September 19, 2005
“My mom accepted Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior!” exclaimed Panya Krich, who is the wife of Kreng Krich, church planter for second-generation Cambodians in Long Beach, California. Panya has good reason to shout. Her mom, Bouy, who was a practicing Buddhist, had been reluctant to hear the gospel. But her visit to her daughter’s house was providential.
Rev. Joe Kong, U.S. C&MA director for Intercultural Ministries, was attending a conference in the area when he received a call from Panya. “She asked me to speak with her mother,” said Kong, who speaks Cambodian and English. “I had to speak English, while Panya’s sister, Toon, translated in Lao.”
Kong spent more than two hours sharing from the Bible and comparing Buddhism with Christianity. “It was amazing how the Lord worked,” said Panya. “Finally, my mother understood and was ready to pray. She was very emotional, and so were we,” Panya said.
Bouy, who suffers from lung cancer, was crying. When asked by her granddaughter if she was sad, Bouy replied, “No! I am so happy!” Through tears of joy, Panya cried, “All heaven rejoiced and is having a BIG party!”