#76 - Getting Accustomed to the Rhythms of the Land!

Vol.# 76

Getting Accustomed to the Rhythms of the Land!

The first two days were busy getting the necessary big items for my new place, and then, all of sudden with the onset of the holidays, everything closed down! 

So I have had to wait patiently for the past 5 days and not fret when I could not do anything to get my place ready for 'living!'

Yes, I have to get back into the Khmer 'mindset' and the rhythm of how things are done here!

So what do you do?

I asked this of God because I had a time line and a to-do list! He said focus on relationships! 

But how can I do that when my 'community' was not here but away in their hometowns? 

He said, start with ME. 

My time with Him was changed with the time difference, not sleeping because of new surroundings, and sounds at temporary place I am at. Therefore I knew I had to begin my discipline from NOW and not wait until I moved into my own place. So, setting my alarm, I began my time with Him, so even if I was up at 3 or 4 due to jet lag, I knew I had to start my day with Him at that time! It would be easier to do other things but I have promised Him that HE would be the first at the start of my day and the last at night!

Those around me include the young people serving where I am. I began to ask them 'their life stories'. We began to communicate in English (invariably they are all learning English and want to practise it), with me throwing in my Khmer vocabulary! 

It is amazing how much delight they get when I use my limited Khmer vocabulary and receive the approval signs (of clapping and broad smiles) when I tell them of my plans of learning their language! 

This is setting me up for my own language studies, and yes, I cannot wait to get started! The school itself will not be opened until next week so I could not even go in to 'check it out' and get an idea of the curriculum to be used to get a head start! 

Yes definitely a different pace now!

Prayer request: Pray that I would adjust to each new rhythm here! I was going at a very fast pace prior to leaving Toronto, and then went into faster pace here for the first 3 days and then, wham! slow down time. I need to listen to His voice and trust that things would get done. I need to open my eyes to the new people He is giving to me now while my other community is away! The tuk tuk drivers from my old place have come back earlier from the holidays and so we have been getting reconnected. Either their English is getting better or my limited Khmer is, but our short conversations have been about their families! Thank you for praying for my reconnecting here, not knowing with whom I would be re-establishing ties!

Prayer request: It is around 4 now in the morning. Later on I will be having coffee with the co-owner of the hotel where I used to stay on weekends, and where our RAC /Ratanak teams have stayed over the years. She is Khmer and always curious about NGOs and their reasons for coming to help build up her country! So I have had the honour to pray for her in the past. Please pray that I would be a friend and this would be a time of coffee, laughter and shared hearts bonded by His Spirit!

Prayer request: This Saturday is the day set aside to getting water purifier, bed and Wi-Fi set up at my new place. Pray for favour in not only buying the above, but getting the delivery and set up! Have to get essentials like broom, bucket, mop, garbage pails etc., all of which would take several trips to and fro my new place! Pray that I will not get lost but God will give me certain landmarks to know how to get to my place!

I am listening to 10,000 Reasons as I write to this, and I am realising that I wanted to get my apartment ready and get my things done before I focused on others, and that is not His plan for me for this week! Yikes!

Bless the Lord, O my soul: I worship Your Holy Name and I will sing of YOU!

Dancing with Jesus

Love, Sister Vidya