The Hourngs in Cambodia!

👉 Get your  FREE Devotional ( 7-day prayer journal for the Passion week ) As the new week unfolds, our family eagerly anticipates two significant celebrations: Khmer New Year and the Passion Week . It’s a rare moment when these two events align, and this year, we are especially mindful of how we can embrace both. As followers of Christ, we hold the death and resurrection of Jesus at the center of our faith. Yet, as a family living in Cambodia, we also seek to honor and connect with our loved ones who celebrate Khmer New Year, a time deeply embedded in their cultural and religious traditions. This year, as we travel to my husband's hometown in Kampong Cham province, our hearts are drawn to Colossians 3:12: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” These words serve as a guiding light for us, especially as we step into an environment where Buddhist traditions run deep. How do we celebr...

👉 Get your FREE  Passion Week Devotional   Passion Week is the most important time of the year for us as Christians—a time to remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and celebrate His resurrection. It’s the heart of our faith! While in the Philippines (and many Christian nations), that week is a big holiday filled with prayer and reflection, here in Cambodia—a Buddhist country—it’s just an ordinary week. But as a local church, we intentionally set aside this time to focus on Jesus. Even though life goes on as usual (work, school, Khmer New Year travels), we can still make this week special by slowing down, opening our hearts to God, and remembering what Jesus did for us. This year, Passion Week falls during  Khmer New Year (April 13-20) —a time when most Cambodians travel to visit family. Our family will also be in  Kampong Cham , Vandy’s hometown. But even in the middle of celebrations, we want to keep our hearts fixed on Jesus. For me, Passion Week has always been ...

You guessed it right, Cambodia has it's own New Year celebration (aside from World's New year January 1st and Chines New Year). Choul Chnam Thmey, or Khmer New Year, is the most significant and beloved celebration in Cambodia. This colorful celebration, which takes place over three days in the middle of April every year, heralds the conclusion of the harvest season and the start of a fresh year full of promise and rebirth. Sharing with you our visit to a countryside - Kampot, where we went to Durian farm, enjoy the fresh breeze by the river and soaked in a shallow rapid near the Dam. It was just us trio. The heat didn't bother travellers to still enjoy the holidays. We usually go to Vandy's hometown during the holidays but since we have already spent time with them earlier, we decided to have another trip since it's just near the city. It's God's favor that we are able to experience these sceneries. God is indeed amazing! 

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 There is something about the quiet moments of life that God often uses to speak the loudest. L iving out our calling in Cambodia , being gently reminded that mission work is not about us. It is about Him. It is about showing up daily, even in the ordinary, and choosing to serve. A Season of Movement and Opportunity In Cambodia, this time of the year feels very different from what many of us grew up with. While other parts of the world prepare for Passion Week , Cambodia prepares for Khmer New Year. It is one of the biggest holidays in the country. Families travel back to their provinces. The city slowly empties. Phnom Penh becomes quiet. Almost like a pause. Get Free Passion Week Devotionals 👈here! Khmer New Year & the Passion Week 👍💗 Khmer New Year with Family 👪 Shops close. Streets are less crowded. Many people leave to reunite with loved ones. It is ...

This week, Cambodia is preparing for one of its grandest celebrations—Khmer New Year, known as Songkran. Across the country, schools, businesses, and establishments are gearing up for this vibrant and deeply cultural event. Streets will be adorned with colorful decorations, traditional games will bring communities together, and families will gather to share in the joy of the new year. As a university lecturer, I always look forward to how our students take part in this celebration. Every year, our foundation students lead a program that showcases Khmer culture, village life, and traditional games. This year, it will be a full-day event, with classes canceled to make way for the festivities. Small businesses and vendors—many of them student-led—will fill the campus, offering snacks, street food, photo booths, merchandise, and more. Fashion students will even present their creations on the runway, with models coming from different departments. I have been invited to give a speech before ...

April has come and gone, and as we look back, our hearts are full. Full of gratitude. Full of quiet moments with God. Full of lessons that stretched our faith and reminded us again that He is always good. This month carried both excitement and challenges. It was not always easy, but it was meaningful. And through it all, we saw the hand of God guiding us step by step. Psalm 34:8 became very real to us this month. It is one thing to read that the Lord is good. It is another thing to truly experience it in real life. To taste it in moments of fear, in answered prayers, in unexpected provision, and in quiet assurance. And this is what we want to share with you. Not just what we did this month, but how we saw God move in the middle of it all. Preparing Hearts During Khmer New Year  👈 Before we left for a short break in the Philippines, we spent time preparing our hearts and the hearts of our young people for Khmer New Year. This season is very important in Cambodia. It is a time when ...