親愛的親友，主內弟兄姊妹們平安：
哈利路亞！我們的主耶穌基督已復活了！雖然新冠疫情已進入第二年，唯願主復活的大能帶來盼望。我們上一封代禱信說，過去一年柬埔寨的疫情不算嚴重，只有530人確診，無人死亡。但在2月20日開始疫症大爆發，到4月4日，短短個多月已有2,159人確診，19人死亡。政府下令學校停課，禁止在公共場所、酒吧、賭場、娛樂場所和教會舉行聚會。上星期教會附近的街市有人確診，更有人因新冠肺炎死亡。金邊最大的市場「烏亞西」有20多名商販和守衛確診，全街市有商販7千人，已有1千人接受檢疫，街市從4月4日開始要關閉14天。從4月1至14日，金邊晚上8時到翌日早上5時宵禁。
4名中國女士從外地入境金邊，按規定應在一間五星級酒店隔離14天，但她們賄賂守衛，讓她們從消防通道離開酒店去探望朋友，又去了幾個娛樂場所。她們不知道自己已受感染，因而開始了2月20日的疫症大爆發，早前又有六名從中國來的人在確診後失蹤。這些事件導致本地人對中國人有些歧視。
新冠疫情嚴峻，教會附近的街市有人因新冠肺炎病逝。現在柬埔寨政府提供免費疫苗，給本國人接種。我們將於4月23日回加拿大，到達溫哥華時隨即進行檢測，並在酒店隔離三天等候結果，如無感染便可回卡加利居家隔離12天。回加拿大後，我們會接種新冠疫苗。請為我們在這段時間能得到天父保守代禱。
多謝您們的關心，代禱和支持我們在柬埔寨的事工。以下是我們感恩和求恩的事項：
感恩事項：
- 我們兩人的身心靈都好，有主給我們的平安。平常多留在家中，在網上聚會、祈禱及教導。
- 最近有消息傳來，一位婆婆因新冠肺炎病逝，她有一名孫子在我們的幼稚園讀書。因為經已停課個半月，因而未有傳染給其他同學。
- 政府頒布限聚令，教會不能舉行實體聚會，本地同工和會友學會用Zoom來崇拜。從3月28日開始，有16單位參加。
祈禱事項：
- 為那些沒有智能手機或家中沒有互聯網的會友代禱，他們未能參加網上聚會，求天父憐憫叫他們不會失去愛主的心。
- 在疫情期間有些會友冷淡了，沒有回到教會，其中以前的宿生Bopha又因工作壓力，對神失去信心而停止了聚會。求主施恩憐憫。
- 為教會的同工們在信心上能站立得穩，多依靠天父並得到從祂而來的愛心、力量去關顧會友禱告。
- 在幼稚園停課期間，每月只能發百分之八十的工資給老師及員工。請記念老師，媬姆和職員身心靈的需要。
- 柬埔寨政府官員的抗疫措施能有效及公開，市民能與政府合作。
多謝你們的關心，代禱和支持。如有空，請分享你們的動態，我們可以互相代求。
主內
約瑟，月甜上
2021年4月
Dear Family and friends,
Hallelujah, our Lord Jesus has risen! The hope in the resurrected power of Jesus Christ is sustaining us through the second year of pandemic. We mentioned in our last prayer letter in February that we were safe in Cambodia from Covid 19 virus. However, since February 20 there have had 2159 cases and 19 deaths as of April 4th. Before this date we had only 530 cases and no death. So, the government asks the people not to gather in public meetings, schools, bars, and casinos. In Phnom Penh, the capital is under curfew from 8pm to 5am on April 1-14. The biggest Orussey Market near Chinatown in Phnom Penh is closed for 14 days from April 4-17.
From the news we learned that four COVID-19 positive Chinese nationals escaped from Sokha Hotel which is one of the quarantine accommodations for new arrivals and returnees. They bribed the security guard and left the hotel. This caused chaos and panic, triggering lockdowns in six provinces. As a surge in community outbreak so the government and the health department are trying extremely hard to contain the spread.
Because of the surge of Covid 19 cases and there are a few cases near our church where we are staying so we decided to fly back to Calgary, Canada on April 23 even though the cases in Alberta are high too. We will fly to Vancouver via Korea. Will stay in a government approved hotel for three days waiting for the Covid 19 swab test result. Then we fly back home to Calgary and self-quarantine for another 12 days. Please remember our trip that we are kept safe in God’s hand.
Thank you very much for partnership with us in our ministry. Your care, prayer and support help us serve God and the people in Cambodia. Please continue to praise God and pray for our needs.
Here are our praise and prayer items:
Praise items:
- Two of us are in good health and spirit staying home except going to the market, bank etc. We use Zoom for meetings and teaching.
- We heard that a lady who died recently because of Covid lived close to our school and had a grandkid studying at our kindergarten. God kept us safe since no school for a month and a half already.
- Our Khmer pastor is willing to learn to use Zoom for worship and prayer meetings. We have started Sunday worship since March 28 with 16 units. Some of our church members have no smart phones and some do not have internet connections.
Prayer items:
- For the spiritual life of our church members who have stopped coming to church since last year. One of them is Bopha who used to be our dorm student. Now she has a family and a steady job. But in the last few months she has encountered problems at work and she stopped coming to church.
- For our church staff that they stand firm in their faith and have great heart to care for the members through creative ways.
- For the teachers and staff of the kindergarten and nursery that they can preserve and trust God for provision. They are paid 80% of their monthly salary as the kindergarten and nursery are closed temporarily.
- For the Khmer government officials that they have wisdom and transparency in fighting Covid so that the people can go back to normal life again.
Thank you very much!
In His service,
Joseph and Liza Ng
