Highlights from October 2017 to October 2018!

 We've only been here 12 months, but it feels like we've had at least three years of experiences already!  It's hard not to think about what I have missed in America, but we've had a wonderfully blessed and exciting adventure and ministry here in Phnom Penh!

Since we've been here 365+ days, it means that we have now passed every Cambodian holiday, American holiday, and family birthday while living in Cambodia.
- On our 6th anniversary, we took company shopping at Russian Market and had friends over for cake.
- We attended Cambodia's water festival with friends and enjoyed street food.
- On Thanksgiving, we had street chicken and went swimming.
- On Christmas, we had 8 friends over and the day felt very special.
- On New Years, we attended our landlord's party on the roof and I learned that I'm quite allergic to shrimp; an anaphylactic reaction ended our celebrations.
- On Sophear's 4th birthday, we went to a waterpark (and she's still talking about it).
- On Khmer New Year, we took Mom, Aunt Holly, and Titus' dad to Angkor Wat, Cambodia's treasured cultural and historical landmark.

- On July 4th, my Khmer teacher visited for a traditional American cookout and we went to a new shopping mall, Aeon 2.
- Jessie and her family were here on Chamnab's 2nd birthday and we went swimming and had a pizza party with 22 friends!
- On Titus' birthday, we went out for dinner with friends.
- On my 30th birthday, we played Scrabble at a coffee shop and went to a friend's for pizza and cake.
- During Pchum Ben, we spent three days in Kampong Cham province with friends.
- Our 7th wedding anniversary is coming up in two weeks, and we'll be separated while I'm at a women's missionary conference in the Philippines.
- And this Thanksgiving, we'll be on a missions trip with our church in Ratanakiri province.

We started with a 6-month contract, then extended to a 12-month contract, and then decided to stay in our same apartment for the duration of our term.  We wish that we had a little more space for hosting company, we're in a very good location and we have made some very good connections in this building and in this area, including our house-helper (Douer) and her family (Rady and Nis), other building staff (Tino, SreyNat, and Hak), and Jewel's tuktuk driver (Ravuth).  Haktrana Apartment is our home!  We are thankful for a nice home, but especially for so many people to share our home with!

Lunch at our home after church

We have had many friends into our little home - 1, 2, 5 or 20 at a time! - friends from Cambodia and from America!  We have been visited by Pastor Michele and Emma Henry, Ned and Marlene McGrady, Joy Phillips, Kevin and Linda Jones, the Swan family, Harry and Helen Hall, Dan and Pam Schafer, Tim Rickel, Mom and Aunt Holly, Jeffrey and Paige Bennett, Jessie, Aldean, Eleazar, and Gabe, and a team from Ohio Christian University!

A fun outing with friends from church!

I started Khmer language school in January and I'm in Level 5 now!  I am able to read and write the Khmer script, and I'm able to speak really well!  (Titus confirms this).  This has been very good for our ministry and for my life here in Cambodia!  To understand and to be understood is a powerful tool for building true relationships!  I am so thankful for God's help in developing this skill!

Titus and Aldean (our brother-in-law) with Titus' Cafe Discipleship group

Titus meets regularly with a group of university students from our church + their friends.  He calls it "Cafe Discipleship" because they meet in a coffee shop.  Through this ministry, two young men have accepted Christ.   He also meets weekly with another group for pastoral counseling, discipleship, accountability, and teaching, and three have accepted Christ.  During a Christmas outreach, seven others accepted Christ through Titus' preaching!  It's been so exciting to see the fruit of my husband's heart for seeing his people believe in and follow God!

A few weeks ago, I was told by a missionary counselor that most new missionaries report struggles or declines in their spiritual walk.  Praise God that I have experienced the opposite!  Of course there are days where I can gravitate towards loneliness and discouragement, but I consistently have meaningful   and Spirit-filled times of personal Bible study, meditation, and prayer times.  In January, I started reading through the Bible in one year.  To date, I'm two weeks behind, but it's been a wonderful experience and practice.  When we're back in the States next July, I look forward to finding my new Chronological Bible in storage and starting over again!

