CAMBODIA—Set free from gambling addiction

Teng’s life was filled with misery and a deepening anger. She was obsessed with gambling and became fiercely envious of those who won big payoffs.

“I always thought my turn to win would come but it never happened,” she says. “As I kept losing more and more, I was filled with rage and despair.”

Like many Cambodians, Teng believed in the power of idols. She prayed to them whenever she had problems, which seemed like most of the time. Yet the silence she received in return only deepened her frustration with life.

“Sometimes I screamed at them,” she says. “It seemed like no one was listening.”

Occasionally at night, Teng would tune into a radio station that broadcast the Gospel. She listened with curiosity as someone talked about a man named Jesus who loves everyone, even sinners.

“Because of this, I already knew a little about salvation when Vicheka (a Bible League-trained church planter) came to our village,” she recalls. “When she explained more about the Good News, I felt good for the first time in many years. I wondered if even someone as bitter and hateful as me could receive Jesus as my Saviour. As Vicheka spoke from the Bible, I considered the importance of each of God’s Words.”

As Teng studied the Bible with Vicheka, she realised that her suffering and misery came from pursuing the world instead of God. Tired of being bound with the chains of her gambling addiction, she decided to accept Jesus Christ into her heart.

“Since then, obeying God’s Word fills my life with peace and joy,” Teng says. “Jesus set me free from all the bad things I used to do. I am convinced that He will be with me and be my helper wherever I go. Amen!”