For the past decade, Cheuy would pass the time on his fishing boat by listening to the radio. It helped him feel less lonely as he worked to provide for his family. He listened to many different programs, but would always skip the one broadcast that talked about Jesus.
Being Cambodian, Cheuy thought God was for the Western world. Since 97% of the Cambodian population identifies as Buddhist, Cheuy believed the Gospel wasn’t for him. He simply had no interest in what the Bible had to say.
Becoming a fisher of men
If Cheuy had explored Scripture, he would have seen that God has a history of drawing fishermen to Himself. We know Peter, Andrew, James, and John all dropped their nets to follow Jesus. At least two of Jesus’ miracles involved helping fishermen catch fish. One of those miracles led Jesus to share with His disciples their new mission. It’s also our mission: to be fishers of men.
One person in Cheuy’s life who lives out this mission is his youngest daughter. It’s estimated that less than 1% of Cambodians identify as Christian, yet in Cheuy’s own house, there was one who was already praying for his salvation.
As a member of Friendship Church in Kep, Cambodia, Cheuy’s daughter has been a faithful follower of Jesus and listener of FEBC, particularly of the program called Family Radio. She would often share with her father how Jesus changed her life, but she didn’t see God moving in his life until one day when he came home from work feeling hopeless.
Cheuy felt empty after catching only a few fish, weighed down by the worry of not providing for his family. Seeing the sadness in his eyes, his daughter sat with him and prayed. “Dad,” she said, “our lives are just like the sea, sometimes calm, and sometimes with strong waves. But we are not alone. Jesus is always with us.”
In his moment of desperation, Cheuy finally came to believe the very truth he’d been skipping on the radio each day: God loves him. Next to his daughter, Cheuy surrendered his life to Jesus.
He then started to see God clearly as a living being who changed his daughter’s life and had the power to change his, too.
By watching the life of his daughter, Cheuy knew Jesus was a real person who not only offered salvation, but also offered His presence. Cheuy finally felt a peace he’d never experienced before, and his daughter’s encouragement led him back to the broadcast he always assumed was not for him: FEBC.
Today, Cheuy’s entire family has come to faith in Jesus, and he still provides for them by fishing. Each day at sea, he knows he has more company than traditional programs can ever provide. He can turn to the FEBC program he used to skip, knowing he’ll hear God’s Word from fellow Believers. More importantly, he’ll know God is near, making him a fisher of men.
Because of your partnership and support, FEBC is able to continue sharing the Gospel with people who are desperate for hope – Thank you!
