Money, Machinery, and Miracles
Written by Kenton Rogers
Editor's Note: This year at FaithCamp, God performed an amazing miracle. He impressed donors to give a 2-for-1 matching grant for the Rogers family (missionaries in Cambodia) to build a publishing house for Southeast Asia. Before we even had a chance to share the matching grant in our newsletter, God impressed other donors to give the money needed to fulfill the matching goal. (Read about it here.)
Since then, the Rogers have been hard at work, purchasing equipment and starting work on the print shop. This is the first update they have sent us, so it's a little long, but it shares many challenges and a few miracles they have experienced along the way! We hope you are blessed by it:
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Business Registration
Becoming a business entity here in Cambodia is a multistep process. The first step is to decide on a name and get it approved with the Ministry of Commerce. I had previously chosen the name “Light Asia Publishing,” but another organization is already called “Light Asia,” and officials decided our name was not different enough. After trying several different names, the name “Publishing Light Press, Asia.” was accepted. I still have to finish a logo for it.
Equipment
The initial size of printing equipment I was thinking about is considered table-top equipment, that would work with paper up to 12x18 inches. I thought this would cost about $50,000, and it would fit within our house and current small building. But God gave $150,000. This posed some questions: Do I buy larger equipment that would require most of that money, even though I don’t have a place big enough to put it? Do I wait until after building to purchase equipment? (With shipping that would string out the process so long.) With what money would I build? Should I buy the even larger equipment that another printer recommended?
I have read that our work is to be an aggressive one. One that moves forward even though we cannot see all the way to the end. Trusting in God completely. With me this whole project is impossible, but with God it is possible.
I have purchased used equipment from Europe so they have the right power requirements, and so they are not third-hand. But I was not able to purchase all the pieces I was hoping to because some of my offers were not accepted. I believe, however, that God has led which ones I was able to buy.
The first purchase was a perfect binder, which uses new glue technology that is able to hold up in the hot, humid climates found in Southeast Asia.
The second purchase was a guillotine paper cutter, large enough for 20.5 x 28.3 inch paper.
We also purchased this folder that is able to fold a 16 page signature from 20.5 x 28.3 inch paper.
This saddle stitching machine will be used to put together small booklets.
This laminator will be used to laminate book covers
This the three-knife trimmer will greatly speed up the final trimming of books.
Printers
This is my struggle to trust God in what only looks like failure. The United States has many more printing auctions than Europe, and I am interested in those machines, even though most of them are the wrong power requirements. One night I was awakened with the distinct thought that I should bid on one of the large commercial printers I had seen in one of the American auctions.
“How much do I bid?” I wondered. $1,000 is what came to mind.
I checked the time. It was one hour before the online auction closed. So I got up and placed a max bid of $1,000 for that printer. In the morning, I found I had won the printer for $980. That day I went to a place here in Phnom Penh and asked if they had the supplies I needed for that model of printer. Come to find out, that printer is at the end of life in the U.S. because the genuine supplies are not available. However, aftermarket supplies from China for that printer are available over here, and the shop had what I needed, or could order it.
So things looked good, until I started calling about shipping. Local transportation of the printer from the seller to the port was not available. At that point I really wanted to give up on the printer, but when I called the seller to tell him I was not going to be able to pick up the machine, he told me he had three more of the same type he would like to sell me.
He encouraged me to call around a nearby town for transportation. Three movers later, I found one who was able to help. The cost was $6,500 for one or for all four printers, so all four printers have been shipped from the U.S. in a 40-foot container. I place these printers into God’s hand to see what He is wanting to do with them.
One of the four digital printers that will soon be arriving from America.
Building a shop
With the equipment coming, the current step is a building in which to put all of it. We started with the piling for a 12x18 meter building. I contracted with a local village contractor to build the concrete slab for $15,000. Nate (the Christian Khmer young man that has recently started working with us) and I will be working on welding the trusses for the building. We are praying that it will be done by the time the equipment arrives in December.
The building is progressing. The concrete slab is being built up on top of pilings. What is seen here are the canals for connecting beams, and the temporary brick support on the outside edge is for the surrounding beam. The 6 inch slab will be poured on top of all this.
Import
Importing equipment by the container-full is all new to me, so I have been working with a logistics agency here. At first they said it will cost $1.50 per Kg. This was better than I expected, so I thought I would still have enough to start building the print shop. But after sending them the details, they estimated the customs tax would cost $25 per Kg. My heart sank with discouragement. This would take the total of the lightest container to just under $10,000, and I only had a total of $40,000 left.
Later, the agency said they would try and negotiate with customs for $12 per Kg. They did not think they could get a lower rate than that because customs wants at least $3,000 per container. My heart rose a little with the thought that now I might have enough for the importing. However, it still left a lot of things unprovided for. I had just entered into the $15,000 contract for the print shop’s cement slab to be poured.
I took time to pray and talk to God about this need. I did not have an answer, but I knew God knew about this great problem. I was having to make decisions with price differences not of $10, but thousands of dollars. Exhausted, I went to bed early.
God does know all about His work and its needs. I had previously received a text message from some friends asking how things were going. “Very busy!” I thought. So much was happening that I had not had time to answer them for two days. These friends have prayed with us the entire time we have been over here, and it has been encouraging to let them know what is happening. In the morning, I got another text from them. They said they had spoken with Rachel’s sister about us, and that yesterday they had sent a check of $32,000 to Jesus for Asia for the publishing work. With the difference in time zones, this means that in my time they sent the check the night before I received the estimate of the import costs. God not only knows of the needs before they come, but will also arise and give all that is needed.
This means that there are funds to continue building the print shop. Oh, that my eye may stay on Christ and not lose heart in the waves, for this is His work!
We are definitely in the middle of the story, taking one step at a time. Wisdom from God is very much needed because this is His project. I do not want to hold it up by my lack of faith and discouragements. But God has promised to give all that is needed, and He that calls is faithful to do it.
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