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Josiah Project
Spiritual Reform Movement in Cambodia and Southeast Asian Countries
When God created the heavens and the earth, He also said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let him rule over all the things created.” He blessed them to be fruitful and to increase in number so that they may fill the earth and subdue it. However, when men disobeyed God, they lost everything and were separated from His Order of Creation. In His patience, though, God demonstrated His love for the world by sending His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who paid for our sins at the cross and thereby redeeming us from death by shedding His precious blood. Thus, God opened the way for anyone who receives and believes in Jesus Christ to be reconciled to Him. Furthermore, not only does He give eternal life, He also supplies power and passion, through His Spirit, to all of His followers. This is so that they may carry out His holy and precious tasks, all the while convicted to serve and love Him. It is a very special privilege, as well as a duty, for all His peoples, who are in the Lord, to lead those who continue to live in sins and death to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. It is, after all, our sins and rebellion against God that violated His Order of Creation, resulting in death and sufferings.
Cambodia is a perfect example of this gross violation. This nation lost over two million people under the reign of the communist Khmer Rouge regime between 1975 and 1979. The people and land alike suffered incredibly, and too much innocent blood was spilled; God’s Order of Creation was horribly violated. The value of precious life instituted by Him was vainly ignored. This was why Cambodia was known shamefully as the land of ‘Killing Field.’ Now, however, the merciful and righteous God has allowed grace and salvation to this land! Since 1993, after nation-wide general election under the supervision of the U.N., Cambodia has opened her door to outside world. Cambodia is the only Southeast Asian country whose door for open public evangelism is wide open! The peoples there started hearing the good news of salvation through Christ Jesus, from daring evangelists speaking of Him in the midst of chaotic civil war, which was still raged throughout the country. Many peoples, who lost their loved ones, suffered so long and recently returned from refuge camps, received Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior in mass. Through Him, they started having hope and meaning of their lives. Instead of hatred and strife, they started loving each other and living in harmony. Jesus, who is the Healer of the broken and the lost, is turning the country to the land of ‘Healing Fields.’ Indeed, harvests are plentiful, but few are His workers. And the LORD is calling His harvesters to His field now as He did in the time of Prophet Isaiah.
We commit ourselves to answering this call, and have named His works in Cambodia endowed upon us the ‘Josiah Project.’ This name is fitting given the history of King Josiah’s reign. After all, Josiah feared God and did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, walking in all the ways of his father David. As the temple of the LORD was being repaired under his reign, through God’s blessing, the Book of the Law was found. When the Book was read, the king, along with all the men of Judah, repented before God and pledged to follow the words of the Book of the Covenant and keep His commands, regulations and decrees with all their hearts and souls. This developed into an unprecedented spiritual reform movement throughout Judah. They removed articles made for false gods from the temple of the LORD, toppled and destroyed idols from high places, and rid themselves of idolatry and all its detestable
activities. It is recorded that ‘Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did - with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with the Laws of Moses’ (2 Kings 23:25). We pray in hope and believe that this kind of spiritual reform of Josiah will start in Cambodia, a land of idols, and spread beyond its boarder!
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We earnestly pray that a spiritual reform starts in Cambodia and becomes a spark of Spiritual fire.
God, after all, commanded men not to make an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth, nor in the waters below, forbidding them from bowing down or worshipping them. Otherwise, as a jealous God, He shall punish them. Men, however, indulged in idol worship, provoking God to anger and grief, as they did in Josiah’s Judah before the reform. Likewise, most of the people living in Southeast Asia, in which Buddhism is commonly practiced, bow down and worship worthless and breathless statues of Buddha and ask for their blessings. These detestable acts violate and destroy His Order of Creation, bringing forth God’s wrath upon them. They are foolish not to realize their own sins and refuse to listen to the message of repentance and salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells that God wants all men to come to a knowledge of the truth and to be saved (1 Tim 2:4). We truly want His desire to become ours and pray that we can initiate a spiritual reform movement of repentance through the Holy Spirit. We invite all the saints to join in this holy movement in Jesus’ precious Name. We desire to give ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, in order to repair His spiritual temple and restore the broken foundation of the country. We earnestly pray that a spiritual reform starts in Cambodia and becomes a spark of Spiritual fire, spreading to neighboring countries.
Cambodia is indeed plentiful for harvest if His workers reap with His Gospel of salvation. We faithfully and humbly plead with all the saints of the Lord to join in the work of saving lost souls by observing His command to “Love your neighbor as yourself,” transcending races, prejudice and favoritism. Let us obey His supreme command of unconditional, unselfish, and sacrificial love, which He displayed at the Cross of Calvary. For this work, we pray for all the co-workers in North America, Korea, and Cambodia, as well as future partners throughout the world who will be called by Him, to obey and keep His commands vigorously. Through this humble and obedient act, we can assume the role of bridging those who are lost to the blessed hope of salvation in the Lord. This blessing would be given to those who obey His command as given to King Josiah and the people of Judah.
