By: Heather Hui
November 2024
The tough goodbye to Debbie, our field manager, was such a dear memory. I started my missionary journey in 2016 by following and learning from Debbie. It is often said that missionaries are personality superstars: stubborn and egotistical. You can only begin to imagine the adjustment missionaries make and its impact is even harder towards adapting to the local culture.
One time Debbie and I were having dinner together, and we were talking about some disagreements in the ministry that made me unhappy. As a senior field director and an experienced missionary, she could have scolded me, a new-born missionary, but she didn’t. She came over, hugged me, and said “I’m sorry”! At that moment, I was extremely shocked. She was so open and humble, not condescending at all to me, a junior. I fully understood that “I’m sorry” did not mean that she had done anything wrong, but that she was willing to apologize for my feelings and comfort me in the most humble way.
Cambodia FiCF Ministry was founded and developed by Lily and Debbie (there are two other founders). In just 14 years, it has grown to an organization with over 100 service co-workers serving about 600 people. Debbie left the field and I took over; when first asked to, I felt a lot of reluctance since I thought I was not capable. When I feel timid and want to escape, I think of what Debbie often says – “God’s work!” At first, I thought this was missionary humility, but over the past eight years, I have witnessed the truth of this statement. When Debbie was successful, I never saw her taking credit and bragging about her abilities.
Debbie helped me keep my eyes on God and observe His wonderful works all of the time. Therefore, today, I know that God loves Cambodia; God loves FiCF; God is at work. This love and this ministry will not be abolished because of my position in leadership, not is it because of me that this ministry would achieve its fullness. Thinking of this, even though I still feel pressure, I firmly believe that by the time I leave, I will be able to thank and praise God. I will also be able to tell everyone from the bottom of my heart that – this is God’s work!
Everyone is impressed by Lily’s energy, vision, and ability. What I will never forget is that she taught me that while carrying out ministry, I should not forget the importance and value of people. For Lily, I am much grateful. She made me deeply feel how blessed I am to join FiCF. When everyone thinks that missionaries have to give up everything – their family, their own self-sacrifice – she values missionaries and cherishes each of us. The most unforgettable time was when I heard rumors that someone died due to a vaccination in Cambodia and was unwilling to receive the vaccine locally; Lily paid out of her own pocket for me to go to the United States to get vaccinated. For some people, this is willful, let alone for missionaries! Lily is so “unreasonable” to value us. So, slowly, I began to love our local co-workers unreasonably, and this is what FiCF is doing in Cambodia – to restore people’s life with the love of Christ!
許英黎
Heather Hui
基督豐榮團契
駐柬埔寨宣教士
柬埔寨工場主任
暨 小學校長