Spiritual Nurture and Formation
Spiritual Nurture and Formation
Spiritual Nurture and Formation are our core transformation of lives of those living in graveyard, slum, poor communities and in prisons. We believe that all scripture in the Bible is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit, “2 Timothy 3:15-17”. We do believe that when Heart changed and Life changed. The change is from knowing and hearing the words of God.
The child evangelism movement focuses on the children between the ages of 4-18 years because they are the "most receptive and they are often the most effective agents for mission to evangelize their peer group and to their families. However, the men and women in both communities and prisons are never abandoned.
Goal: To build the quality ministry of local churches where children, youth and their families grow socially and spiritually with love, joy and peace.
Outcome: Ensured the spiritual nurture growth for the children, their families and prisoners in order to have a positive relationship with self, peers, neighbors, environment and God.
Output: The children, their families and prisoners experienced the love from God and are able to share witness by their words, life, deed and sign.
I am excited to receive what I prayed for
Operation Christmas Child is a hands-on way for you to bless children in need across the world by filling shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, and fun gifts. Bethel Mission partnered with Samaritan's Purse Cambodia and we collected the 99 boxes and distributed 99 children in the name of Jesus Christ to children living in vulnerable situations.
The children were taught about the Great Gift, Jesus, for one week and they prayed for the gifts they needed in the box. The majority of the children told that they prayed and they received what they wanted after opening the boxes. It was amazing for them to have the great time to learn and gifted. Visal, one of the children from English class and Sunday school told that “I am excited to open the box and received what I prayed for. I prayed for a toy, now I have many toys in the box. I would thank Bethel Mission and donor for the gifts to me and the children.”
I learnt to forgive after this lesson
Celebrate Recovery (CR) Program is used weekly with the Women Group in Graveyard Project. The women were encouraged to discuss and share about their hurt, hang-up and habits. 15 women joined Celebrate Recovery in Slum project. The lesson of Denial shook the heart of group where everyone was refused and lived with anger and hatred.
Mrs. Mao, one of the women, told that “The series of the lesson are helpful to nourish my soul as I gave up my faith many years. I come back now.” Mrs. Phoan also appreciated the lesson as it made her easy to remember the verses from the bible. with tear, Mrs. Sophy told that “I was not accepted and refused by my parent for what I decided. I have been hangry with them until now. I learnt to forgive after this lesson I will look for ways to receive the reconciliation.”
I am delighted to join Women’s Day
Even Bethel Mission worked with the children, but it had never forgotten their families, especially the mother. The celebration of Women’s Day is held once a year in order to encourage the women to be strong and courageous even the challenges. Everyone knows that it is not possibly and easily solved without the involvement from the women.
Mrs. Mom the representative of the women said “We have lived in the cemetery for more than thirty years and have never been invited and participated with such a great event. We do thank to Bethel Mission Organization for helping us to have this event. We do hope to have this again next year.”
It is my first time to have Christmas at the sea
87 people joined Christmas trip to the seaside, Kep, on two buses. It was the joyous time for the children and their families to get up early and took the buses with excitement for their long journey to the sea. Everyone had fun, sang, danced, celebrated and gifted on the buses.
The majority of them had never been on trip and to the sea before. Mrs. Pok, the mother of five children said “I would appreciate for Bethel Mission who spent time and money to take our community people to the beach on Christmas.” Grandma Ry, 67, said “It is my first time to swim in the sea with my children and grandchildren. I have never been to the beach since I was born.”
I am excited to join the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ
45 women joined Christmas in the mist of the pandemics of Covid-19. They sang, prayed and more ten women accepted Jesus as their savior and Lord. We appreciate Kayo Record, the Japanese missionary for sharing the words of God to our women and Sinuon for her preparation of the celebration.
Grandma Sun, the representative to the women group said “It is my first time to join Christmas with Bethel Mission. I loved the celebration and I felt excited to have the gift and met with many women in graveyard. I do hope to have this celebration again next year.”
I love Christmas because I always receive gifts
It is to remember. Once a year, the children their caregivers come and celebrate the birth of Jesus to follow by songs, dances and testimony. Blessedly, more than 100 children from graveyard and slum project received Christmas gifts for their study including schoolbag and books even the pandemics of Covid-19 spread across the country. Samnang said “We spent 6 months to rehearse our dance and songs.
We are delighted to celebrate and receive gifts for our study. I love the bag with the logo of Bethel Mission. I would like to thank our supporters who always blessed the children in our community.” Sambath, 13, grade 3, appreciated that “I would like to thank Bethel Mission and donor for blessing me the schoolbag and books. I am very pleased. I wish more abundant blessing to donors and Bethel Mission.”
Discipleship helps me to grow spiritually in Christ
We are working to promote the spiritual nurture among the children and their families in order to have a positive relationship with self, peers, neighbors, environment and God. After one week of pre-lesson about the Great Gift, there were more than 100 children received their prayed gifts. In addition, among the 40 children in graveyard and slum project received 12 lessons of 12 weeks from the Discipleship.
The lessons were very important for the children to learn more about Christ beyond their weekly Sunday school. Sivna said “It was enjoyed from the 12 weeks of the Discipleship and delighted to have the certificate after the training.”
Living with her widow mother
Sovannika, girl, 13, in grade 6, living with her widow mother and younger brother in graveyard whose father died 10 years ago. She and her brother come to Sunday School regularly and learn the words of God. She said “I like to come because I meet with friends in the community, have fun, eating and songs. I like reading the bible lesson as it helps me improve my knowledge.” She is the lead in reading in the class with clear voice that everyone can listen even a bit noise.
Sovannika likes singing songs and watch cartoon about bible.
Ministry co-founder of Bethel Grace Ministry
Mrs. Sinoun, the ministry co-founder of Bethel Grace Ministry and other volunteers go to meet the children in graveyard and slum once a week to help them with spiritual nurture and teach the good values of love of Jesus Christ and the obedience to their parents in order to confirm the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 19:14, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” And Ephesians 6:1-3 “1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
Children and adult coming to engage
There are more than four hundred children and adult coming to engage in the Spiritual Nurture and Formation program on Sunday School both in Phnom Penh and Provinces.
The children have fun and enjoy their Sunday program following with songs, dance and snack and birthday celebration.
Through the program, God is working to change them socially and spiritually. This is to respond to the great commandment in Mark 12:30-31 “30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’. By observation, the children changed their attitude and behavior from time to time. Praise the Lord.