HOW WE GOT STARTED

The Phnom Penh House of Prayer was launched in June 2012 by Ruth Elliott.   The opening event was full to bursting with people even sitting on the stairs, because the Christian community in Cambodia was so ready for a House of Prayer.

But the story starts long before this day, on a mission trip that Ruth went on in South Korea in 1986, which involved attending the Yoido Full Gospel Church of  Yonggi Cho where Ruth became inspired by the spiritual power released when multitudes of Christians pray passionately, and the effect this had on the nation of South Korea.  Ruth started learning about intercession from this time, and was influenced by Brother Andrew’s book: And God Changed His Mind Because the People Prayed.  She became convinced that intercession was key to releasing the Kingdom of God on the earth, to changing situations and nations.  Ruth saw that ministries with foundations based on intercession, such as that of Reinhard Bonnke, were successful in building the Kingdom of God and avoiding pitfalls that many others fell into. She became determined to learn from this.

Fast forward to 2007, at which time Ruth was running a successful ministry in Cambodia, rescuing hundreds of young women from the sex industry.  Ruth had been considering starting a House of Prayer and had met visitors from Houses of Prayer in other countries.   There was much disunity in the Cambodian church at that time, and strong territorial behaviours by Christian ministries .   In 2009 Ruth suffered a traumatic personal loss, a horrifying betrayal.  Ruth visited Israel in 2011 on a retreat, in the hope of experiencing healing of her trauma, during which time she spent time in the Succat Hallel House of Prayer on Mount Zion.   When she returned to Cambodia, Ruth felt that Cambodia needed a similar House of Prayer and that it was time to start one in Phnom Penh.

Ruth’s goal was 3-fold;  to facilitate Christians from all nations and denominations to pray together to bring the Kingdom of God down in Cambodia;  to be a place where people could be ministered to through encountering the presence of God;  and to be a place where Jesus would be worshipped and adored simply because He is worthy of this.

The Phnom Penh House of Prayer (PPHOP) was opened in 2012 in the Toul Tom Poung area of Phnom Penh, and she created a beautiful cafe on the ground floor to encourage fellowship.  Different sets were held each day at PPHOP by Christians from diverse ministries and churches.  A new unity was created within the Christian community.  Many Christians caught the fire, and became involved in Intercession, worship sets, children’s worship, dance worship, prophetic sessions, teaching sessions, sets focused on healing, and listening to God.  Individual ministries’ also held their own retreat sessions here.  The glory of God was in evidence on a daily basis.

In 2015 when the rental contract expired, it became necessary to move the Phnom Penh House of Prayer to a different part of the city, where it remained until early 2020.  It was much quieter at PPHOP in the new location for a time.  In 2017 a vibrant and multi-cultural church was birthed within PPHOP, which has since multiplied into Cambodian-led church plants.

In March 2020 Ruth handed over the Directorship of The Phnom Penh House of Prayer to Lily Choi, a South Korean missionary who as it turns out started her Christian life at Yonggi Cho’s Yoido Full Gospel Church.  The Lord’s promise to us upon this handover is from Haggai 2:9 –

To God be all the Glory.  Amen.