The Hourngs in Cambodia!

Life can feel unpredictable. One day is filled with peace and order; the next brings challenges we didn’t see coming. Psalm 46 reminds us that in every season whether calm or chaotic God’s presence is our steady anchor. He is not distant or uninvolved; He is “our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Living out Psalm 46 is not about ignoring the storms but about learning to walk with the One who commands them. This psalm reminds us that God’s presence is not just a comfort, it’s our lifeline . Here are five simple yet powerful ways to live it out in your everyday life. 1. Start Your Day Acknowledging God’s Presence Reflection: Before your phone lights up with messages, before your feet hit the floor, there’s something powerful about starting the day with God’s name on your lips. Even a whisper “Lord, You are with me” can set the tone for the entire day. It’s not about rushing into long prayers but about beginning with awareness that you’re not facing the day alone. P...

Last week, we celebrated something special our birthdays. Not just mine, not just my husband’s, but both of ours, within just a few days of each other. Vandy turned… well, let’s just say he officially has a birthday on August 6th, and I turned 45 on August 9th. I say “officially” because in Cambodia, birthdays especially for those born in the 70s aren’t always recorded as the actual day a person was born. My husband’s real birthdate is a mystery even to him. According to my mother-in-law, when he was born, the family didn’t immediately register his birth. Later, they chose a birthday based on Chinese signs and the season of the year. This wasn’t just about tradition it was protection. Read my similar post here   👈 You see, during that time, there was still a lingering threat of another Khmer Rouge regime like movement. Young boys could be recruited as soldiers. By delaying his registration, they were protecting him. Vandy was the only boy among four children, the only one who ...

Weekends have become our sweet little experiments in the kitchen. Next to tending my plants, baking is one of those hobbies that brings me joy. The smell of warm dough, the sticky chocolate melting in our fingers, and the happy anticipation while waiting for the oven to ding, it's an experience I share with my 12-year-old son, David. Homemade Bagels! You see, David recently became a small business owner in our little Cambodian community or "Borey" as we call it. He’s been baking and selling chocolate crinkles and brownies to our neighbors. I couldn’t be prouder. What began as weekend fun turned into bonding moments, life lessons, and faith-filled reflections over flour-covered counters. Read a previous blog on David's Jumbo Chocolate Crinkles We’ve tried red velvet, chocolate chip cookies, crazy cakes, and even homemade bagels, cinnamon rolls, and the classic Filipino pandesal. The kitchen gets messy, the oven gets warm, and our hearts get full. But even in the joy of...

  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....