A Brief History of OMF Cambodia

  • OMF as a mission had small beginnings in Cambodia. In 1974 several OMFers taught English and shared the Gospel with the scores of students who had gathered in Phnom Penh, not long before its fall to the Khmer Rouge. During the intervening years our ministry to Khmer people was focused on those who had sought refuge in the camps over the border in Thailand.
  • As peace and stability began to return to Cambodia in the early 90's, we were able to return to the country, at first teaching music at the University of Fine Arts and then expanding our contribution to other development projects such as English teaching, dental care, and literacy.
  • In 1994, permission was obtained from the Ministry of Cults & Religions for OMF to serve in Cambodia as an organization. Church planting ministries begun and our development ministries were progressively expanded, as members sought to bring the good news and the practical love of Christ to an increasingly wider circle.
  • As the team grew, we were able to extend our development work into three main areas: health, including leprosy work and medical programmes in Cambodia's prisons; education, including input at the University's music, English, computer science and geography departments; and people care, including running a hostel for factory workers, supporting orphanages and rescue work among women at risk.
  • The initial church planting initiative at Pochentong was followed by church work in other parts of Phnom Penh, at Calmette in the north of the city and Tuol Tompoung in the south. One team moved up to Kratie in eastern Cambodia and, later, we were able to send a team to begin establishing a church in Neak Loeung, a town on the main road from Phnom Penh to Vietnam.
  • An Association of independent indigenous bible churches, called FCC (the Fellowship Churches of Cambodia) was established to provide identity, security, fellowship and training opportunities for the emerging churches.
  • OMFers are also involved with wider ministries such as TEE (Theological Education by Extension), lecturing at the inter-denominational Phnom Penh Bible College, radio work and Christian publishing. Some members work with existing church groups, supporting and training church leaders in Ratanakiri and Siem Reap provinces.