By JONATHAN BLUNDELL Daily Light staff writer
Waxahachie Daily Light (Texas, USA)
What began as a simple inquiry by a missionary in Cambodia has now become an opportunity for a local congregation to reach out beyond its comfort zone in Waxahachie and minister overseas.
While looking for an avenue to reach the people of Cambodia, missionary Mickey Sampson contacted Rob Nelson, the creative director for Puppet Productions in DeSoto and part-time music minister at Park Meadows Baptist Church in Waxahachie.
The contact has opened doors for Sampson in Cambodia and inspired others to give of their time and resources to help his ministry.
As part of his ministry to teach proper hygiene to the people of Cambodia, Sampson began looking into puppetry to convey his message.
“One of his approaches has been through different media styles,” Nelson said. “He contacted Puppet Productions and thought he could do something with puppets to educate the people. He was quite right. The puppets have been a huge success.”
Once the contact was made, Nelson and Puppet Productions went to work helping Sampson.
“Once we found out what he was doing, as a corporate identity we adopted him,” Nelson said. “He has the capacity to do audio and video and has done several PSAs with one of our frog puppets to teach the Cambodians about water cleanliness. Since the ads started running, the government’s taken notice and started supporting his efforts. Now Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and other countries in the area are wanting the ads in their own languages. So now he has a toe-hold and his foot in the door.”
The public service announcements have given Sampson a new avenue to reach the people of Cambodia.
“The ads have opened a lot of doors and allowed him to develop other media events,” Nelson said. “After he’s helped people and taught them then they’re open to hearing the Gospel. Technically it’s illegal to be a missionary in Cambodia but Sampson’s there with a non-government organization and his focus is on the health and wellbeing of rural Cambodia. The country, especially the rural areas, has been in bad shape since the late 1970s. He’s developed a multifaceted attack on the problems there.”
According to Nelson, Sampson has worked hard to find ways to care for the physical needs along with the spiritual needs of those around him.
“He takes things down to the basics,” Nelson said. “He’s found a way to filter water that’s easily do-able with materials on hand. He’s teaching programs in schools on washing hands, using sanitary latrines and learning basic hygiene. He’s also helping the natives make farming improvements and testing wells for arsenic, mapping them and warning the locals of the harm of drinking from the wells.
“After our company adopted him and his work, one guy from our office went and saw all he was doing four years ago,” Nelson said. “He met him and got excited about what he was doing so we scheduled another trip to meet with him and help him in his work. We scheduled a second trip in January and worked to upgrade his Web site while we were there. When we returned we shared in brief terms what was going on there with my church and now they’ve set aside a percentage of the offering toward the Cambodia project.”
After learning about the work in Cambodia, Park Meadows now gives a percentage of its monthly budget to support the work in Cambodia.
“And after hearing about the project, people started approaching me saying they wanted to go,” Nelson said. “It takes a good amount of lead time to prepare for a trip like this, so we’re getting ready to have meetings and to discuss taking a team in late fall 2007 or early winter 2008. There is a definite need there and the missionaries can put you to work right away. Along with the spiritual needs there are medical needs as well. They always enjoy that kind of visitation from people.”
Along with sending workers, Nelson hopes additional funds can be raised to help the work going on year round in Cambodia.
“We have the bodies willing to go but we also need financial help to send them,” Nelson said. “People have asked if they can send stuff, but for the most part everything’s cheaper there, so it’s better to send the money and let them buy the things they need there.”
Once the team arrives, Nelson expects the team members to remain busy their entire time there.
“At this point we don’t have a sure plan but I know there are several projects that the missionaries need help with,” Nelson said. “People can help dig and build basic latrine systems, build large water storage facilities for storing water collected during the rainy season, building simple water filters, help with educational programs, do arsenic testing and more.”
Nelson said the water filters are effective enough that the volunteers from America drink water from them and have had no problems.
“The missionaries encourage the volunteers to get out there and see the culture and to see what the country is and what it could be,” Nelson said.
With a basic timeline in mind, early planning for the trip will begin soon.
“We’re working to get our ducks in a row,” Nelson said. “We’re expecting the cost to be between $1,600 and $1,800 per person - assuming the airfare costs stay the same.”
While the majority of the group going is from Park Meadows, Nelson said others interested in going are welcome.
“I really think we’re going to end up with a much larger group than I originally expected,” Nelson said. “And if people from outside our church want to join us, they’re welcome to our trip, or they can schedule a trip of their own.”