Pastor Poleax, Aunt Holly, Mom, Titus and Chamnab, Sophear and I - on the Cambodia-Vietnam border in Takeo Province

In April, my mom and aunt Holly came to visit!  They were here during Cambodia's biggest holiday - Khmer New Year - and we enjoyed touring them around Cambodia, including to Angkor Wat and Takeo Province, where they helped us to distribute rice, fish sauce, soy sauce, and cooking oil to 40 families.  At Angkor Wat, Sophear rode and elephant with Grandma and Ta, and Chamnab rode and elephant with me and Aunt Holly.

In July, my twin sister and her family visited.  It was so, so, so wonderful to see the cousins reunited and spend an exciting 10 days together traveling, touring, and playing.  When we brought Sophear to Cambodia for the first time, I thought we were crazy to take a 1-year-old to such a massive place.  Then, we were nine adults and two babies, but this summer, we conquered multiple temples at Angkor Wat with four kids ages 4-years and under and only four adults!

Ravuth is a tuktuk driver friend that takes me to/from language school everyday, takes our family and those with us to church on Sunday mornings, and to other errands and family outings throughout the week.  We've been consistently using him since the beginning of January!  Praise God for helping Titus to find a reliable, safe, and trustworthy driver who has become a friend to our family!

And those are just the highlights!  Thank you again to everyone who has supported our family with financial support, encouragement, and prayer!

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Chamnab

Our Cambodian Family

Many of you have asked about Titus' family - Where do they live?  What do they do?  Etc.  Here, we introduce you to Titus' parents, five younger brothers, sisters-in-law, and nephews - our beautiful family in Cambodia, who we miss very much and pray for daily.

Dad's name is Romdenh Chamnan (in Cambodian culture, the family name is before the given name).  Pak (Dad) is a hard-working man who is currently working as a foreman in a rural province more than five hours from the rest of our family in Phnom Penh.  He has skills in architectural engineering, but it became difficult for him to find work in Phnom Penh when computers began to replace hand-drawings.  Earlier this week, Pak was very, very sick and we were afraid we wouldn't see him again.  While there is still risk of complications and a reoccurrence of his sickness, he is now recovering at home and we have hope that he will greet us when we return to Cambodia soon!  "Ta" is the Cambodian name for Grandpa, and Sophear loves her Ta!  Pak's family is Catholic.

 Mak on left; Aunt on right

Mom's name is Hem Sokly (in Cambodian culture, women do not take their husband's name).  Mak (Mom) has always been a stay-at-home mom, raising six sons and caring for our home.  Mak's family is Buddhist.

Chamraun is 33-years-old and drives a motorcycle taxi (called a moto dop).  When we visited Cambodia with Sophear in October/November 2015, Pou (Uncle) Raun was Sophear's favorite uncle because he gave her the most/best attention.  When we went to Angkor Wat for family vacation, Sophear spent most of the 7-hour drive on Chamraun's lap, and when we were touring the temples in very hot weather, I was very grateful for Pou Raun and all the uncles who had fun carrying her!

Chamnieng is 31-years-old and is married to Bopha and has two sons, Chamroat and Reaksmey.  Chamroat is maybe 13-years-old and Reaksmey (pictured) maybe 9-years-old.  Chamnieng washes dishes at a restaurant and Bopha is a garment worker (makes clothes in a factory).  They want to have a daughter one day!

Chamrong is 30-years-old and is married to Chantharet.  Chamnong and Chantharet have a little boy, Sovannareth, who is just 9 months younger than Sophear.  Chamnong and Chantharet also hope to have a daughter one day.

Chamnong is 27-years-old and is a very hard worker.  He was recently awarded "Employee of the Month" at V Hotel Phnom Penh, where he is working as bellman.

Titus' youngest brother, Chamnob, is 20-years-old and was born on Titus' 14th birthday.

Titus' family lives in Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh.  Although Titus spent some years living in a rural province, at least three generations of his family have called Phnom Penh their home.  When we move to Cambodia, we will also live in Phnom Penh.  Phnom Penh is 262 mi² and is home to more than 1.5 million people.  We're not sure how close we'll live to our family, but we're excited to share life with them again!

