Interview with Rachel Hicks

So who are you?

Hi, for those of you who don't know, my name is Rachel Hicks.

My mom is Kathleen Hicks and I used to go to Trinity since I was 10.

Yes.

Oh yeah.

For a long time.

Yeah.

And when we first came to RA to Trinity, we got to know Rachel A.

Little bit.

She was actually like a, our first little like intern type of situation where she was really helpful with me.

And I asked her to do all kinds of copying and, uh, you know, getting things ready for children's ministry and stuff like that.

And she did such a great job and we always knew that she had a real call on her life to minister, to people.

She was involved very, very much with Robin Chris and others.

Um, so how did you kind of know what God was calling you to?

So actually it started with Robin and Chris.

Um, when I first moved here, my mom forced me to go to junior camp.

So if you have kids, you should force your children to go because it changed my life.

And before I thought I knew Jesus and at camp, I had a real encounter with the Lord.

And actually my mom was the one that prayed with me to receive Jesus.

And after that, Rob and Chris started asking me to help in the inner city doing children's programs and doing ministry.

And so I got to see, um, the faith walked out and from that moment I knew that was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

So everything that I sought out to do was with ministry in mind.

I wanted to, uh, yeah, it was just my way of God has done so much for me.

Why can't I go out and do something for someone else and share the love and share the hope that God's given me so

Awesome.

That's awesome.

And I'm sure the message this morning spoke to you.

Oh yeah.

So good.

Because you, you, you guys have been applying this in your current setting, a lot of these types of things.

So, so where are you serving the Lord now?

So right now I serve the Lord in a place called KA Kong in Cambodia, which is in Southeast Asia.

And so our heart here is multiplication, church planting.

And so every year we set a goal of how many house churches that we want to create and establish.

And we partner with the local church to bring people into the fellowship because in Cambodia it's been shown that lots of people come to Jesus, but they don't stay there because there's no fellowship.

There's no connection with the church.

And so we knew that if we wanted our church multiplication to work, we needed to partner with the local church.

And so actually in KA Kong, um, there are 117 villages and we are partnering with many churches, 53 different churches in order to create house churches.

And so far we have been able to create seven multiplication house churches.

Wow.

We've been there for one year, so God is good.

Amen.

Praise God.

Yeah.

So, um, how did you get to Cambodia?

What was the, yeah, the pathway there?

Um, so Rob and Chris, once again, when I was younger, they said, Hey, our daughter is going with this organization called youth with a mission on a mission trip.

You should go with her.

So I ended up going on my first mission trip to Dominican Republic with Y a M.

And that's how I heard about Y a M for the first time.

So then I was praying and asking the Lord what I needed to do.

And I felt like Bible school was it.

So I actually have a four year degree from Carson Newman, but after I graduated, I just needed something deeper.

I wanted to go deeper in my relationship with the Lord.

And so I heard about YWA M's discipleship training school, which is a five month program where the first three months you're doing lectures, you're learning about Jesus, the Bible.

And then the last two, you're actually in a country applying what you've just learned.

And for me, we went to Cambodia and as soon as we set foot in the village, the Lord spoke to me and said, you're not gonna leave.

You're gonna come back.

So I knew that this was where I was called to be.

And you've been there now for several years, right?

Uh, almost five,

Almost five years.

That's incredible.

So, um, went through, you know, had COVID, uh, not had COVID, but COVID came across the world.

Obviously Cambodia was affected by that, but you guys took a proactive stance.

You did something very unique during that time.

So, um, COVID hit us a little later than America.

So we were hearing about it, but we didn't, we didn't see it until, uh, several months later.

And when it hit, Cambodia hit really hard because the medical and uh, care in Cambodia is not the same.

As in America, we are very, uh, grateful to be in, in the country that we are, and to have, uh, the ability to go to the doctor when we need to.

So we started to see the need in Cambodia.

Um, people were going hungry because the government shut down factories.

