#101 - Worship and ...weed?

It is early on Monday morning, and as I sit on the balcony with my coffee, it is still cool enough to enjoy the morning breeze before the heat rolls in!

  

I can also hear the voices of worship music coming from the World Vision building, and I am smiling as I recognize the tunes of the songs even if I do not know the Khmer words (Yet!). 

For the past week, little attention has been made about His death and resurrection, and yes, even from my Christian brothers and sisters here. 

So it was with a somber heart that I went into my church on Sunday morning. 

But, oh, what an amazing service!

 

These words resonated with me...I sing of His resurrection and I praise Him for the resurrection of my soul as well...!  

I usually only think of the sacrifice of what Jesus Christ did for you and for me. His choice of death gives me freedom and life if I choose to follow Him, but also, as a follower and His servant, each year when I ponder and think more of what He has done for me, I realize it is also a time when my soul experiences a resurrection from apathy and loss of wonder at Who HE is, my misplaced priority of putting Him second/third in my thoughts, in my days, rather that being my first love and my first priority in all that I do! 

And I sing today and I, of course, dance. (Man, there are some amazing remix worship songs on my IPod that you really just have to move, even it is just raising your hands in worship!)

 

I am very thankful that HE chose to open my heart to hear His heart and my eyes to His Word. Just reading His Word is not enough, I get to see His vision and His purpose in my daily life!

How sweet and how undeserving is that! 

Today is a free day from school and tomorrow too. Then it is back to Level 3!

 

Prayer request:

 

I will be learning how to write in Khmer and read in Khmer. I ask that God will give me clarity of thought on how to distinguish the different symbols and His hand on how to write the letters! I need His creativity on learning this new script!

 

I think I must have told you that the way I learnt and remembered some of the words is by points of reference. So, for example, the month of October is tokla, and I remember that by the word toking! 

Yes, my time with my guys at the Drop-In did not go to waste! My point of reference has to to with toking! September is kan ne ya and that, to me, sounds like ganja so I remember that ! (k has a g sound!) 

Hey, I am just being real with you guys. Again, GOD does not let any of our experiences go to waste! Lol! 

Prayer request:

 

-For the next day for me to REST! It is very noisy in the neighbourhood now! 

Blessings!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya

** (P.S. Revenues are down and I am now at 80 percent of my monthly support, would you consider becoming one of my dance partners? Email me for details!)

#100 - PASSED!

Thank you so much for your prayers for my exam yesterday!

This week had been one where sleep was lacking. It was extra noisy with the sounds of the motos and babies crying and construction starting early! So I spent my time getting extra tutorial lessons and just sticking to the books! 

Answered prayers: 

His Ways are Not My ways, definitely! 

Many of you prayed for a consistent conversational Khmer partner. I paid for extra lessons to have conversations with the Khmer teachers at G2K.

God has been using my... ahem...dire need for practice by building bridges with 2 specific teachers this past week!

We spoke in Khmer, but they were so encouraging and even though they do not as yet know our Lord like we do, they were curious enough to ask why I am here and also why I was the only student in our class to opt to have the 'assessment' (as they refer to the 'exam') yesterday rather than on Monday like the others! 

I said I wanted my Easter weekend to be without stress and extra studying!  

Then spoke a little about my Easter! 

This week  I was so tired to cook by the time I got home at 3:30pm, after being at school from 8am, and getting up at 5:30am with the noise. So as one of my classmates had suggested, I took a walk during my break and I found a cafe that served fried rice with vegetables and also noodles with chicken for only $1.50! 
As I sat and waited for my food, I got to chatting with my waiter, and soon he was helping me with my pronunciation, and then before you know it, another worker got involved, then the girl from another table got involved, all Khmer, and before you know it, I had 5 impromptu teachers! 
I said goodbye and said I would see them the next day!  The picture below shows you my greeting from them the next day when I went in for lunch! 

My new friends at the Cafe know I love hot sauce!

