Tabitha-Cambodia 10 Year Report: Introduction
TABITHA-CAMBODIA
#239, Street 51, P.O. Box 2361,
Phnom Pehn, Kingdom of Cambodia
Tel/Fax: (855) 23 - 721038
E-mail: [email protected]
www.tabitha.ca www.tabithafoundationaustralia.com
www.tabithausa.org www.tabithauk.com www.tabithasingapore.com
October 2004
Dear friends and partners,
This October 2004 marks the completion of our first ten years as Tabitha - Cambodia.
As I look back - there is so very much to be thankful for - so much to share. Tabitha - Cambodia was built from my faith in my God, who is gracious and kind - whose promises never fail. I would like to quote a few verses from God's Word, the Bible:
"It will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the man with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. "Master, he said, "you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.
His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"
The man with two talents also came. "Master, he said, "you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more."
His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things: I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness. "
I share these few words with you as it explains so much of what we all have done together. I invite all of you to come and see what we have done - you and me, the staff and the families we work with.
The values underlying these verses are self-evident in the work that has been done. There is a clear recognition of all our collective responsibilities - from those of you who support us - what you have given has borne much fruit - from us as staff and director - we have gone from few to very many - from our families who started with one talent - rather than bury that talent - have chosen to use it and to gain so much more.
Ten years ago, I was told to go ahead and follow my faith - but that I would do so all alone. Even today, there are many who say - look what you have done - how can you do so much. But this is a fallacy. I was never alone - my God was and is always with me. The staff have grown and done the work - their talents have increased ten fold - but most important of all - the families we are called to serve - chose and continue to choose - to use their one talent and change that one into many.
The following pages are clearly intended to come and see what we have done. It is a pictorial celebration of sharing in my master's happiness. It is also a reminder that well done is not enough. You and I, the staff and the families we are helping and those families who are awaiting us, we will be given double our talents, double our responsibilities - sharing in our master's happiness. A promise and challenge we take on with joy and much humbleness.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank each of you - supporters, staff, participating families for allowing me this privilege - this gift of life. I wish I could name each of you by name but then this report would be hundreds of pages long.
Suffice it to say that the number of foundations reflects the many hundreds of people who have given of their time and their money to make us what we are today.
I am grateful to my God that His promises meant that each of you are an integral of Tabitha - Cambodia. What unfathomable Grace I am surrounded by.
Now, I invite you to come - turn the pages - and see what we have all done together.
In His service,
Janne Ritskes,
Founder/Director
Tabitha-Cambodia