Called to Call Others —— A Local Pastor’s Journey of Faith and Calling

By: Sokha Khuon
August, 2026

My name is Sokha Khuon, and I serve as a youth pastor at Pleroma school for Girls and Methodist Church in Phnom Penh. I accepted Christ in 2016, was baptized in 2018, and graduated from Phnom Penh Bible School in 2022.

When I first entered Bible school, my desire was simple—I wanted to know who God truly is. I had many questions about my faith, and through my years of study, I gradually came to know the God I believed in more deeply. During that time, I also began to sense that God was calling me to teach His Word.

At first, I served alongside Pastor Touch Sophan Ny, who had been teaching Bible classes at Pleroma High School for Girls before me. Through the partnership between the church and the school, I was given the opportunity to observe and learn. Later, I began teaching on my own. I was nervous, but I chose to trust God and faithfully serve wherever He led me.

For two years, I served as a volunteer while continuing to pray, “Lord, are You truly calling me to serve here?” By the time I completed my fourth year of Bible school, God had answered that prayer.

As I spent time with the girls, I realized that many of them came from backgrounds similar to my own. Like me, they were searching for hope, purpose, and unconditional love. Jesus had transformed my life and given me a new purpose, and I longed for these girls to experience the same love that I had received. That conviction led me to accept God’s call to serve full-time at the girls’ school, where I have now been serving for the past three years.

Serving as a Cambodian pastor is not easy

Cambodia is still recovering from the effects of war, and poverty remains a daily reality for many families. Because people often struggle to meet their basic physical needs, many are more concerned about food and survival than hearing the gospel.

Being a local pastor also brings unique challenges. Many pastors cannot serve full-time because they must support themselves through other jobs, such as teaching or running small businesses. Sadly, people often place greater value on pastors who have financial resources or receive support from overseas. As a result, some churches have gradually lost members and eventually closed because they lacked both financial support and leadership.

Serving as a school pastor brings its own challenges as well. It requires great patience, flexibility, and perseverance. During my first year, many students rejected the Bible lessons and showed little interest in participating. There were moments when I felt discouraged and questioned whether I was making any difference. I could only continue praying and asking God for strength.

Another challenge was balancing multiple responsibilities. Besides teaching the Bible, I also carried many of the responsibilities expected of a full-time staff member. At times I found myself wondering, “What is my primary calling? What has God truly asked me to do?”

In His faithfulness, God answered those prayers

Today, I am thankful that I no longer serve alone. We now have a pastoral team that encourages and supports one another. We also have a dedicated Bible classroom where students can gather, learn, and grow together. This is something I had long hoped to see, and I truly believe it is God’s work.

Over the past year, I have seen students becoming more engaged during Bible classes, and more girls have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Seeing these changes gives me confidence that God is continuing to work in the lives of our students, and I believe He will continue to do even greater things in the future.

I thank God for establishing this school as a blessing to girls throughout Cambodia. Whatever challenges may come, I believe God will continue to use this ministry for His Kingdom so that more girls will experience His love and receive the gift of eternal life.

I am also deeply grateful for every leader and staff member who faithfully serves in this ministry. May God continue to bless those who serve Him faithfully. Circumstances may change, but God never changes.

Please pray for us

Pray that God will continue to bring the right people to serve at the school and give wisdom to our leaders as they recruit new staff.

Please also pray for me. God has placed in my heart a vision to plant a church within the school community—one that will nurture students as disciples of Christ and equip them to serve others and share the gospel. Please pray that God will give me strength, wisdom, and perseverance as I continue to follow this calling.

Finally, please pray that every staff member in our school would come to know Christ personally and discover His calling for their lives. May God continue to provide for every need of this ministry and soften the hearts of our students so that they will receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.