Lutheran Presence and Witness in Cambodia: Lord, let thy kingdom come

by Leonardo Neitzel

The official language of Cambodia is Khmer; its religion, Buddhism. The country is still in recovery, in some ways, from Pol Pot’s massive killings of his own people in the 1970s. Today, the economy is in steady progress, and people seem very happy and very busy in their daily routine. In general they are polite, respectful, sociable, caring, and appreciative in relating to foreigners. Many have some basic understanding of English and love to interact and try their language skills with visitors.

As a result of these things, Cambodia has a great openness for the proclamation of the Gospel, paving the way for local mission outreach. As the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cambodia (ELCC) gradually trains church workers for mission work, relationships and personal witness of the Gospel with families, friends, and neighbours plays an important role in the training.

Genocide under Pol Pot in the 1970s has created a generation gap in Cambodia. But on the other hand, the population is now growing, meaning there are millions of youth and children in need of the Gospel and Christian care—millions within easy reach of the Church.

“Lord, let Thy Kingdom Come”

In his explanation of the Second Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Martin Luther affirms that “the kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also.” Luther also explains the “how” of the coming of the Lord’s Kingdom in this way: “God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.”

As we travel, meet, and visit LCC’s partner church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cambodia (ELCC) and its mission fields, the contrasting Buddhist temples and shrines of all sorts and shapes everywhere, contrasting with a thriving economy and great poverty walking side by side, the almost total absence of knowledge about Christ and all He provides, one prayer keeps coming to our heart and mind: Lord, let Your Kingdom come to this country, to this people, so that all may be blessed with Your Holy Spirit through the proclamation of Your Word, may believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour and be saved.

The ELCC and its Mission

President Vannarith Chhim’s cricket farm.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cambodia has approximately 1700 members, 14 pastors, and 10 evangelist deaconesses. It has congregations established in several regions of the country. Church workers do not receive an income from the church so they run secular small businesses and jobs to maintain their families. President Vannarith Chhim raises and sells crickets, which is a famous dish in Cambodia.

Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) supports the ELCC with several mission projects. LCC has assisted its sister church in Cambodia with flood relief support and, later on, drought relief support, as well as in other small projects. Through Lutheran Women’s Missionary League-Canada contributions, LCC is supporting the work of ten women evangelists for a cost of $22,000 CAD over a period of three years. These women teach Sunday schools, instruction in Luther’s Small Catechism, and visit families and the homebound, among other activities. President Vannarith is appreciative of LCC’s partnership with the ELCC and looks forward to future joint effort in the Lord’s mission in his country.

As ELCC continues its work in reaching out locally with the Gospel and loving care to the people of Cambodia, LCC will continue supporting its work with them in national leadership training, evangelism work, and other activities. We continue praying for the church and for the people in Cambodia, and thank God for the blessing that is the relationship LCC has with ELCC. We continue to pray that the Lord would bless the people with His tri-dimensional Kingdom of grace, power, and glory—that the people of ELCC may rejoice in the salvation accomplished through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; that they may rejoice in knowing Jesus as their Lord and no other; and that they may rejoice in the coming of the Kingdom of Glory with all the blessings it entails.

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Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel is Lutheran Church–Canada’s executive for missions and social ministry.

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