Christianity in Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is situated in mainland Southeast Asia. It shares borders with Thailand to the Northwest, Laos to the North, Vietnam to the East, the Gulf of Thailand to the Southwest. The capital and most populous city is Phnom Penh, while the official language is Khmer. Cambodia has a human population of 16,713,015 and several ethnic groups. These are Khmer, 95.6%; Cham, 2.4%; Chinese, 1.5%; Vietnamese, 0.2%; others, 0.3%. The dominant faith is Buddhism, which is also the official religion. The religious configuration is Buddhism, 97.1%; Islam, 2%; Christianity, 0.3%; others, 0.5%.

Brief History

        The first human settlements in the region of the present day Cambodia dates back to 2000 B.C. The Funan kingdom is the first Southeast Asian civilization located in Cambodia between one and six A. C. The country was placed under French protection in 1863, and gained independence in 1953. The recent political history of Cambodia has been shaped by developments in neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, in addition to the destruction caused by the Khmer Rouge regime, which ruled the country from 1975 to 1979. Internal turmoil continued in the 1980s.

Following negotiations carried out by the United Nations (UN), a transitional authority was established in 1991 under UN mandate. Named the Kingdom of Cambodia in 1993, the country has been governed by a constitutional monarchy since then. The incumbent king, Norodom Sihamoni ascended the throne in 2004.       

God’s Canvass

         Cambodia’s landscape is characterised by a low-lying central plain surrounded by uplands and low mountains. To the North, the Cambodian plain abuts a sandstone escarpment, which forms s southward facing cliff stretching more than 320 kilometres from West to East. Flowing south through the country’s Eastern region is the Mekong River. Other features of Cambodia’s fauna and flora are presented below.       

Fauna

        The country is home to a variety of wildlife.  The animals, most of which are considered endangered, include Irrawaddy dolphin, Banteng, Clouded leopard, Langur, sun bear, Crested Gibbon and Pygmy Slow Loris. Some of them are shown below.

Flora

 Cambodia, covered in its mountainous areas with dense virgin forests, has a wide variety of plants. These include palm, rubber, coconut, kapok, mango, banana, and orange trees, as well the high sharp grass of the savannahs. Some of the plant species are presented hereunder.

Beaches

Culture

      Religion has been a major source of cultural inspiration in the country, throughout its long history. Over nearly two millennia, Cambodians have developed a unique Khmer culture and belief system centred on syncretism or indigenous animalistic beliefs, as well as the Indian religions of Buddhism. In addition, music occupies a dominant place in traditional Cambodian culture. Children and adults make music at play, at work, as well as while courting.

Traditional Attire

 The typical peasant outfit consists of a collarless black shirt, baggy trousers with an elastic waistband, and a red and white checkered krama knotted loosely. However, the most popular attire is the Av Pak. This is a traditional blouse dress of Khmer people. Some of the traditional attires are shown below.

Cuisine

Over centuries, Cambodian cuisine has incorporated elements of Indian, Chinese, Portuguese, and French cuisines. Curries are staple food in the country, usually eaten with rice, fresh noodles, or a baguette. The curries usually include seafood, chicken, and beef entre. Some popular dishes in the country are shown below.

Status of Christianity in Cambodia

       Christians are a minority in the country. Present day Christianity in Cambodia is less than thirty years old, as the Khmer Rouge virtually erased all traces of its earlier history. The history of the Cambodian church is a story of periods of growth alternating with periods of persecution. Many of its citizens who have turned from paganism to Jesus Christ have been accused of betraying their nation. Although the church is growing, it lacks many of the resources that Christians in the West and other tolerant regions take for granted. These include anointed and trained pastors, Bibles, Christian literature and worship centres.

Prayer Points

        The above highlights clearly show that the enemy is operating with impunity in Cambodia. A situation where more than 97% of the country is under the influence of the evil one is not tolerable. Therefore, we call on all believers to adopt this nation for the purpose of focused intercessory prayers using the following points, or as the Holy Spirit leads each person:

1. Ask the Father to send workers into His harvest in Cambodia;
2. Pray that He would dethrone all demonic principalities and powers holding the people of Cambodia in captivity;
3. Pray that the Father would remove the blindfold of satan and his demons from the eyes, heart and mind of all unsaved persons in the country, and unstop their ears that they might listen and understand the truth of the gospel;
4. Ask the Father to reveal Himself to those who doubt His existence;
5. Pray that He would sanctify all Christian believers with His word, which is truth;
6. Ask the Father to fill believers with the Holy Spirit for the ministry of the word and prayer;
7. Pray that He would open doors for them to minister in areas dominated by pagans and Islamists without fear;
8. Ask the Father to pour out His Spirit on all unsaved souls in the country to lead them to repentance;
9. Pray that the Father would destroy all faulty foundations in the lives of some people who claim to align with His Son Jesus Christ, but deny Him with their lives; and
10. Pray that God would purge all Christian believers of pollutions arising from their interactions with pagans and adherents of other false religions.

Intercession Checklist

      From the political map of Cambodia provided in the text, select a town, city or region of the country for focused intercessory prayers. Present the chosen geographical space to the Father and tell Him that you are claiming its inhabitants for Christ. This is in line with the instruction He gave to the Messiah in Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will make the nations thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.”

       ***** Materials sourced from Historical  and Political Outlook of Cambodia, https://www.mfa.gov.tr; Cambodia, https://www.en.m.wikipedia.org; Awesome Native Animals You Must See in Cambodia, https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com; Culture and Religion, https://www.embassyofcambodia.org; Cambodian Cultural Life, https://www.britannica.com; The Church in Cambodia, https://www.cambcomm.org.uk.