This is how people were making their living.

And so people were hungry.

Children were starving, um, children weren't getting education.

And so we came together as a group, there was 11 of us and we started seeking the Lord, like, what are we gonna do?

We can't just sit here and do nothing.

We can't just pray about it and not do anything.

And so the Lord gave us multiple steps.

And so one of'em was we were going to do food relief.

And so we found churches throughout Cambodia that was willing to partner with us.

And together, we were able to help over 750 families and connect them with the local church, because that was another thing we didn't wanna just leave them.

And so, yeah, it was good.

So another thing that we felt the Lord tell us to do is we need to disciple, but as a foreigner, they were afraid of me.

They're afraid of foreigners with COVID.

So they wouldn't let me in the villages.

Um, so we said, we gotta bring people to the base.

And so we decided to start a Bible, uh, school, and then we invited 11 students to live with us.

And we did daily discipleship with these students.

And in the mornings, they would learn about Jesus.

And then in the afternoons, they would learn computer skills, English skills, a variety of different things.

And so that was for five months.

So those were the two big things that we felt like the Lord tell us to step out in and help.

Yeah.

And there was one, she was telling me the story the other day, there was one girl that came specifically to the, uh, to the, to be a part of this.

And it was kind of a unique situation.

And why was that?

Her grandfather,

Her grandfather, um, is one of the religious leaders in the Buddhist temple.

And so he did not appreciate Christianity, but she said, I'm going to be learning English.

So you should let me go because I'll have more opportunity in the workforce.

So he said, okay, fine.

You can go learn English.

So we had to make sure she really learned English, but during, but in the morning, she started to learn about God.

And it turns out that as a kid, she, um, spirits would come and visit her and they would give her words.

And, and she became known as this person that was able to, Rum, give words to people and speak into people's lives from these spirits.

And she was terrified of that.

Not, not good spirits, not good spirits.

She was terrified of these spirits.

Um, definitely from the enemy.

And so at one point in her story, she met a missionary and this person gave her what she came to find out was the book of Luke.

And so she read the book of Luke, right?

As Jesus is dying.

And she was like, oh my goodness, what happened to Jesus?

What's going on?

I need to find out.

And so she told everyone all that she had been reading and her grandfather burned the Bible and said, you can't read it anymore.

And so, uh, that night she was like, I need to find this book again.

I need to finish the story.

I need to find out what happens to Jesus.

And so, uh, later on she, the spirits would come to her and she would cry the name of Jesus.

And at one point, Jesus came to her as she was dreaming and chased all the spirits away.

And so, yeah, yeah, God is good.

So when she came to our Bible school, she was like, I know nothing about Christianity, but I know that Jesus can do things that other spirits cannot do.

And so I need to know more about it.

So the first week she was just like listening.

And the second week we talked on the father, heart of God and it completely changed her life.

And she said, I want, I wanna know Jesus, I wanna be baptized.

And so at the end of the school, um, we said, you know, you can stay here and learn more.

And she said, no, I have to tell my family about Jesus.

And she chose to go back to her village.

Um, yeah.

And tell her grandfather and her family about Jesus, uh, and the, the changes that happened in her life.

Yeah.

That's so amazing to me.

Jesus appeared to her.

You don't think he's wanting to reach people, come on.

If he's invading dreams.

Yeah.

He's wanting to reach people.

How does he want to use us for that?

Yeah.

It's using her for sure.

So, uh, tell us now you, uh, you realize that there's a need for training mm-hmm for pastors and ministers, right?

Yeah.

So a lot of you may not know.

Um, but during the seventies there was a massive genocide.

And one of the main things, the goal of this genocide was to wipe out educated people.

And so the part of that was monks ed, uh, religious people.

And so Christianity was wiped out.

They predicted about 90% of Christianity was gone, um, because of the genocide.

And so, because of that, when they started recovering from this genocide, um, they realized they have no Bible teachers, they have no ability, there's no resources.

