10 November 2006
From FIJI to CAMBODIA
Met and Ben
In January Met and Ben came to work in Cambodia as church planters with
the Kuy People. They are sent out by the Christian Mission Fellowship (CMF) in
Fiji (see
www.cmfinternational.org.fj for more about this church.) That church has
been praying for the Kuy people for a number of years now. These workers are
an answer to our prayers. Here is a little more of their story.
Metui Cinavou
Met was born and raised in Suva (main city of Fiji) in a Christian home.
During High School he made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ and after
only the first year of University he felt called to Christian work and joined
CMF to be trained in church planting. His heart was always to be sent out to
plant churches among an Unreached people group. Having completed his training,
in 2000 he was sent to Australia with one other single man to plant a church.
By 2004 the church was ready for a pastor. In 2005 he, along with Ben was
commissioned during the annual church conference to come work with the Kuy of
Cambodia.
Ben Ryland
Ben was raised in a Christian family on a coconut plantation on the island
of Vanua Levu, the second largest island in Fiji. He joined the Bible school
at CMF in 1993. He received some practical experience in church planting on
one of the small islands of Fiji. From the time he entered Bible school Ben
has had a heart willing to serve wherever he is needed. His divisional head
suggested he be interviewed to go to Cambodia. One of Ben's gifts is his
musical ability.
Since their arrival, Met and Ben have been focused on language study. This
is a significant challenge. Ben calls Khmer tongue-twisting. Met had to go
back to Australia for a while due to visa issues. He used the time to connect
more with the CMF churches in Australia who are supporting the two men in
their mission work.
Ben says that he has experienced more homesickness here than at any time
in the past. In spite of that, he and Met have quickly fit into their
neighborhood here in Phnom Penh. Within the first month they had begun
teaching conversational English to neighbors and started a house church in
their house. They are working with a young man, Piron, to help him grow so
that he can lead the group. He is from a Christian family in the neighborhood
and was very happy to have believers come to his neighborhood.
Prayer Needs
- Pray for ability to learn to speak Khmer. It will be essential for their
ministry.
- Pray that members of the house church that currently meets in their home
will grow spiritually and that Piron will be ready to take up leadership when
they leave for the Kuy village.
- They need the Lord's wisdom and guidance on when to move to the Kuy
village, which one to go to and what approach to take.
