The Hourngs in Cambodia!

Bong Pich (big brother Pich) David’s been wanting to have siblings.  We told him to pray 🙏 and ask God for His will. We actually encourage him to keep his hope open that if ever God might send him siblings that might be coming from other mommy’s tummy or other family.  Honestly, Vandy and I are definitely open for “adoption”. I know it’s a big move to take, but we know God has something to do with this. Making a difference to the lives of people around us would mean loving them unconditionally like how God is loving us.  What makes it even more fulfilling is to open our home for them and make them part of our own family.  Our ministry right now is directing much not only in the church but mostly to our dormitories - we are giving our time, love, and even our resources to them because we know they need a family here in the city. We are more than willing to be their spiritual parents.  And it so happened that one of our nephews (Vandy's side of the family) need a...

Household of faith 😍🙏 We made the decision to welcome my sister-in-law Kunthy and her teenage son Pich to live with us here in the city (Phnom Penh) a year ago.  We have been praying for Vandy's entire family to accept Christ as their Savior for many years now and we also realize that this might be our chance.  Perhaps living with us would mean a great opportunity to share the gospel to them. We praise God for the wonderful progress these past few months.  As a family, we made a conscious effort to show my sister in-law and Pich how much we care for them. not just in words, but above all in deeds. Dad, David and I prayed each night (before we go to bed) that they will soon come to truly accept Christ as Lord and that the things we do at home (prayer before meals, bible study, bible reading, attending worship at church) will become a way of life for them so that they can enjoy and encounter Christ.  We hope to show them that we have a spiritual father and ...

We do have a regular bible study at home, and it is mostly conducted in Khmer language. Vandy has really expressed being intentional to disciple and live out our faith in God.  My sister-in-law Kunthy and her teenage son Pich are the participants. So, from Kampong Cham, they have been living with us in the city for six months now.  We happily welcome our home to them. You may read about Pich here 👉 David's big brother Pich It has always been our deepest prayer that Vandy's whole family will be able to come to know Christ and experience His amazing love. Now the best way to do that is to talk about Christ and let them see how we practically live for Jesus in a daily basis. Sharing the gospel is actually the starting point, but living by it is another level.  Hence, it is a good reminder for us to reflect God's love through our actions - because it is more impactful than words. Being on guard and making sure the dynamics at home are displayed on a daily basis. Yep, we are ...

🙏🎂👦😂 We never really throw big parties on birthdays (except when our son turned 1yr old). It’s been always us celebrating intimately hehe 😉 I'm glad our son appreciates simple celebrations. However, actually today would be extra special - we have a surprise for him this evening. We visited MV Doulos floating book fair 😉 as I mentioned on yesterday's post. We are glad Pich and Vouch were able to join him as well.  It's a rainy Friday. Doulos staff is very accommodating to provide us with umbrellas to go back and forth to the ship. David was able to get some books to read. After that, Dad brought us to have some soup, so David could get his one last surprise hehe.. ice cream oreo cake from DQ!  We thank God for David's life; we love how he thinks of others before himself. Sharing with you some of the little things that we appreciate about our son: gives drinking water to the preacher and translator on Sundays without fail  Refills drinking water in the fridge  Al...

There are moments in our family life when I pause and marvel at how God continues to work in the little and ordinary things. Parenting, especially in a cross-cultural home here in Cambodia, has taught us lessons far beyond what any book could offer. It’s not always easy, but every challenge we face points us back to God’s faithfulness. One of those areas where God has been showing His amazing grace lately is through our son, David.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” — Galatians 5:22–23 (NIV) When Struggles Become Seeds of Growth David has been struggling with his Khmer lessons this year. As parents, this was one of our main concerns for quite some time. His school (Asian Hope International School) is accredited by the Ministry of Education here in Cambodia, which means he has to meet the same requirements as every local student, including passing the Khmer exam to be promoted to high scho...

Tonight is countdown night. Classes are still going on as usual today, but the campus feels different. Many of our students have already gone home. Some rushed to bus stations early this morning. Others quietly said their goodbyes yesterday, eager to be with their families before the year ends. The hallways feel lighter, quieter, almost like they are holding their breath. This year, Cambodia will not welcome the new year with fireworks . Even though a ceasefire has been agreed on just days ago regarding the border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, the government has chosen to remain cautious. There will be no large celebrations, no fireworks along the river. Safety comes first. Wisdom comes first. And maybe also compassion. Because how can we truly celebrate when so many are not home yet? Almost half a million people remain displaced near the borders. Families are still uncertain. Parents are still worried. Children are still adjusting to temporary shelters and unfamiliar places....

This month of August, our hearts are full of gratitude as we look back on God’s goodness in our family and ministry. It has been a month of celebrating life , walking through new seasons as parents, and pressing forward in the mission field here in Phnom Penh. Each story and reflection reminds us of God’s faithfulness and of our need to continually depend on Him in prayer. 🎂 Celebrating Life & Birthdays We began the month by celebrating birthdays in our family, including a simple but meaningful day for Papa Rolly . Birthdays for us are more than cake and gatherings they are reminders that every added year is a gift from the Lord. In our post “Our Simple Birthdays” and “Happy Birthday Papa Rolly!” , we reflected on how we want each year of life to be lived intentionally: to give more, serve more, and accomplish God’s purposes for His glory. Our prayer is to finish strong , knowing that each added day is a chance to shine for Christ.  Khmer Chess Match (Pich and David) 🍞 Fa...