N ow that democracy has broken out in Cambodia and the door has swung wide open to all the wonders of the West, it seems like the Kingdom may be in for an invasion of an entirely different order - and a religious one at that.

Pastor Mike Evans of Texas caught everyone's attention last week with his near-riotous performance at Olympic stadium. Since then the Gecko has come across an interesting brochure from another Christian group determined to save not only Cambodia but the "3.4 billion unsaved people in the world" as well.

Called "Chi Alpha-Cambodia" and based in Springfield, Missouri, Good 'ole, USA, the group's brochure has a picture of students at a university in Phnom Penh with the caption "These students have never heard of Jesus!"underneath. Imagine that!

A quote from Charles Malik, former president of the General Assembly of the UN notes that "the university dominates the world and if the church truly wants to evangelize the entire world, it must recapture the universities for Christ."

Isn't this exciting! Not only does Phnom Penh have expat Anglophones and Francophones fighting over which language is used in local course curricula, but now we have members of Chi Alpha strategizing about how to "recapture" the University of Phnom Penh for Jesus Christ.

If there is a history buff out there, could you please inform the Gecko as to the date when Cambodia's universities were lost by the Christians?

Wowzaa! Wowzaa! Wowzaa! The gala fundraiser for the Cambodian Red Cross last weekend at the former SNC building saw Phnom Penh's movers and shakers dressed to the nines.

Petrol baron Barry Rogers, dressed in a tux with a dashing white scarf, had the ladies swooning in the aisles. M.P. "knock 'em dead" Nunan pulled one of her three evening gowns out of storage for the affair and had would-be dance partners backed up all the way to the Tonle Sap.

Ambassador Reza "soft shoe" Ridzam from Malaysia is reported to have stolen the show on the dance floor. His rendition of the Cambodian ruamwong was said to have been absolutely first class, while certain western ambassadors have been advised they need a few more lessons behind closed doors before they attempt to cut the rug in public again.

The Khmer Rouge have been at it again on the radio with more ridiculous nonsense. This time they accused US Secretary of State Warren Christopher of being an opium addict. Closer to home, the KR have upgraded their description of government advisor Sue Downie. Previously she was only dubbed a "long-nosed puppet" but has now been promoted to "a pile of s*#&". Quipped Downie in response, "I've been called worse."

According to an extremely low-level UN official, one of the Kingdom's most eligible bachelors, Minister of Industry Pou Sothirak has fallen in love and wedding bells may be in the offing. No word yet on who the lucky lady is.