“Father’s Day”

On this unique holiday, we are deeply inspired and touched by Brother Eddie Chiu’s article “The Sky Where Father and Daughter Grow together“! Entering the sky where his daughter is growing up, although the sky is not always blue, Eddy realizes that “when a father holds his daughter’s hand, he will hold her heart forever!”  It is indeed enviable!

However, in the father-and-daughter stories all over the world, not all daughters are growing up under the loving care of their fathers. Even in North America where women are deem precious, fathers caring for their daughters are still consider rare. Not to say in the patriarchal society of Cambodia, it is considered almost unheard of! Although it is not all neglect or abuse, it is difficult for girls to be encouraged, nurtured and cultivated since childhood!  As I wrote in the article “Women and Men Sharing Equal Honor and Glory in Christ” (link) last year, “like all the other similar mission organizations, while we are tirelessly rescuing women and girls who are sexually abused, violated, and exploited, even as incest victims at the lower stream of this social culture “river”, there are even more such unfortunate ones flowing down from the upstream! While a small portion was rescued, a much larger number of them flowed by us, and were then disappeared and lost! Our hearts are broken with deep compassion and sadness!

In the beginning of 2020, we discussed and planned with our Board member, Dr. Melvin Wong, a California licensed psychologist, on a new vision and project in Cambodia, “Pleroma Men’s Ministry”. While actively researching and strategizing on the ministry, we were disrupted and delayed by the global pandemic outbreak. We sincerely pray that, in God’s guidance, we can restart the project this year. With the gospel of Jesus, we plan on nurturing the male leaders to exemplify fatherly image in the community: to love and respect their wives, daughters, and the women they are living with and co-working with in their homes, churches, schools, and societies. Women and men work side-by-side, enjoying equal respect and honor, in living out abundant lives God destined equally for both women and men during creation. 

During this meaningful Father’s Day, we are blessed with Dr. Wong’s article “On Being a Godly Father”.  Combining his past mission experiences in America and South Eastern Asian countries, he expounds concretely in strategizing and materializing these “Men’s Ministries” in Cambodia.  We witness that our God, not only loves our girls in special ways, he is also merciful towards the men who have been deceived and swayed by these biased and unjust gender traditional cultures!