#130 - Oma Speelman

Thank you all for praying about my meeting with Prison Fellowship on 17th. 

I sent a message to confirm my meeting and visit at the Correctional Centre 1 and Prison Location 2 (2 different places). However, when I spoke with Pisey, who is the Human Resources Coordinator, we got the approval to go, but the Prison officials said that Prison Fellowship had to pay for the officer who would go along with us. This had never happened before, so we postponed the meeting until they could talk and clarify that situation. However, as I spoke with Pisey, I said that God is in control and HE allows things to happen in His timing, and we had a blessed conversation on the phone! 
So I will keep you updated on this. 

One of the things all of us who are international workers face is that we miss celebrations of life, birthdays and marriages! 
And today I feel that keenly as I would miss being part of the celebration of life for Oma Speelman! 
Funny I called her Oma as well! 
I met Oma through her daughter Christine, and what I never got to personally thank her for was that she accepted this Trini woman totally, in her home! It was at a time when most people at church would be saying, "I do not understand what you are saying Vidya, could you speak slowly or get a translator (LOL)?"  
So when Christine first suggested that we go to her home, (and it was a home because of Oma, not a house) for dinner (my first asparagus dinner and the beginning of my love for asparagus!), I was a bit apprehensive at first but Oma was there, asking me questions, and treating me as one of her own, giving me my own tray with my cloth napkin. We sat in the living room, on the chairs or on the floor (informal and inviting) and I learnt of her love for reading, for mystery novels. She had a really good curry recipe which she gave to me, but what I really liked was the way she and Chris would talk about the goings on about the day and the process of Christine's floral decorations! 
When I heard of her going home to be with her Lord and Saviour, I got the image of the last time I saw her at the house before she moved into the other home, that image of her standing at the window waving goodbye to us as we drove off! 
Chris said she always did that, but in this picture I had in my mind, she was standing there waving goodbye but with a big smile because she was going into the arms of her Jesus. Bitter sweet! 
Thank you Oma for your acceptance of this 'stranger' into your home, and yes, now you are literally dancing with Jesus! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya 

#129 - My new-home-in-progress and a soccer game!

As I sit on the rooftop looking at the sun rise, I am very grateful to Him Who has provided a part of this house that is a home in the making!  

I am grateful that Channak has moved into the upper floor and is the one who does the wiring etc.! 
When I have to ask the landlady to have something fixed, he does the negotiations, which is usually a long conversation starting with, "Oh, we cannot do it"/"Oh, no money to do what you ask" (from the landlady), to a compromise suggestion from Channak to her, and then there is an agreement! 

I have to learn to not speak, or just not be there when there is a negotiation! 
Channak had to go to buy bedding, and asked that I not be present because as a foreigner the price would be raised if I were with him! 
Reality here! 

Prayer: 
The landlady and her family are happy to have Channak here living on the top, but the people who were supposed to move into the lower floor have bowed out (was supposed to be a computer business).
I told her that I would pray to Jesus the Christ for good tenants! 
Can you join me in this prayer so that she and her family can see His hand at work? 

I started school day before yesterday as part-time. This is a new routine for me. Now the relationships are different, because all of my former classmates go in the morning full-time. However, the new students that I met are great, and I just got a message yesterday that the wife of my former classmate Marc will be joining me in this class, and she is relieved to be with me in class! 
But it was fun going in earlier just to reconnect with everyone from former modules, and have them say, "We miss your humour and presence in class! 

Prayer: 
I am meeting with the Director to discuss how my tutor and I will be planning my work studies. Please pray for wisdom on having a plan which would accurately help in my weaker areas of language learning! 

Praise God! Because of my new schedule, I can live stream Solemn Assembly! Yay! Praise God! 

I went to a football (soccer) match finals at my former workplace, Place of Rescue, and yes, it was so much fun to shout and celebrate as they were number 2 in the league! Here are some pics:

I have to run now to get ready to live stream! 
Thank you for live streaming this for us! 
Blessings!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 
Your Sister Vedya

#128 - Moving Day!

Vol. #128 

The signing of the official lease! 

I had to have 3 photos, a copy of my passport and visa, and of course, the lease that I had to not only sign, but also to put my fingerprint! 

I never had to do that when I moved into my former place, but with the head of the village of Sangkat here as witness, it was very formal. But what struck me from the very beginning was the fact that I had to put my fingerprint! 

I am reading from Genesis 1 about His creation story, and I am moved by the fact that again it is how HE designed me; every cell and unique fingerprint is what was needed to put on the lease. 

HE designed and it came into being! 

HE spoke and it was so! 

The past 2 weeks have been a reflection of this. I was asked how I would like the kitchen to be designed and I always had a desire to have hot water in the kitchen, and they put it in for me! 

I wanted to have a mosquito screen door put in for my bedroom and today they will put it in! 

I am also going to ask for a screen door to be put in the living room area as well. 

Thank you for your prayers and waiting with me in anticipation for this new home. Things are still being worked on and probably will be so for the next week or so.

My moving in pictures!

Praise: 
I return to school on the 9th, so I thank God for His timing of this move. I can settle in here and then dive back into school.

Prayer Request: 
The last exam was difficult for me, and I do not really know why because when I look at it now, I wonder why I did not know this. I know that I was sick that day, and felt unsettled since I did not know where I would be moving to but still...! 
So I did well in first part of the exam, but not good in the last 3 parts. I met with Louise, the school director who is amazing, and we decided that for me to benefit the most from this level, that I should go part-time, and have a tutor who would work with Louise on the curriculum-part on my weaker areas, so that I can target those areas specifically. 
This would be for 3 months, and then I would go back full-time into Level 7. 
At first I was discouraged by the results, and then relieved, because I knew I was not at the same level as my future classmates, and that would stress me out if I was in same class with them, knowing that I would be the only one keeping back the pace at which they would be learning. 
BUT or pontae as it is said in Khmer, this is what God has done!

As some of you may have known, the plans were to work with Prison Fellowship Cambodia but I could not volunteer with them because I was full-time at school. The government of Cambodia has stated in their polices that anyone volunteering has to put in a minimum of 2 full days. 
Well, now that I am part-time I can do that! 
So I met with Director Sirivuth on the 28th, and on the 17th of January I will be going with Pisey, the women human resources liaison, to two centres out of the city: the first is Correctional 1 with youth from 16 to 20; the next is a different prison location with older inmates. 
I will be teaching vocational English to Khmer. 

Prayer Request: 
Please pray that on this seeking visit that God would show me which location is where I will be needed by Him; that I would feel His excitement and passion once I step onto the property. 

Thank you all for your continued partnership with prayers, finances and words of encouragement! 
Please continue to send your stories and requests so that I too can have the joy of going to our Father on your behalf! I cannot wait to see what HE will do in 2017! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 
Your Sister Vedya