Friday, 10 August 2007

Cambodian roller-coaster

'30 Days of Hope, Cambodia' is a Joyce Meyer Ministries outreach initiative into this nation, entering its last four days in Phnom Penh. Three excellent weeks have already been spent in the provinces. Hillsong and Delirious are combining in this time with music to reach the new generation here.

24 hours out from the scheduled meetings, it was announced that permission to use the 7000-seater central city stadium had been overturned. Meetings had to be scaled back into two venues - Chenla theatre (seats 1000 at a Cambodian squeeze) and a church that can take perhaps 3000 with video overflow.

Susie and I headed to Chenla deliberately late, so that Khmer people got in ahead of us. So, we turn up well after it is going - and get usshered like VIP guests to sit right up the very front - a couple of arm-lengths away from Joyce. What a giggle - and an excellent message too. We were temporarily dampened by someone taking a liking to Susie's handbag. PTLA - like loving daughter Kara says, it is good to know that Joyce gets all sorts to her meetings!

Back to the roller-coaster - at the end of the meeting it is announced that 'the authorities' are closing the Chenla Theatre meetings. Everything now must move to the church - with meetings split into morning attendees and afternoon attendees. The key Hillsong and Delirious events looked to be reduced to almost nothing.

Delirious concert? Martin getting all the under 25's to the front this morning during what looked to be 'it' - 45 minutes with the converted.
At the conclusion of Joyce teaching at the morning session, it was announced that there has been a development - that the stadium is now a go for Saturday and Sunday nights. Obviously, stuff is being stirred. There was a large police and army presence outside the church building this morning. Cambodians are very easy going and just enjoy the journey, whichever way it is currently going - but they sure knew how to rejoice when the stadium news came through!!

Exiting the meeting - my Aussie buddy Patrick and no-turn, no-smile Susie

If this looks crowded, you should see the roads!

Please remember our city this weekend. The degree of opposition is only an indicator of the degree of importance this time is.

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