by Marty Martin & Josh Martin

...When I reach this point, I realize how faithful God was and just how amazing of an opportunity it is to be used by God on trips like these.”

Report from Marty  

 Last February, Marty and Josh Martin and John Verwey traveled to western Cambodia on a medical and dental mission trip. In eight clinic days, the team of doctors, dentists and the reading glass clinic saw over 4200 patients. People would travel and then wait for several hours to spend 10 minutes with a doctor or to have a painful tooth pulled.

   The most amazing thing on this trip was the “spiritual counseling component” of our team. We partnered with a team of pastors that were local to the clinic site for that day. These pastors are unpaid shepherds of small house churches and have little access to encouragement and training. Over 1,000 patients expressed the desire to become Christians, which totally overwhelmed the pastors who said, “This never happens in Cambodia!” After waiting all day for medical help, people were standing in line waiting to talk with a pastor!

Josh's Reflections

   My experience in Cambodia was spent working in the dental clinic sterilizing equipment, or as I affectionately like to call it, “baking cookies”, as well as fitting prosthetic arms on those with forearm amputations. This opportunity came up during a gap year between my undergraduate and medical education.

   In my role, I had an opportunity to see the work being done by the other medical professionals as well as the amazing working being done in spiritual counseling by the local pastors. During one day in the Bavel province of Battambang, we saw 483 patients, including 89 dental (a high for the trip), 250 medical, 144 eyeglass, with 326 salvations for Christ!

   I have been reflecting some on my nervousness and apprehensiveness leading up to the trip. Often times, the night before leaving, whether it be to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, or Cambodia, I find myself in a place where I question if I was ready or if i should have signed up at all; time and time again, when I reach this point, I realize how faithful God was and just how amazing of an opportunity it is to be used by God on trips like these.

    I ask you to fervently pray for all the patients we saw and all of those who have dedicated their lives to Christ. Pray that roots would grow deep into their hearts that would affect not only them and their lives but the lives of those in their communities. Pray also for of the local pastors who are now tending to these new believers. Thank you for your continued support!