{"id":24168,"date":"2023-02-15T10:56:27","date_gmt":"2023-02-15T16:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/?p=24168"},"modified":"2023-06-21T12:30:38","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T18:30:38","slug":"sward-family-february-2023-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/news\/sward-family-february-2023-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"Sward Family February 2023 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sward-2022-prayer-card-photo-1-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-23981 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sward-2022-prayer-card-photo-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sward-2022-prayer-card-photo-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sward-2022-prayer-card-photo-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sward-2022-prayer-card-photo-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sward-2022-prayer-card-photo-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sward-2022-prayer-card-photo-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sward-2022-prayer-card-photo-1-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sward-2022-prayer-card-photo-1-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>In many ways 2023 feels like the start of a new season of ministry.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few new things for us\u2026<\/p>\n<table style=\"background-color: #304d11;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">New Video<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>In December we joined EFM at the Missionary Worldwide Gathering in Thailand. While there, we updated our ministry video and are excited to share it with you! This short video is a great way to learn how God is working through our ministry in Cambodia. Please feel free to share and use it as it fits your needs. If you are unable to download it, please contact the office at <a href=\"mailto:efmspanish@friendsmission.com\">efmspanish@friendsmission.com<\/a>.<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SvEuTHjuJQo\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<table style=\"background-color: #304d11;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">New Church<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>In 2020 I heard about a new church in one of the farthest Kavet villages\u2014near the Cambodia\/Laos border. The Kavet are the largest tribal group in our province, Stung Treng. They speak their own language and have their own unique culture. For generations they lived in the forests and mountains. However, in recent decades, the Kavet have mostly settled in villages, and a small percentage of them have come to Christ.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-24172 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Kavet-Ferry-to-Village-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Kavet-Ferry-to-Village-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Kavet-Ferry-to-Village-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Kavet-Ferry-to-Village-16x12.jpg 16w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Kavet-Ferry-to-Village-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Kavet-Ferry-to-Village.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Because of COVID-19 and impassable roads, I was prevented from visiting this new church until last month. I travelled there on motorbike with another missionary and a Khmer Christian leader. When we finally arrived at the village, we were greeted warmly by around ten believers. One Christian family welcomed us into their spartan home, prepared food, and began sharing how a couple years ago God used a drunken evangelist (!) to lead them to the Lord. Since then, they said their family had experienced peace and freedom from demonic oppression.<\/p>\n<p>We came to later discover that this small group of believers didn\u2019t have a single Bible among them. They did, however, have a Khmer hymnal. But since none of them knew the songs, they didn\u2019t use it that much. When I asked what they did when they met for worship on Sunday, they said they prayed, encouraged each other to stay faithful to Jesus, and took up an offering. That\u2019s it. Week by week, they prayed for each other, encouraged each other, and shared what they had.<\/p>\n<p>Not having a Bible, their understanding of the Christian faith was quite limited, and they were eager to learn. But they\u2019d also clearly encountered the risen Jesus, and they were trying to follow him as best they knew how.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThe wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit\u201d<\/em> (John 3:8).<\/p>\n<table style=\"background-color: #304d11;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">New Bible School<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Bible-School.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-24173 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Bible-School-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Bible-School-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Bible-School-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Bible-School-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Bible-School-16x12.jpg 16w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Bible-School-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Bible-School.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>In 2021 a few Cambodian Christian leaders of different denominations and missionaries from different organizations met together to discuss how we could partner together to train church leaders in our province. After a few delays, last month we finally launched our Stung Treng Bible School with 50 students.<\/p>\n<p>Our Bible School meets one full-day every month (the first Saturday). The first two-year module, consists of three classes\u2014Bible survey, Bible interpretation and teaching (which I\u2019m responsible for), and Christian doctrine.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve seen the Lord\u2019s hand in organizing this school, and in the enthusiasm of the students and we\u2019re eager to see what God will do.<\/p>\n<table style=\"background-color: #304d11;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">New Opportunity<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Our partnering organization, YWAM, has been providing aid to inmates at the local prison for over 20 years (food, blankets, mosquito nets, medicine, etc.). But, despite repeated requests, we&#8217;ve never been able to hold Bible studies in the prison. Recently, however, the new prison director informed us that he\u2019d allow us to meet with prisoners for Bible studies if we built a building on the prison grounds for this purpose. This building would belong to the prison, but we&#8217;d have regular access to it. Since we&#8217;ve seen the fruit of prison ministry in other provinces, this is something we\u2019re very interested in pursuing.<\/p>\n<table style=\"background-color: #aab6ce;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24171 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-16x12.jpg 16w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/td>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24174 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-Staff-and-YWAM-Staff-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-Staff-and-YWAM-Staff-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-Staff-and-YWAM-Staff-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-Staff-and-YWAM-Staff-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-Staff-and-YWAM-Staff-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-Staff-and-YWAM-Staff-16x12.jpg 16w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-Staff-and-YWAM-Staff-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Cambodia-February-2023-Stung-Treng-Prison-Staff-and-YWAM-Staff.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The prison director estimates that the project will cost $7,000. If you\u2019d be interested in contributing to this project, we\u2019d be deeply grateful. To make a donation, you can&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Donate online, on our webpage <a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.friendsmission.com\/sward\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">aqu\u00ed<\/a>. Make sure to select \u201cProjects | EFM Cambodia | Prison Bible Study as the project designation.<\/li>\n<li>Donate by credit card over the phone at 303-421-8100.<\/li>\n<li>Mail a check marked with &#8220;EFM Cambodia Prison Bible Study&#8221; to EFM, PO Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.friendsmission.com\/sward\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-24170 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Support-Button-300x75.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"75\" srcset=\"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Support-Button-300x75.png 300w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Support-Button-1024x256.png 1024w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Support-Button-768x192.png 768w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Support-Button-1536x384.png 1536w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Support-Button-18x5.png 18w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Support-Button-600x150.png 600w, https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sward-Support-Button.png 1667w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; In many ways 2023 feels like the start of a new season of ministry. Here are a few new things for us\u2026 New Video In December we joined EFM at the Missionary Worldwide Gathering in Thailand. While there, we updated our ministry video and are excited to share it with you! This short video [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"full","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[363,368,369,374,367,373],"class_list":{"0":"post-24168","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-news","7":"tag-363","8":"tag-cambodia","9":"tag-pray-for-cambodia","10":"tag-scott-and-andrea","11":"tag-sward","12":"tag-sward-family","13":"entry","14":"has-post-thumbnail"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24168"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24168\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24713,"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24168\/revisions\/24713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendsmission.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}