As you can see, it is a family of BOYS!  Titus parents have six sons, four grandsons, and SOPHEAR!  She's a pretty special girl!

Please pray for our family - Pak and Mak, Chamraun, Chamnieng and Bopha, Chamrong and Chantharet, Chamnong, and Chamnob - because they are not Christians.  We pray that God will use Sophear, Chamnab, Titus, and I to open their hearts to Christ.

To see Christ glorified in our family
and in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Chamnab

Cambodian Buddhist Tradition of the Dead Body

Cambodia is a Buddhist country. In Buddhist culture, it is tradition to cremate the dead body. After death, the body is kept in the home in a closed coffin for two to four days. Lucky paper is burnt at the foot of the coffin. When the monks visit the body for a chanting ritual, the coffin is opened so the spirit can listen, but the face remains covered with a white cloth. After 2-4 days, the body is taken to the Buddhist temple (pagoda) for cremation. At the pagoda, the body is exposed for a farewell look, but the face remains covered. The body is cremated at the pagoda, the ashes are placed in an urn, and the urn is placed in a stupa on the pagoda’s property or sometimes at home. A white flag is displayed outside the family’s house for one week, and children of the deceased shave their heads and dress in white.

Phirum's stuppa

Pagoda

On Sunday, May 7th, after preaching at a fast-growing church plant in Phnom Penh city, my aunt (Phirum’s mother) and I rode in a taxi to Kompong Som province (140 miles, 4 hours drive) where Phirum’s wife and son live. We spent Monday morning at Phirum’s stuppa. Phirum’s wife asked me to burn incense - a gesture of paying one’s highest respects to Buddha or as an offering to Buddha for His blessing. I told her that I am a Christian, so she lit the incense on my behalf and placed the sticks in an incense pot. Phirum’s mother cried throughout our entire visit. She was quiet except for talking to the picture of her son displayed behind his urn.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 

John 11:25-26 

This is one of the reasons why we go back to Cambodia, we want the Cambodian people, who are living in the darkness of Satan's deceptions, to know and understand that religious belief cannot save them from their sins. God's grace alone can save them from their sins.

We are grateful to be called sons and daughters of the Living God! We know that one day we will see Him face to face.

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Chamnab

Thoughts on concluding a very eventful year

2016 was the most eventful year of our marriage, perhaps even of our individuals lives.

How God is growing our family:

As 2016 began, our sister, brother-in-law, and nephew were stuck in the Philippines for an extra two weeks due to complications regarding Aldean's Green Card. Finally, they returned to Indiana and we announced our pregnancy. I had horrible 24/7 morning sickness for almost six weeks. January 18-21, we attended Champion Migration Strategy orientation at WGM headquarters – a training that would launch us into support-raising. That same week, I started my online studies towards a master’s degree in Applied Biblical Studies with Moody Bible Institute. That same week, Titus and I both got a terrible case of the flu, which last five days and seven days respectively. While January 18-21 was definitely our craziest week, all 52 weeks required a high level of balancing demanding responsibilities – marriage, parenting, support-raising, working, studies, taking care of our home, our walks with the Lord, etc.

On February 4th, Sophear turned two-years-old and on March 16th, she had surgery to close a hole in her heart. It was a very scary time for us, but we felt so supported! There were people all around the world praying for Sophear and for us! During the days and weeks leading up to and following Sophear’s surgery, we were reminded in a very real way two important truths: 1) God is a big God and 2) He loves our precious daughter, His precious daughter. I’m reminded of the lyrical line “I'm no longer a slave to fear, for I am a child of God!!” It is with confidence in this truth that I am able to go to Cambodia.

In July, we attended Family Camp – a traditional church camp-meeting for all ages. It was our last week as a family of three (Chamnab was born Tuesday after camp), and we shared some special times together as a family living in a small cabin and staying up too late. We also enjoyed the time away from technology and other distractions, which allowed us to reconnect in fellowship with those around us. God gave us many opportunities that week to advocate for the unreached in Cambodia and we’re grateful for how our support team grew that week!

