Playground Installation at Phnom Penh on

Yesterday (Friday) we painted 3 pieces of a playground for the Phnom Penh orphanage. Only 3 pieces will fit on their land and it did not need installed since there was cement floor. It is a temporary facility so the playground is setup for temporary purposes to be removed and relocated in 2 years when they move into the new facility they are hoping and praying for.

The rest of the money from our Coins for Kids portion designated for the playground at Phnom Penh will now go to pay for the roof that they just had installed over the bike and patio area. Another few hundred dollars will go to pay for a set of weights so that the children can lift weights and have a little gym in their orphanage.

After we painted the playground equipment we did a children's program, the same format we have been using since it has worked well. The kids loved the time we spent with them. There were a few kids their that had come to the US two years ago on the children's choir tour (Piseth, Pitou, Sreymom, Pisey, Dalin, Maria, Thar, Matthew). They are doing well as others are that I remember from 2 years ago when I visited with them.

We sang songs, some in English and some in Khmer and we danced.. Mary told the story of the fishes and the loaves to the children. We had the chance to pray with each child and for their requests. We made balloons and about 10 of the children kept sword fighting and shooting me with their balloons for about 20 minutes. Very good times! The kids were so nice.. One little girl gave me half of the candy that we gave to her because she wanted to share with me. Another girl gave me a balloon that was made for her after she drew on it the picture of a bird and wrote "Davi, Jesus loves Cambodia and USA". Some of the children liked pulling the hair on my legs and patting Bob's belly. Many children called Leroy "King Kong". It was a great day.

When we had to leave for the evening they were sad until I told them that we would be back for church on Sunday morning and then on Monday we would be having a BBQ party for them!!! After I said we were having a party they were cheering and dancing around throwing their hands in the air and chanting "Party! Party!"

There are 35 children in the orphanage plus a few staff members plus our team of now 9 and the BBQ party will only cost us $150. Not too bad.. We want to bless them all!!

Once again we have been blessed by them so much more than they could ever bless us! What an amazing trip so far! Today we travel to Kampong Cham to do some painting and a children's program. Tomorrow I get to preach in two different churches (one of which is the Resettlement Church located in the slums). After church, we will visit with 40 families in their homes to pray with them and give them rice and oil. Talk to you again soon. Blessings!

Kampong Speu

Thursday we went to Kampong Speu province to the orphanage there. Our mission today was to install one of two playgrounds that we purchased through our Easter/Lent SEAPC Coins for Kids fundraiser. We installed a double slide, two see-saws, one large swing set, a one-seat swingset and a caboose. We dug holes, mixed cement, anchored the equipment and painted it with oil based paint (hard to get off ourselves). In the midst of all the heavy labor we found some time to go to the market to eat lunch. We also found a few hours to spend with the children there in our children's program.

For our children's program we sang children's songs (some in english others they sang in khmer and i just played along on my guitar), Leroy told them the story of Jonah and the great fish, we talked about Jesus' love and prayed with them. We also did balloons with them and hung out for a long time.

It was a great day! It was a day where happiness abounded! It was a day that I will never forget! It was a day that our team will never forget! It was a day where leaving was one of the hardest things to do... I am already looking forward to visiting my new friends again in two years..

Sorry I will post pictures later as i did not download them to my computer yet.. Thanks for all your prayers!

Rongko public school outreach singing "Deep and Wide"


Public school outreach in Rongko


Beatbox and a little rhyme (DJ Dave and DJ Leroy)


Sarah and Sothea


Chrissy and an orphan from Beantay Meanchey orphanage


Cathy drawing pictures for children at Pursat orphanage


Leroy helps a child climb a tree to get some fruit


If you're happy and you know it shout hurray! Pursat orphanage


Mary teaches children to make friendship bracelets at Pursat


Beautiful smiles during the children's program that we led


Leroy eats the spider


Spider lady selling her array of goods



Travels and experiences this week have been amazing. The team is sad that time is winding down though. It goes so quickly! The people that we've met and ministered to have been extremely hospitable, kind, loving and fun. The children have been so excited to see us and spend time with us at every orphanage that we've been to.

