Cambodia
March 3rd 

“Cambodia, Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate!”
Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.(Psalms 2:11,NIV).

》 Country Profile

Continent | Southeast Asia
Population | 16.71 million
Area | 181,035㎢ (1.8 times the size of Korea) Located in the lower reaches of the Mekong River in the southern part of the Indochina Peninsula.
Capital City | Phnom Penh (2.21 million)
People Groups | Total 44 Khmer 84.3%, Vietnamese 4.9%, Chinese 2.8%, Cham 1.5%
People Groups Unreached | 19 (95.9% of the population)
Offical Language(s) | Khmer
Total Languages | 34
Bible Translations | Completed 18, New Testament 3, Partial 4
Religion | Christianity 3.1% (Protestant 1.4%), Buddhism 92%, Ethnic religions 3.4%, Islam 1.6% Evangelical 1.6% 320,000 people

》 About Cambodia

Cambodia‘s history began in the 6th century with the establishment of the Unified Kingdom of Kampuchea, which then flourished and prospered into the Angkor Empire in the 9th century. However, for the next 500 years, Cambodia faced invasions by Thailand, Vietnam, France, Japan, and the United States. Cambodia eventually gained full independence from France in 1953. Following the tragedy of the Vietnam War (1970-1975), the Khmer Rouge, a radical Marxist group, came to power in 1975. Their mission was to build a self-sufficient agrarian society with the goal of implementing communist ideologies. In the process, they labeled city dwellers, intellectuals, and the middle class as rebel forces and executed two million people in a brutal genocide. In 1978, Vietnam invaded Cambodia, overthrowing the Khmer Rouge and occupying the country for the next 10 years, which led to a 20-year civil war.
In 1989, the country changed its name to the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) became the ruling party. The country underwent decommunization, recognizing private property and pursuing privatization. With the support of the UN, Cambodia held democratic elections in 1993, restoring its democratic government. Today, Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. Since 2004, Norodom Sihamoni has reigned as king while Prime Minister Hun Sen has led the CPP since 1985, establishing a dictatorship. In the 2018 elections, his party won all 125 seats, creating a one-party rule. In August 2023, his son, Hun Manet, became the new prime minister.

Cambodia’s economy, based on clothing, construction, tourism, and agriculture, has grown at an average rate of 7% per year over the last 20 years. However, Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia. Problems like corruption, limited human resources, high income inequality, and poor-quality jobs still hinder economic progress. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), 13.5% of the population was living in poverty as of 2016. Over 50% of Cambodians are under the age of 25 and many live in poor rural areas with limited access to education,  productive technology, and basic infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, leading to a decline in key sectors such as garment exports, tourism, and construction, along with a rise in unemployment. Cambodia’s GDP per capita is approximately $4,200

》 Scripture Focus

》 Prayer Points

1. During the Khmer Rouge genocide, 90% of Cambodian Christians were either killed or fled to Thailand. However, despite this tragedy, there was an incredible spiritual harvest. Since 1990, churches have expanded across Cambodia, and the number of Christians has grown to 3.1% of the population. The “Mission Kampuchea 2021” project aimed to establish churches in every region and ethnic group by 2021. To strengthen the church, there are Bible schools and programs in Phnom Penh and several other cities that nurture pastors and believers.  Cambodia allows all religious groups to register with the Ministry of Cult and Religion. However, the fact that there are only 13 registered Protestant groups shows that there are divisions even among small churches.
Let us pray that the church, as the channel of the Gospel, will first fear and serve God with joy. May Cambodia be saved by the cross of Christ and its people be transformed into worshipping children of God.

2. Many missionary organizations serving Cambodia also act as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), focusing on poverty relief, rehabilitation, and rebuilding efforts. A good example of this collaboration is the International Cooperation Cambodia group. However, there’s a risk that these efforts might produce “rice Christians”, those who only convert for material benefits. (“If you give rice, I will believe”). Let us pray that these organizations will focus on making true disciples and co-workers for the Lord, not just providing aid.
Pray that the Lord will send long-term missionaries to reach the unreached areas and plant churches. Through continued missions and evangelism, let’s declare in faith that God’s kingdom will come to Cambodia, bringing salvation to the lost.

3. Over 92% of Cambodians are Buddhists. Monks are highly respected in society, living off of offerings without needing to work. The Cham people, who make up 1.5% of the population, are mostly Muslim, with very few Christians among them. Some other ethnic groups, such as the Mnong, Jarai, Krueng, and Stieng, have small Christian communities. Unfortunately, over 100,000 victims of human trafficking, especially women and minors, are trapped in sex slavery in Cambodia.
Let us pray that idolatry and deception, which hold Cambodia under religious and social oppression, will be broken with a rod of iron and dashed to pieces like pottery. Pray that Cambodia’s political and religious leaders will fear God, repent, and escape His wrath by accepting His guidance. Pray that they will lead the poor and hopeless to the path of life.

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