"Each one, reach one” ~ challenge accepted! But what is involved for one person to reach one person with the message of salvation? What does it look like, sound like, feel like to share the gospel truths with a searching soul? What does it take?
We have been living by faith, volunteering in Siem Reap, Cambodia for over a year now and God impressed my husband to start an English-speaking Adventist Church in September 2022 since there are none in this area. It took a little while to get everything going, but by God’s grace and through His leading we had permission from the pastor of the city church to start holding services in English in the afternoons when the Khmer service and potluck were over.
We didn’t know what to expect or if anyone would come, but we prayed and God directed. On that very first Sabbath of the little English service, October 22, 2022, God brought nine people together to worship Him. This included a man from Ireland by the name of Paul, the pastor, and his wife, an Adventist layman and his wife, another Adventist woman who doesn't speak Khmer, my husband and I, and our seven-year-old son.
Paul was not an Adventist and told us that he was searching for a church that had the truth. Paul had previously lived life for himself with no worries about the consequences. He had no commitment to anything or anyone. It was this lifestyle that he got tired of and feeling that there was something more, he decided to sell everything and leave it behind. He felt the world was lying to him and he just wanted to know the truth.
While searching the internet and reading from many different viewpoints, God led him to come across a video by Walter Veith that spoke to his heart. After watching many sermons from Walter Veith and later Doug Batchelor, and many others, Paul was convicted of the truth and found Jesus.
Feeling the need to find an Adventist church, he went to Google maps and found one just down the street from where he was staying. This was a week before we started the English church on October 22, 2022. By God’s leading, and our obedience to that first impression, Paul is now joining our very small congregation. Paul is on fire with the Holy Spirit. His walk with God is so striking, like that of Paul of Tarsus. He has quit all of his bad habits, changed his diet to a vegan/vegetarian one, and claims God has given him victory over lust. He is now a changed man, a new creation, and a beautiful believer in Christ.
He is studying the Bible with us, has read many of Ellen G. White’s books, is currently reading the fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and spends almost the entire day reading his Bible or listening to more sermons. Please pray for us, our English church start-up, and for the people of Siem Reap for God only knows how many other "Pauls" there are out there who He wants us to reach. By God’s grace and with His leading and help, each one really can reach one!
by :: Elliott Fulmer Family
About the Author Amanda (Rader) Fullmer was raised her entire life in Oklahoma. She has fond memories of going to summer camps and camp meetings at Wewoka Woods Adventist Center. She was baptized into the Adventist Church in Woodward when she was 14 and was married in the same church by Pastor James Shires. Amanda, her husband Elliot, and their son Joseph have been missionaries overseas for 11 years. Even though they now live in Cambodia, their home base is still in Woodward where Amanda’s parents currently reside.