About 300 Cambodian Christians gathered at the office of the Global Network aid organization

on May 1 to pray and fast for peace after the elections.

Pastor Chhon Phan Kong said it was time for the people of Cambodia to recognize the

"real God".

"For many years we have committed very bad sins, many people have committed

criminal acts, murders, killings, but if we confess, God will forgive our sins," he

said.

Sok Eoun, 38, said, "I don't know which party is good or bad but I pray to God,

that through our votes, He will choose the right persons to be our leaders."

On Apr. 22 , the day before the election, Cambodian Christians plan to meet to

pray and fast for the following:

• That eight million Cambodians would be exposed to the Gospel, and that many of

  them will receive Christ.

• That God will soften the hearts of the Cambodian church leaders to help bring

  the world together.

• That God will continue to open doors to allow for the evangelization of Cambodia.
• That God will select people of His choice to be the leaders of the future Cambodian

  government.

• That God will grant peace before, during, and after the elections.
• And that God will answer any other individual requests that may be brought before

  Him as well.

Christians make up less than one percent of the predominantly Buddhist population.

Buddhism is the state religion though freedom of religion has been guaranteed by

the State of Cambodia government since April 1991. Before that time, the Christian

church was rigorously suppressed and Christians were persecuted and in some cases

killed.

Christian NGOs have been active in border refugee camps and carried out missionary

work in Cambodia since early 1991 and as a result the number of Christians has been

slowly expanding.