On Monday we traveled to remote village near Thai border in the Beantay Meanchey province to a place called Rongko Village. Here is where one of the oldest orphanages for New Hope exists and where the public school outreaches took place. On the way there we stopped at an orphanage in Pursat province and led a children's program there for the kids.

We stayed in a mission house without electricity or modern comforts and slept on wooden frames under mosquito nets. It was like camping out (on a farm). The first night I went to bed at 1030 and woke up every hour feeling like I slept all night. First time I woke up to a pack of dogs barking about something. The next time I woke up was from the loud women upstairs dropping something on the floor :)

Then I woke up at 3:30 because the roosters were crowing and I just couldn't sleep any longer. So I went outside to find Leroy had also just woken up and we stood on the porch looking at the sky and chatting for an hour. The stars were so bright, there were no city lights any where in our view. It was a great time.

That morning we woke up and sat around until we left the orphanage to go eat some noodle soup for breakfast. After breakfast the team hopped on the van and I put my backpack on both shoulders and took a ride on "Billy's" motorcycle to the public school for our outreaches. I put his name in quotes because that was the American name that he chose for himself.

By the way we ran into Chrissy Ostrowski she was staying up there with a woman from another church teaching English to the children for a week. Since our trip up there she has joined our team for the remainder of our time here and she will be returning to the States mid August. It's great to have her along with us. The other lady, Jane, is also joining with us and has been a great addition too!

At the school we greeted students, teachers and administrators. Then we went into a classroom and sang songs with motions in English (some songs we taught the children), we taught them how to draw a butterfly, we told them stories, we rapped (see note below) and we played a lot of games with them outside!

It was a successful morning and very uplifting to our team! As much as we try to bless others somehow on trips like these they bless us more!

*Note: Leroy and I have been "rapping".. actually I'll kickup a beatbox with my mouth and hands while he recites poetry in meter then we switch off and I make funny noises over his beatbox and throw in a few Khmer lines that rhyme. Every time they laugh.. They call it DJing and they love to see the rarity of a DJ perform, so it has been a big hit!

Please enjoy some pictures from our first day:

Back to Western Comforts

We are back from our excursion to rem0te villages and now we are back to a hotel with a hot shower, cold a/c, electricity, nice bed and free breakfast. Tomorrow I will update more but i am falling asleep as i type this..

dave

Out of Internet Until Weds EST

We will be traveling to a far away province to do 3 orphanage visits and public school outreaches. We will be returning Weds morning EST. Then we will post more on the blog.. Until then, God bless you all!

Technology

The children love looking at the digital camera LCD screen after their photo has been taken as you can see here with Sarah and this little girl.

Smiles

Mary smiling along with beautiful Cambodians. Everyone in Cambodia smiles.. Everyone..

Tree

Leroy has a nickname.. Tree..

The kids loved him! And of course he loves the kids too!

Time to Wake Up

Breakfast time.. The crew is awake and lively and we're getting ready to eat and go to church.. Hit us up with some comments too if you get a chance. Blessings!

We Are Here!

After a very long day, two days with time zones, we have checked into our hotel and are getting ready to get some rest. Its midnight here (Saturday night), 1 pm EST (Saturday afternoon) - 11 hrs difference. Tomorrow we will eat some breakfast at the hotel, go to a church service at the orphanage/church here in Phnom Penh, and tour the city before we take the rest of the day off to relax and catch up on sleep. Nikki Lesoon will be sharing a personal word of encouragement to the congregation and of course will be relying on an interpreter to help her out.. We will also lead the congregation in a song of praise.

We will be touring the city and in that time we will visit the national genocide museam. I've been there two years ago and it is very sobering to visit but it will give the team an appreciation and understanding of what this country has seen and what these people have been through.

Thanks for your prayers! We will be posting regularly this trip!

Seoul South Korea Layover

Hello friends! we just got off the grueling 14 hr flight from atlanta to seoul. in 10mins we board for our final flight into phnom penh cambodia. just thought we would let you know we arrived safe and secure all happy and chipper for the longest part of our journey.. we land in cambodia in 6 hrs.. it will be 10pm there.

