It has been a while since we have told you any information regarding the Health and Hygiene Program. There has been lots of fruit as a result of this teaching that combines good health and hygiene practices with the Gospel. The program has opened up many doors for us and people have come to the Lord and churches have been planted as a result. We have invited people from other denominations to join us in our seminars so they can take it to their churches and teach some of their leaders. As a result the program has grown leaps and bounds—to the point that we don't know everyone who is using it, where they are using it and when. That is fine with us as we know God is being glorified. The following letter is from a participant from another church. Although she uses our names, the truth is that the entire program has been a huge joint effort and there have been many people who helped get the program to this point. This letter is being sent out as an update for all who are interested in hearing more, but also as an encouragement to all of our fellow laborers that have helped us with this program from day one (too many to list)—and that includes all the prayer warriors out there. This was a difficult letter for her to write in English, so I didn't want to change a thing, even though it can be a little hard to read. Here it is:

Note from Navy about the Health and Hygiene Program:

Dear Matt and Lois,

First of all I would like to say "how do you do" and sorry for being late for my report to you because so far I am busy with many tasks in the center and engaging to teach in the provinces. And after that the mental disorder disease of my older son started to plague him that need to be treated at hospital immediately. Currently, he does not realize and get better yet. It is a serious disease that needs to spend time and patience to see. I hope Matt and Lois will forgive me. I am sorry.

Please Matt and Lois tell the director over there and to those whom contributed to me, community and Christian youth for Health Care Training Course in Cambodia, their endeavor have been reflected as a good result and benefit was given the whole for Cambodian people.

For me, I decided my best to learn about these rational activities, offered kindly by all of you, and I took what I gained from you to teach my people in their community in which they never get this generously teaching. As Cambodia have just realized from civil war, poverty, illiteracy, and living condition (sanitation of people) is the most critical issue that government has intend to eliminate. Even I faced troublesome with poor infrastructure for traveling in remote areas, but I have strong commitment and hopefully toward my obligation by hoping that my struggling will contribute and comprehend the general awareness to my compatriot.

While I was teaching to people, youth, and authority over there they had interesting and participated. They were every glad particularly all the breadwinner (husband) because they could get this knowledge (method) to take care about himself, essentially his family as well as their wives, knowing about how to make sanitation for daily living on self health care, eating nutrition food, and cleaning in housing in order to staying in healthy way.

After a month was gone, I went there again in order for follow up and inform them. The test revealed that there was a high level of understanding about this course. Namely, they were all practice technically according to what the lesson taught in which they could know how to drinking safety of clean water, taking medicine in the right way and kept in safety place, self sanitation including nice dressing, and knowing the negative impact of wasted disposal that it would drive harmful for not only their health but also to the others if those things were not managed in the technically way. Furthermore, they could not know the way to treat their wound if there was any tiny accident occurred.

Obviously, I told them all the lessons they had learnt was contributed and devoted by all of you at oversea thus the people in the community and authority over there expressed deeply gratitude to you. Since the first month of this year, I also went to teach at many provinces such as Takeo province at Prey Kcheay vilage for three times. And in Prey Veng province at Chman Lort, Sm Por, and Prey Sangkom for two times. And in Kam Pot province at Por Dos village for two times and followed up them after teaching was offered during a month later as well.

I found this a great achievement is a fruitful result coming from yours in which it helps me reduce my social depression, poverty, and saved my people growth toward living in good condition and good friendly environment. As a result currently, I am a teacher in charge of this training course for KCC (Para-Church Organization).

Finally, I would like to express my deepest thank and highest merit to all of you that bring this important mission for the great beneficial to my people and my nation. Thanks Matt and Lois!

Matt good luck and good health to all of you! May God Bless You!

Respectfully, 

Kim Ponnavy    Phnom Penh, May 18, 2010