International School of Leadership Development Celebrates First Graduation
INSPIRING HOPE - EMPOWERING POTENTIAL
November 7, 2006
Greetings!
In October, two years after the SE Asian Tsunami devastated their country, Sri Lanka graduated 17 students from their 2 year ministry school (ISOLD) and celebrated the 2 classes following in their footsteps! Other graduations are scheduled in January 2007 for Cambodia and Myanmar!

In addition, PCL reports 11 day tours to Cambodia in January 2007 (31 already ticketed) and March 2007 (30 already ticketed). New Hope COG Youth Ministry (Sevierville, TN), Mt Paran Christian School (Atlanta, GA) and Lee University Global Perspectives are on board the June 2007 Summer Tour. And finally, J David Stevens, KY State Bishop announces plans to lead his State's ministers to Cambodia in October of 2007!
Sri Lanka ISOLD Graduation
In the midst of an increasingly hostile Buddhist community 250 Christians boldly gathered in Panadura, Sri Lanka to celebrate the graduation of 17 pastors from PCL’s International School of Leadership Development. Complete with caps and gowns these graduates proudly processed into a church building that just one and a half years ago was filled with the waters from the Tsunami that ravaged much of Asia. Three weeks after the Tsunami hit Sri Lanka a PFCAL team traveled to that remote island country to assess the damage and to see how they might be of help. It was at that time that this school was formed under the leadership of Dr. Fred Garmon. These passionate Sri Lankan pastors had little or no Biblical training until the implementation of this school. Led locally by Pastor Premadasa, these graduates completed in a year and a half a video based curriculum which was designed to take three years to finish.

Dr. Dale Denham, who was on the original team, made his fourth trip to Sri Lanka to lead this exciting graduation event. He was accompanied by Randal Parker, Mission’s Pastor for the Christian Life Center Church in Yakama, Washington, which has funded the costs involved in this discipleship venture. “I have attended many graduation celebrations in my lifetime,” said Dr. Denham, “but none where the graduates where more appreciative of their opportunities and accomplishments than were these brave pastors who, by the way, were all once practicing Buddhists.”

Led locally in Siem Reap, Cambodia by PCL Development Director, Simon Valenzuela, pastors from seven different denominations weekly attend these video based training sessions. Sixteen of these fifty-five students will receive their three year diploma this January 2007. ISOLD students from Phnom Penh, Cambodia will also attend this celebration.
It has been a thing of beauty to behold the transitional process from the founding Director of People for Care and Learning, Bob Pace, to his personal choice of successor, Dr. Fred Garmon. The vision, team and structure that Bob birthed is being carried out by Dr. Garmon and the team initially gathered by Bob himself. In June of 2004 Bob envisioned a large boat/barge on the Tonle Sap Lake in Siem Reap Cambodia. This fall (2006) the building of that boat begins and by the summer of 2007 the boat will be a Christian/humanitarian “presence” on this lake that is home for one million poverty-stricken people. Some of those initially present couldn’t see this happening due to the cost involved. Bob, however, “saw” it. Not only will it be built by the summer of 2007, but thanks to PCL’s partnership with Men and Women of Action (South Carolina Region) the boat will already be paid for.

This is not the only dream coming to reality that was first envisioned by Bob Pace. Another of Bob’s “big dreams” involved the expansion of the Siem Reap Orphanage site; which continues to grow building by building and ministry by ministry. In addition a “business/vocational center” in the downtown area of Siem Reap, Cambodia was purchased under Bob’s leadership and is being developed under Fred’s. The DownTown Center will house a Coffee House, Internet Café plus class rooms for Khmer business/vocational training. Bob Pace dreamed the first dream! The new Director and President, Dr Fred Garmon, is now dreaming related dreams; dreams that Bob may not have clearly seen but were there in embryonic form.

In This Issue
Sri Lanka First ISOLD Graduation
Siem Reap ISOLD
Transitioning Leadership
New Youth Center

Message from Randall Parker
Let me begin by thanking People for Care and Learning for the opportunity to partner with the ministry. Christian Life Center in Yakima, WA is thrilled to be able to join hands with PCL in ministering to Sri Lanka through ISOLD. My heart was thrilled and the excitement level was high as I saw the crowd of people gathered at Church on the Rock Church of God in Panadura, Sri Lanka for the International School of Leadership Development graduation. There had to be at least 250 people gathered. Extra chairs were rented to handle the people. The greatest blessing was seeing the sevemteen graduates dressed in their caps and gowns; pastors who were excited to have the opportunity to further their training.

It was uplifting to see a plan coming to fruition that was birthed on the post-tsunami trip of 2005 when pastors told us that they had prayed for years that someone would partner with them in ministry and if it took a tsunami to accomplish that, then so be it. Here, a year and a half later, I witnessed these partners in ministry eager to minister in a hostile Buddhist environment. I was challenged by these graduates when I asked them how our church should pray for them and they asked for the courage to stand up in the midst of persecution. What a testimony! Christian Life Center and I are blessed to have ministry partners half way around the globe like this. Thank you People for Care and Learning for bringing us together in ministry.
God bless,
Randall Parker
Missions Pastor
Christian Life Center
Yakima, WA

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Care & Learning Journey to Cambodia
11 Days, March 12-23, 2007
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