Ali and Cathy Hunt joined us in September 2016 for a year of theological training to satisfy the requirements of OMF International for full missionary members. Ali and Cathy have served in Cambodia through OMF and will be returning there this summer. It has been really fantastic to have Ali and Cathy with us this year at SBC and we feel hugely blessed by their presence with us. They brought some unique insight and experience to us, as well as their friendly nature! As they graduate from the College and move back to Cambodia, we wish them all the best in their developing ministries.
With Ali and Cathy having just finished their year at SBC, we asked Cathy a few questions about life at College and what returning to Cambodia looks like.
When you return to Cambodia what will you doing?
Ali is a Podiatrist and will work at the government Diabetes Hospital and possibly with the University of Health Sciences in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I will be involved as a homemaker, as we have 2 daughters, and will use my skills as an Occupational Therapist to work with vulnerable women.
What are some of the challenges you face being missionaries in Cambodia / raising a family in Cambodia?
Cambodia is a developing country. The problem with ministering in a developing country is it develops literally all around you…which makes for lots of noisy building works at all times! It is hard to explain how difficult it is to get used to constant noise and people when coming from the West to the East. The biggest challenge is just learning to live in a totally different culture, figuring out what is helpful and what is inadvertently offensive, learning to communicate the gospel of Jesus in a different language and in a place with different cultural norms. Family challenges include methods of transport (motorbikes in our case), schooling decisions and access to medical care, as well as the constant loss and change that affects missionary kids with every move, the moves back to the UK as well as the moves to another culture.
How has your time at SBC helped you to reflect on your work in Cambodia?
Having an understanding of Asian culture has helped me understand the bible better. Since it was written in a more family/community based culture than ours, a culture that has more in common in those terms with Asia than with the West, living in Asia has helped me understand the cultural context of biblical times better. In studying this year, this became really clear to me. I have also gained invaluable skills in preaching and exegesis that will undoubtedly improve my ministry.
How can people keep up to date and support you with your work?
Please get in touch on cathy.hunt@omfmail.com if you would like to know how to pray for us or support us in other ways. We produce a monthly prayer letter. For mission opportunities, vision trips, short-term trips, prayer trips or further information on OMF International please see www.omf.org/uk.