Dana's Christian Journey

Barnabas Mam, one of only two hundred Christians to survive Pol Pot’s reign of terror in Cambodia, escaped the country with his wife and three daughters in 1985 as the Vietnamese occupation created new dangers. After many difficulties, they ended up in a refugee camp just across the Cambodian border in Thailand.

As a teacher and worship leader, Barnabas and a few other Christians began to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the 150,000 inhabitants of their refugee camp. Barnabas, his family, and all the believers learned about the values of God’s kingdom in a foreign setting.

“The economy of the kingdom is upside down from any other value system in the world. The weak, the poor, the foolish: these are the most prized possessions in the kingdom. If I wanted to be like Jesus, I would have to go low, not high.”

Fifteen churches were established over the eight years Barnabas lived in the Thai refugee camp. Fifty-three leaders emerged from the Cambodian believers with a passion to spread the Gospel and seek God’s kingdom. Seven goals were set for each church: meaningful fellowship, intimate worship, powerful prayer, cheerful giving, hearty participation, joyful service, and effective evangelism.

During October of 1991 in Paris, France, the UN was given authority to enforce a cease-fire in Cambodia. In March of 1993, Barnabas and his family were permitted to return home. Since then over four hundred churches have been planted by the Christians from the Thai refugee camp. From struggle came growth. From ashes came beauty. From a tiny seed came fruit.

“He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.’ He told them still another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.’” Matthew 13:31-33

Quote from Church Behind the Wire by Barnabas Mam with Kitti Murray, ©2012, Moody Publishers, p. 267

The death of a child, the death of a parent, the death of a brother or sister or dear friend… how does one press on? The loss of health, the loss of employment, the loss of property… can we continue to trust God… and praise Him?

Peter explains that though we may have had to ‘suffer grief in all kinds of trials,’ we can look forward to certain results. The common thought is that these trials will produce a stronger faith, like gold purified by fire, but this is not what Peter writes in the first chapter of his first letter.

Peter says that as we suffer and persevere our faith is simply proven to be genuine. And this faith is ‘of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire.’ What a statement about the faith of God’s children! So what is the result?

Peter teaches that the genuine faith Kinsey and Jordan witnessed in the missionary couple suffering through the loss of a child in Africa… or the believing friends you and I know who are experiencing painful trials… or brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world who are being persecuted for loving Jesus… will result in praise and honor to our Lord.

“When I return and all see that I am Savior and King, your life, your endurance, your faithfulness and love will bring honor to Me. Though many thought you had every reason to deny Me or blame Me or leave Me, you did just the opposite. In your grief, you still believed. In your lack of understanding, you still trusted. While others accused Me, you honored and loved Me. The praise and glory I receive because of you will be a great surprise. But then again, you will have many wonderful surprises in my Kingdom.”

Look for one more amazing result of faith in the last sentence of the passage below. Happy Easter!

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” I Peter 1:6-9