Dear Praying Friends,
We hope that this letter finds you doing well during this
Christmas
season. Christmas 2005 finds us in the midst of a nation
of people,
90% of them followers of the teachings of Buddha. Yet
all over
Phnom Penh we see big signs saying “Merry Christmas!” Most
of
the people who object to the word “Christmas” are
found in the
United States of America, sadly enough. I can walk into
a market or shop here in Buddhist
Cambodia and hear the lovely voices of a Christian choir
singing “Hark the Herald Angels
Sing!” over the PA system. Our two churches are making
final preparations for their Christmas programs. Both
churches will be putting on a Christmas play and forming
a choir for singing carols. It’s
an exciting time for them!
Our outreach to the poor
children (Manna Center) will involve distributing Christmas
gifts to the poorest of the poor this month. Through the
Manna Manger Offering in the United
States and other designated gifts, we are able to provide
Christmas gifts to these poor kids.
In addition, we will be doing some special things for the
orphans in our care. This can only
be done because of your special gifts for Christmas.
Most of the orphans need new
clothes, shoes, toys, and they are asking for a bicycle
for Christmas. Lord willing, we will be able to do this
for each of them. When we are able to
give gifts such as these to these orphan kids, we learn
more and more about what it means
when the Lord said, “It is more blessed to give than
to receive.”
God bless you all for your
faithfulness in prayers and support during this past year!
Fifty souls have come to Christ during 2005. We arrived
in Cambodia in June of 2002. In that
time we have seen hundreds come to Christ. God’s
word has been taught to hundreds of
young students. Young men are being called to preach. Two
churches have been started
with more on the way, by God’s grace. Orphans are
being reached for Christ and trained
in the way of the Lord. To God be the glory! Merry Christmas
to all of you!
In Christ,
Billy, Cindy, Leah, and Kayla Haas
Missionaries in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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