On August 2nd, our son, Chamnab Harvey, was born. As I’m writing this, I CANNOT believe that our Baby Bear (affectionately called Chamnabby as dubbed by Sophear) is five-months-old. We were so busy and the months flew too quickly… and yet, he’s thriving! He’s rolling, he’s sitting unassisted for short periods, he’s laughing, he’s playing… but HOW is he five-months-old?! Over the weekend, I built a blanket fort for Sophear and put Chamnab in the fort (per her request). I sat a few feet away, listening, smiling, burning into my memory what I was seeing and hearing. Sophear was making silly noises and waving toys and Chamnab was laughing until he fell over. Things won’t always be easy in Cambodia, but they will always have each other! We wake up and go to bed thanking God for our fun and beautiful duo!

On October 29th, we celebrated 5 years of marriage. I’m so grateful to go through life TOGETHER. The last five years have been full of adventure! We’ve pursued dreams of a driver’s license, citizenship, educational pursuits, extensive travels, and raising support for our ministry in Cambodia.

How God is growing our support team:

In April, we became connected to a small community of Cambodian Christians in Columbus, Ohio. We have been able to visit both churches on three visits, including Cambodia’s most celebrated holiday – Khmer New Year. It was a real blessing and encouragement to connect with some Cambodian families and to feel so welcomed by them. Our time with this Cambodian-American Christian community grew even stronger our desire to take the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ to reach the unreached in Cambodia. We believe that God allowed us to cross paths with these people for a great purpose!

On May 1, we spoke at our first church, located in Coleman, Michigan. I believe we will always remember the first pastor who had enough faith in us to offer our first speaking invitation! Our first invitation came from a former classmate who sat in front of me in Homiletics my senior year in college (Fall 2010). While some relationships have fizzled in 2016, it has been a blessing (and fun!) to reconnect with old friends and classmates as well as to build new relationships! As we have traveled, we have met some wonderful people –people that we wish we could have spent more time chatting with and people that we hope are not just a one-time-meeting!

In June, we traveled by faith to a small church nine hours away in North Carolina. This was our first time visiting a place that we had never been, where we knew no one (and staying in the home of people we had just met). Along with taking Sophear, I was already well-advanced in my pregnancy. We questioned, ‘Is God calling us to go?’ and ‘Are we sacrificing too much at the expense of our children?’ God was good to bless our obedience to accept His call to North Carolina. Three families/individuals from the little NC church started supporting us and one of the families has been especially loving towards us, even advocating for us!

In September, we began a very busy travel schedule which took us to 18 speaking engagements in 18 weeks. Our travels took us to Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, New York, and North Carolina. Raising support has not been easy; in fact, it has been very hard, but God has been good to us! Very good! As I wrote earlier, we have met many wonderful people and we have also been blessed with opportunities to reconnect with friends from our past! We consider it a privilege to be sent out to advocate for the Great Commission, to advocate for Cambodia’s unreached, and to finally return to Cambodia and commit our days, our mouths, and our hands to winning souls!

To those of you who have “followed” our journey and to those of you who have not forgotten us, although we’ve been away, THANK YOU. Thank you Lord for being us every day, on every mile, and at every podium! We faced some challenges in 2016, but God was with us every step and every decision! We trust that God will be faithful to walk beside us as we continue our support-raising and eventually move our family to Cambodia in 2017!

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Chamnab

A Love Story

Our story seems normal to us (nonetheless very special!), but perhaps it isn't so normal to most.  Some couples meet at school, others meet at parties, others meet at the special olympics, are introduced by mutual friends, or meet at church.  No two love stories are the same, but perhaps ours is more unique than most.

Titus and I met in May 2008, the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of college. I went on a team with five other girls from Indiana Wesleyan University, and we traveled throughout Cambodia, teaching English and doing children's ministry. At the time, Titus was co-pastoring The Way to Life Wesleyan Church in the province of Kratie, and teaching English at the School of Hope, a small English and computer school that shared the same property as the church.  During my short time in Kratie, I was assigned to teach an intermediate level English class.  Titus was first my translator, but he quickly became my friend. Meeting Titus, I quickly realized that he was the funniest guy I knew and I am still sure that he is the funniest guy I know. We had an instant connection because Titus and I owned very similar cameras - his was pink, mine was blue; he wanted to trade, but I refused.

