Cambodian CRC Starts Rebuilding

Volunteers from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee's Disaster Response Services are busy in Utah this week, helping to rebuild a church that was burned by arsonists 2 1/2 years ago.

The building belonged to the Cambodian CRC in the Western suburbs of Salt Lake City. The CRWRC is the disaster response, emergency relief and community rebuilding agency of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

When it was destroyed by fire on Oct. 2007, the loss was a blow to the 80 or so members of the congregation, but it didn't hinder them from their vision of reaching out to the members of their multi-ethnic community.

"Since the arson in 2007, God has done incredible things for the Cambodian Christian Reformed Church. What others have viewed as a loss for us, God viewed as a growing opportunity for the church, and we have grown," says the church's website.

The church has also been busy raising funds to build a new church. In November 2007, CRWRC and Christian Reformed Home Missions sent a letter to CRC congregations in the U.S. requesting funds to help the church rebuild. Dozens of CRCs and individuals responded. CRWRC also contributed about $50,000 towards the cause.

The church has now raised enough money to begin working on the building. On Jan. 3, they held a groundbreaking ceremony. CRWRC is now helping them by arranging for groups of volunteers to work on the construction. This week, those volunteers were five men from Manhattan, Mont.

"By Thursday noon we met our goal of completing the foundation and it's ready for plumbing and electrical work next week," said Keith Venema, the leader of the Manhattan group.

During the week of Feb.15, five additional volunteers this time from Orland Park, Il, will begin the framing. At this point, the church has only raised enough funds for the excavation, foundation, and part of the faming for the new building. They have faith, however, that God will provide the rest in time.

"I'm like Moses today, because when Moses led Israel out of Egypt and he walked towards the sea, in front of him was the sea and behind him were the Egyptians. He was sandwiched between them, but he kneeled down and prayed and God opened the sea for him to escape from the Egyptians," said Charlie Phim, pastor of the Cambodian CRC.

"I'm in the same position right now. In my circumstance, I don't have money. But God is going to give me the power. That's what I believe. God is going to give me the church."

For more information, visit the Cambodian CRC website. To make a donation, click here.