Trip Itinerary

For those wishing to keep up with us in your thoughts and prayers, check out our trip itinerary below. Thank you again!

Friday, July 24
Meet at RCC @ 5:30 AM
Depart Pittsburgh @ 8:00 AM
Depart Atlanta @ 1:00 PM EST

Saturday, July 25
Depart Seoul Incheon Int @ 6:30 PM (local time)
Arrive Phnom Penh @ 10:00 p.m. (local time – 11 hrs ahead of EST)
Check into hotel

Sunday, July 26
Minister at Fellowship Word of Life Church in Phnom Penn
Meet children at PP Orphanage
Tour including visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Relax

Monday, July 27
Travel to Banteay Meanchey Province (Rongko Village)
Stop at Pursat 2 Orphanage
Outreach: meet children, balloons, toothbrushes/etc, share Bible stories
Arrive at BC Orphanage
Outreach: meet children, balloons, gifts
Stay over at the missionary house in BC Orphanage

Tuesday, July 28
Public school outreaches in Rongko
Outreach: games, songs, arts, crafts, English vocabulary
Visit the Rongko University complex
Back to BC Orphanage for dinner and ministry to children
Outreaches: games, pray, teach songs
Stay over at the missionary house in BC Orphanage

Wednesday, July 29
Travel back to Phnom Penh with a stop at Kampong Chnang Orphanage
Outreach: meet children, balloons, gifts, prayer walk, visit fish pond
Thursday, July 30
Travel to Kampong Speu Orphanage for playground installation and outreach
Outreach: balloons, gifts, songs, Bible stories
Travel back to Phnom Penh

Friday, July 31
Playground installation at Phnom Penh Orphanage
Outreach in afternoon
Outreach: balloons, gifts, songs, Bible stories

Saturday, August 1
Travel to Kampong Cham Orphanage for painting and outreach
Outreach: meet children, balloons, gifts, paint walls and various labor jobs
Travel back to Phnom Penh

Sunday, August 2
Minister at Fellowship Word of Life Church in Phnom Penn
Minister at Resettlement Church
Outreach: Gifts of rice and oil to 40 poor families from the church, prayer
Travel back to Phnom Penh

Monday, August 3
Head to PP Orphanage for children’s workshops in the morning
Teaching workshops: computers, hygiene, practice English vocabulary, etc.
Visit the Russian Market
Back to PP Orphanage for BBQ Party!!
Depart Phnom Penh @ 11:00 PM (local time)

Tuesday, August 4
Depart Seoul Incheon Int @ 12:00 PM (local time)
Depart Chicago-Ohare @ 2:15 PM CST
Arrive Pittsburgh @ 4:41 PM EST

Cambodia Mission Trip Prayer and Blog

We will be leaving for our mission trip to Cambodia on Friday, July 24th and returning Tuesday, August 4th. Please keep us in your daily prayers. Pray for safety, good health, rest, strength, fruitfulness in our mission, receptive hearts at our outreaches, warm welcome at all the villages and places that we visit and for God to do an amazing work in Cambodia through our small efforts, an amazing work in the lives of the 7 people taking this 12 day trip and an amazing work in our church family.

We need your prayer support every step of the way! We will be visiting some very difficult areas where there are spiritual strongholds that mere humans can't breakthrough.. Only the power of the Holy Spirit can break through these walls.

Join with us on this journey and visit this blog leading up to the trip, during the trip and after the trip to read updates from myself and our team members.. Point your friends and family to the blog to follow along..

Thank you also to those of you who have donated monies specifically for this trip and to help keep the costs down and even help out a few team members with their fees.. We really appreciate your kindness and your gift will be multiplied many times and used to really make a difference in individual lives.. For those who still want to give towards the trip, this Sunday will be the last day for that opportunity. Just make sure that you clearly mark your envelop and/or check "Cambodia Mission Trip" so that we know how much you have designated towards it.

The team members attending this trip are:

Dave Longstreth, leading
Bob Roth
Leroy Mabins
Cathy Bruno
Mary Sattler
Nikki Lesoon
Sarah Donachy

Please keep us all in your prayers!

