Varin Primitive Baptist Fellowship

Varin Primitive Baptist Fellowship
Varin, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia

It has been our intention from the outset of our journey to Cambodia to coordinate efforts in providing humanitarian aid to the believers in this nation. We have intended to advance these efforts through the careful identification of needs and publication of those specific items in a forum which will provide opportunity for those whom God has impressed to give financially to give in an anonymous manner to fund specific projects with a degree of accountability and assurance that their funding is being used for the specified purpose. The precise method of these postings has not yet been finalized, however, the needs are already becoming apparent, so it is my intention to begin sharing some of the details of these needs/requests and to begin introducing you to the people and fellowships who have captured our hearts.

The congregation at Varin is comprised weekly of between 65 and 100 individuals who are largely a very poor people. They live and work in a very underpriviledged rural community in the North East corner of Siem Reap Province. Their leader is Brother David Phean who returned to Cambodia after many years as a refugee in the USA and has labored tirelessly to bring the gospel to his home community and family members. Brother David was a member of the Cambodian armed forces in 1975 when the Khmer Rouge overthrew the government. David was marked for death, and by God’s grace was enabled to escape to Thailand with his family. As a direct result of his escape, his extended family were punished severely and his hometown was dealt with in a particularly harsh manner. Having been brought to faith in Christ while living in America, David made the decision to sacrifice his life in the USA including leaving behind 4 grown children and their families to return to ministry in Cambodia.

David was able to purchase approximately 5 acres of land just outside of the town of Varin which he has dedicated to the church and the community of believers. He has specified that the land be utilized to provide training in agriculture and for the use of the church for a meeting place.

When Elder Jamey Tucker and I first visited Varin, January, 2008, the land was little developed and the church had only begun meeting a short while before. We have witnessed a continual growth of the congregation both in numbers and in understanding as well as a continued improvement to the land and facilities. Brother David has on several occassions made known to us his plans/desires for the work, but has never directly requested funding or assistance in the performance of the work. He has personally overseen (and funded) the construction of a pastor’s residence, meeting house, and restroom facilities on the land, as well as the digging of two tanks for farming fish and the drilling of a well to provide water for the community.

In September 2008, on our third visit to Cambodia, Brother Jamey and I were blessed to baptize 52 individuals from the Varin Fellowship upon profession of their faith in Christ and their belief in God’s sovereignty in salvation. The congregation has adopted the name, Varin Primitive Baptist Fellowship for their identity in their community.

With all of the above introduction out of the way, Brother David has provided to us at our request a list of projects/needs that he has identified for the fellowship at Varin. We are sharing these requests in hopes that you will prayerfully consider contributing to the completion of these tasks which will make a tremendous difference in the lives of the believers in Varin and in impacting the community in a positive way opening doors for further ministry and proclamation of God’s word.

In addition to the above list of financial needs, we desire your continual prayer for the people involved in the Varin Fellowship. As with any time that people begin to give themselves to the work of the ministry Satan stands waiting to attack and to discourage. The congregation at Varin has not been immune to these attacks. Men whom they have looked to as leaders have been revealed to be selfishly motivated and have departed from the faith. Financial and health crisis have struck at individual families in their number. Please pray that God will establish a sound and blameless ministry to preach His word in these communities and to lift up the hands of those who, like David, have labored to this point.