Um, and they didn't have the Bible in their own language.

And so the organization I work with has helped partner with a Y cliff Bible translators, and we have finished, um, the, my Bible.

Uh, woo.

Yeah.

It's so exciting.

Come on.

So, uh, it's a lot of work, but we've been able to do that.

And so this year, actually we partner with the Gideons and they donated free Bibles so that we can pass them out in the villages.

Yeah.

So the Lord is doing so much, um, but definitely combating Bible poverty and trying to bring teachers and leaders there to train.

Yeah.

And they're actually doing a school now for, uh, either existing pastors who haven't yet been fully trained or for new people that the, that the Lord is calling into the ministry.

Yeah.

And this is something like you, like you said, that just hasn't been available.

Mm-hmm for a lot of, a lot of churches.

So July 4th, actually just, just recently, we started our first Bible school.

It's a two year school and it's only$500 for each individual, which is a lot in Cambodia, but the Lord's good he'll provide.

But, um, it allows layman and pastors because many pastors in Cambodia learn about Jesus and they drop what they're doing and they go and serve Jesus.

There's no training.

There's nothing, it's Jesus changed my life.

Let's go.

And so a lot of them have never had formal training.

And so we decided this was something that we could offer.

And so we've brought in some teachers from all around the world.

And so every three months, um, 18 pastors will come together to get to know each other deeper so that we can have unity in the church and then dive in deeper in who Jesus is and who the Bible, uh, what the Bible is and says, that's

So good.

That's so good.

Uh, I know you wouldn't say this about yourself, but you just recently were given a position in leadership.

Yeah.

And so tell me about that just a little bit.

I don't know why.

Um,

I

Think we know, um, so I'm the only foreigner at my base.

And so in February they said, Hey, we, um, want to bring more foreigners to this area.

So we need someone to represent the foreigners.

There's only me.

Um, and so, uh, they asked me to be on leadership.

And so, um, I help represent K Kong for the Southeast Asian region.

And so in October I will be going to Thailand to do a leadership school, um, where I'll get to know 40 different leaders and this school leader, he was there during the genocide and he helped create the refugee camps on the border of Thailand and Cambodia.

And so I'm super excited to be able to learn from him and, and hear him and his wife's story, um, and kind of figure out my new role on leadership.

So

That's so awesome, man.

I can't, I just, I can believe because I know the character of, of yourself, but it's exciting to me to see how God will take someone who's willing and available and he'll, he'll use them in such mighty powerful ways.

And I just love that so much.

Amen.

Amen.

People are gonna want um, people are gonna want to, to know all the Lord's calling.

Yes.

is anybody receiving that call right now?

We'll pray for you at the end of the service.

Okay.

Yeah.

Um, sorry.

So, uh, so if people want to know more about what you're doing now, uh, so Rachel depends on the kindness of people giving toward her ministry and what God's using her to do there.

She also, uh, we talked about prayer this morning.

Prayer is such a fundamental part of any ministry.

And especially in a scenario like this, where they're facing all kinds of persecution and potential threats, and the government could shut things down at any moment.

So they, they really need prayer.

So if people wanted to connect with you further, what, what are some ways they can do that?

Hey, so right after this, in this side room, I think it's called the community room, right?

The community room.

I will be short just short time, just speaking and telling a little bit more about what I do and how you guys can be a part of it.

Uh, we love having advocates that speak out on behalf of Cambodia on behalf of what the Lord is doing there.

And to be honest, without people like all of you, um, many of us would not be able to do the work that we do.

And so if you're interested in missions, it doesn't have to be Cambodia, but any type of missions feel free to join in the meeting.

And I would love to talk to you.

You can ask questions, uh, yeah.

And get to know me more.

Yeah.

That's awesome.

And if they're not able to stay today, what's another way they can reach out to you.

Yes.

You can email me.

You guys can pull out pens and paper, maybe or your phone.

