After The Storm

On the weekend of Friday October 15- Sunday October 17, Poipet experienced the worst floods in recent memory. Thousands fled their homes. People lost livestock. Crops were destroyed. Day labourers couldn't work. At a local church service the following week, one of the praise points was, "I had no food for a week but thanks God for providing frogs to eat." The flooding in Poipet didn't seem to make the news... but it did shut down the city.

In response, we gave some emergency food relief in two nearby villages. We partnered with a missionary/ church planter named Perlito. The donations were given through the village leader to each household; the amount of food depending on how many were in each household. The distribution to 136 families was completed on Friday October 29 and Saturday October 30.

I was encouraged that the first donation for this small emergency flood relief action came from the local church. We simply added to what was needed. Another well-timed email from Australia meant that we had enough cash to buy the rice, noodles and cans of fish.

At both villages there was a short message given by one of Perlito's co-workers and another co-worker said a public prayer to thank God for the food. Someone asked Perlito at the first village if he was going to preach. He said, "No- the food preaches for itself." I agree.