The Church of the Nazarene in Cambodia has experienced significant growth in the last year despite several challenging situations. In 2021, churches baptized 500 new believers and started 17 new works.

Cambodia was confronted with yet another crisis-level shortfall of food due to extensive drought, flooding, and of course, COVID-19. District Superintendent Kevin Campbell-White asked if NCM might be able to step in and help. Due to similar ongoing needs worldwide, NCM could only help with part of the need. 

Campbell-White was certain the Holy Spirit was going to use whatever they received to do something new in His people.

Rather than simply giving a supply of food to each family in the church, every church received three 50 kilograms (110 pounds) bags of rice and families were invited to come take enough for a few meals with the added instruction that they must share some of what they were given with families in their village who do not know Christ. 

That’s when the stories began pouring in.

Church members worked together to give far more than they had each received to those outside the church, sometimes even contributing from what little money they had earned that day to purchase extra supplies.

When the woman* pictured received her food, she was astonished at the generosity of the church. She shared through her tears that she and her daughter had not been able to work and were so thankful. The pastor* leading the distribution encouraged the churches with these words: “We have little, but through Jesus, we give to those who have nothing.”

After the distribution, people who received the food went to their villages sharing the hope they have found in Jesus by telling their neighbors, “This food will save you for a month, but hope and salvation for your whole life can be found in Jesus Christ.”

*Names excluded for privacy and security reasons

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific