Why do we build?
By Gary Colfax

In 1995 when the first prayer journey came to Battambang, there were five leaders that were working in the Provincial Capital area. In 1996, Ray and Virginia Canfield came to work with Yiv Poa a local church leader in the Provincial Capital of Battambang. A two story building was rented close to the market area. Even from these early days, believers would come from the country side to study and worship. So the vision that began at that time was to provide a worship center for the local believers to attend that lived in the provincial capital, and to provide a place for believers to come and get trained from the country side locations. The Church moved to a new building in 1996 west of the market (Psa Nat) which is on the same street as the Coffee Shop but closer to the market (since you’ve been here). Ray and Virginia Canfield, when they committed to being in Cambodia 6 months of the year, lived in the church building along with Pastor Poa and his family modeling the Christian life.

When my family and I arrived in Battambang, it was a great building at that time, and we paid $200 a month for four floors, with Pastor Poa and his family on one floor. For a time it fulfilled its purpose, because our concern was not only for the city of Battambang but N.W. Cambodia. Battambang is a strategic location because it is the second largest city of Cambodia, and is the heart of all the agricultural for N.W. Cambodia. At that time, as now, we were receiving invitations to many locations to teach, and there was only one problem; We didn’t have enough leaders to “go out”, and so the solution was to bring some in and teach them. By the time we came to Battambang it was 2000, and things in Cambodia were developing like crazy. The Church building actually was sold twice in our first year in Battambang. Land prices were soaring and the Church was growing. Our main concern was how would we be able to remain in our current location, which was ideal because was in the city center.

When Ray and Virginia lived at the Church, I would come up once a month to visit. We would talk about ministry, pray about ministry, and God began to burden our hearts for the N.W. corner of the City of Battambang. We felt God leading us to have our own place that would be not only a church but a ministry training center for the whole of Northwest area of Cambodia. We had neither money nor a particular location, but we knew God desired us to be in that part of town. We inquired about prices, and we were disappointed. But we kept praying. I was doubtful in the beginning, because our Church was not very big, and how to do all of this and not create dependency? How to do this with the Nationals and create “ownership” all at the same time? Ray was always positive and his tremendous faith was a great encouragement. I was reading Ezekiel 47 at the time, which parallels JN 7:37-39. There were some commitment issues God was dealing with me, and it began “ankle deep”(EZ. 47:3), then “knee deep”(EZ 47:4). I was challenged by all of this, and God was asking me go into the water by not holding back and depending on my self. Then, we prayed more.

During this period of time, Ray and Virginia would split time in Cambodia and Guatemala. In Guatemala, the mission was closing down, and the Mission was selling off property. That’s when we were approached by the landlord to purchase a property by the railroad tracks if we were interested. After the sale of the land in Guatemala was made, we purchased the land we are currently residing on(interestingly the land that was sold in Guatemala was a training center).

Now that the land was ours we began meeting under a blue tarp and a tree on the property and stopped renting the building by the market. The first construction was the fence around the property because we heard a rumor that a road would go through our property or the neighbors, so we got permission to build a concrete fence around the property (2003). Then we built bathrooms on the property, and then a temporary building in 2004.

The Church was growing, but also growing were the small house Churches in the Country Side, and we would have people come in for Bible Classes and seminars. The building we were dreaming of would be a space sufficient for the Church, but also a place big enough to have youth conferences, seminars, and leadership training. We needed a place big enough for 100 folks for the conferences, and the property was sufficient in Battambang. An important thing to understand is that we made these decisions with the local folks, because we wanted them to own the vision. When Dick Clark came from Denair to help build the fence, he trained our guys and gals, how to mix concrete, tie rebar, and to lay block. Considering the fact that they would not have the money to completely fund the project we felt it was important for the them to build it from the ground up.

We were still concerned about “ownership”, and how to lead the people to a place where they would show signs the property was theirs. So after the fence was completed we built a small structure that is now the Sunday school building. During this construction, we found that if we provided the floor and the roof, they could provide the walls. So in 2004, the Church asked about the main building because they desired to have some conferences, and seminars. The agreement was for us to bear the burden of foundation, posts, and the roof. They would then provide walls doors and windows. Cambodia is so hot, who needs walls? Anyway, we would leave on a trip and come back, and I would notice a new wall up. Then another trip and another new wall. So although the building is not completely done, they continue to add bits and pieces towards the building. Our part is done, but they continue to add the needed interior items. They also can decide what they would like the building to look like, what kind of windows, doors, and how to fix or repair the building since they were trained.

The idea of ownership is a difficult one to get people to own, but God is truly faithful. I praise the Lord for Ray and Virginia and their leadership to challenge the people to give. In Philippians 3:12-14* is familiar to most, and for Battambang it is being live out before eyes. Although the work is not finished, we are pressing toward the prize. We are training people from 8 locations, and many from the provincial capital. Infrastructure is continuing to be built and the people are tithing. Thus far in our Ministry Training Center, we not only hold Sunday Worship, but also teach: weekly Theological Education by Extension (TEE) classes, Evangelism Explosion, youth group meetings, and various seminars to help spiritual growth. We also hosted the Evangelical Friends International-Asia Region this last year in Battambang as well.