Left to right: Cambodian friend, Karla and Fabiano Franz (Brazil). Karla was a volunteer for ADRA, Fabiano was first for Cambodia Adventist Mission (CAM), and later for ADRA. EunieLou and Dudley Banuag (Philippines). EunieLou was CAM's accountant, Dudley was a volunteer for ADRA. Standing: Carina and Hernan Fücks (Argentina), CAM Volunteers. Hernan is a civil engineer supervising building and drawing construction plans, Carina is music teacher and church pianist. Sitting in front is Agusta Pheng with her son Leslie. Agusta is from Malaysia and is a CAM accountant. Ronny Meyer (Argentina), Joy Lee Ju Yeon (Korea), and Vanessa Cantoneros, (Philippines) were 1000 Missionary Movement Volunteers teaching English in Cambodia.

Back row: Sam Feinauer (Germany) ADRA Volunteer. Hernan Fücks (Argentina) CAM Volunteer. Ross McKenzie (Australia) CAM Volunteer. Un Kamrang (Cambodia). Fay Scott (USA) Assistant CAM Volunteer Coordinator.
Middle: Carina Fücks (Argentina) CAM Volunteer. Christian friend working for another NGO in Cambodia (no name remembered).
Front: Sirill Torkleson (Norway) ADRA Volunteer. Karla Franz (Brazil) ADRA Volunteer. EunieLou Banuag (Philippines) CAM Accountant.

Carina Fücks with Cambodian Children in Battambang, Cambodia.

Phnom Penh Adventist School Choir giving special music on Sabbath. Accompanied and directed by Carina Fücks.

Without volunteers, the work in Cambodia would be much smaller. The church attempted to evangelize and develop a presence in this country in the 1960's and early 70's. The records show that there were 13 Cambodians baptized during that time. However, due to Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge, and the Vietnamese invasion, there was no active Adventist work in Cambodia from 1975 until 1993.
Then one of the first volunteers, Ben Davis, served with Adventist Frontier Missions (AFM), and several others worked for ADRA. Ben served for a time as a pastor and is still in Cambodia working with ADRA, currently in the northern province of Preah Vihear. He is drilling and blasting wells for clean water for communities where this is in short supply. He speaks fluent Khmer and preaches and teaches Christianity both with words and actions.
Mark Schizow was another young man who came to Cambodia several years ago and continues to work with ADRA. He helps in translating sermons, teaching Sabbath School and playing his trumpet to accompany groups and the congregation in songs.
The schools are an outreach to the community which result in nearly 20 baptisms per year. A number of young people have volunteered to teach English in our schools. Currently, we have six volunteers and they are well liked as teachers by the Khmer students. They have opportunities to visit homes and interact with young people their own age. Many of the students choose to attend church, as they see their teachers doing each week, to learn about Jesus. Several volunteers, trained at the 1000 Missionary Movement in the Philippines, also serve in Cambodia and teach English to interested young people. Many seeds were planted among their students, Bible studies were part of the program, and now in our churches are a number of former students, some baptized and serving in Global Mission or other church programs in Cambodia.
Ross McKenzie came here to teach English and work with University students. He realized that these young people had few skills and lacked knowledge in many areas. He challenged the young people in a "Self-Improvement" class to start a small business. Healthland Products, a health food industry began with peanut butter as it's first product.

Now almost three years later, several other products are being produced and the young people have realized that they have potential to develop their own industries and country. Ross came as a volunteer and has chosen to stay on, indefinitely.
There seems to be something special about Cambodia. Volunteers usually choose to serve longer than one year. Another young lady, Margie Jones, a former AFM volunteer, was working in Kompong Cham Province teaching English and helping with the studies of the AFM family's children. She has decided to return to Cambodia and work as a full time missionary. Emmanuel LeFevre came as a volunteer and has returned with his wife to serve as AFM missionaries. Karla Scarbrough, now Karla LeFevre, volunteered here in Cambodia as well as in Thailand. Daniel Menkens from Australia has served two years in the English Language School here in Phnom Penh. One of the current volunteers doesn't know what the future holds, but he has the desire to return and perhaps work in this country after his education is completed.
Fabiano and Carla Franz came as volunteers from Brazil. Fabiano taught English and P.E. while his wife worked with ADRA in Proposal Writing and Reporting. When Fabiano had the opportunity to assist in relief work with ADRA during a period of flooding, he was eager to do so. Now, they they have moved to Uzbekistan as ADRA Directors, having learned much and contributed much to Cambodia. One of their first projects is to assist in the war-torn neighboring country of Afghanistan.
Currently, a young couple, Carina and Hernan Fücks, have come from Argentina to serve as volunteers in Cambodia. They left their families behind a year ago in a country that has seen much turmoil and hardship to serve the Lord in another country. Hernan is a Civil Engineer and his expertise has been utilized extensively in assisting the building program of the Church in this country. He has designed structures as well as supervised teams on the job. He came as a Spanish speaker only, but through the help of his wife Hernan has learned English and some basic Khmer in only six months. Carina has served for more than one year in the Phnom Penh SDA School teaching English and Music. Her talents are also used each Sabbath in the church to accompany song service, hymns and special music on the piano. Together, this couple bring an additional international flavor and contribution to the church.
Many Cambodians have come to see Christianity as a positive influence in their country through the efforts of the volunteers who selflessly share of themselves. The SDA church membership in Cambodia now numbers more than 3,000. There are definitely Cambodian people who attend church and serve in the church who have have learned to love Jesus through the efforts of volunteers.

By: Tim Scott,
Education Director,
Cambodia SDA Mission