The Testimony of A Youth, DA REACH
in Kampong Cham Province

Da Reach, a teenage boy aged just 17, lives in Phnom Mony village, Prek Kak commune, Steung Trang district, Kampong Cham province. The location of Stung Trang district, located in the north of the province,

is about 40km to 45km from Kampong Cham town. The life of a teenager, Da Reach, before accepting Jesus Christ was a boy who likes to associate with gangster-friends in the village, committing adultery, gambling, and doing other things that the society forbids and detests not entered the house. He who could not help his parents, he did not consider learning until the teachers expelled from the school and become a gangster. The sinful thing lasted for many years, leading to, Da Reach, a teenage boy losing his chance of getting the knowledge in his life for the future, and Da Reach's parents were disappointed by him.

Kampong Cham is a province on the Mekong River in Cambodia, where we can travel from Phnom Penh to the east, crossing the Kizuna Bridge (Cambodia-Japan Friendship Bridge) or Chroy Changva Bridge on National Road 6A. By crossing Bateay district, Kampong Cham province, then we arrived at Skun garthering, in Cheung Prey district, so we headed to National Road No 7 to Kampong Cham town passes Prey Torteng market, in Preychhor district in a distance of 121 kilometers. Kampong Cham Province is a province rich in agro-industry such as rice, corn, bean, fruit tree, rambutan, pineapple, mango, cashew nuts, rubber and so on. It is also full of fish, meat and natural landscape as well as ancient temples that are of interest to national and international visitors. Kampong Cham province covers an area of 4,509 square kilometers and has 928,694 people and 916 villages, 109 communes, 9 districts, and 1 town. District names include:
1. Bateay district has 12 com., and 80 villages
2. Chamkar Leu dis. has 08 com., and 85 villages
3. Chamkar Leu dis. has 10 com., and 74 villages
4. Kampong Siem dis. has 15 com., and 112 villages
5. Kang Meas dis. has 11 com., and 93 villages
6. Koh Sotin dis. has 08 com., and 85 villages
7. Prey Chhor dis. has 15 com., and 176 villages
8. Srey Santhor dis. has 14 com., and 86 villages
9. Steung Trang dis. has 12 com., and 96 villages
10.Kg-Cham Town has 04 com., and 24 villages

Da Reach is a teenager who is wandering in the darkness of a worldly sin that has committed many sins in his life. Because, brother, Da Reach had committed all kinds of sins, thus Da Reach fell short of glory of God. Because sin is a barrier between people and God. Because of sin, we live in this world with sinful nature.

One day, Da Reach received a message that there was an evangelistic group came in the village where he lived. At that time, brother, Da Reach was in despair in his life, and his life was wandering by sin, so Da Reach was eager to know what the preaching was about. What is everyone wanting to know? What is the good news? At that time, in Da Reach's heart seemed to be very jittery, there's something motivate him to hear and know about it. At that time, when he came closer to the place where the Gospel was preached, he saw a crowd gathered surrounded a man who in his arms holding some small booklets, giving to the children, young people, and some adults, and men, and women to read and complete it, then send it back to that man. Just to get closer to the crowd, Da Reach heard the voice of a man, shouted to the crowd, and responded to the questions of the crowd that had interrogated him. Without delay, Da Reach penetrated the crowd to get close to the evangelist to listen to the Good News. Brother, Da Reach, heard the teaching of that man that he taught about sin and the original sin entered into the world by one man, and also death came to the world, because of that sin, so death spread out to all people. Da Reach also heard from the scripture that man confirmed, "For the wages of sin is death." At that time, Da Reach also raised a question to the man: "What is your name? Where are you from? Where do you come from? What do you talk about? What is the death? What is the life? What is sin?" The man responded with a fresh smile, saying, "I am a servant of God, I come here to bring A Good News of Salvation to the men of this village, that they may get free from their sins and obtain eternal life." Then, the evangelist went on to explain to Da Reach and the crowd who are getting surround him to listen to him carefully, “Of course, no one wants to fall to hell, and eternal affliction. That's why people try to find ways to escape from hell. Some try to practice divination, some try to be fasting, others strive for other religions, some try to build good works, and do all kinds of good deeds. These hard work are good for all people to do, but these hard work can do nothing to help us free from sin. As the Bible says, "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away." To this point, the Word has touched Da Reach's heart to be woken up that in the past he has acted improperly and relied on his work rather than relying on the saving of Jesus Christ. So brother, Da Reach, continued to ask the evangelist, "So if, Pastor, tell me, how to get saved from sin?" The evangelist replied instantly to the Da Reach, "In short, only Jesus Christ can save us from sin. As the Bible says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. He saved us, not by our good works of righteousness, but by the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. Good deed is only a fruit of the faith of the believers in Jesus Christ. But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Later, the evangelist also distributed the booklets "The Bridge of Life" and "Who is God?" to Da Reach to study and answer all the questions contained in those booklets and then send them to him to get a new Bible for personal reading. Day after day, the evangelist always went to the village of Da Reach living in order to care for the souls of the people in the village who accepted Jesus Christ, teaching them the Word contained in the two booklets, and also train our brothers, including Da Reach about the Word written in the Bible in order to our fellow believers are stronger in faith.

After that, the evangelist also planted a church in Prek Kak commune, Stung Trang district, Kampong Cham province to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of the diligence and the desire to know the living Word, brother Da Reach is interested in Genesis 1: 1-31, which says of the Creation of true God, and that the Word inspires our brothers and sisters, including Da Reach who living in the village to be stronger in faith to join fellowship with together, and to come to worship every Sunday to get a fresh Word of God that He speaks to the hearts of those who are in His leadership and direction in everyday life. Day after day, the Word of God deeply is growing into Da Reach's heart that make him to repentance, and to the Redeemer developing a new and great behavior, worthy a Christian youth to be an example in the family and other youths in the village, and in the whole Prek Kak commune.

In obedience to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ, as stated in the Gospel, through Matthew chapter 28, verses 18 to 20, "And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Amen”" Da Reach continued to spread the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ to his parents, brothers, sisters, family members, and other young men to accept the Lord Jesus Christ by accepting the Lord to be the Savior to be free from sin, for those who follow the true Savior must become the salt and the light to the world, and they will become Christians like him. From then on, Da Reach's family as well as other families who volunteered to follow Jesus Christ gained peace, happiness, joy, and prosperity in the grace of the God of peace. Amen.
The End