Monday, January 25, 2016

We've been trained! Our journey has begun!


Our journey has begun!!!  Last Sunday evening, we packed our bags and moved into a small, but more than suitable, guest room at World Gospel Mission Headquarters.  On Monday morning, Titus and I began an intense week-long training on communicating our ministry, developing presentations, creating fundraising strategies, the transformative nature of homeland ministry assignment, etc., etc., etc..  It was a great time to connect with other new missionaries who are beginning this same journey, as well as being encouraged and inspired by veteran missionaries and WGM staff.


I never fully grasped the incredible opportunity that we have to advance the cause of the Great Commission throughout North American churches during our time of traveling, speaking, and support-raising.  We have been very anxious about the months ahead.  Neither one of us are comfortable or excited about asking people for money.  But do you know what both of us are comfortable and excited about?  Sharing what God has done and challenging others to find their own ministry and purpose!  We are grateful for the opportunity that we have been given to raise our own support, to build our team, and to connect personally with our supporters!  We are excited to build our schedule and see what God has in store for us.


We left headquarters on Thursday feeling inspired, equipped... and well, very sick.

Titus began to feel very sick on Wednesday and I fell ill on Thursday.  I am thankful that the Lord helped me muster the strength to finish the training on Thursday and that He allowed us to have four quiet, restful days at home.  I can't remember ever in my life feeling as sick and miserable as I did the past few days.  Praise God we're past the worst!!  Now we just have to get all the germs out of our house!

Will you keep praying for us?
-Praise God for the Kingdom-focused hearts of WGM staff!
-Pray that we are good stewards of the training that we received last week.
-Praise God for helping us through the flu and miserable sickness.
-Pray that God will give us wisdom and we seek treatment for Sophear's heart (update soon)
-Praise God for Jewel's pregnancy!
-Pray for Baby #2's growth and development.



We’re looking for partners. Partners in the ministry of declaring His glory among the nations, partners in the ministry of proclaiming freedom for the captives, partners in planting the Seed of Truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Partners to pray that the Message of Christ be accepted in the hearts of the unbelievers. Partners to give monthly. We appeal you to ask God how you can become involved in His ministry in Cambodia and around the world.

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,
Titus, Jewel, Sophear & Baby

Friday, January 8, 2016

The Beginning of Our Story

Our story is long, and our God is good. Our journey to now has not always been an easy one, but it has been one full of blessings, of affirmation, and of the Lord's leading us. He led me (Jewel) to Cambodia, He led us to each other, and He has led us since then.

When Titus and I met in May 2008, he was co-pastoring The Way to Life, a rural church that he co-planted two years earlier; and he was teaching English at the School of Hope, a school sponsored by World Hope International. Titus had already graduated from the Wesleyan Bible Institute and I had just finished my first year of college, studying Intercultural Studies and International Community Development.
Pastors Vandy and "Tito" - co-pastors at The Way to Life Wesleyan Church in Kratie Province
I was certain that God had called me to be a missionary in Honduras, but I signed up to go to Cambodia to visit missionary friends and to see what God was doing in this strange land. In truth, I also wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to see more of the world before eventually settling down in Central America. It wasn't until the second week that God began breaking my heart for the lost and hopeless in Cambodia.
Jewel in Cambodia, 2008
Titus feels that all of Cambodia is "his people" and he feels a personal responsibility to share with them the hope found in the Message of Jesus Christ.  While pastoring two rural churches, he felt a call to plant an urban church, but the Lord never provided a way for him.  Until now.  In October 2015, Titus graduated [with honors] from Indiana Wesleyan University with a bachelor's degree in Business Management.  His degree and knowledge will be a tool to build relationships with the educated and wealthy in Cambodia - the first step towards discipleship and planting an urban church!

The Lord has laid Isaiah 61:1-3 on our hearts, and it is the message and the ministry that we will take with us to the people of Cambodia.


The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted
 to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion -
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
(Isaiah 61:1-3, NIV)


Support us financially!If you would like to hear more about our ministry, please let us know!  We would love to share our story with you.  If you would like to make a financial contribution to our ministry, please click the purple Give button here or at the top of the page; this will take you to our profile on WGM's website.


To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,
Titus, Jewel, & Sophear