We are in the middle of the impoverished countryside of Cambodia and look forward to meeting a family that has taken some amazing steps in the past year. We meet and greet outside their home. Then it happens. The moment. My eyes meets hers and time stops up.

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​​​​The starting point

​I was only 28 years old and had worked for a little more than a year as a financial manager at Mission Without Borders, Norway, when the American founder of the ministry called me. She wanted me to take over the management and lead the ministry work in Norway and asked me to pray over it for a few days and then come back to her with an answer.

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A young man's courage, inner peace, and a burning desire to improve the everyday lives of tens of thousands of orphans in Eastern Europe made me accept the invitation.

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Little did I know then what an amazing journey I would be part of...

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Blessed growth

I was given trust and room to grow in my tasks from day one. In retrospect, I have often reflected on what made an experienced mission leader "at the other side of the globe" (and before modern communication technology enabled ongoing follow-up from a distance) to invest, and place so much trust, in a relatively inexperienced young man in his late 20s... But this trust was absolutely crucial for me - and God blessed us in the following years with a growth and development that few could have imagined!

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After ten years in the role, it was time to hand over the responsibility of the Norwegian affiliate to the next person. I had already been given the opportunity to develop the ministry work in Eastern Europe (in close collaboration with the country leaders there) and I had enjoyed the new responsibilities given me.

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Hands on and further development

​​A continued strong growth in donations gave us the opportunity to strengthen and develop the field ministry. Our transformative work with impoverished families was designed and developed, we started dozens of new soup kitchens in cooperation with local churches, we developed "after school" (help with homework) activities, established scholarship programs for the poor who qualified for further studies, and, strengthened the self sufficiency initiatives.

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In 2010, in connection with our 50th anniversary as a ministry, I was allowed to coordinate a jubilee project with a goal of distributing one million Bibles to Eastern Europe. Over a three-year period, we achieved this goal - in close cooperation with several hundred churches that brought the Bibles out to hospitals, prisons, orphanages, ordinary households, Sunday schools, local communities and public schools! The churches not only distributed the Bibles, they followed up with visits, fellowship, "Alpha courses" and encouragement.

 

One of my strongest single memories from these three years of distribution is from Ukraine. In a brief moment, in 2011, I met a "sweaty" suit-dressed elementary school teacher... He barely managed to stop us as we were leaving a school where we had been holding a Bible lesson.

In the rearview mirror, we noticed a man on a bicycle, frantically waving his arm as he realized he was probably too late... (but he made it)!

The man was from the neighboring village elementary school and had biked, in his best suit, the seven kilometers in the hope of getting some children's Bibles that he could use to teach his school children!...

 

God's Word redeem and transform more than we possibly can imagine and I somtimes ponder upon what he have done and will do through the one million Bibles He enabled us to distribute...

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​​Relationships that redeem and transform​s

Because that's exactly what it's all about. Redemption and transformation! And through healthy relationships and good modeling, we can participate in God's plan to bring people closer to Him and also give them the opportunity to live a more dignified life!

 

- I am blessed to have seen lives being touched and transformed "up close", hundreds of times, yes, if not thousands, during the 28 years that have passed since I was 28! And seeing that is just as amazing every time it happens...

 

- Now a new season in my life has begun, and I look forward to sharing the Gospel, in Word and deed, to Cambodians who need to hear about Jesus and His plan for their lives. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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The Moment

​Back to the introduction. The moment. Where my eyes met hers and time stopped up.

 

The girl's name is Annie. Sreyleak and I have been able to follow her development for a little over a year now. But there was something in her eyes that touched our hearts the first time we met her.

 

​- She was quiet, humble and patient... But at the same time present, agile and expectant for what tomorrow would bring.

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Annie made me think back to how Lois (the founder of MWBI) saw a potential in me, that could be released if if I was given enough trust and space to grow. That changed my life!

 

Now it is my season to contribute in a similar way to facilitate redemption and transformation in the lives of those God brings my way. That be leaders in small house churches, poor and broken families, or young children seeking and hoping for a better future!

 

Annie will be one of them!