What comes to mind when you hear the word church?                            In Cambodia the 'church' has come to mean 'light in dark situations'; 'food for hungry families', 'faith against the odds'.                             For poor people like Mol and Tol church means 'hope'.                            Their story, which I'm about to share, paints a powerful picture of how the church can be the answer. 

Meet Mol, his wife Tol and their four children, Kunthea (10), Raskmby (7), Oudom (5) and Sreylen (3). Meet Mol, Tol, and their four children. The Tuch family have a field. They depend on this for survival. The rice harvest enables them to grow enough food for six months of the year. But once the rains have stopped, families like them face an uncertain six months. ‘We just stayed empty in our stomachs,’ mum Tol explains. But because of the work of churches like ours [if your church has previously given to Tearfund this would a good time to thank them] things have changed. ‘Before the Christians came I was very, very poor,’ explains Tol. ‘But then [Tearfund’s partner] WDO came and they have really helped me a lot.’

Pastor Chheoun manages the rice bank for the community. Tearfund’s partner, the ‘Wholistic Development Organisation’ (WDO) has funded materials for the construction of a community rice bank store in Mol and Tol’s village. It is located in the garden of local pastor, Vinn Chheoun. As well as preaching and caring for the congregation, part of this pastors job is to ensure people in the community have enough food. Currently 50 families in the village are participating – including Mol and Tol. ‘I took my rice – 20kg – to the rice bank,’ explains Mol. By depositing rice, Mol joined the scheme which meant he could borrow back more rice than he invested when he was in need. ‘When I was lacking food,’ he explained, ‘the rice bank loaned me 100kg. It really helped us. It is in our community and near to my house so I can go quickly and easily to borrow the rice.’ Thanks to this support, delivered through Tearfund working with the local church in their village, the Tuch family now always have two meals a day.

‘What’s important is that the church is committed to working with the poor.’ WDO does all of this work with and through local churches across Cambodia. ‘What’s important,’ says Thida who heads up WDO, ‘is that church is committed to working with the poor.’ WDO provides training for local churches on how to work with their communities.

But this isn’t just about ensuring people are well fed. There has been real growth in the church. ‘There are 120 families in this village,’ explains Pastor Chheoun, ‘and among them are 20 Christian families – these 20 families have come to faith between 2002 and 2009.’ Pastor Chheoun runs five other churches in surrounding villages. How does Pastor Chheoun explain the seismic decision of these people to leave the Buddhist faith of their birth and community? ‘It’s the combination of Tearfund’s work with WDO and of the work of the church that brings hope,’ he says. ‘The love and concern of the church and the work of WDO caused a great impact.’ The local church in Mol and Tol's village is part of a network of local churches all around the world. By working together and sharing what they have, these churches enable poor people like Mol and Tol find hope and receive practical support. In Cambodia, people are being transformed, materially and spiritually, because of their local church - and because of churches like yours. By being involved in this life-saving campaign, our church is one of the 100,000 local churches which Tearfund is bringing together to see 50million people released from material and spiritual poverty.

Through Pastor Chheoun’s church, Tearfund’s partner WDO helped Mol and Tol with seeds to grow crops – including watermelons, long beans and peanuts. The watermelons shown here have been harvested by Tol and are about to be taken to market to sell.

Tearfund’s partner, WDO, is led by Pokteuv Thida. But this is bigger than one family, one village, or even the six churches Pastor Chheoun looks after. Tearfund’s partner WDO is currently on track to reach and mobilise every church in Cambodia during the next five years.

‘I want to say to the people that I am really thankful for what the church has done. You have seen the situation in my family and I would ask you to pray.’ Mol Tuch RHX_0103 Tearfund asked Mol what he would like to say to us, here in the UK – and he asked us to pray.

‘I would like to ask the churches around the world to help this community – and not this community alone but other communities so that we can see the difference in many people and communities.’ Pastor Vinn Chheoun Through praying and giving this Harvest, we can be part of mobilising every church in Cambodia to reach its community.

Your prayers and generosity are vital to families like Tol and Mol's. Thank you for being part of one family, of this life-saving network of churches. Your prayers and generosity are vital to families like Tol and Mol's. Please be generous this harvest and use the response leaflet on your seat. ‘The global network of churches is very important – they can pray for the Cambodians. It is very important to us.’ Thida, Tearfund partner, WDO Cambodia Can we pray and give to support this project? Giving and filling in the response leaflet on your seat means Tearfund can claim Gift Aid back on your donation. It means that together, we can bring spiritual hope and practical help to more people like Mol and Tol.

www.tearfund.org/onefamily Registered Charity No. 265464 (England and Wales) Registered Charity No. SC037624 (Scotland)