Four months ago, as I went out sharing the Gospel of Jesus in the southern Russey village, I met a widow who was making woven rugs. Her name is Nong Sokkorn, a fifty-eight year old, from the Prusat Province. She had moved to Russey Village because her children are still very young; she has one son and two daughters. As we spoke, she told me how hard it is to raise up young children being a single mother. She had to work so hard that she fell into an illness causing numbness in the hands and legs, and diabetes which caused her semi blindness.

As she told me of her problems, I could see a longing in her eyes for an explanation of why all this was happening to her. I took the opportunity to tell her of the sin problem and how it has plagued our world with disease and problems. I also told her of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to save this world from sin. I asked her to allow me to pray for her, telling Christ all her problems.

I dropped by her place every time I visited the village to see how she was and to give her Bible studies. Two weeks after our first meeting she showed up at church. After a few visits to our church, she said she could see changes taking place in her life. She could feel the new experiences of having less concern and less stress in her life. She did not worry as much about her worldly problems, but she now felt joy and hope in the truth of Christ. “Aunty” Nong Sokkorn shares this experience with our church members, saying that there seems to be some kind of power that she is sure comes from God. It is this power that helps her to gain more strength and feel peace in her heart.

Aunty Sokkorn also said that she keeps praying to the Lord for forgiveness and asks that God continues to change her life for the better. She prays that he will help her faith to become stronger and help her to trust in Christ as she experiences physical trials. She also prays for her eye sight. She trusts that God will give her peace from the worldly trials she suffers from and will give her peace with her neighbors. She believes that God will send His Spirit to lead her out of the world of darkness. Her new hope is salvation through Christ and that she will have eternal life in heaven with God.

-Meghan Scully