University of the Nations Cambodia

Kids Mission Statement: Cambodia’s preschool children will receive firm foundations that will enable them to fully develop spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually through the training of national early childhood educators and partnering with local churches for the multiplication of indigenous Christian pre-schools.

Partnerships with local churches are begun by setting up preschools and proving the start-up costs to fund them. The U of N preschool team empowers the Khmer preschool staff by training and mentoring them. Gradually, team members transfer control of operations to the Cambodian churches in order for them to take full ownership of the preschools. The ministry also hopes to multiply itself through imparting innovative and creative biblical principles and teaching techniques to Khmer preschool educators who can take the training back to their preschools and implement it. Whole communities can be changed and transformed as a result.

Present

Left to right: Ruth (Teacher), Sinuon (Teacher), Jenny (Principal), Teresa,
Reny (Assistant Principal

Teresa, the last remaining preschool staff from the team, returned from a 4-month furlough last year. She met with the U of N leadership team to discuss the current status and future of the preschool ministry.

Since then, she trained the teachers in preparation for the new school year at New Life Center II Preschool in Phnom Penh Thmei and continues to support and mentor the Cambodian Assistant Principal. She helped the teachers to implement the trainings they received during their afternoon planning sessions during the absence of the pastor’s wife who acts as the Principal of the preschool.

20 preschoolers comprise the “student body” including returning students; 99.9 percent come from non-Christian households. May the word of God and the teachings about Christ go deep into the soil of their hearts and spring up into fruit bearing trees in due season! The NLC II church is in the final stages of taking full control of operations and ownership of the pre-school. Training The leadership has assumed most of the responsibilities and currently pays 50% of the teachers’ salaries. It’s exciting to see the progress of the transferring of ownership to the Khmer people in process!

Teresa also started visiting other preschools who have requested teacher training. She is beginning to build relationships with the workers and assess their educational needs in order to give tailor-made trainings, which is in the planning stages for 2008.

The Pre-K Kid: A Precious Treasure

Girl About seven years ago, Elise looked quite different from the healthy, happy girl pictured here. Diseased and malnourished, she was handed over to an American lady named Jenny by an impoverished neighbor that she had befriended. Jenny nourished and loved Elise to health and wholeness and eventually adopted her. Two years after taking custody of Elise, Jenny got married to Sophea, a Khmer gentleman who now pastors the church of Newlife Fellowship Phnom Penh Thmei (NLF II) Preschool that the ministry partnered with and started their preschool. Elise entered the pre-K at 4 years old with a know-it-all attitude and led the class in knowledge as well as naughtiness. But preschool quickly helped to humble Elise from her previous “princess” position as a pastor’s kid and an only child, to a child among other children, worthy of the same amount of attention from her teachers and peers. Now Elise is a mellowed-out, maturing seven year old who helps take care of her younger siblings within a nurturing family environment. May she grow into a lady of virtue who leans on the Lord and leads others to do the same.

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