August is over already and it will be Christmas soon! This year has gone very fast; we are starting to prepare for graduation and Christmas. We are looking forward to seeing Lesa Martin and her team in October and sharing our children and our village with them. The children who were in the accident that I mentioned last month are well and back in day care, their mother is back from the hospital in Vietnam and is recovering slowly.
Rainy season has well and truly hit; we have had four typhoons off the coasts in the last month bringing lots of heavy rain. A few of our children’s homes are flooded and the staff and children are continually having fevers and coughs.
he staff and children are excited that I am going home as they know they will get presents of chocolate for the children and goodies for the staff.
While we are back home, Sarak will be assessing new children who will start after graduation. It’s a bit like a conveyor belt in October kids leaving and new kids coming in. We will have a few unsettled weeks until the newbies settle.
I am giving this section over to Sarak to introduce himself and tell you a little about himself.
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and family and share a bit about our journey in ministry.
My name is Sarak Dong and I have had the privilege of serving as a pastor for over a decade with a local church. Throughout these years, God has allowed me to be involved in His church planting in various locations in Cambodia, helping to build and nurture communities of faith from the ground up. It has been a deeply rewarding experience to witness lives transformed and churches take root and grow. I had served as board member and a chairman with Child Haven for more than five years as a volunteer and now I have a privilege to have joined Child Haven in July 2026 as a Director.
My wife, Sophea Eng, has been a faithful partner in ministry. She has a heart for counselling and discipleship, particularly among women and young girls who have experienced trauma and abuse. Her compassion and wisdom have touched many lives, and she continues to walk alongside those seeking healing and spiritual growth.
We are also blessed with three wonderful children: Harry, Jonny, and our baby girl, Rachel. All three of them are currently in school, and we are grateful for the joy and energy they bring to our family.
As a family, we are passionate about serving wherever God leads us and using our gifts to strengthen the Body of Christ. We look forward to any opportunity to connect, grow, and serve together with others in the faith.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know us. May God bless you richly in all that you do.
With grace and peace,
Sarak Dong and the family
When Mark and I get back to Cambodia we will welcome Lesa Martin and her team from Northern Ireland, Lesa, Kelly, Liz, Carol, Paige and Ethel. Can you please pray for them as they prepare to come and bring a programme to the children of the village and proclaim the beautiful name of Jesus.
October Saturday 24th there is a fundraising event Zumbathon to raise funds for our children. It starts at 1pm in Willowfield Church Hall. Put this in your diary, get your groove on, go along and have fun.
We would love to welcome you to any of the venues we are speaking at:
Sunday 13th Sept. St.Johns, Orangefield – 11.00am
Sunday 20th Sept. Ballyhenry Presbyterian – 11.00am
Monday 21st Sept. St Johns, Orangefield. AGM – 7.30pm
Wednesday 23rd Sept. Carrowdore and Millisle, Woburn Hall – 7.30pm
Thursday 24th Sept. Larne Methodist – 7.00pm
Saturday 26th Sept. Roger Hamill, Album Launch, Willowfield PC – 7.00pm
We hope to see many of you when we are in the UK, God is doing great things here in Cambodia and we want to share that with you.
Lastly, secondhand bicycles tend to go up to the rural villages, I don’t envy this guy sitting on that pile for 5-6 hours he’s made of strong stuff – not even a cushion.
Thank you and God bless…
