Baptisms, Church Planting, and More!

Well folks, it has been a very busy month, so busy that perhaps I won't apologize for such a long blogging delay...

Before you read any further, please take a moment to become a follower of In His Steps new blog, which will be a way for supporters and anyone who's interested to keep up-to-date with what the ministry as a whole is doing!

As I said, this month has been very busy. Some things I've been working on:

• Tweaking our current accounting system so that I'll be able to help more with finances... we're a non-profit ministry but money still has to move around! 

• Teaching English twice a week to some of our Sak Saum girls

• Working with our Russian staff member Svetlana to plan a year-long series of community health workshops in Saang - there is no real health education in the provinces and we want to start teaching people how to care for themselves and their families. It's been a slightly overwhelming task, but I know it will be worth it.

• Preparing some documents for what will eventually become the first church planted by In His Steps! There's paperwork and background prep that needs to be done so that the Saang district can have a bonafide, well-grounded, community-minded church. Very exciting things ahead!

• Working on some projects to raise awareness of our plans to build a safehouse for at-risk children.... I'll post more about that soon.

On Mother's Day, we baptized 42 new believers, mostly from the Saang area. Almost all became Christians through attending our Foundation Center English classes. One of the widows we sponsor (a mother of 5 who is living with AIDS) was baptized along with two of her children. Several of our Sak Saum girls were baptized as well!

On a sidenote, it's been a very hot and humid month with unusual amounts of rainfall. Here in Cambodia there are basically two major seasons: dry season and rainy season. Rainy season really should be starting in June/July, but apparently it's arrived a little early! I'm not talking about light little showers, but rather torrential downpours that can sometimes flood the streets 3-feet deep! It's definitely an adventure!

Hope you all are well, please feel free to comment or e-mail me!

God bless,

Emily