How This All Began (from Oma)
This is the inaugural website introduction of a new neighborhood, a new beginning, a new ministry.
This is Pastor Ravy Van’s passionate calling to the nation of his village and beyond its borders in the
days ahead.
Pastor Ravy has moved into the neighborhood. He is here to be a neighbor to those around him. To
build a community, a church, an English school, a rock solid ministry of faith and love into the future,
to share the heartbeat of Jesus.
This is his, Pastor Ravy’s story to start with:
Pastor Ravy Van is an ordained Lutheran Minister through the Cambodia Lutheran Church, on
September 10, 2017.
In 2010 Pastor Ravy joined Lutheran Hour Ministries. He was called on in 2017 for pastoral training
and ordination. He was part of the first ever class of men to become Lutheran ministers in Cambodia.
On April 21, 2013, He married Srey Pov. They now have three children, Kaknika, Rayuth, and Piseth.
Learning to walk in the steps of our Savior at times may look like wandering. At times, it may seem to
be like going in circles. Yet, God always has a plan.
Let Us Continue.
In 2019 Pastor Ravy made the decision to return to his hometown of Siem Reap, purchase a plot of
land, and build a home. This is also the area his parents live, and as culture strongly encourages one to do, he will be here now to care for his aging parents. They in turn, are active, praying, encouraging supporters from the ground up in this ministry.
And so a neighborhood is formed in His plan, here and now, and its name is Hope Lutheran
Evangelical Church.
For those of you who have not graced the grounds of this village, it is located about 30 minutes out of
town heading out highway 6 in Siem Reap Province of Cambodia. It is nestled into the remoteness off a
secondary road; a nest of homes scattered about on a one lane dirt road that has single lanes and paths
to the homes there.
It is a marginal community, very common around the province. There is electricity, wells, and some
sanitary facilities. It is a daily struggle to provide necessities (rice is now $50 a large bag). Some
families have members who labor in the city, some who travel to Thailand to work, or there is local
recycling. Some make baskets to be sold to the tourist community in town. Life is tough.
Folks do not have vehicles. There are some motos. And some bicycles. The kids are scattered
throughout the area for school, often traveling 4km distance back and forth each day.
As of this date of commencing this website, there is a combined church and school enclosed foundation
nestled in the overhang of the front porch area of Pastor Ravy’s home.
Church services are held weekly with a mix of adults and teens and a sprinkling of littles coming to
hear the message. There is an order of service to follow, bibles to use, and so much love flowing out of
these new walls. There have already been fourteen baptisms. His talent of being a motivational speaker
of the ‘word’ is the best here. Those who come, listen intently.
At this point, I want to interject a personal point and opinion of what is going on around me. I am only a
minute speck in this ministry picture, and yet from this vantage point I can report of the completeness
of this neighborhood of love, faith, stability, and passion of the gospel message being proclaimed day
in and day out. The flow of the words, examples, and animated presentation captivates the attention of
the audience in hand. The love and transparency is obvious. While the woes of the community will
always be with us, the opportunity to share eternal life and love permeates and flows from here and
draw each person in when the correct time is there. God has a plan. Pastor Ravy is learning and
showing each one of us that path.
Hope School now offers English class five evenings a week. Before and after self reading class learning
times are in place. One hour of teaching for two classes is in place, using the ‘GO’
books as the basis for learning, interjecting independent topics sprinkled throughout the week. Class
sizes are at about 22 and 15 respectively. Ages vary from age 7 into the 20s.
The students are consistent in their attendance, and their learning is contagious. They love to be
challenged with competitive moments and collaborative games. At least once weekly, there is a bible
lesson and worksheets and / or paragraph writing to match. Pastor Ravy has recently played Peter, and
told the Palm Sunday story both in Khmer and English for the students to hear.
