A Covenant Relationship With Marilyn Chan

Lodi FUMC is sponsoring a Covenant Relationship with Marilyn Chan, our missionary in Cambodia for almost 20 years. In providing a Covenant Relationship, we partner with Marilyn and “provide financial, spiritual and emotional support” for her work with the Cambodian Methodist Women (CMW).”

CMW equips and empowers Cambodian women to “experience and share God’s love as children of God.” Since 1998, when the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) began the women, youth and children’s ministries in Cambodian Methodist churches, women have developed a supportive community under Marilyn’s leadership.

Her programs include Bible and leadership training, conflict transformation, prison ministries along with literacy and livelihood programs, helping women to support their families. In 2014, as part of our Volunteers in Mission project, reading glasses were taken to Marilyn.

Cambodia is a major source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking. By educating and empowering women, you can help them and their families avoid human trafficking.

Marilyn and Joseph recently returned to their home in Stockton for the graduations of their two daughters, and Joseph’s retirement celebration. Joseph may be retiring from GBGM but not from mission. On their own land, Joseph and Marilyn are building FIRST BLESSING CENTER IN SIEM REAP CITY, an agricultural center and student dormitory. (More information to come.)

You can give additional support to Marilyn’s work and the work of GBGM in Cambodia, “First and foremost with your prayers of thanksgiving for all God has done and will continue to do through Cambodian Methodist Women.” You can help the women in Cambodia raise their standard of living with your financial support.

Thank you for keeping the Chan’s ongoing work in Cambodia in prayer!

Women’s Desk Ministry

Some 120 women from 11 districts attended a five-day conference in Kompong-Som Province, in which they discussed the pressing topics of women’s rights, domestic violence, conflict reconciliation, the environment, and our relationship with God. Attendees reflected on the importance of women to the Church, the family and society.

The conference, convened by the Women’s Desk of the United Methodist Church in Cambodia in January 19-24, 2015, was supported by the VIM Team from the Virginia Annual Conference in the USA.

The theme was “Women Moving Toward Shalom”, with the key verse being Micah 6:8, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God.”

Mrs. Marilyn Chan, a 17-year missionary and current coordinator of the Women’s Desk program, described the conference as “so amazing,” which, she said, was due to the Women’s Desk team, the support of sponsoring partners and the wider-support of the women of the United Methodist Church in Cambodia.” This leadership conference…is really powerful, changing women,” she said. And with some 200 more women looking to attend the next conference, the Women’s Desk is appealing for the funding sponsors.