HAPPY KHMER NEW YEAR!
- Andrew Collins
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Khmer New Year is the biggest holiday of the year for Cambodians, a little bit like Cambodian Christmas. Officially, the holiday is three days, April 14-16. To celebrate the holiday, Mission Dove staff, interns, teachers, and students gathered together on Friday 11th in the afternoon for snacks and fellowship, traditional Khmer dancing, and traditional games which are played only during Khmer Year, we celebrated a little bit early because some staff left the city for their hometown to visited their family in the countryside.
Ana Borntrager’s been serving in Mission Dove Cambodia!
Ana Borntrager, is an intern at Dove within the YESIC program. She joined Dove back in January and has loved every moment since! Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, she is currently serving in Cambodia through Eastern Mennonite Missions’ Advance program. Here is her perspective on the Khmer New Year festivities.
Happy Khmer New Year! This month has been filled with much excitement here at Dove, within the festivities of the upcoming holiday. As a teacher, it’s so fun to get outside the classroom with my students. Amidst the laughter, games, dancing, and covering each other in baby powder, our Khmer New Year celebration radiated with tremendous joy! I loved learning and playing all the traditional games throughout the evening. My favorite was called Donderm Sleok Cher. - Two lines are made facing inward with a tree branch in the middle of the “playing field”. A number is called at random. If your number is called, you run to the middle and try to get the branch to your side. As this is my first Khmer New Year, I am struck by the love of community and togetherness. Everything is done in a group, as a community, from sharing food to playing games. It makes joining in and learning loads of fun! Even if the one team loses, it’s quickly forgotten, and baby powder is flying everywhere!
Within my time in Cambodia, I have found wonderful community, food, and a new depth to my relationship with our Heavenly Father. While Phnom Penh is a very fast past version of the Cambodian lifestyle it presents both the old and the new - the beloved traditions alongside the energy of the next generation. In being present and curious in the mundane I have found an irreplaceable joy. Joy for the physical aspect of beautiful smiling faces, a multitude of shoes resting at the bottom of the stairs, and the glorious smells (a testament to the delicious food). But also, in the spiritual sense, realizing and praising where God is at work within the relationships in and out of the classroom
As time goes on relationships only grow deeper. The simple act of being present and caring is elemental in the mundane rhythm of sleep, school, study, and repeat for the students at YESIC. I think back to my high school years, the pressure of preforming well, fitting in, and wanting to express myself but not knowing how. When I found a space to simply be it was life changing. I have loved every minute of creating that same space for the youth of Cambodia, the youth of Dove. While it may seem very mundane at times, I am reminded that Christ meets us in the mundane. If the Father of the universe can meet me there, I can be present for those he has placed around me, a testament to his goodness.
Onyx Cohort 11 Adventure Retreat!
Early one Friday morning in March, the eighteen Onyx1 2025 students boarded a bus that would take us outside their comfort zone. We were off on a three-day adventure retreat! The students include fourteen women and four men, ranging in age from 18 to 31.
After arriving in Kep, they walked the last two-thirds mile up the dirt road to the retreat site, carrying their backpacks. Two tuk-tuks ferried the heavier supplies. Raeksmey, Dove’s Drop-in YESIC Coordinator, came as the chef. Alumni volunteers and staff helped her with the cooking.
The retreat was key in building a safe community for this group. The students are from 11 different local churches, different ethnic groups, and diverse backgrounds, they developed a touching sense of closeness with each other. No cell phone service or internet fostered more time together. Most of the women slept under an open-sided shelter with mosquito nets. The men and two of the women students slept in tents they pitched themselves. After small group teamwork on the first day, they tackled a steep hill climb and 3.5-mile hike together in Kep National Park on the second day. Students also had time to reflect in the beauty of nature and listen for God’s voice.
Deeper sharing began when Dove Co-Director, Sarady, asked the students to share in pairs about their experience of facing uncertainty. Alumni Meng Reaksmey modeled transparency when sharing his life story. He was followed by four students, who shared their life story around the campfire. All showed resiliency to persevere through difficult experiences.
We’re excited to witness the further transformation and healing that God will bring as this community of Onyx students, staff and volunteers walk together this year.
Student Testimony
Lisa, (white and black top) is 22 years old and shared on the last day:
“Climbing was a challenge for me because I get tired and weak easily. But I wanted to overcome myself. When I climbed, I was tired. But I walked to the destination and talked until I got there. When we walked together, walking and talking, I forgot the feeling of being tired. I'm very proud of myself that I can do it through Christ that gives me the strength and the energy.
It was important as we heard the student’s personal stories. I know that each of our lives is different, but I saw their struggles. When I listened to their life stories, sometimes I couldn’t hold back my tears. It touched my heart. My life is not as difficult as the brothers and sisters who shared their stories. I admire them as they face their life challenges with courage from childhood and are now amazing. I learned much from them.”
Prayer Points
Onyx Discipleship Class – Pray for God’s continued guidance and transformation in our weekly Onyx discipleship gatherings. May each session be a space of growth, connection, and deeper faith.
Mission Dove’s Volunteers and Staff Wellbeing – Please lift up Mission Dove’s volunteers and staff, including those serving at the YESIC drop-in center. Pray for strength, rest, and holistic health—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—so they can continue showing up wholeheartedly and compassionately for the youth and communities they serve.
YESIC Drop-In Students – Pray for the young people at the YESIC drop-in center to grow in life skills, confidence, and a sense of self-worth through the supportive communities surrounding them.
Financial Stability – Pray for Mission Dove’s financial health and sustainability, that God would continue to provide the resources needed to carry out the mission with integrity and impact.
Global Influence on Local Ministries – Pray for wisdom and protection over Cambodia and its ministries as global political dynamics—especially in the U.S.—continue to affect local realities here.