I read with great interest “Taking Christ to Cambodia” (February). The Lutheran faith is indeed taking root in this Buddhist country!
In the article, missionary Peg Wolfram remarks on the growth
of the Christian faith in Cambodia, speculating that perhaps it has been due to “having access to remote villages, identifying Christian leaders in the villages, providing leadership training, and being able to encourage those leaders.”
While these factors undoubtedly have contributed to the spread of Christianity in Cambodia, I suggest another cause as well: the Holy Spirit working through Luther’s Small Catechism, translated and published into the Khmer language by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF).
LHF began distributing the catechism in Cambodia three years ago and produced a catechism workbook last year. The people’s response to this little book of our faith has been astounding! Rev. Ted NaThalang, LHF’s project coordinator in Southeast Asia, reports that the people appreciate its simple but thorough explanation of Holy Scripture.
LHF’s initial printing of 1,000 catechisms was expected to last for several years, but that supply was quickly depleted by Cambodian Christians hungry to learn more about the faith. We’ve since followed with a second printing of 3,000- which also is quickly being used.
We pray for God’s continued blessing on His flock in Southeast Asia.
Dr. Robert Rahn
Executive Director
The Lutheran Heritage Foundation
From the lead article, “Taking Christ to Cambodia,” to the informative story on Lutheran Blind Mission, the February issue of The Lutheran Witness was, as always, a real blessing! I am continually amazed (and grateful) for this wonderful publication and want to say thank you to everyone who has a part in bringing it to us.
Every month I find myself learning something new that I didn’t know about our church body before. I often tell my non-LCMS friends about issues that I read about in the Witness, and they inevitably say, “Where in the world did you ever learn that?”
However, I am also saddened by the fact that I have been a member of my church for nearly 25 years, have subscribed to the Witness all those years, and recently discovered that my husband and I are one of only five families that subscribe in a congregation of well more than 700 families. What in the world can I do to encourage others to subscribe? One year I paid for subscriptions
for all our Parish Planning Council members, thinking that when it expired, they would all want to renew. Not one did!
Thank you for a great Witness!
Meredith Berg
Hudson, Wis.
Those interested can subscribe to the Witness or purchase a gift subscription for friends or loved ones by calling Concordia Publishing House at 800-325-3381, e-mailing cphorder@cph.org, or visiting http://www.cph.org/magazines/
magazineorder.asp?id=lw – Ed.
