Volume 9 Issue 3, October 1995
The New Generation Assembly of God is the First Kmhmu Assembly of God to be pioneered in Assemblies of God history.
With their background as political refugees from Laos, the Kmhmu people are adjusting slowly to the American way of life. But their attitude is exemplary. No matter how frustrating and discouraging their circumstances, no matter how badly they may be treated they press forward. They keep trusting Jesus with a smile on their faces. And, He is coming through for them, giving them grace, strength, and courage.
There are about 3,000 Kmhmu people in America with the largest number in California. Their traditional religion is Animism or spirit-worship. Therefore we go slow helping them to be strong in the Word of God as Christians so they will have a solid base of stability and of discernment. Spiritual growth is becoming more and more evident, especially under the capable sensitive leadership of Kelvin Siviengkham Rangsy...a man of God, a true shepherd, a man of prayer.
We hade jointed hands and were praying at the corner of a street that has been decaying morally and socially. You can walk down this street and find discarded, used condoms in the dirt and sometimes on the lawns as well as discarded used syringes and half consumed bottles of "booze". There is heavy prostitution that takes place there every nite. The participants in the prostitution and local porn shops come in from the outside and are not residents there. It is not a very wholesome environment in which to find children. Nevertheless, while praying we became aware that someone had joined us. Carefully opening our eyes we noticed a small, seven-year-old Asian boy sitting in the exact center of our circle on his basket ball. We found out his name was Tin.
Tin had never heard the name of Jesus Christ. He wanted to know about Him. So, we had the opportunity to introduce this small boy to the Savior of the world. After hearing about Jesus' identity, Tin wanted to receive Him into his heart. Following his prayer, some of the youth said, "Tin! Now Jesus lives in your heart". Tin said quizzically, "What if He want to get out?" We assured him that Jesus likes having a home in Tin's heart. He won't want to get out. Tin got a big smile! Then he ran off to shoot baskets.
Impact! That's what it was! The Impact Youth Ministry from the First Assembly of God, Ft. Collins, Co under the apt leadership of Youth Pastor Rob Cowles, made a lasting impact during their nine day missions trip to SEAM in Orange County, CA.
Their mission was to "plant seeds" and break spiritual strongholds among the Southeast Asian community in Orange County. They pulled down dark spiritual strongholds through street prayer beats on a violent and morally decayed street in Garden Grove. They visited a large Theravada Buddhist Temple in North Hollywood where a Buddhist monk was eager to greet us and make us comfortable. He was articulate in explaining his religion and the meaning of various symbols. Impact team members brought a reasonable presentation of their faith in the One True God, Jesus Christ. Many seeds for thought were planted in this pre-evangelism effort.
Penetrating a local Asian community shopping area gave team members opportunity to respond to the people with gentleness and love. When a shop owner took them to his spirit altar to proclaim the goodness of the spirits, they responded with an effective witness of the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ.
Impact lent their helping hands to Kelvin Siviengkham Rangsy (Kmhmu Pastor-in-training of the New Generation A/G) and his family by assisting their move to another apartment. And, they ministered in mime at this church followed by the vision building preaching of Pastor Rob.
Every teen member spent no less than one hour per day in the SEAM Prayer Shack.
As the Team prepared to return home, it was evident they had also been impacted. One of the youth said, " I was watching all the teens who don't know Christ. I know I need to go out and touch the teens of Ft. Collins, CO. Now I am not afraid. This was not just a 'feel good' trip where you show up, cry together, go home, and nothing changes. For the majority of us, this trip has educated and changed us."
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