October 28, 2004

Phnom Penh, Cambodia - October 28, 2004 - Claude & Madge Lewis left yesterday after seven weeks with us. They did a masterful job of teaching and of managing things while we were away.

The "Hunger Fighting Rice Cooperative" made the second distribution of rice to 28 families so they will have food for another month. Some areas have received adequate rain but most of the country is way behind in annual rainfall so we are again asking you to pray for rain so that people here in Cambodia will have enough to eat.

Plans for the new orphanage are moving forward with bids being taken to build the house that will house up to 20 Orphan children and house parents. Fill dirt has been hauled in and smoothed. We hope to have the orphanage operating within six months.

The Village Church Leaders Training Seminar starts Monday, November 1st, and we will be teaching thirty men from ten congregations for two weeks. They are the natural leaders that the congregations have selected to attend. They will study the Bible with four very capable teachers from the USA - Lloyd Cain from North Carolina will teach with Kirk McCary from California the first week and Bob Buchannon and Ken Wilkey from the Philippines will teach the second. These seminars are helping equip our village church leaders to lead and teach God's word. We can tell the difference since the last one that was conducted in April.

Next week I'll be going to Vietnam to work with the shipyard that is building the clinical boat. Construction is now underway and we will need to make trips to Saigon every two weeks until it is completed. This has taken much longer than anticipated, but it is moving forward. At last we can begin to see the years of planning becoming reality. Thank you for your prayers. The Lord is blessing our work together because He Cares.

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