Here in Cambodia, the hot and dry season is upon us, and it is, well . . . hot and dry. This reminds us to be hot in our zeal for the Lord and to send our spiritual roots deep so we are not dry. We work for God but share the fruits of our labor with you, our partners. Thank you for your financial and prayer support.

As usual, our Christmas season was busy. We had a full house. Visitors came, gifts were given, and the Word of God was preached, with several praying after the service in a Sunday school room. A few days after, we had outreach services in the parking lot of our house; one was Christmas related, and the other was for New Year’s. This has enabled us to make connections with our neighbors.

In January, my wife Suni went to India to help organize and translate for a Ladies’ Conference. The main speaker was Robin Ogle. She and her husband Greg represent and promote a discipleship curriculum called Teaching All Nations, which is used on many mission fields. After the conference was over and the Ogles moved on, Suni was invited by herself to another church, which was over 10 hours away by train. She shared her testimony and lessons learned in the ministry, which in one session numbered about 700 ladies.

While my wife was in India, our daughter was so helpful. Although all three of us were involved, our daughter definitely did the lion’s share of the planning and cooking, and she increased her duties at the church in my wife’s absence.

On the first of February, we moved into a new church location, not too far from our old location. We are very happy, because we have a large yard with plenty of room for outside activities. The auditorium is slightly larger as well. Already, we have seen 16 visitors since the beginning of the year. Ten of these were neighborhood children across the street from our new location, all invited by my wife. My wife is a fierce competitor—I need to get to work!

In a previous letter, I mentioned that we have a new family in our church. The husband is the nephew of Ms. Soline Brown, a dear Cambodian believer who has lived in Rochester, Minnesota, for many years. Through her witness, her nephew and his wife had already come to Christ before they joined our church. We are planning to baptize them at the end of March.

Our son attends an ACE school (Accelerated Christian Education). This past November, he went to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to represent his school at one of the regional conventions put together by this organization. The competition included many different events and skills, including singing. Our son’s trio was honored by the judges by choosing them to sing a beautiful Christian song on the final night in front of some 700 competitors and delegates.

We thank God for Missionary Pastor Mike Valdez and his dedicated staff who operate the Christian school in Phnom Penh, where our children and so many others have been challenged to present their bodies a living sacrifice and to use their talents for the Lord. Brother
Mike Valdez, only eternity will reveal what your personal sacrifice and your family’s sacrifice have accomplished. The same can be said for every teacher and supervisor who has been a part of Academy International Cambodia.

Please pray for:

• Our new location; pray that we will use it to its capacity.
• Vissot, a faithful youth who has had a difficult time understanding salvation.
• Outreach near our house.
• Our children’s future educational plans after graduation.

Sincerely,

Walter and Suni Poole