So, my greatest anxiety had been over the listening part of the exam, since not being around others to practice this affects how well I understand the teacher! 

Again HE went before and this is the result:  

- 100 percent in knowing the vocabulary (I was given pictures and I had to say the word in Khmer!). 

- However I had 7 errors in pronunciation. 

- Then 100 percent in answering questions (e.g. tell me about your favourite season, why you like your house, where do you live etc.), but I have to learn how to frame the questions properly when I in turn get the chance to ask my teacher questions. 

- Then 100 percent in listening to a story and then answering the questions! (Yes, I was shocked!) 

- However, 90 percent on pronunciation of words! 

- I was told I had no problem in fluency. (Yeah, I can talk in Khmer as well as English)! 

My two teachers were so encouraging as well as the head of the programme, Teacher Samnang! 

SO I PASSED and will begin Module 3 on Wednesday! 

Prayer answered: 

My class mates and I, though different, are becoming a 'family' and beginning to know each other! 

Here is one example of this. We had a charade-type game in Khmer, and David, one of the students, who along with his gorgeous wife are EXCELLENT in speaking Khmer, got the word because he was thinking, "Hmm, what other word sounds like the word that Vidya is trying to say?"  

We will have 6 students in the next module, which is good. Then I can pair up when we have to do conversation in the class! 

Prayer request:

-That my 'ear' will be tuned in to the Khmer sounds more and more, and of course, for that conversational partner! 

-For sleep. It is very noisy and very hot. I have had to use my A/C during the night now. Before I could just put on the fan to have a comfortable temperature in order to sleep!

-Wisdom on a few decisions to be made about housing! 

-For community. I am still much on my own. I would love a Khmer-based community.

Thank you for partnering with me, for sending in your prayer requests! 

HE IS RISEN! 

I woke up with such gratitude that HE would allow me to be part of His plan here! 

I miss you all so I cannot wait to see you face to face! But until then, may I encourage you to always go to HIM, HE is waiting ....

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya 

(P.S. I got some new songs to dance with Jesus  this week, my DJ who put the songs on my IPod keeps surprising me!)  

(P.P.S. Revenues are down and I am at 80% of my support. If you would like to be my dance partner for Him, please email me!)

#99 - Meeting with PF

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and birthday greetings/wishes!

I had my birthday breakfast with my friend Annette at a cafe, and a birthday lunch with Channak and Liep (from my church), and yes, my first moto ride since I had been in the hospital! 

I went with Channak to buy myself a good helmet for my birthday and had my first glorious ride on his moto!  He drove. I was the passenger just in case some of you are thinking Vidya driving a moto??? 

Then I spent the evening quietly at home reading your messages, studying my Khmer and live streaming RAC!

However the first thing I had done that morning was to spend time on the balcony with Him watching the sun rise! 

Prayers answered: 

I met with the Director of Prison Fellowship and man, it was so cool! 

The offices had moved and as I sat talking with Mr. Sirivuth (Bong Sirivuth) and we realized that for NOW I cannot volunteer at PF because the government with the new regulations requires a 3-day (full day) commitment as a volunteer, and with my full-time language studies in the morning, and Khmer tutoring extra lessons 3 times a week at the school, this was not feasible.

The sweet thing was that we were on the same page as to my continued involvement through being one of their prayer partners (I will receive prayer requests weekly letters), and just going into the office once a month to meet and pray with the director. 

Bong Sirivuth said that I needed to get 100 percent healthy and to focus on my language studies to be able to work and help them in the future. He even asked when was the next time I could come to the office just to chat! He and his wife and three children are now on my prayer list! 

While I was waiting to meet with him, I spoke in Khmer with one of the staff there, and even though my Khmer was slow, he said I spoke clearly and that was an encouragement to me! 

I was so encouraged to see that he wants to pour into his staff first, to look after their spiritual growth, SO that they can go out and minister to others. As we prayed at the end, I felt the outpouring of His Spirit and tears came as we prayed for PF and Cambodia! 