Indeed, as we prepare for the task ahead of us, we remember the early missionaries to Korea (Called Chosun in those era) who began coming in 1884 and gave their lives for the glory of God. We pray that we can demonstrate the same level of sacrifice and devotion shown by these servants as we work in Cambodia, which went through a similar national tragedy as Korea. We want to be able to answer His calling as if to pay the debt of love we owe the Lord. Furthermore, early missionaries to Korea not only preached the gospel in order to plant churches, but they also endeavored to train and raise the next generation of Christian leaders. By their hard work and effort they established educational facilities and hospitals, which produced disciples of Jesus Christ. God used those individuals who came out of these institutes during times of national crises and danger. God took the precious sweat and blood shed by these servants to transform Korea from the country which received foreign missionaries to the one which sends out missionaries to the rest of the world. We, likewise, prepare for the 21st Century with the same heart and attitude of those who came before us and we dare stand in their ranks with the hope of bringing glory and honor to Him. We look to the ends of the earth with trembling hearts and uplifted eyes and with the conviction of the ‘Great Commission’ and strong desire of fulfilling it.
We proceed, then, with the following plans for the year 2003 in the Kampong Cham Province of Cambodia. Even though we set these plans with prayer, we shall obey His plans in His time. We understand that to man belongs the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue (Prov. 16:1), and in his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps (Prov. 16:6).
(1) In 2003: A Christian Pre-school and An Elementary School (Bright Future School) consisting of 220 students, whose majority is from Christian families living in the leprosy colony Peum Trang and villages where Christian churches were established, Dorms for boys and girls of 120 students, Office facility for teachers, Dining facilities; Already built with total budget of $250,000. This is the joint project with the Oikos Mission International. The 7th Crusade for Jesus in the Kratie Province in the month of Dec.
(2) In 2004: Plans to start a 3-year term Bible School to raise up Christian leaders, evangelists, pastors for Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Mongol, China, along with Dorms, Library, Dental and Oriental Medicine Schools, Clinics, Chapel; total budget of $500,000 for construction
Factories for local Christian workers to produce soybean milk, banana chips, and vitamins.
The 8th Crusade for Jesus in the Kampong Thom Province
(3) In 2005: Plans to start Junior High School and Nursing School. The 9th Crusade for Jesus in the Stung Treng Province
(4) In 2006: Plans to construct and operate a Pharmaceutical Plant. The 10th Crusade for Jesus in Phnom Penh
(5) In 2007 – 2009: Plans to build and operate High School, full-scale Bible College, Seminary, Christian University, Medical School, General Hospital.
We hold nothing much in our hands right now, but we have His love and passion in our hearts, and faith and hope in the Lord; not because we have something valuable in our hands, but because we have love for our Lord and His people, who are lost in sins. We firmly believe that His strength will support and hold us and that He will lead us to make these hopes a reality by His supreme wisdom and power. We realize that the ‘Josiah Project’ is a movement which may face many trials, hindrances and obstacles. Thus we must wake up, be alert and pray continually. We rely on His word: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s (2 Chron. 20:15b).
To All the Saints who’ve Received the Mark of Salvation:
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For the ‘Josiah Project,’ we seek 10,000 coworkers who can support us with prayers, finances, gifts of the Holy Spirit, professional knowledges and skills, and technologies as full- or part-time workers who can visit Cambodia and stay on a long- or short-term basis. We especially need workers for the seminary, medical schools, hospitals, Christian schools, as well as for the actual construction of the buildings. Please pray and examine how you may serve the Lord, and let Him lead you.
To All the Churches Purchased and Established by His Precious Blood:
For the ‘Josiah Project,’ we seek 500 churches which can directly or indirectly participate in the plan. This project requires a lot of prayers and financial support. We want to find churches which can dispatch long- or short-term mission teams, as well as provide financial assistance. We believe that all churches should assume the responsibility of saving the lost as a top priority and mobilize their resources and personnel.
To the Co-Workers as Members of the Preparation Committee:
For the ‘Josiah Project,’ we invite faithful, humble, obedient, passionate, God-fearing servants as members of the preparation committee. We will form the inner and direct task force to enforce the project and supervise it. We invite professionals who feel their gifts and knowledge belong to the Lord, and thus are willing to use them for His glory without reservation. We invite members of the churches, who can fund the project financially or professionally in the fields of medicines (Oriental, Western, Dental, Nursing, and Pharmaceutical), construction, theology, international law, business administration, natural and applied sciences, liberal arts, computer science, arts, physical education, sports, crafts, or any fields of professionalism, which can be put to work to help others.
This is an exciting time. We are convinced that the Lord will guide us in this joyful task of sharing God’s plan of salvation with the lost. We only ask that fellow saints everywhere will search their hearts and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in becoming our partners in the Gospel.
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Rev. 22:12 & 13)
If anyone does not love the Lord - a curse be on him. Come, O Lord (Marana tha)! (1 Cor 16:22)
Dr. Hai Joon Kim, Pastor and Missionary
Director, Harvest Mission International
Together for His Kingdom and Glory with life from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior
P.S. For inquiries, more information in detail, and participation in the project, please contact Dr. Kim by writing to; haijoon@hotmail.com or harvestmission@juno.com or call him at 714)349-4123, 964-4123 in the North America and 011-301-7669 in Korea.
Harvest Mission International
11501 Brookhurst St, #209
Garden Grove, CA 92840
U.S.A.