Engagement picture

After our time in Kratie, Titus and his best friend (Vandy) traveled with our team to another province.  In Siem Reap, our team spent a day being tourists - exploring ancient temple ruins and other cultural sights.  This provided us a day full of chatting, laughing and making memories.  He convinced me to eat a stuffed frog; in exchange, he agreed to stay up all night playing Uno.  Still, at the end of my time in Cambodia in May 2008, neither one of us thought much of the friendship that we had developed during the short, albeit memorable, time that we had spent together.  I hadn't fallen in love with Titus, but I had fallen in love with the Cambodian people.

Before I went to Cambodia in May 2008, I had already been asked to lead a short-term missions trip to the Dominican Republic in May 2009.  I returned home from Cambodia with such mixed emotions.  I still vividly remember the hours that I spent praying that God would lead my heart to make the right decision.  At the end of the Summer, the director of the university's missions department contacted me and asked me if I would like to return to Cambodia instead.  I never asked Dr. Pettis what prompted him to ask me this, but I do think that it is how God answered my prayers for wisdom and Titus' prayers for a wife and helpmate.

A double date at the mall with our best friends, Vandy & Tess

I returned to Cambodia in May 2009.  As we spent more time together - chatting, laughing, and doing ministry - we could both sense something deeper happening.  I was thinking, "How can I have a boyfriend 12 time zones away?" and Titus was asking, "Is she going to come back for me??"

We went on one date in 2009.  It was probably the most wonderful date that I have ever been on!  The pizza and ice cream were okay, but what was so wonderful was the one-hour open taxi ride around the city at night.  The air was cool, the city was beautifully lit, and we spent the hour asking each other dozens of questions about the past, present, and future.  We decided then that we would commit the next year to 1) praying that God would lead us in the right direction and 2) not to date anyone else.  A few days after our first date, I returned home to Indiana.

As the next 1.5 years passed, we communicated weekly through e-mails, Skype, and very expensive phone calls.  In December 2010, I arrived alone in Cambodia a few days before Christmas.  I knew that Titus was planning to propose during my short two-week stay in Cambodia as we had already begun making plans.  On December 26, 2010, Titus and I were swimming under a waterfall at Koulen Mountain Resort in Siem Reap when he asked me to be his wife.

Two days later, we had a beautiful, traditional engagement ceremony with 49 of our closest friends.  The engagement ceremony took place at our friends' home.  When we arrived to get ready, I couldn't believe how the room had been beautifully transformed.  I was so humbled to see friends who had traveled so far to attend.  After the ceremony, we began focusing on the fiance visa application - a 10-month-process that would involve many papers, signatures, appointments, dollars, and patience!  Titus finally arrived in America on October 15, 2011 - just two weeks before our wedding day.

We recently celebrated our five year wedding anniversary.  Titus is a citizen of the United States and he has obtained a Business Management degree from IWU.  We have two beautiful children and we're raising support to return to Cambodia as career missionaries!  I can remember the exact hour that we met and I cannot believe the wonderful story that God has written for us!

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Chamnab

Happy five year anniversary of my life in America!

Standing in front of a beautiful tree with my beautiful fiance a few days after I arrived in America - I had never seen leaves like this before!

Happy five year anniversary of my life in America!

Time has flown so fast. It’s been a great five years. Five years ago, I left my family, friends, best friends, foods, church, church members and country, got on the plane, holding a very important document package from the US Embassy and traveled across the Pacific Ocean for 36 hours to the greatest country in the world, The United States of America.  Traveling alone to a very different, very far away place, I was filled with emotions and I had my questions.  But I knew God was leading me and had opened this door for Jewel and I to get married and live together in Indiana.

