Sustaining God’s Work

It has been more than 15 years since our family first answered God’s call to serve in Phnom Penh.  Looking back, it’s amazing how time has passed and how much the Lord has done in and through this ministry. When we first came and moved to the city to serve in a Bible School, we had nothing but faith in our hearts and a deep desire to serve the Lord among the Khmer people. Eventually God lead us here, we didn’t know exactly what the journey would look like, but we trusted that God would lead the way.

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Today, as I write this from our home in Phnom Penh, I can’t help but thank God for His goodness. Every year has been a story of His grace, and every challenge has become an opportunity to see His faithfulness unfold.

Our family has been serving faithfully with Phnom Penh Church (PPC) for over a decade now. Our calling is simple yet deeply meaningful to disciple and mentor youth at our two dorms, young professionals, and young couples, helping them grow in their faith and become Christ’s witnesses in their families, schools, and workplaces.

Through the years, we’ve seen God transform lives through the power of the gospel. Many of the students who come to Phnom Penh from the far provinces have never heard about Jesus before. When they join our dormitories one for men and one for women they not only find a safe and comfortable place to live, but they also find a home where they can encounter Christ, study the Bible, and grow in their relationship with Him.

Our worship venue has also become a spiritual home for many. Every Sunday, people gather to worship, learn, and fellowship together. Some are new believers, others are seekers, and still others are mature Christians who desire to serve. Together, we form one big family of faith in this city that God has placed in our hearts.

The Challenge of Sustaining God’s Work

As the ministry continues to grow, so do the challenges. Each year, we face the reality of sustaining the needs of both our family and the ministry.

The biggest needs remain the same:

• The monthly rental for both dormitories and the worship venue, which provide vital spaces for discipleship and worship.

• Tuition support for our son, David, who continues to grow in his faith and learning while we manage our family’s daily needs.

Through the years, God has never failed to provide. But like many missionaries and ministry families, we’ve realized that there is a need to build something more stable and sustainable a local source of income that can support the work long-term, without relying too heavily on outside funding.

This thought has led us to pray more deeply and to seek God’s wisdom. And as we prayed, we were reminded of the story in the Bible where God asked Moses, “What is in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2).

Sometimes, God’s answer to our prayers for provision is already within our reach. We only need to see it through the eyes of faith.

The Vision: “Home-Based Harvest” Expansion Project

Over the past year, something beautiful has started to take shape within our home. What began as small, humble efforts have slowly become seeds of something greater what we now call our “Home-Based Harvest Project.”

It all started when we encouraged Vandy’s sister, Kunthy, a single mother raising her teenage son, to open a small home-based pasta stall. She wanted to earn income to support her family while also contributing to the church. Her freshly made pasta, cooked with love and simple ingredients, quickly became a neighborhood favorite in our Borey or community. Children, students, and nearby families often line up outside our gate to buy her food.

We called it “Divine Spaghetti”

Not long after, our son David, who is now twelve, started showing an interest in baking. He began experimenting with brownies, chocolate cookie crinkles, and other sweet treats. What started as a simple family hobby turned into a small business when he began selling his baked goods to neighbors and classmates. People loved them!

His venture, “David’s Divine Treats,” became another small source of blessing, not only financially but also spiritually. David has been faithfully setting aside part of his profit to tithe and give offerings to the church. Watching him do that, with such a cheerful heart, humbles us deeply. It reminds us that giving isn’t about how much we have, but how willing we are to offer what’s in our hands.

Both of these small family projects have brought so much joy and encouragement. Through them, God has shown us that He can use even the smallest beginnings to do something great.

Growing the Vision

After months of prayer and reflection, we began to see a bigger picture forming. What if these small family ventures could grow into something more purposeful something that not only supports our household but also sustains the ministry long-term?

That’s how the Home-Based Harvest Expansion Project was born.

Our goal is to grow, give, and glorify God.

We plan to upgrade our small food operations into a more efficient, community-impacting business that will serve as both a ministry tool and a sustainable income source. This expansion will help meet several important needs:

• The rental of our dormitories and worship venue, which continue to be the center of our discipleship and outreach work.

• David’s education and monthly tuition, as we continue to raise him in the fear of the Lord.

• Kunthy’s livelihood as a single mother, empowering her to provide for her family and to serve God faithfully.

• Ongoing ministry projects and outreach programs through Phnom Penh Church.

To do this, we are seeking to purchase better equipment and materials to increase our production capacity and reach.

