A Pastor and his assistant began dreaming how they could make a difference in their village. After participating in Cheas Ponleu training they were intrdoced to the idea of Seed Projects, small short-term projects that involve the whole community, use local resources, and give praise to God.The village road is always in bad repair. The monsoon rains each year keep eating away at the dirt until pot-holes the size of cars make travel difficult.
In the past, the village chief had collected money from all the village, but kept the funds for himself. As a result, the village was distrustful of new attempts to repair the roads, thinking they would lose their money again.However, to give respect to the village chief, the pastor approached him and asked permission to repair the road. He readily agreed.The pastor talked with his church members and organised a day to repair a 400meter stretch of damaged road. But he felt afraid to approach the rest of the village, fearing they would refuse to help because of their past experience of betrayal.A simple plan to repair the village road turned into an amazing event where past failure and betrayal was overcome. Where a village that was divided was brought together, where animists and atheists praised God, and the fatalistic attitudes of the village were challenged.
10 people from the church turned up to begin repairing the road.
As the day went on villagers travelled the stretch of road and saw what the church members were doing. Intruiged, shamed, excited, the villagers stopped what they were doing, paused their journeys and helped out. Soon over 20 villagers were helping out to haul dirt, drain puddles and set up refreshments for the workers.
No money was used for this project. Just labour, personal equipment, and food.
By the end of the day, a long stretch of road had transformed from a muddy, treacherous path, to a useable street useable for travel and work.
The village chief was amazed. He was grateful that the church had taken in upon themselves to plan this seed project. He was awestruck that the rest of the village had stopped what they were doing to help out. And by the end of the day, though he is not a Christian, he was thanking God for this wonderful situation.
GodA village elder, burned out by the lack of action by Buddhists praised the Christians saying, "Christians actually do what they preach!". He offered money to the village chief to erect a shrine on the road with a sign saying, "The road was made by the Christians". The pastor smiled politely and declined the offer of gratitude. "We don't need a sign. This road is for everyone."At the end of the day, the villages got back on their bicycles, or started walking on their way again. And they all decided that they should repeat this day's effort regularly. Once every month. To keep the road in good repair.
The seed project was more than a success. The patch of road was repaired, and streets of openness were built from the Christians to the rest of the village. Relationships that had been hurt by past betrayal were open again to each other.
In many villages across Cambodia, Cheas Ponleu is helping pastors and their churches to engage the villages and communties they live in, to find ways to practically help out the needs of their community, and repair broken relationships, so that God would be praised by all.
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