Mary Kate and some of the team from Suncoast

I really can't express properly what an impact visiting LIA has had on my life.  Seeing what passion the children had for worshipping God and the visions that they had for their future despite where they had come from was so inspiring.  I particularly wanted to thank Kimloun for sharing with me that he wanted to become a doctor one day and help mummy Ruth bring medical care for people in the villages.  The vision and hope I saw in his life has inspired me truly beyond measure.  At the time that I visited I had just graduated school and taken a year off to work before deciding whether to go to uni.  My whole life I have wanted to become a veterinarian but after achieving no where close to the marks I needed to get into the vet science degree I'd nearly given up on this dream and thought I would settle for something less than what I truly wanted in my life.  I needed an OP1 (the highest possible) to get into the degree and I only had been allocated an OP12 - a really long way off.  After returning home to Australia, I decided that if the kids at LIA could have such amazing visions for their lives even though they had much greater hardships to overcome then I did what was stopping me from keeping my vision and going after it?  My life has been extremely blessed and I have every oppurtunity at arms reach, there was nothing stopping me from trying, just my lack of hope.  So I applied to enter a science degree and was successful, after completing a year in the science degree I was at the top of my class for many subjects and my grades were high enough to transfer over into the Bachelor of veterinary science degree at UQ!  I'm now at the end of my first semester of veterinary science and have also been blessed with a job in a vet surgery in Brisbane (praise God!) and am on the way to achieving what I've always wanted and what I believe Gods purpose is for me. I wanted to thank the kids at LIA for thier inspiration, particularly Kimloun - when ever I was feeling unmotivated about study or was losing hope I would think of him and his amazing vision and hope for his own life.  I now hope that through my study and when I have graduated I will be able to return the blessing and be able to help Kimloun and the other kids achieve thier dreams.  I pray that they never give up on thier visions and that they know that truly nothing is impossible when you are doing it with God.

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Vickie Jeffs, Qld Australia 

 My awakening of what God can do...

I didn't really have a clue why God was sending me to Cambodia or what He was going to do or show me whilst I was there, I just went in obedience. When we arrived we were straight to working. Leah and I packed up Ruthie's possessions and the 3 babies ( Elizabeth, Isaac and Joshua) and began relocating to a new house. What struck me at first was that Ruthie did not have a home to call her own after 3 and a half years and had very little furniture. Ruthie, having a shoulder injury and badly in need of a break flew back to Australia four days after we arrived, so then we knew that God wanted us firstly to establish a home and sanctuary for her and secondly to minister to the babies. And what a sense of humour God has got, to send two women who have never had babies of their own, to look after 3 babies aged from 5 months to 9 months! Bottles, tears and poop to the eyeballs!! I honestly believe that as Christians we need to get totally involved in supoorting Ruthie and Gods' work throughout Cambodia, not just with our finances, and not just with our prayers but as people willing to go and be the heart, hands and feet of our Saviour, ministering to these children who will be the next generation to bring revival to Cambodia.

   Don Gordon, USA

What a joy it was to spend time working at Love in Action during our recent team trip to Cambodia. When Ruth asked us to travel down to Svay Reing and hold medical clinics we never expected the response would be so overwhelming. It demonstrated to us that there is a big need for qualified medical personnel. God is so good. It was a joy to watch the older children from LIA Phnom Penh praying with everyone that attend the clinic. We saw hundreds of people desperately wanting medical care and the good news of Jesus Christ. We were honoured to share the gospel with 3 men that were there simply out of curiosity. All 3 asked Jesus into their hearts and wanted us to pray for them and we gave them bibles. What a blessing that was! They can read God's word, claim His promises and pass the good news on to many more in their villages. Thank you Ruth and Tracey for letting us assist you with your work in Cambodia. It has left a transforming affect on each of our team members. 

The Croxton Family

After a recent mission trip with the Suncoast Christian Church Adam and Jo Croxton decided to return to LIA with their two youngest sons, Todd 15 and Jedd 11 for a month.  During this time we played many games of volleyball with the boys 'Aussies V's theCambodians', we are not too sure who won, but we always had a lot of laughs. We also spent a lot of time at the girls housedoing crafts, water bombing, ball games and sharing the love of Jesus. We also took the kids to the zoo. We all crammed into Ruthie's van and had an amazing day. Most of the kids had never been before and the sheer wonder on each of their faces was priceless.  Since the day was so hot, we stopped at a water hole for the kids to all have a swim on the way home. It was an awesome day, one that the kids and us will remember for many years to come. It was amazing how many of the kids still remembered us from 12 months ago and they were wrapped that we had returned with our sons, just as we had promised.We also loved spending time with the amazing Ruth Golder.  Just as Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, we as a family enjoyed spending time in this lady's presence.  Her life stories and tremendous love for God is nothing short of amazing and inspiring and we would love to personally thank her for her care, love and trust that she placed in us whilst we were there.  Not to mention the coffee breaks and luncheons that we shared.  We certainly are missing Cambodia, but know that we will return again, in God's timing.

 Our team of five Australian girls & myself spent three weks in Cambodia where we volunteered at LIA. Mummy Ruth & Trace lovingly supported our team through culture shock & heat exhaustion to experience Love In Action first hand. We were overwhelmed with happiness of the children living in the orphanage on our very first day. It was stinking hot & we were sweaty from walking down the dirt road to the girls' home. A beautiful little face peered through the gap in the gate to ask me " Do you know Jesus?". The children shared songs, tears and laughter the very second we walked into the home. Over the three weeks, we learnt about the amazing life stories of the children in Cambodia. Our hearts were broken at the situation we quickly realized the need for love everywhere. In Australia we complain about the most trivial of things and don't put into perspective the worries of the world. Through our experience in Cambodia with LIA our eyes have been opened & our hearts have been touched in such a way we will never be the same again. Thank you LIA for sharing this amazing God filled experience with us. We will cherish it always.  P.S I cannot wait to come back and do it all again with a new team.  

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Karin Roos ,  Sweden

I hadn't really heard much about Cambodia before I decided to go over. When I returned to Sweden I realized I was changed forever by the experiences I had there. I stayed with the LIA family in Phnom Pehn for four months. I must use words like family & home because staying with LIA's orphanages is more like a big family. Suddenly I had a big bunch of little brothers and sisters. The family also included others,volunteers & staff. I saw the children grow in love and security. They came from broken backgrounds and I saw them grow in their journey of healing. In some, the change is so dramatic just over a few months. I experienced firsthand the power of the love of God and how it can change a life. LIA children are secure in the love that is shown to them and they are family. What I remember most is the love I received. Around my mirror here at home I have lots of messages from the LIA children telling me I am Loved..BIG BIG..