My friends threw me a "going away party" once I passed the interview at the US Embassy

I often told people that ‘It’s like I was born again’ when I first came to this country. I had to learn and relearn almost everything from the very beginning.  I did not know the traffic rules.  I did not know how to order food.  I did not know where any stores were or where to find what I needed.  I did not know how to interact with people and I did not understand many customs in this culture. 

Members at the last church I pastored in Cambodia.  I still miss doing ministry to my people!

The first two years in this country were very hard because everything was new and strange, but God has been so so faithful in my life! When He said, “He’ll never leave us alone” at the end of chapter 28 in the book of Matthew, He respects His Word!  I am very thankful for His faithfulness to me.

I have had so many experiences here.  Jewel and I have traveled together to Daytona Beach and Orlando, western New York and New York City, Chicago, Lake Michigan, Hilton Head Island, Georgia, Los Angeles and San Francisco, Lake Tahoe in Nevada, Kentucky, North Carolina, many parts of Ohio, and throughout Indiana.  My daughter was born in February 2014, I became a U.S. citizen in July 2015, and my son was born in August 2016.  I’ve also had other experiences like:

• Walking from our apartment to the local K-Mart store in the snow, but getting lost for three hours.
• Being spoken to in Spanish many times, usually by waitresses.
• Accidentally ordering off the diet menu many times.
• Taking the written driving test 5 or 6 times before finally passing.

Winter is very cold!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could not say thank you enough for all the support from my wife, the family-in-law, church leaders, pastors and friends for these past five years. Without them, I would probably have become a frozen ice statue my first winter here, but they warmed my heart with their love and the love of God.  Gas City, Indiana has become a home to me.  My family-in-law has become my family.  Jewel’s friends have become my friends and I have made my own friends.

America is blessed.  My life is blessed.

Here are pictures taken at the airport as I was leaving Cambodia on October 7, 2011.

Missionary friends

Mom and three of my brothers

Fellow pastors

My students

-Titus

One Short Life

My grandmom, Jane, began writing One Short Life many years ago and finished only days before the Lord took her home in September 2013.  The stories and testimonies included in the book have been formative, as early as elementary school, in fueling my passion for becoming a missionary.

One Short Life is the story of my aunt, Jewel, who went to a remote area of Africa at 7-months-old with her missionary parents (Harvey & Jane) in 1954. They began to learn the Yalunka language and culture while adapting to life under a grass roof. It was a time that later helped birth Jewel’s own call to the mission field – a call, however, like that of her parents' missionary service, that was tragically cut short. But it is most of all a story of how faith in the providence of a loving God, hope for an eternity with loved ones, and love for God and others can overcome disappointment, loss and grief.

One Short Life is selling on Amazon for only $8.98!  Grandmom wanted all proceeds from her book sales to support world missions. However, our family felt that the book should be sold as close to cost as the publisher allows, thus allowing it to be accessible to more people. Our hope is that each reader will be inspired to financially support and pray for world missions.  Read more here.

I would love to give away one or two copies to readers who will, upon completion of the book, promote it!  If you are interested and willing to do this, please e-mail me.

To peak your interest, I've attached some pictures from the stories included in the book.  See more at oneshortlifebook.com.
Picture 1: Aunt Jewel on The Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (the boat they took from New York to London)
Picture 2: Aunt Jewel reading books to beloved pet monkey, Sammy
Picture 3: Granddad and Grandmom's mud and thatch roof home in Ganya, Sierra Leone
Picture 4: The view from the front porch
Picture 5: Granddad leading a Christmas service in town
Picture 6: Daily life: five Africans at work
Picture 7: Mom and Bokari in 1956
Picture 8: Mom and Bokari reunited in 1983

Granddad, Grandmom, Aunt Jewel, Mom (Joy), and Uncle Andy

I am endlessly grateful for the rich Christian heritage evidenced in this book and so thankful for Grandmom's dedication to write this story.  Thank you also to Uncle Andy, Aunt Nancy, and Kevin for the many hours they have spent in fulfilling our promise to Grandmom to publish her story.

I hope you'll read it and be inspired!

To see Christ glorified in Cambodia,

Titus, Jewel, Sophear, & Little Man