HISTORY OF THE EFC YOUTH COMMISSION 1995-2003

HISTORY OF THE
EFC YOUTH COMMISSION
1995-2003

The birth of EFC Youth Commission was born largely of one man’s vision to see the Youth of Cambodia, disciple, trained and mobilized as a force that would stem the decay of the Khmer society and function as a preservative, salt and light within the Cambodian contemporary youth culture. This man was the Rev. Chhon P. Kong, Khmer expatriate who escaped from Cambodia to the Thai border in 1979. He was repatriated to a third county, the United States, where he pastored a Cambodian Church for 12 years. Chhon with Radha Manickum, were perhaps the first overseas Cambodian Christian Leaders to return to Cambodia in 1989 when the doors opened. On Chhon’s second short term mission trip, Chhon brought me (Brian Maher) along with him. Working with the youth both in 1990 and 1992, Chhon and I both were convinced that the future development of the country was largely in the hands of the Cambodian Christian youth. Chhon & family moved to Cambodia in 1992 under Mission to Unreached Peoples to run Cambodia Christian Services. Chhon had been successful in helping me catch a vision for Khmer youth in 1990, so my family and I came shortly after Chhon with the same organization in 1994. The two of us planned to set up a ministry to the youth of the local Cambodian churches under CCS.

At the CCS annual meeting in February of ‘95, Chhon, as General Secretary, made a call for volunteers to join me in establishing the CCS Youth Working Group. Responding to this call was Swiss National, Harry Zuberbuhler who had come to Cambodia in ‘91 to begin YWAM’s ministries here. Time was set aside for those attending the CCS Conference who were interested in youth to come together and discuss the possibility for youth ministry. Before that conference, in doing some research and interviews, I received some good advice for working with Cambodian Youth and during the Conference, Harry and I began what we would call the "Youth Commission" and worked as co-directors and good friends. We began with a handful of committed and talented Cambodian youth such as Uy Pheara, Ouk Vannarah, Chea Vuthy, Khan Rasmey, Chime Chenda, Bun Sambath, Hang Rasmey, Son Ti, Seng Vuthy, Tith Vannseam, Thong Romanea, and Kim Tha.

Our first event in April of '95 was an alternative Khmer New Year's Event in Kean Svay, a picnic area just out of town on the Mekong. At this first event there were 13 churches represented and about 250 youth.

Harry soon enlisted the help of Mr. Uon Seila, as our resident expert advisor on the cultural relevance of our goals, direction and content of teaching. Seila steered us toward a focus on teaching sexual awareness to Christian Youth for two reasons: the blow up of AIDS and other STD’s in Cambodia and the fact that the only way to learn about sex was on the street. Cambodian youth did not even have basic information about reproduction and bodily functions that we in west learn in eighth grade biology. Seila began teaching what Harry called BGR (Boy-Girl Relationships) in our bi-weekly youth training program which turned out to really meet the needs of the youth. Seila later published a booklet for the Youth Commission on Sexual Awareness called, ‘Sacred Love’, written from a thoroughly Biblical perspective.

The Youth Commission operated under CCS for a year, doing youth leader training, special youth events and in 1996, running the first National Cambodian Christian Youth Camp ever in the history of Cambodia. This was held in the seaside town of Sihanuokville. The Youth Commission also held it’s first provincial seminar in the province of Kompong Chhnang, using the youth who regularly attended our youth leader training program in order to disciple them and give them hands on experience. In late 1996, CCS closed shop in order to give room for the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia, a movement birthed from within Cambodia, to grow without competition. The Youth Commission then came under the Umbrella of the EFC. In mid ‘96 we had two Khmer interns. First, Mr. Tep Samnang, a young man studying at the Phnom Penh Bible college and then a Phnom Penh Bible School graduate, Mr. Bun Chan Veasna. Soon after, Harry and I hired our first full time youth worker, Miss Sidara Ieng.

We have had 8 very successful National youth conferences since then and many provincial seminars and a number of sexual awareness seminars here in Phnom Penh for Christian Youth as well as other programs and activities. We also gather youth from Christian Churches each year to take part in National Environment day to teach Christian youth about stewardship of the environment and community service. Five years ago we began a ministry to the child commercial sex workers. These children are a part of World Vision Cambodia’s New Ship Ministry. The girls of the Youth Commission minister love and the word of God to these girls on a monthly basis. In 2000, we began ministering to the orphans at UNICAS orphanage. Both ministries were arranged so that young people could catch a vision for holistic ministry.

In early 1998, Mr. Harry Zuberbuhler left the field leaving me as sole director but with Seila's help, we put together a Board of Directors. The board came together in 1998, consisting of some national pastors, missionaries and gifted Cambodian young people. Also, in 1998, Dawn Landes from Mennonite Central Committee began to volunteer her time to help with board and staff development. In 2003, Mark Fender of International Teams and Todd Smith from New Zealand also came on as official advisors. In early 2004, Mr. Graham Symons of ICC to began to learn the ropes at the Youth Commission in order to replace Dawn Landes as our Financial Advisor. Elijah Penner of MCC will fulfill Dawn's role as an advisor in the capacity development of our board and staff. We also received once again, a former intern and Phnom Penh Bible School graduate, Bun Chan Veasna as an expatriate Cambodian Youth Worker who will minister to young people from local churches in the Bunlang, Ratanakiri area.

Recently, former chairman of the board and founding father, Mr. Uon Seila, accepted an invitation to come on as a full time co-director of the Youth Commission. This move brings us closer to national ownership and ultimate sustainability.

With grants from Mennonite Central Committee and Tearfund, we were able to hire seven adequate full time staff members to allow the Youth Commission to build a good foundation for proper accounting, report writing, planning and organization. We are grateful to MCC, Tearfund and Christian Reformed World Relief Committee who have helped with funding and training of our staff and board members.

The EFC Youth Commission endeavors to disciple Youth Leaders and bring unity among Christian groups both Khmer and expatriate by including all Christian churches and Christian organizations in our planning, program and events. We want to teach youth about leadership, being salt and light, and how to minister holistically to the church and society. We endeavor to give youth the tools to create vision among them selves, and how to interpret the cultural trends within the contemporary youth culture and minister the Good News accordingly. We are thankful for the Expatriates that have been especially helpful to our ministry have been Naomi Sharp and Gwyneth Squires from OMF, Janet Cornwall, Craig & Nayhouy Greenfield, and Kristin Jack from Servants, Graham Symons from ICC and Susan Smith from Innerchange. We are also appreciative of the Training of Timothies Program for allowing Seila to help us when he worked with them and to Mr. Glenn Miles of Tear Fund for releasing Mr. Thong Romanea when we need him as well. We are also indebted to Rev. Heng Cheng, Pastor Mam Barnabas, Rev. Chhon Kong, Pastor Nara Runnath, Dr. Yem Tevyneath, Mr. Uy Pheara, Yos Bophal and Prey Sokun for their excellent contributions over the years.