What I Saw The Other Day

One of my constant prayers has been that the Lord would allow me to see what He sees and to feel what He feels. I know that I cannot handle all of what He sees and feels, but I also know that He will not put more on me than I can stand. I pray this way so that I can stay sensitive to the needs of a lost and broken world. Since living in Cambodia, I must say that at times, it has been overwhelming to see the needs around me.

I was riding back on my motorcycle to the house that we were staying in last week when the Holy Spirit just gave me a small glimpse of what He sees every second of everyday. As I left Heritage House, I felt that small voice inside whispering for me to "open my eyes." This is what I saw on my five mile ride home:

• A woman craddling an infant in her arms bowing down in front of two monks as they chanted "blessings" over her. I cannot imagine how desperate a mother must feel in this society. She was just wanting to know that things would be alright for her child in this life.
• A girl on a bridge just staring off at nothing. Her face was etched with sorrow and hopelessness. Yesterday an 18 year old girl here hung herself beside Heritage House because she could not handle the sorrow any longer. Did she ever hear the Message?
• A poor city. Poverty that most of us in the west cannot imagine. Boys playing in the open sewers, small thatch "houses" with multiple families living in them, and filthy children playing in the streets. I wish that I could put into words what the scene was like. I ached as I rode and thought that could my children.
• A young child (possibly two) playing in the middle of the street as cars, motos and bicycles pass by on all sides.
• A row of restaurants that serve as brothels. I saw teenage "beer girls" standing outside with the look of someone who has already given up on life on their face. At 16,17,18, these girls have lived lives harder than you or I will if we live to be 80 years old.

As I drove, I could sense the Holy Spirit speaking to me of the needs all around and that He wanted to meet each person individually. God does not see us as a mass of humanity, some nations rich and some poor. He sees individuals, men and women, boys and girls as we are - all created in His image, all broken from the sin in our own lives, all in need of a Savior.

I see these images, ones forever impressed upon my heart, and I want to scream, I want to cry, I want to give it all away so that others can know how much Jesus loves them. After these experiences, I usually make it home and all I can do is pray. Pray for God to use my family as His voice. Pray that we will not talk about being the hands and feet for Jesus, but that we will be His hands and feet.

That was my ride home. What was yours like? Did you ask the Holy Spirit to allow you to see the needs around you? Have you really listened to those that you work with? Have you talked to your neighbor in awhile. Please don't just invite them to Church. Be the Church for them. Let them see Jesus living in you. Cry when they cry, hurt when they hurt, rejoice when they rejoice, and let them know that Jesus loves them. He loves you, he loves me and he wants to use us to reach a world that is dying without knowing Him.

Pray for me and I will pray for you as we journey together on different parts of the earth.

Servant of a Passionate God
Lewis Burke - Romans 8:31

Kampot - Week One

We had an amazing trip to Cambodia. Southwest Airlines is hands down the best airline that we fly inside of the United States. The lady at the check-in asked where we were going with our unusual luggage and when I told her, she asked if we wanted our parents to go to the gate with us. She then gave us a pass so that Kristen's mom and dad and my dad could walk us all the way to the gate. Not to mention the free bags they allow you, always fly Southwest if given the option.

We arrived in Cambodia after 23 flight hours fresh and ready to take on the world. We arrived at midnight, so we spent the night in Phnom Penh. Vutha took us the next day to buy two motorcycles (can't live in Cambodia without them). Needless to say, Sterling was excited about getting his Honda AX1 250. He will be sharing with Kristen while Benjamin and I will be riding the other one.

After spending a long, hot day in Phnom Penh, we drove down to Kampot. Vutha was following on one of the motorcycles and I was driving the orphanage truck. Right as we left, it started raining. Now driving in the rain in the states can be a hassle, but here, it can be dangerous, especially when your windshield wipers don't work. So, our three and a half hour drive turned into a five and a half hour drive. I am still not sure why we did that, but between the jetlag and rain, it is the grace of God that we arrived.