You can email me, uh, R L Hicks, 15 gmail.com.

And so you can just send, Hey, I, I want some information.

And so I have a Facebook page as well called Rachel Lee missions.

You can look it up and follow what I do.

I'm pretty active one there.

So it's like, kind of, you can keep up with me a lot that way.

And then if you would like to grab coffee, I'm here till August 21st.

So you can grab coffee.

What, what about if they wanted to grab tea?

Would that be okay?

Yes.

I love tea because I live in Asia.

So you have to like tea.

So those are, but I also love coffee more.

Those of you who are guests with us, there's been a great debate in this church through the years about which is better coffee or tea,

Coffee.

It's fine.

If you, if you love tea, it's great.

You can come to Asia because we'll give you all the free tea you want.

So it's good there

Go.

That's nice.

Awesome.

Well, um, I'm gonna ask Rachel to pray for us as a church in Kamai.

Can we do that?

Yes.

Yes.

She was telling me the other day that she's being challenged by her leadership because she's learned this language to be able to use it.

And the great part about this crowd.

I don't know if do you speak Kamai okay.

Praise the Lord one speaks Kamai

never okay.

Mandarin.

Yeah.

Is this filming?

So yeah, this is filming.

Here's the thing, nobody that's within the sound of your voice or on the internet, anywhere in the world is gonna be able to know I

Get really stressed out.

So I will switch into English

For sure.

Do what you wanna do, but if you wanna at least start and end in a com combin, but pray for us because we really want to have, uh, an additional, a multiplication of the heart for missions.

Okay, great.

And then we'll pray for you.

Yeah.

Yeah, we do that.

Pray Onam.

We pray on Ji LA Aran.

Amen.

Amen.

Wow.

Good job.

That was beautiful.

Beautiful folks.

We, Jesus is not an American Jesus, right, us.

Right.

He gave the father, remember the father gave all the languages at the tower of Babbel.

And so, uh, and he, he sent people in different regions strategically.

And so it's important for us to keep our minds and hearts open to the globe, to the entire world.

Right.

Uh, we talk about the global government and we can, we can talk about all of that, but there's the positive side to the kingdom globally.

And so we need to keep our eyes and hearts open to the rest of the world.

Would you join with me and praying for Rachel and for her continued work there?

Amen.

Father, I thank you for Rachel.

And what a blessing she is, uh, just in the person that she is, first of all, Lord, before any ministry, we thank you that you've given her such character, um, such personality, uh, Lord, she's, she's doing, she's doing everything that she can with the gifts that you've given her.

And so father, I pray that she would just be refreshed while she's here, pray that this would be a time of retooling and rebuilding.

I pray father that there will be, uh, greater vision, even for the future for her.

I pray that, uh, that you will speak to her clearly on what you want for her and what next steps look like.

I pray father that, um, that your perfect will would come to pass in her life.

We pray for success in every aspect of the ministry that's happening there.

And Lord's success looks like your will being done in your kingdom coming.

And so we pray for that in that region.

Uh, we pray, she goes to Thailand Lord for this important training that you will, uh, that you will impart to her, the things that you want to, and that she'll ALS she will be used also to minister to others.

Lord, we just pray father that you protect her and watch over her and keep her safe in all of her ways, Lord, that she will live out every day that you have designed and destined for her to live in this life.

And that she'll be filled with joy, uh, and have good health Lord.

And we do pray for her finances.

We pray Lord that, uh, she's about 70% funded.

We pray Lord that you would make a way for that last 30% to, uh, to come in so that she'll be able to fully invest.

She's wanting really, she's wanting to support helping new pastors and she has a heart.

And so that 30% really isn't for her.

She wants to be able to give it away to help pastors who can't afford the training and things that they need.

And so Lord, we just pray that you would, uh, meet the desires of her heart because they godly desires and provide for her in every way.

And we thank you for it, father she's Ana.

Amen.

Amen.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Didn't she do great.

Amen.