Blessings,

Dave Longstreth

Chapter 31 - Personal Study Guide

Click here to download the Chapter 31 Personal Study Guide

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Chapter 30 - Personal Study Guide

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Chapter 29 - Personal Study Guide

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Chapter 28 - Personal Study Guide

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Chapter 27 - Personal Study Guide

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The Rest Of The Message

If you were with us yesterday (3/15) you heard me share that in the middle of the night God had changed the message a bit from where I thought we were going. If you missed it, I'd encourage you to listen to the Podcast to hear what the Lord was speaking to our RCC family (I know it's a bit long; uncharacteristic for me, isn't it? Ha!).

To those of you who have been so encouraging in your comments, thank you for sharing your stories with us. It's exciting to hear what the Lord was doing in all of us - personally and corporately.

During the message I promised that I would blog about the portions that I was cutting out so those of you who were interested in "filling in the blanks" could do so. Below are some of the thoughts that I had planned to share.

The big question that we were dealing with was, "What does it mean to live the life of a son or a daughter in the family of God?" In chapter 23 of "The Story" we see how Jesus answered that question by the way He lived and led. Here are the rest of the lessons I had intended to convey:

2. We seize the chance to honor our parents. (John 2:1-11)

One of the most intriguing interactions that Jesus ever had was with His mother Mary at the wedding in Cana. This was the first time that Jesus performs a miracle and I’m not going to debate the whole wine issue (sorry to disappoint). What I do glean from this encounter is that Jesus honored Mary’s request. He esteemed her role and we would do well to follow His example.

So how is this going for you? Kids (of all ages) ... how well are you honoring your parents? Parents, are we worthy of their honor?

3. We choose our inner circle wisely. (Mark 3:13-19)

In Mark 3 Jesus heads to the mountains to formally appoint His apostles. They were rough, ordinary, dense & prone to failure. It’s there that He chooses the men who will become His inner circle. And as He was making this decision, I believe it was based on their potential, character and the courage that Christ knew they would exhibit once they had been filled with the Holy Spirit. They had been His traveling companions but now they were being called to something deeper. They would become the future leaders of His church! What an important decision for Christ. And it’s still critical for us today. (He did intentionally choose a thief/traitor in Judas, but that was the sovereign plan. He knows whose good for us too.)

Who is in your inner circle? Do they add value to your life? Do they help you follow God in deeper ways? Do they encourage you to obey His Word when you start to drift?

4. We value everyone – regardless of gender, age, race, occupation or economic status.

Wow, this one is amazing. As I read through this chapter I noticed how Jesus interacted with His mother and His cousin John. He showed them respect. Sometimes it’s tough to get along with our families, isn’t it?

Then there was the Samaritan Woman. In that encounter Jesus totally blew away the cultural norms by not only speaking to a woman … but she was a Samaritan woman. And he freed Mary Magdalene from demonic possession. He shattered the acceptable behaviors of His day!

For Jesus it didn’t matter if a person was demon-possessed, plagued by leprosy or blindness or if they were labeled a sinner. Jesus placed a high value on individuals. He took time for the unloveables, the untouchables and the unnoticed.

He offered them hope and healing in all kinds of places … Jordan River, Cana in Galilee, Sychar in Samaria, Capernaum, Syria, Decapolis, Jerusalem and Judea. It didn't matter where they were or where they came from!

This isn’t easy, is it? Who in your world needs to know they have worth? Where are the outcasts we need to show God’s love to today? Do people matter to you … really?

Well ... that's what I was going to say. Thanks for taking time to read the rest of the story.

UNSTOPPABLE: Being Led & Empowered By The Holy Spirit

Please join us from 9:00 AM – Noon on Saturday, April 18 at the RCC Mills site for this seminar where we will study who the Holy Spirit is and what role the Spirit plays in our lives today. God longs to fill you with His Spirit and in our time together we’ll explore how He empowers us for everyday living. We’ll also discover what the supernatural gifts are for and how they operate in our context today. In previous generations followers of Christ called the Holy Spirit the “Wild Goose.” Sounds sacrilegious at first earshot, but can you think of a better description of being led by the Spirit? The cost is $10 to cover food and materials. Please contact the church office at office@riversideconnect.org to register.