Our first few days in Kampot were tiring, but wonderful. Our first service at Hosanna was encouraging. We shared communion together and just to look at all of the Khmer brothers and sisters sitting there and thinking how diverse heaven will be oneday brought a smile to my face. I am so grateful for the blood of Jesus that brings every tribe, tongue, nation and people together under His Lordship. That afternoon I went to a cell group where former enemies from the war sat together fellowshipping because of Prince of Peace.

As always, seeing the children at Heritage House humbles us. To see what this society views as worthless, not only surviving, but thriving, is amazing. God truly is the Father to the fatherless. He takes those that the world disregards and sets them in places of honor. Kristen comes alive when she is at Heritage House. The boys were really excited to see their old friends and to play with them also.

During the week we reconnected with some missionary friends here and met some new ones. We went to a cell group of ex-pats this past Sunday. It is exciting to see what God is doing with the diverse groups here. We meet a French brother and he offered us his guest house for the week until we move to house sit for another couple. He lives on the river and we have had a great time. The boys get up and get school done so they can swim. This morning we took a swim before school started.

We are having trouble finding a house for our family. We have the house sit for two months before the couple returns and trust that a house will open up for us by then.

This afternoon, Vutha and I are taking the Heritage House kids swimming and fishing. I assume the much more of the former. I praise God for His faithfulness! I am really excited about all that the next few years will hold for the nation of Cambodia. I sense great things are around the corner.

Thank you for your prayers!

Servant of a Passionate God
Lewis Burke
Rom 8:31

Kampot, Cambodia

Passion for Souls

Something happened to me in a tent in the Middle East in 1991. I cannot explain it in words really. I just knew that Jesus was real and that I wanted everyone that I came into contact with to know Him. It was not just a wanting, but a burden.

After the war, my enlistment was up and I left the Air Force and went to college. My first two years were at Walter's State in Morristown, TN. I had two goals entering every class; first, to tell everyone in the classroom about Jesus and secondly, to make an A in that class. Well, at least the first one I was able to accomplish. I carried a backpack full of tracts. I had a tract for every occasion. I promise you, everyone in that school knew who the crazy Jesus guy was.

Since that time, I have had many opportunities to share Jesus with others. I have been in many countries sharing the love of Christ and have shared Him here in the states. However, as the years have gone by, I lost the backpack. I put the tracts up and used methods less brash.

A few years ago, our friends from a neighboring country in S.E. Asia came to visit us in Cambodia. Their country is a closed country. This family has known hardship when it comes to serving Jesus. Many of their family members have been imprisoned for the sake of Christ. They live under constant threat of being caught as Church leaders and being put in prison themselves.

While they were visiting us, we took them to visit a school that our friends ran. As we were taking a tour of the school, a man from their country was there. He worked as a general maintenance man for the school. During the war, he could not handle all of the things that he was required to do, so he deserted the army. He was living in Cambodia as a traitor to his country.

For two days, our visiting friends were such an encouragement to us. We had prayed together, had wonderful fellowship and enjoyed our time together. What happened after meeting this man at the school forever changed my life though. The lady who was visiting us, saw the man and went after him. She asked him his story, why he was in Cambodia, and what his life was like. He shared his entire story, as she stood listening intently. When he was finished telling his story, she said, "I forgive you for deserting our country." She then went on, with tears in her eyes, to tell him about Another who would forgive him if he asked. She stood, with tears rolling down her face, telling him about the love of Jesus Christ.

She had the burden. Love, passion, desire, and boldness, they all came out of her. It was the love of God for a lost soul flooding out of her as she shared about Jesus. When we left, she did not come back to the house for fellowship, she went to her room to pray for that man's soul. She was not going to let go with a simple, "Jesus loves you." She was going to storm heaven until that man was rescued from hell.

I don't know if I will pick up the backpack full of tracts again or not, but I do know that I will never worry about being comfortable when telling others about Jesus. He is worth talking about and He loves the lost. I will, by His grace, share with everyone that He allows me to. I pray that I will love as my S.E. Asian sister does - loving God and loving man.

In case you are wondering what the lost think about us Christians, take a look at this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhG-tkQ_Q2w

Pray for me and I will pray for you. "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!"

Servant of a Passionate God

Lewis Burke

Rom 8:31