Here’s what we’re praying and planning for:

• A freezer and pasta heater

• Sauce bottling pot and packaging materials

• A sealer and weighing scale

• A stand mixer, Convection Oven, and baking trays Trolley

• Marketing and branding materials

• A portable pop-up shop for community bazaar events

• Business Registration

At present, we’ve been using our own household items to run the stall, but they are limited. Many secondhand tools available locally are outdated or unsafe for food production, so some of these new materials will need to be ordered or sourced from trusted local distributors.

It’s not just about upgrading equipment; it’s about upgrading impact. We want this project to be more than a business. We want it to be a testimony a living example of how God can multiply even small acts of faith.

Why This Project Matters

This project is close to our hearts because it reflects the values we hold dear:

• Sustainability: It helps build a steady, locally generated income stream to sustain our ministry operations and family needs.

• Empowerment: It supports a single mother and nurtures a young boy’s growing faith and entrepreneurial spirit.

• Community Impact: It provides affordable, quality food to our neighborhood while sharing Christ’s love through honest work.

• Faith in Action: It reminds us, and those around us, that when we trust God with what we have, He multiplies it beyond what we imagine.

We believe that this is not just a business project, but a faith project. Just as Jesus multiplied the five loaves and two fish to feed thousands, we believe He can take our small beginnings and turn them into a harvest that will bless many.

Faith That Works

As we’ve been praying for this project, I’ve been reminded of James 2:17, which says,

“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

This verse has been speaking deeply to my heart. Faith is not only about believing; it’s also about obeying and moving when God calls us to act.

There are moments when we pray for provision and direction, yet God gently reminds us that He has already given us the tools we need to begin. Our part is to trust and to take that first step of faith.

In our family, this has been a recurring lesson. Each time we faced financial uncertainty or ministry challenges, God would show us that He is our Provider. But He also calls us to be good stewards — to plant, to build, and to work with the resources He places in our hands.

Faith is not about waiting passively; it’s about participating in what God is doing.

Just like a farmer who prepares the soil and plants seeds even before the rain comes, we are called to do our part while trusting that God will send the growth.

God’s Grace in Every Step

When we think about how far God has brought us, we can only say that it’s all by His grace. There were many times when we felt unsure or overwhelmed, yet every time, God made a way.

I remember one particular month when we were short on rent for the dormitories. We prayed, not knowing where help would come from. Then, unexpectedly, a friend from abroad sent a message saying God had impressed on her heart to send a small gift for the ministry. That exact amount covered what we needed for the month.

Stories like that have happened again and again. God’s timing has always been perfect.

Now, as we step into this new phase of faith, we believe that the same God who provided before will continue to provide again.

We hold on to the promise found in Philippians 4:19:

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

An Invitation to Partner in the Harvest

We cannot do this alone. Ministry has always been a partnership between those who go and those who give, those who plant and those who water.

Would you prayerfully consider joining us as a mission partner in this journey?

Your prayers, encouragement, and support can make a great difference. You can also help by sharing this vision with others who have a heart for missions, sustainability, and community impact.

If you are interested to know more or to receive our detailed project proposal and monthly newsletter, you may reach out to us through our email. We would love to connect with you, pray together, and share more about how God is moving in Cambodia.

We truly believe that when the Body of Christ works together, God’s Kingdom expands beyond walls and borders.

A Word of Encouragement

To our friends in the faith and to those who might be reading this for the first time, I want to share this simple truth: God is faithful.

He can take even the smallest offering of faith and use it for His glory. Whether you’re a missionary, a mother, a student, or a professional, God can use your life, your work, and your story to bless others.

Don’t underestimate the little things that God places in your hands. What matters is the heart behind it. Offer it to Him, and He will multiply it in ways you could never imagine.

As Galatians 6:9 reminds us,

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

We step forward in faith, trusting that this “Home-Based Harvest” will not only provide for our needs but also become a living testimony of God’s grace and faithfulness in Cambodia.

From the quiet corners of our kitchen to the hearts of students in our dormitories, we see God’s hand at work. Every loaf of bread baked, every plate of pasta served, every prayer whispered all of it becomes part of the story that He is writing through our lives.

Thank you for taking the time to read, to pray, and to walk alongside us in this journey. We deeply appreciate your love, generosity, and partnership in advancing God’s work here in Cambodia.

May God bless you abundantly, and may He also inspire you to see what He has placed in your hands today because even the smallest seed of faith, when planted in obedience, can produce a harvest for His glory.

With grateful hearts,
Vandy, Tess, and David

Phnom Penh Church (PPC), Cambodia
vandyhourng@gmail.com
apastorswifeincambodia@gmail.com