originally only had a couple days to teach and that it was different girls every class. But God came in and answered our prayers. He blessed us with so many more classes! Even though it was last minute and added stress, the team was so thankful to receive so much more to have a really fruitful week. God also blessed us with girls who genuinely are curious about us, and even though they only saw us twice, they did desire to see us again. The small interactions we did get to have with some of the girls we will always cherish, and we hope to see them again if we get the opportunity to go next year. May God touch many more hearts to reach the Cambodian people! 

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭20‬:‭24‬ ‭

Prayer Requests

• May the girls in both the primary and secondary school have an everlasting relationship with God.
• Continued prayer for God’s provisions for the next project of the PCC. 
• For future mission teams going to Cambodia. May more hearts be touched to serve Cambodia.
  

A Fruitful Farewell: Wrapping Up Our Journey in Cambodia

By Edwin Ko

All good things must come to an end, and this Saturday marked the beautiful, bittersweet conclusion of our Short-Term Mission (STM) trip to Cambodia. Our final day was packed with deep connections, joyful play, and heartfelt goodbyes.

Morning: High School Fellowship

We started our Saturday morning by joining the high school fellowship led by Maggie and Tommy. It was a wonderful time of worship, games, and diving into Bible teaching alongside the high school girls.

Beyond the fun, it was a profound time of bonding. We had the privilege of listening to the girls share their lives, learning about their unique needs, and praying together as they head into a very stressful exam period.

Afternoon: Community & Connection at PCC

In the afternoon, our STM team reunited at the elementary school to support the Pleroma Community Center (PCC) ministry, led by Esther. Word had spread that it was our final day, and we were thrilled to welcome over 50 boys and girls! Many of the schooled girls we had met earlier in the week came back just to see us one last time.

We filled the afternoon with music, sports, and laughter, including badminton, volleyball, hands-on crafts, and music lessons teaching guitar and keyboard.

Into the Neighborhood

Before we left for the day, Esther took our team on a short walk around the surrounding neighborhood. Meeting local families in their homes gave us a much deeper understanding of the local lifestyle, and the challenges they face. It reminded us exactly why the holistic ministry of the PCC is so vital.

A Bitter-Sweet Goodbye

The hardest part of any mission trip is the final farewell. In just a short time, our youth and the local girls built incredibly strong friendships. Tears and smiles were shared as we said goodbye to our new friends, carrying them tightly in our hearts.

Prayer Requests & Ministry Vision

• Expanded Space & Kindergarten Launch: Praise the Lord! The Pleroma Community Center (PCC) has successfully secured funding and purchased the adjacent building. This expanded space will allow them to install a new playground and launch K1 classes. Please pray for the extensive preparations leading up to the official launch this coming November:
• Curriculum Planning: For wisdom and guidance in finalizing the educational material.
• Staff Recruitment: For the smooth process of hiring and onboarding new team members with servant hearts.
• Facilities & Renovation
• Volunteer Recruitment: Pray for a powerful response in recruiting passionate volunteers who are eager to teach the children and support the broader family ministry.
• Hope for the Nation: Pray with bold faith that these children and youth will grow to become the ultimate hope, light, and spiritual transformation for the entire country of Cambodia.
• A Lasting Mission Heart: Please continue to pray for our own short-term team members (both youth and adults). Pray that we maintain a deep burden for the needs in Cambodia, keep sharing God’s love, and faithfully serve as His ambassadors wherever we go.
• Safe Travels: Pray for the safe return of our team members who are heading home to the Bay Area. Please also pray for a safe and refreshing journey for the other team members who are continuing their travels before making their way back home.

Thank you for following our journey and supporting us through your prayers and financial support. God is doing amazing things through Pleroma Missions in Cambodia, and we are so grateful to have been a small part of it!

Reflection - The Spiritual Brokenness and Healing of Cambodia

By Elanor Lin



I’ve been on many mission trips over the past years, but this week’s trip to Cambodia was a unique experience.

One of the biggest differences was the way we as a team were taught about the history and culture in Cambodia. In ministry, I’ve understood individual brokenness and family brokenness, but through the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (Security Prison 21), we were shown a picture of an entire country’s brokenness, and we could glimpse the effect that kind of nationwide trauma can have on every family and child.

In the 1970’s, a Communist revolutionary group took control of Cambodia, and there proceeded several years of nationwide mass deportation, imprisonment, forced farm work, insufficient rations, and even unlawful imprisonment and torture. We saw a map of how the population of the whole country was displaced and moved from cities to countryside, then from one province to another.

One of the missionaries at Pleroma School for Girls explained to us that the generation who lived through the genocide would be the grandparents of the girls currently at the school. Imagine a whole generation of children growing up in the 90’s with no parents or parents suffering from PTSD—those would be the parents of the girls we met this week.

Through the stories at the Genocide Museum, I caught a glimpse of how the trauma of the country reaches through the generations and continues to affect the lives of elementary school and secondary school girls. How can their parents give them affection if they received none themselves? Abuse and neglect would be seen as the norm, because the suffering from the past was so great.

But even in the face of such pain, there is so much hope for Cambodia. Just the very fact that the Genocide Museum existed felt incredible when I walked through it. It shows Cambodia to be a country that acknowledges the sins of the past rather than sweeping them under the rug. They have decided to remember so that their mistakes are not repeated in the future and to show respect for those who were brainwashed, tortured, and killed.

Not only that, seeing the girls at the Pleroma School for Girls showed us that there is a new generation rising up, and God is at work healing the hurts of the past and breaking the chain of sin and suffering.

This week at the elementary school, our team ran a Bible Camp for 290 girls from age 7 to as old as 18. And the contrast was so striking between their neat purple uniforms and bright smiles compared to the photographs at the Genocide Museum of some of the children who had tragically been imprisoned and even killed. The prison at S-21 had once been a school, but evil men transformed it into a place of darkness. The Pleroma School for Girls was full of love and laughter.

There were still some undercurrents of pain that we brushed up against this week. Mentions of dysfunctional family life came up in passing as the girls would share during the Bible Story Station. In the Missions/Service station, when the leaders asked the girls who they trusted, several of them said, “No one, just myself.” They were prompted to see if they trusted their parents, and they said, “No.” Our team was left with the suspicion that underneath their beautiful smiles, the girls are still suffering in the wake of the Cambodian genocide.

But one of the missionaries said something that stuck with me: “That’s why God sends so many missionaries to Cambodia, because He loves this country so much.” I could see through the efforts of the workers at the school, both Cambodian teachers and international missionaries, that God has indeed raised up laborers for the harvest in this country. There are faithful men and women who are working every day to counteract the evil of the past by showing attention and kindness to the girls—and educating them so they can grow up to become strong workers themselves. Cambodia continues to rebuild, and it needs every positive thinker, every hard worker, every intelligent problem solver. And we believe these girls are part of that future.

It was such a privilege to be here this week to play a small part in the work God is doing in Cambodia. And our prayer is that He continues to build up the country, give it hope, and make it whole.