October 9, 2003

Spirits, ghosts and ancestors are believed to control every thing that happens in the lives of Cambodians. The Cambodian people live in constant fear of the spirits. They believe the spirits of their own ancestors will bless or haunt them based on how they respect and care for these ancestral spirits. The life of a Buddhist depends on luck. You may be able to change your luck if you appeal to your ancestors in the right way. Yet, no one is sure exactly what the right way is, so they live in fear, wondering if they have done the right thing.

The last fifteen days have been a special feast time for the ancestral spirits. Each morning at three in the morning, the people awake to go to the pagodas to carry gifts of food to appease the ancestral spirits. These spirits are believed to return from Hades, where all spirits live. (The best tropical fruits are available in the markets now at the best prices, so we are enjoying that aspect of this feast time.) Each morning, the Cambodian people go to a pagoda with wonderful baskets of fruit to leave for their ancestors' spirits. They must visit seven different pagodas in the region where the ancestors lived, because the people are not sure exactly where the spirits will appear. If the Cambodian people do not leave fruit at the right place, their ancestors will curse them and they will suffer bad luck for a full year.

On the final three days of the feast, the entire family must go to the pagoda with fruit. If the ancestral spirits return and do not see every family member, they will be angry at the lack of respect shown them and will cause great misfortune to befall the entire living family. In addition, there are many other rituals that must be preformed. This will give you an idea as to why the pure simple gospel is being so widely received here in this land. Please pray for Cambodia.

It’s still raining at the church under the tree. KEEP PRAYING!

Thanks to Jane Gault and Don Johnson, we took two suitcases of medicine back to Cambodia to help the poor. Ruth Gregg is helping us gather information as to how we might best assist the scores of malnourished children in the village churches. Dewayne Agin gathered up a bag of spare parts for us to take back to keep the old jeep running. David Chesser continues to provide help with the computers we are using to teach. Of course, Partners In Progress could not exist without the daily care and administration of Carol Chesser. The support and prayers of all of you make this mission possible and God uses each one of us in our place to accomplish His will because He Cares.

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