{"id":46537,"date":"2025-05-27T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/?post_type=prayerline&#038;p=46537"},"modified":"2025-05-27T15:28:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T14:28:40","slug":"a-gradual-awakening","status":"publish","type":"prayerline","link":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/a-gradual-awakening\/","title":{"rendered":"A Gradual Awakening"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block block-core-html\">\n<iframe title=\"A Gradual Awakening\" allowtransparency=\"true\" height=\"150\" width=\"100%\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=vnrex-18bd78b-pb&#038;from=pb6admin&#038;share=1&#038;download=1&#038;rtl=0&#038;fonts=Arial&#038;skin=60a0c8&#038;font-color=auto&#038;logo_link=episode_page&#038;btn-skin=fb0584\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201c<\/em><em>I felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me, as if my burdens had been lifted. In that moment, I realised that surrendering my struggles to Christ was the first step towards healing and renewal.<\/em><em>\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a powerful awakening for Srey Leak, a fourth-year student at Angkor University in Siem Reap, Cambodia. But it wasn\u2019t out of the blue. For months, staff and students at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Sonokokhampuchea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SONOKO<\/a>, the IFES national movement, had been reaching out \u2013 and God had been at work.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-heading wp-elements-f7432498fe1a8ef4946e5b079aafcd57\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-east-asia-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f7432498fe1a8ef4946e5b079aafcd57\"><strong>A Happy Face<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One day, Srey Leak was cleaning up on campus with three other students when Chenda, a SONOKO staff worker, approached and offered help. As they chatted, Srey Leak discovered that Chenda wasn\u2019t a student and asked why she was there.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI came here to pray for Angkor University,\u201d Chenda said and saw Srey Leak\u2019s face light up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chenda invited all four to the monthly SONOKO gathering, but they were too busy to attend. Before the next meeting, Chenda reached out again. Srey Leak agreed to come and encountered a friendly and caring student community \u2013 and gradually opened up to God.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-heading wp-elements-8169ef440960acc36d7771bccaa0bb75\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-east-asia-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8169ef440960acc36d7771bccaa0bb75\"><strong>An Open, Restless Heart<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the following weeks, Srey Leak sensed a spiritual connection. On one occasion, a friend looked so thin and tired that she was moved to put a hand on her shoulder and offer a prayer of encouragement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But with time, Srey Leak stopped attending the SONOKO meetings. She was working, studying at night, and busy at weekends. She missed the fellowship \u2013 and she felt far from God:&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cI had many things on my mind and just wanted God to solve all my problems<\/em><em>. <\/em><em>I felt like I was aimless \u2013 my life seemed to be drifting. I didn\u2019t know what to live for. I felt so tired and unwell<\/em><em>.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five months later, when Srey Leak received another invitation from Chenda, she decided to return. &nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-heading wp-elements-c94b53046e375b94b7453d3d6517fe33\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-east-asia-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c94b53046e375b94b7453d3d6517fe33\"><strong>A Surrendered Life<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cWhile singing, I shed tears of repentance. In my heart<\/em><em>,<\/em><em> I knew I was in need of a Saviour and a Guide. And what made me cry most was the thought that God had not abandoned me \u2013 that he\u2019d called me back here to receive salvation<\/em><em>, <\/em><em>encouragement<\/em><em>, <\/em><em>and joy<\/em><em>.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Indeed, it was no coincidence Srey Leak had come that evening. Students were invited to write prayers and pin them to a wooden cross \u2013 and so it was that she could surrender herself and all her burdens to God and be awakened to Christ\u2019s peace and renewal.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-heading wp-elements-c1d3c062fe3e5fef64fd796d2e0622db\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-east-asia-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c1d3c062fe3e5fef64fd796d2e0622db\"><strong>Pray<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-list\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"wp-block block-core-list-item\">\n<li>Praise God for Srey Leak\u2019s journey and for the way he used Chenda\u2019s desire to pray on campus, her tenacious invitations to Srey Leak, and the warmth of the SONOKO student community.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-list\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"wp-block block-core-list-item\">\n<li>Pray for God\u2019s strength and wisdom for the student leaders \u2013 many, like Srey Leak, juggle studies, work, and other responsibilities, making it tricky to find common planning times and leaving them vulnerable to burnout.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-list\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"wp-block block-core-list-item\">\n<li>In January, SONOKO Cambodia celebrated its thirtieth anniversary. Thank God for its growth and their 3\/30\/300 vision \u2013 3 cities, 30 campus groups, with 300 students. With groups now operating in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, ask the Lord to open the way for pioneering ministry in Battambang.\u202f&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watch students and staff (including Chenda!) share about SONOKO\u2019s ministry and vision in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/r\/18acuwZDHN\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this reel<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":46538,"template":"","area":[493,455],"theme":[],"class_list":["post-46537","prayerline","type-prayerline","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","area-cambodia","area-east-asia"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Gradual Awakening &#183; IFES Prayerline<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cI felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me, as if my burdens had been lifted. 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