This is confirmed as Ms. Kathleen Lauder has been appointed as my successor, and she is now here in Cambodia as we work together to transfer responsibility and help her settle in. We thank the Lord for calling her to Cambodia to be the coach/leader to a wonderful team of national and international coworkers.
In many ways, Edith and I feel we are leaving a family of colleagues in ministry that we have come to love. I’ll miss travelling with them, debating with them, co-facilitating training, and welcoming participants to our workshops. I’ll miss our ‘deep’ times when we were spiritually engaged in prayer and digging in God’s word together. Edith and I really believe the time is right for us to return to our own family and coworkers in Canada – even though we do not know what God is calling for us to do next. But we know and trust that the Lord is leading as we prepare to leave Cambodia.
Rachel Brink, our coworker in Cambodia, is also leaving at this time. Rachel provided advisor support to our national program team, including Program Team Leader Rev. Sar Paulerk and Program Manager Neth Sovann. We have experienced much progress in the competency of our staff to the point where we felt it was possible now to make this change. When Rachel wraps up in August, she we will have assisted the team in completing all the reporting submissions for the year to our funding partners.
Though it means changes in our and Rachel’s lives, we are prepared to step aside so that Kathleen and the national team can regroup and grow together. In the meantime, we are committed to work with the Asia Team Leader to provide ongoing support beyond the face-to-face transition.
It has been a blessing for us to have your support over the years, and it has been a blessing for us to be used by God to be a blessing. I know that goes for all of us. Our colleagues—whether at East-West School where Edith taught this past year, or our Cambodian colleagues at World Renew in Cambodia—have been generous in their positive feedback. It is our hope that we will stay in touch, remembering that God is using us wherever He may take us! To Him be the glory!
Prayers:
- Campaign efforts in the national elections here are becoming messy, peppered with insults and innuendo. Pray that it will not escalate into tragedy.
- For the leadership of Cambodia and for a free and fair election process.
- For the leadership of World Renew in Cambodia as we prepare for the departure of Rick & Edith and Rachel and for the installation of Kathleen in the coming months. Pray that this will go smoothly and that all will be able to adapt to the changes in the next three months.
- For our team as we continue to make plans for the next phase of our work with some of our partners.
- For a nephew of Rick and Edith’s who is having surgery to remove a kidney that has a cancerous tumor.
- For a safe and restful visit for Rachel with her friends and family in the US from late June to early July .
Rick DeGraaf
Country Consultant
World Renew Cambodia