God is Working

Hello, I am Harlene Steiner, a long-time member of Wooster Grace. I have had an interest in missions and missionaries for many years. I did a missions trip to Kyrgyzstan in 2001. Meeting new people is something I enjoy very much! I am a retired high school teacher, having taught at Smithville High School for 24 years. I do volunteer work and am involved in a variety of other activities. I hope to be an encouragement to the missionaries and the children that we will be visiting, as well as to my team members.

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Hello from Harlene, I will tell you today about a couple of activities we have done in Cambodia.  A highlight was our visit to Grace Place, Battambang. We had a wonderful time interacting with the kids!  When they opened their gifts from all of you, the big smiles, laughter, and general excitement were a sight to behold! Pastor Bob and Roxanne, I took a couple of pictures of Vin Seang for you especially.  One little girl was sobbing as she looked at her gift from her sponsor, Sarah Judy.  She missed Sarah greatly! We had a great party with the kids Monday night--eating supper, and much dancing!  Very hard to leave them--tears all around!
 
Eloquent voices, words spoken haltingly, sad stories--all these describe our visit to a unique ministry in Siem Reap two evenings ago.  A pastor from Norway and his Cambodian wife have undertaken a ministry to former prostitutes, called "White Dove Ministries."*  The wife has a heart for them and helps them to get off the streets, develop skills in order to support themselves, and, most important of all, to find the Lord who loves them and gives them a new sense of worth.  They feel guilty and worthless because of the life of abuse and poverty from which they have come.

God is working in SE Asia.  Please keep praying for the people to go from fear and darkness to peace and light!  We are doing O.K.  health wise and loving the Cambodian food! Today we have arrived in Thailand and will soon depart for Chiang Mai to go to Faa's GROW home and Grace Place, Thailand. 

Love to all!  May God keep you as you weather the weather!!

Blogger's Note: These ladies are now involved in the Grace Brethren Church of Siem Reap, pastor Chomm is the pastor there. When they started the ministry they felt it was crucial to have the support of the local church. After looking for a church, they found pastor Chomm's and decided to partner with him. He not only welcomed them with wide open harms but loaned them their young daughter to be part of that ministry. And remember: this is a ministry that goes into bars and reaches out to the young women who work there. In fact, the name "White Dove" was the name of the first bar they ever started going to, out of each several ladies have come out of that life of exploitation and have now found the Lord, found hope, found skills, have a safe place and are helping rescue other young women.