Last month I wrote about all the problems we faced with having a good rice crop. “We are blessed with one of the best looking crops in Cambodia. Unfortunately, because our rice is so lush and green, all the pests love it. The fortunate rain we’ve received has led to a fungal disease called “rice blast”. We either treat it or lose a crop, so we treat it. The rats saw the best crop around so they moved in for lunch, we poisoned them, and now craw fish are popping out of the ground with scissor like claws and all they do is cut. They don’t even bother to eat it; they just cut the rice so we kill them.”

I received an honest question: “I didn’t know planting rice was such a pain. But is it safe to say that even the unbelieving Cambodian farmers suffer the same adversaries?” I wrote back; “The difference is the faith to persevere. All farmers face the same adversaries, but if they do not have a growing crop to be devoured, they also do not face the problem. No rice, no problem. When we took the word of God, through the prophets, and planted, our rice is the best in the area and some farmers have not even planted yet. The difference is what will be produced. Abundance with effort, or little with leisure.” The point is that Satan targets anything productive in the kingdom of God. The key is never, never, never give up!