The Hourngs in Cambodia!

  I have this disciple who has quietly and unexpectedly become one of the people God uses to keep me grounded. She and I rarely meet face to face. She works in the outskirts of Phnom Penh, which is technically already a province. The busyness of her schedule and the distance make it hard to sit down for coffee and talk. But every morning, as I ride my tuktuk on my way to teach at the university, I find myself sharing a devotional message to her on Telegram. It’s not a big production, just a simple sharing of what God showed me that morning during my quiet time. A verse that spoke to me, a prayer I whispered in the stillness, a thought that reminded me of His faithfulness. A Morning Routine That Keeps Me Grounded I’m deeply blessed by her life. Even though she’s still young in the faith, she’s hungry and eager to know Jesus more. She’s passionate, open, and intentional. And without her knowing it, she’s become my accountability partner. She keeps me mindful that what God impresses ...

The month of July has been both eventful and challenging for our family, our ministry, and Cambodia as a whole. Yet through it all, we stand in awe of God’s unwavering presence.  He never fails to fight for us, and never once has He left our side. Responding with Faith and Compassion Have you ever felt caught in the middle of conflict? These past weeks, tensions along the Cambodia–Thailand border escalated into something that felt almost unreal. Though we live far from the direct danger in Phnom Penh, the fear, confusion, and heartbreak were impossible to ignore. Stories of families being displaced and soldiers being deployed spread rapidly. The atmosphere was heavy. You could see it on people’s faces: uncertainty, worry, and a deep concern for what lay ahead. Main Prayer Focus for the Week@PPC But in the middle of this national anxiety, something beautiful began to rise: compassion. Khmers rallied to support one another. Food, supplies, and encouragement were shared. Volunteers mo...

It’s been a beautiful and humbling season in our home lately. If you’re a parent, you know how long school breaks can feel especially when you’re trying to keep a young, energetic child busy and engaged. Our son David has been on a long break from school, over two months, and it hasn’t been easy to keep him fruitfully occupied. Yet, as I sit down to reflect, I’m amazed at how God answered our quiet prayers, even in little ways we never expected. Mark 11:24 has been on my heart as I write this: "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."   This verse has taken on such a tender meaning for me, especially in this parenting season. We didn’t pray for anything extravagant. We just asked the Lord to guide us as we tried to guide David. To help us teach him not just to be “busy,” but to be fruitful. Not just to work, but to work with gratitude and faith. And the Lord truly answered. The Long Break and the Longing ...

As I write this, the news of the ongoing tensions between Cambodia and Thailand has been flooding both social media and mainstream platforms. Families from different countries have been messaging us, asking about our current situation in Phnom Penh. Friends from the Philippines and relatives abroad are genuinely concerned. We’re thankful for their love and care. So let me begin by saying: Praise God! we are doing well. Life in the capital continues as usual, and so far, Phnom Penh remains calm and safe. But I won’t pretend everything is okay everywhere. What is happening along the Cambodian-Thai border is real, and it is heartbreaking. The southern provinces are deeply affected. Borders and trades have been closed for more than a month now, and people who have built their entire lives in that area are being displaced. Some friends had to shut down their businesses temporarily because their supplies raw materials, ingredients, basic products come from Thailand. The impact is widespread....

There are days when James 1:19 feels like it was written just for me. Honestly.  😔😅 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” James 1:19–20 Sometimes I find myself reading this verse and then sighing with a little bit of embarrassment because, if I’m being real, I still struggle with this more often than I’d like to admit. I want to be someone who listens more, speaks less, and doesn’t let anger take control of my heart or my words. I want to represent Jesus well not just in church or ministry but also at home, in the university where I teach, in our neighborhood, in the market, and even in those little day-to-day encounters that no one else may notice. I don’t want to come across as someone who’s just “religious” who talks about God but reacts to people harshly or impatiently. Instead, I want my actions, especially my respo...

Last week was a tender one for our church. One of our faithful church members, Thek, lost her mother. As a church, we prayed for her and her family and extended our sincere help to her family at this trying moment. Though we can't travel to hug her personally, we hope and pray that she's being comforted by our Lord. with her mom - last year's visit in Phnom Penh for medical check up Thek’s story is deeply personal to us. She is one of the many students who have been part of our dorm ministry a place where young women from the provinces come to Phnom Penh to study and are given a safe, loving environment to live and grow. But Thek's story stood out not just because of where she came from, but because of what God has done in her life. Thek is from Ratanakiri , one of Cambodia's most remote provinces. It takes about twelve hours to reach the capital, and even longer to get to her actual village, which is tucked away in the mountains and forests of the region. She come...

We just came back from our much-awaited annual family retreat last week. It was refreshing and soul-lifting. I praise God for the chance to slow down, to laugh and talk and enjoy each other’s company without rushing. We made it a goal to set a time each year just for this to pause, reflect, and be reminded of God’s purpose in our family. David, our son, looks forward to this trip because he gets all our attention. We plan our retreat during school breaks and in the middle of the year, even if it costs quite a bit. It’s worth it. June is not just our family trip month, it’s also durian season and David’s birthday! It gets expensive transport, food, accommodation but we save up for it. My husband Vandy is a great planner. While I’m more of the spontaneous type (and yes, a spender!), he balances me out. We save for this retreat every month, so when the time comes, it’s not a burden. Vandy books early, during low season, for discounts. David and I just show up and enjoy the hard part, th...