He wants to see PF Celebrate Recovery programmes in the 28 prisons that now exist in Cambodia by 2020!  

I thought of Pastor Sok and his team and his prayer of seeing a church planted in all of the districts in Cambodia by 2020! 

Prayer Request: I still need a consistent Khmer partner but as I write this I am thinking you have asked, so now in faith ask them to praise God for answered prayer! Yay! 

Friday March 22nd is the big exam. I am grateful to prayer sent by Pastor Sunder which gave me a perspective and showed me how to pray into the anxiety of exams and being successful; to see His big picture in the midst of the uncertainty! 

Oh yeah, when my co-students found out it was my birthday, I got surprise doughnuts one day, and the next day I got surprise chocolate cupcakes! 

And God gave me a present as I was in the mall on that day I heard a shout of "Teacher Vidya!" It was one of my previous students from Rescue! She is now training and working at a restaurant in the mall! 

I still am the 'lowest' in the class but apparently the funniest as well! I love my co-students, David and his wife Lauren, Ryan and his wife Tara! I keep mixing up David's and Ryan's names (no surprise to some of you) and this causes much laughter! I would like to be with this same group as we go forward to all the levels of Khmer studies! Each couple is with a different organization and spend two years only learning the language and the culture! 

Please continue to send in your prayer requests and stories of your lives! 

I have to go now as I am becoming dinner for the mosquitoes! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya 

** (P.S. Revenues are down and I am now at 80 percent of my monthly support, would you consider becoming one of my dance partners? Please email me!)

#98 - Commissioned and Consecrated on my Birthday Morning!

COFFEE WITH JESUS
AS SUN RISES ON BIRTHDAY MORNING!

 

As I sit on my balcony reading my birthday morning Scripture, coffee in hand, Mark 16:14-20 pops up. According to my year-long plan for reading the Bible, His Word, the date says March 12th, but it is the 13th here and I love that the subtitle of the above scripture is the .....are you ready for it?........GREAT COMMISSION! 
Love it! 
It is affirmation and confirmation of my purpose and my mission here in Cambodia! I got to listen to Pastor Cheryl and Brother Frank pray for me as each did when I was being commissioned to come here! 

Another word which popped up in the last couple of days (recurring theme), and then also in the first worship song I listened to when I was doing my reading was 'consecrated'. The offerings made to the Great I Am by the Israelites had to be consecrated to Him. I began to consecrate my time to the Lord, my study time, my tuk tuk time, my time! 

Funny, it began to be easier to study. I did not dread sitting down and opening the books, or listening to Khmer comprehension text on my phone! 
When I began to grow tired, I would remember why I was here, and would stop and again give up that time to Him as His time, holy time, worship time!

Am I still having trouble pronouncing words or remembering all of the 20 or so words you learn in one day? Yes! 
But I take it in stride and then ask God how to remember the words in a creative way! 
Although some words, when taken apart and translated, do not mean anything close to the particular word, for example, the Khmer word for water and for pink (that is the order) together means shower head! 

Prayer requests: 

- That I would be able to get extra time with one of the teachers this week (3 times a week) to have conversation and to go over word structure.
  
- That my meeting with Prison Fellowship will be fruitful. This week is the first time where hopefully we will be free at same time. They were away last week. My meeting has to set around my school time.

- That I will continue to be disciplined in my study time!

Praise: 

I had a third follow up appointment at the hospital with the bone doctor. My back will take time to heal but he was pleased with progress; my left knee was a bit inflamed but we were laughing, as I was able to swing my legs up and down etc. 

Prayer: 

I need to get a consistent exercise for the legs. I walk up and down the steps as much as possible but I have to tuk tuk everywhere since location of my house is far from school, market etc. I used to walk a lot more at my old place. Swimming at local pool (or learning) is not an option since it so crowded now. SO I am asking God how I can get more exercise! I want my body, His temple, to be at its peak! 

