Missions

Kendrick joined Christ Presbyterian Church in 2007. A native of New Braunfels, Texas, he is the second of eight children born to Genevieve and the late Nelson Kahler. Kendrick was a 3-sport varsity athlete at New Braunfels High School where to this date he still holds the 800m record and the long jump record until 2023. Kendrick graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1985 where he lettered in varsity track 4 years and served as track captain his senior year. After completing Airborne and Ranger Schools, Kendrick served as a platoon leader in the 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California, then deployed with his unit to the Multinational Force and Observers Mission in the Sinai Desert of Egypt. He suffered a spinal injury and became a paraplegic in a jeep accident after delivering several soldiers to an outpost near Mt. Sinai late one afternoon. During that accident, Kendrick was rendered unconscious and saw a bright light, felt an all-encompassing warmth, and heard an angelic chorus singing, ‘Halleluiah”. He was forever changed and committed to serving God from then on.

Kendrick always knew he wanted to be a physician. After graduating from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1993, he completed his training at Christus Spohn Family Medicine Residency in Corpus Christi in 1996. He served as a chief resident his final year. His parents, Nelson and Genevieve Kahler, were instrumental in encouraging him to trust that God is sovereign in all things. After completing his medical training, Kendrick had many dreams of traveling to a poor, developing country that had few or untrained physicians, but he knew not where. He prayed for God to show him. The answer came in a newsletter from the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, requesting help at the Bangkla Baptist Hospital in Chacheungsao, Thailand in 1998. Kendrick apprenticed there under excellent tutelage from career missionaries Doug Derbyshire, MD and John Gibson, MD

Feeling restless and knowing God was at work, Kendrick felt a strong call and moved to Cambodia in 2000, joining the IMB in their work at the Preah Ket Mealea National Military Hospital in Phnom Penh. CSI/Preah Ket Mealea Clinic opened in 2000 within Preah Ket Mealea Hospital, teaching medical students and caring for up to 2,000 poor patients per year–many of these patients being church members from across the country. Kendrick married Sokunthy Oum in 2002. They spend most time in Cambodia, but do return to New Braunfels, Texas for several months per year where Kendrick works at the local VA clinic. In 2012, Kendrick joined Swiss surgeon Dr. Cornelia Haener to help open and serve as Consultant in Family and Tropical Medicine at the new Sonja Kill Memorial Hospital in Kampot, Cambodia. He cares for the many poor patients and teaches senior medical students and the more than 20 Cambodian family practice residents during their 3-year training course after medical school. Newest project is a PCA church plant near the hospital. May many come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord through this church for the ‘fields are ripe with harvest.” To God be the glory.