July 26, 2004

BUILDING RESPONSIBLE CHURCHES AND PEOPLE: Our first Village Christian Co-Op is being formed in an effort to help the poor farmers provide for themselves. Every year they run out of rice, their primary food staple, well before the new harvest and are forced to borrow rice from a few wealthy land owners at 180% to 300% interest. Our brother with eight years experience in village development is proving to be an invaluable resource and is leading them through each step of the process. With a small amount of "start up" rice, which we will provide, and with each family that elects to participate contributing toward the Rice Bank, which will in turn give them the right to borrow rice at only 10% interest, the co-op will soon be self-supporting. The co-op will be registered with the government and managed by a committee of five Christians who were elected by the church yesterday.. This way the people will be helping themselves in a positive, tangible, self-respecting way. We realize there are many pitfalls but with the close supervision and guidance of our experienced brother we have faith that it will succeed. Please pray for the success of this effort.

The church continues to grow in Cambodia with two new congregations being established this month by our young evangelists. A Cambodian sister who now resides in the USA came with her husband to visit family and friends and they took our young preachers with them who preached and baptized thirty-seven. The new converts were in three locations. Two of the efforts were in villages where the Word had not been previously preached and thus began new works.

In two other congregations, the local brethren taught and baptized eight last week. This is a result of ongoing-training and encouragement for them to take the lead in evangelism.

Director of Computers for the World, David Chesser, and his 14 year old son Jonathan arrived yesterday with three more computers for our lab. That brings our total up to eleven computers for our students to use as they study the Bible in English and attend special computer classes. David and Jonathan have been repairing and upgrading our computer lab and are making a real impact on our teaching program. You may have an old computer that you'd like to donate to this program. If so, you may email David Chesser HERE. You can read what they have done here on our Website.

William E. "Bill" McDonough, Director
Partners In Progress
Phnom Penh, Cambodia