Please send me your requests, what an honour to go before Him together!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya

** (P.S. Revenues are down and I am now at 80 percent of my monthly support, would you consider becoming one of my dance partners? Please email me!)

#97 - Above, Below, Around...

Vol.# 97

Answers to your prayers!

How creative is our God? 

No, I do not expect you to answer that, because it would be a never-ending one! I asked for someone to help me study Khmer and pronounce the words correctly and here is how HE did it.

After a particularly excruciating class where I seemed to fumble trying to do the phonics that occurs in the last hour of the class, I went home humbled and yes, a bit discouraged. 

At the same time I got Pastor Alan's Lent reading that night, and it was Day 21 on Insecurity. God showed me that I was insecure about my ability to grasp the language, especially as my classmates are excellent in their ability to hear the sounds, repeat the pronunciation, and had amazing recall in the class. I gave up that insecurity to Him, and with my cue cards started to ask Him how I could memorize the words! I was doing prepositions, above, below, outside etc., and was not sure if I was saying the words correctly. Knowing them and saying them are two different things!

I got this urge to go get my toes done (yup, for three dollars you can too!), so I went to my usual place, and as I took my homework out and started to memorize the words, the girls at the salon started to correct my pronunciation and helped me with my words! These girls come from a high-risk background and Jeri, the owner, has hired them and taught them about hair/pedicures etc. They do not know our JESUS yet but they are always so warm and friendly!  

So only God could do this for me, allow me to get the reading on same day as I got unexpected help from unexpected sources!  Then to make things even sweeter, the first song on my IPod (thanks to K and C for buying me this 2 years ago, and for CC for putting all the songs on it) was by Michael Smith singing about God being all around us, below and above...using all of the prepositions I had been learning!

Directions: On the same day that I had the phonics 'meltdown', so to speak, we were learning directions and how to tell the tuk tuk driver or moto driver how to get from point A to B.  One main teaching tool was a map and we had ten scenarios where we had to go from one place to another, like from the bank to the post office, describing how to get there, (go left, pass the.... turn right etc.). Some of you who really know me must be laughing because you know I cannot read a map in English far less in Khmer! Well to make matters worse, I met some friends at the mall near to the school for lunch, but went out the wrong exit and a 5-minute walk back took 15 minutes because I was so lost! The tuk tuk drivers and moto drivers kept asking me if I needed help, especially as I walked around the mall twice! I was laughing inside because I kept saying to myself, well I know how to say the directions but I needed to know how to get there before I gave the directions!

But God again allowed me to share what was going on in my life and to share Pastor Alan's reading to a couple from the States in Level One at my school. It encouraged them, and yes, again as I listened to His music the next day on my way in, Oceans by Hillsong, the song He gave to me this time going back, came on my IPod and I sang it all the way!

Prayer Requests:

-I am still praying for the 'constant' Khmer language partner to practise with. The two couples in my class practise with each other every day, so they are 'right on' each day with the pronunciation etc. 

-Health: I had my last physiotherapy appointment on Friday. My back is much better but still I cannot sit for long periods and I have to be careful with carrying bags. The joints are still tender, but I can walk up and down the stairs more confidently now. 

Thank you for your prayers.

No beach yet! We have a holiday on March 8th, which is International Women's Day here, but this occurs on a Tuesday so I cannot go to the beach!

Thank you for your prayers and please keep your requests coming! I was humbled that I was able to Skype in and pray with the Mission Breakfast team led by Ian and Ramona Loberg! I heard you had an amazing week with Trevor and Patty, Claire Bradley, and Suresh and Cheryl.

Got to get back to my homework! I am sweltering as I write this thinking of the deep freeze in Toronto!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya

** (P.S. Revenues are down and I am now at 80 percent of my monthly support, would you consider becoming one of my dance partners? Please email me!)