Nelson admits full-time service on the mission field is not his calling, but he said he’s excited to serve when and where he can.
“This whole thing sort of fell into our lap,” Nelson said. “I don’t feel a particular calling to the mission field. I don’t feel it’s the path I’m charted on, but I have abilities that Sampson and the other missionaries can take advantage in and I’m very interested in helping. But what I like most about this ministry is that Sampson is approaching the mission field as Jesus approached his ministry. He’s meeting the physical and emotional needs and then showing them God’s love. They’re there to help these people with all their needs, that’s what mission work is all about. We should all be doing the same thing, day-to-day. You can put a church on every corner, but that doesn’t mean anyone’s coming. We must go to those in need if we expect to reach them with Christ. And the ultimate lesson is we’re all capable of helping those around us.”
In many ways, Puppet Productions simply fell into the founder’s lap as well.
“Our company, Puppet Productions, began as a sideline operation of a Baptist music minister in the late 1960s in San Diego,” Nelson said. “He saw a need with his youth choir in that not everyone could sing, but other members of his youth group wanted to be involved. So he started using puppets along with their choir performances. As more churches saw it, more people wanted their own puppets. So he started making puppets for other churches and then incorporated the company in 1972.”
Puppet Productions started out making puppets specifically for Christian ministries, but has since grown and now offers puppets for ministries as well as police and fire departments, medical organizations and others across the country and around the world.
Nelson joined the company in 1975 at the age of 20 and has since moved into his position as creative director for the company.
“I’m basically in charge of anything happening on the creative side of the business,” Nelson said. “We moved to DeSoto in 1990 because the business climate in California was not friendly to small business. Since our beginning, we’ve expanded our company beyond church ministry and have worked on numerous projects including McGruff the Crime Dog.”
Puppet Productions developed the first full body costumes of McGruff, which was first used by the Fort Worth Police Department in a parade in Fort Worth.
The company is now working on new developments with animatronics and puppets for teaching pre-school aged children both life lessons, as well as Scripture verses set to music.
For more information on the ministry in Cambodia, visit www.rdic.org.
“It’s a neat feeling to see what God’s doing,” Nelson said. “It’s not only satisfying but flat fun.”
E-mail Jonathan at j.blundell@thedailylight.com
While looking for an avenue to reach the people of Cambodia, missionary Mickey Sampson contacted Rob Nelson, the creative director for Puppet Productions in DeSoto and part-time music minister at Park Meadows Baptist Church in Waxahachie.
The contact has opened doors for Sampson in Cambodia and inspired others to give of their time and resources to help his ministry.
As part of his ministry to teach proper hygiene to the people of Cambodia, Sampson began looking into puppetry to convey his message.
“One of his approaches has been through different media styles,” Nelson said. “He contacted Puppet Productions and thought he could do something with puppets to educate the people. He was quite right. The puppets have been a huge success.”
Once the contact was made, Nelson and Puppet Productions went to work helping Sampson.
“Once we found out what he was doing, as a corporate identity we adopted him,” Nelson said. “He has the capacity to do audio and video and has done several PSAs with one of our frog puppets to teach the Cambodians about water cleanliness. Since the ads started running, the government’s taken notice and started supporting his efforts. Now Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and other countries in the area are wanting the ads in their own languages. So now he has a toe-hold and his foot in the door.”
The public service announcements have given Sampson a new avenue to reach the people of Cambodia.
“The ads have opened a lot of doors and allowed him to develop other media events,” Nelson said. “After he’s helped people and taught them then they’re open to hearing the Gospel. Technically it’s illegal to be a missionary in Cambodia but Sampson’s there with a non-government organization and his focus is on the health and wellbeing of rural Cambodia. The country, especially the rural areas, has been in bad shape since the late 1970s. He’s developed a multifaceted attack on the problems there.”
According to Nelson, Sampson has worked hard to find ways to care for the physical needs along with the spiritual needs of those around him.
“He takes things down to the basics,” Nelson said. “He’s found a way to filter water that’s easily do-able with materials on hand. He’s teaching programs in schools on washing hands, using sanitary latrines and learning basic hygiene. He’s also helping the natives make farming improvements and testing wells for arsenic, mapping them and warning the locals of the harm of drinking from the wells.
