JOURNEY BACK TO GOD’S CALLING
- Chen Soksen
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
by Chen Soksen, former volunteer serving at The Third Place, Cambodia, for about two years before being called to serve full-time at Green Bethel Church.
Hello, my name is Soksen. I graduated from the Cambodian Methodist Bible School in 2016 and got married the following year. I served as the Pastor-in-Charge at Prey Veng Methodist Church from 2016 to 2017, and later at Setbo Methodist Church in Kandal Province from 2017 to 2019.
In 2019, I faced many challenges. My health was failing, and my parents did not want me to continue serving God. They urged me to find a stable job with a good salary. After much struggle, I decided to step away from pastoral ministry in September 2019. I took up a job as an English teacher in a private school, where I have been teaching for the past five years. Over time, I was promoted to Head of the English Department, earning a modest yet stable income.
However, even as I worked in the secular world, God never gave up on His calling for my life. He called me back three times, yet each time, I hesitated. I could not bring myself to obey, held back by concerns for my parents. Then, in November 2024, God called me once more—this time through Rev. Pyo, a Korean missionary. During a casual conversation, he asked me, “Do you want to serve God?” He then told me about a church in need of a pastor.
My family and I prayed earnestly about this opportunity. After much reflection and seeking God’s guidance, we decided to step forward in faith. For years, I had been afraid, resisting His call, but I came to realise that even with a respectable job, a good salary, and people working under me, I felt empty. Nothing I had achieved gave me lasting joy. I was reminded of Isaiah’s response when God asked, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah answered, “Here am I. Send me!” In the same way, I surrendered to God’s will, choosing faith over fear.
God makes all things new. In January 2025, my wife, my son, and I began our renewed journey with the Lord. We were sent to serve at Green Bethel Church, located near a rubbish dump where many impoverished families live and work, collecting waste for a living. Green Bethel Church also runs a primary school specifically for the children of these families—children who face discrimination and are unable to attend state schools. Our church doors are open to them, and many now join us for Sunday worship.
We are deeply grateful that God still chooses to use us. Please pray for my family, our church members, and the community we serve, that we may continue walking by faith. May the families in this village come to know Christ, and may this place be transformed into “Jesus’ Village.”
Thank you, and may God bless you!
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Dear Chen Soksen, I am inspired to read your testimony and your heart's desire to see a Jesus' Village. As the Lord had led you though the many challenges that you had faced in the past, I am confident that by the grace of God, you will continue to experience the reality of God at work in your life, family and community. Take care . God bless! Shalom.