“After our company adopted him and his work, one guy from our office went and saw all he was doing four years ago,” Nelson said. “He met him and got excited about what he was doing so we scheduled another trip to meet with him and help him in his work. We scheduled a second trip in January and worked to upgrade his Web site while we were there. When we returned we shared in brief terms what was going on there with my church and now they’ve set aside a percentage of the offering toward the Cambodia project.”
After learning about the work in Cambodia, Park Meadows now gives a percentage of its monthly budget to support the work in Cambodia.
“And after hearing about the project, people started approaching me saying they wanted to go,” Nelson said. “It takes a good amount of lead time to prepare for a trip like this, so we’re getting ready to have meetings and to discuss taking a team in late fall 2007 or early winter 2008. There is a definite need there and the missionaries can put you to work right away. Along with the spiritual needs there are medical needs as well. They always enjoy that kind of visitation from people.”
Along with sending workers, Nelson hopes additional funds can be raised to help the work going on year round in Cambodia.
“We have the bodies willing to go but we also need financial help to send them,” Nelson said. “People have asked if they can send stuff, but for the most part everything’s cheaper there, so it’s better to send the money and let them buy the things they need there.”
Once the team arrives, Nelson expects the team members to remain busy their entire time there.
“At this point we don’t have a sure plan but I know there are several projects that the missionaries need help with,” Nelson said. “People can help dig and build basic latrine systems, build large water storage facilities for storing water collected during the rainy season, building simple water filters, help with educational programs, do arsenic testing and more.”
Nelson said the water filters are effective enough that the volunteers from America drink water from them and have had no problems.
“The missionaries encourage the volunteers to get out there and see the culture and to see what the country is and what it could be,” Nelson said.
With a basic timeline in mind, early planning for the trip will begin soon.
“We’re working to get our ducks in a row,” Nelson said. “We’re expecting the cost to be between $1,600 and $1,800 per person - assuming the airfare costs stay the same.”
While the majority of the group going is from Park Meadows, Nelson said others interested in going are welcome.
“I really think we’re going to end up with a much larger group than I originally expected,” Nelson said. “And if people from outside our church want to join us, they’re welcome to our trip, or they can schedule a trip of their own.”
Nelson admits full-time service on the mission field is not his calling, but he said he’s excited to serve when and where he can.
“This whole thing sort of fell into our lap,” Nelson said. “I don’t feel a particular calling to the mission field. I don’t feel it’s the path I’m charted on, but I have abilities that Sampson and the other missionaries can take advantage in and I’m very interested in helping. But what I like most about this ministry is that Sampson is approaching the mission field as Jesus approached his ministry. He’s meeting the physical and emotional needs and then showing them God’s love. They’re there to help these people with all their needs, that’s what mission work is all about. We should all be doing the same thing, day-to-day. You can put a church on every corner, but that doesn’t mean anyone’s coming. We must go to those in need if we expect to reach them with Christ. And the ultimate lesson is we’re all capable of helping those around us.”
In many ways, Puppet Productions simply fell into the founder’s lap as well.
“Our company, Puppet Productions, began as a sideline operation of a Baptist music minister in the late 1960s in San Diego,” Nelson said. “He saw a need with his youth choir in that not everyone could sing, but other members of his youth group wanted to be involved. So he started using puppets along with their choir performances. As more churches saw it, more people wanted their own puppets. So he started making puppets for other churches and then incorporated the company in 1972.”
Puppet Productions started out making puppets specifically for Christian ministries, but has since grown and now offers puppets for ministries as well as police and fire departments, medical organizations and others across the country and around the world.
Nelson joined the company in 1975 at the age of 20 and has since moved into his position as creative director for the company.
“I’m basically in charge of anything happening on the creative side of the business,” Nelson said. “We moved to DeSoto in 1990 because the business climate in California was not friendly to small business. Since our beginning, we’ve expanded our company beyond church ministry and have worked on numerous projects including McGruff the Crime Dog.”
Puppet Productions developed the first full body costumes of McGruff, which was first used by the Fort Worth Police Department in a parade in Fort Worth.
The company is now working on new developments with animatronics and puppets for teaching pre-school aged children both life lessons, as well as Scripture verses set to music.
For more information on the ministry in Cambodia, visit www.rdic.org.
“It’s a neat feeling to see what God’s doing,” Nelson said. “It’s not only satisfying but flat fun.”
E-mail Jonathan at j.blundell@thedailylight.com
2 comments:
HUn sen will be assassinated by his bodyguard. That bodyguard will be considered as a hero in Cambodia...
It is coming soon...
Pray the Lord!
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